Surgery Dog

Last week I took Truffle in because she was lethargic and refusing to eat. She had gone so far as to miss a dose of her fludracortisone, the replacement for natural cortisone that I've been giving her for six or seven years since she was first diagnosed with Addison's disease. ANd that never happens because I understand that the consequence of her not getting the fludracortisone is death.

Dr. Hoban is the best vet I've ever known. I love the way she handles Truffle and the way she talks about things. Anyway she did an xray and showed me that her spleen looked very odd and there was a swirl in her abdomen so she thought she had a hematoma on her spleen that had burst. Or it could be cancer. The question was, should we go on the assumption that it was the spleen? Because the difference is with the hematoma, you remove the spleen and all is well. With cancer... not so much. We discussed the cost of treatment but what really weighed on me was putting Truffle through another surgery when I promised I wouldn't do that to her again. But just before she fell ill this time she was active and cheerful and having a great time. Dr. Hoban said that we could have an ultrasound examination, and that was very good at finding tumors, so I said yes to that. Nothing more was found than the lump on the spleen, and so I said yes, let's do it.

So now I have a dog with a large incision, who is being very vocal about her discomfort. We move every half hour or so. I gave her her necessary meds but she is adamant that she is not ready to eat. She pooped on the deck and I cleaned it up. But I think she will be fine for another couple years.

But this is really the last surgery she will get. I promise.