Lucy's Spay

When I adopted Lucy and Charlie, the adoption fee covered spaying for both dogs.  Shelters will typically not release a dog that has not be spayed or neutered.  But they didn't do the surgeries because The Girls were not healthy enough, and they told me I needed to bring them back to the shelter at a later date to complete the process (or have them spayed at my local vet at an extra cost).  

After the whole experience (and cost) of getting them healthy again, I was not quite prepared to take them back to the shelter environment, especially for a surgery.  Eww.  I just had a bad feeling about it, even though I had already essentially paid for it and it would have been the cheapest way to go.  

Don't tell my husband. 

So I made Lucy's spay appointment with Dr. Quinn at Bay Animal Hospital here in Manhattan Beach.  The Girls have been under Dr. Quinn's care since their adoption, so I was happy to be going there - the docs and staff love on The Girls when they are there, so I knew she'd be in good hands.  

(I realize I sound like an over-protective nutcase right now.  It's a spay, not open heart surgery, I know.  But still.)

Lucy's surgery was on October 26, 2012.

For whatever reason I thought the spay process was a 'snip snip and you're done' kind of thing.  I had no idea that is a full hysterectomy with a sizable incision and 10+ day recovery.  Shame on me for not doing my homework.  So I brought her home and we started the drug and rest regimen.  

As they say, it's not a party 'til someone gets The Cone.  

Speaking of cone, it breaks my heart every time I have to put it on her.  But even though she hates it, she just puts her head down and lets me do it.

Charlie was not at all down with this whole "mom needs her rest" routine.  As soon as Lucy was awake the next day, Charlie went in to sit on her head and bite her ears.  And when I kept Lucy crated and put Charlie outside, Charlie would just sit and howl pathetically because he knew mom was still inside and he wanted her company.  So after a few days I let them have a couple (ok maybe a few) hours together in the afternoons to play together.  I inspected Lucy's incision every evening, and I started to notice some swelling in the area, especially on one side, and took her back to Bay Animal Hospital, where she was seen by Dr. Steen.  He said that Lucy's overactivity caused a Seroma, which is a fluid pocket around the incision area.  So she is now on Cephelexin to prevent infection, and I am doing warm compresses to encourage the body to reabsorb the fluid.   I'm feeling guilty about the Seroma.  Rest means REST.   I wish Charlie understood.  

I am in love with Lucy because she is such a survivor, a strong mother, yet has a gentle heart.  Per her usual, she has been a total trooper.    

status 11/8/12