Celebrating Christmas With Comet
( Never Thought He'd Make It)
Comet is my thirteen-and-a-half year old male Lhasa Apso who delights me round the clock!He had surgery to remove an oral mass on the 23rd of October, 2018.
The Day After The Surgery
24th October, 2018
We took him to the hospital for a check up and his drip. He had not even tried to eat or drink water. He was given 300 ml of saline again, with B-Complex, pain killers and antibiotics. He had no interest in going for his walk either. He walked around with his tail between his legs and a confused look in his eyes. The vet said that he would have a certain amount of pain in spite of being on pain killers. So that was understandable. He was sedated for ten minutes and his mouth was examined and cleaned thoroughly. The sedation was a scary experience for me because of the way he became unconscious in a second.
Back home, he still kept whimpering when the cone was on so we kept it off as much as possible, and watched him. We noticed that he became restless about four to five hours after the painkiller injection was given. The effect was probably wearing off. As soon as the next injection was given, he would calm down and go into a deep sleep for a few hours. He did not eat all day. He did go to his water bowl and stand there, put his head down as if he wanted to drink some, but then lifted his head again.
The vet informed us that he would need to get used to his new mouth. Now that the oral mass was removed, and he had lost half his lower jaw in the process, his mouth probably felt very different. He had also lost about ten teeth.
The grogginess from the anesthesia wore off by the evening. He looked a little more alert and less disoriented.
Again, we took turns watching him while he slept because he didn't want the cone on.
25th October, 2018
Comet had his regular drip session in the morning. He kept whimpering all the time. Even if the hospital waiting room, he would cry softly, non-stop. The vet examined his suture line from the outside and said it seemed to be healing well. Comet should start eating and drinking by this evening. I was asked to grind his food from now on because his teeth were not aligned properly any more so he would not be able to bite and chew.
However, Comet is not like any other dog. His recovery is taking longer than it would in any other dog. He did try to drink a little water but ran miles from food. He still did not feel like walking. But he looked more alert. The vet said that by now the pain would have gone completely so we were to give the injection only if required. But we gave it because he seemed to need it. He kept whimpering when the previous dose wore off.
Comet Finally Drank Some Water and Ate a Little
26th October, 2018
Comet had his regular drip again. He was still whimpering the entire time. The only time he would be calm and not crying would be when he was at home. He would sleep peacefully until the pain killer wore off. Then he would become restless.
The vet was now concerned that Comet had not yet started eating and drinking on his own. He did a blood test to check if there was anything else wrong and preventing him from eating and drinking. His blood work was normal so that was ruled out. He was given a shot of prednisolone (a steroid) to stimulate his appetite.
By evening, Comet was much calmer and happier. He did not whimper at all and did not need the pain killers. He showed more interest in his walk.
At night, he began to drink water on his own and even ate some food. We were very happy but just hoped that it would continue after the effect of the steroid wore off.
Comet Is Eating and Drinking Again
27th October, 2018
The vet was not satisfied with the amount that Comet had eaten the previous day so he was given drip again, with all his medication. No more pain killers were given. The suture line was cleaned from the outside, without sedation.
Comet was more himself today. The whimpering stopped completely. He drank water in excess and ate very well
He's back to his old self, wagging his tail, running around the house, eating and drinking very well, walking well.
28th October, 2018
Now that Comet is eating and drinking normally, he was given only 100 ml of drip and his last dose of antibiotics. His sutures were examined and he was sent home quickly.
Comet took time adjusting to his new mouth and non-aligned set of teeth and I took time adjusting to how best to feed him.
Apart from that, he's back to normal but hasn't asked for his normal long half a kilometer walk around the block in the morning.
November 1st, 2018
Comet went for his checkup. Everything seems fine and the sutures will come off in two days time. The vet is happy with Comet's recovery.
November 3rd, 2018
Since Comet would be given anesthesia, he had to be fasting again since the previous night. Again he went looking for his water bowl all over. It was so sad. We reached the hospital at 8.30 am. He was put on drip and wheeled off into the operation theater. This time he was angry and wanted to kill everyone around him. We had to wait for about fifteen minutes.
We were allowed to see him in the recovery room so we were with him when he came around. He had the cone on and an oxygen mask on, which he wanted to push off. Within half an hour, he had recovered from anesthesia and the nurse told us to take him home as being in the hospital would just raise his stress levels.
His next checkup will be in a month's time. That would be the 3rd of December.
November 6th, 2018
Comet demanded for his favourite long walk around the block. He walked well and didn't get tired.
He is eating and drinking very well. He's alert, active and happy again.
Comet has made an excellent recovery!
Comet has made an excellent recovery!
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