About a half-hour after Princess Fur emerged from anesthesia, they sent her home. When the vet tech brought her out to the waiting area, she was loopy and dazed. She weaved around the room, running into the furniture.
I couldn't walk her home like this, and I had my bicycle with me. So I packed her into the soft dog-carrier-bag I brought, strapped it across my back and rode home with my dog in a bag.
Before anyone calls animal control, you should know that Fur was perfectly content in there. The sides of the bag are mesh, so I could hear her grumbling contentedly to herself as we rolled along.
When we got home, Fur was a bit more alert. She was also stoned out of her little mind!
In case you've ever wondered what a miniature schnauzer looks like when she's stoned, here's a visual:
"Duuuuuuuuude!!!!"
I had a fun hour watching her swagger around the apartment. Whenever she approached a piece of furniture, she would get up really close and say: 'woof!' After waiting for a moment (did she expect an answer?), she'd turn on heel and weave over to her next destination, another piece of furniture: 'woof!' You get the picture...it was hilarious!
When she was settled in (and the entertainment value of a stoned dog had exhausted itself), I put her to bed to sleep it off and rode down to Shala South for a quick practice. I was in and out of there in less than an hour: Half-Primary and modified finishing poses. It was a relief to stretch my body after all of that stress!
When I got home, the sedatives had worn off and Princess Fur was keening miserably. I knew it was going to be rough when those pain-killers wore off!
What follows is a more detailed health update for Princess Fur's fans, regarding the nitty-gritty of the surgery. If canine health issues are 'TMI' for you, please go ahead and skip this last part of the post.
I dropped Princess Fur off around 9am, picked her up at 2pm. Before the surgery, I was able to consult with her regular vet (who was back from holiday). I love this guy because he doesn't panic or jump to conclusions.
He looked at the mass in her mouth and said that there were a couple possible explanations, including abcess (swelling from tooth decay) or Epulis (a type of oral tumour, common in older dogs).
I authorised the removal of the mass and asked him to send it in for biopsy if it looked suspicious. While she was under anesthesia, they would also clean her teeth and extract a rotting canine tooth.
I'm an enthusiastic and diligent doggie dental hygienist: for the past 9-and-a-half years, I've brushed Fur's teeth regularly. Despite this, I've had to take her in for dental cleanings twice. After the last cleaning, I stepped it up: I started brushing daily.
So this surprised me: Although Fur's teeth were fairly clean, there was a substantial amount of tooth decay. The surgeon had to remove 8 teeth!!! Princess Fur now has only one lower canine tooth left in the front of her mouth - she looks like a hockey player! There are a few molars and premolars remaining. My toothbrushing duties have been substantially reduced!
The surgeon removed the mass and the two molars underneath. The mass has been sent in for analysis and I'll have news sometime next week (it's a big holiday weekend here, so all the labs are shutting down early).
Last night was rough - she was in a lot of pain. From past experience, I know that Fur loses control of her bladder while recovering from anesthesia, so I put a rubber sheet over the bed with a few towels (and sure enough! *sigh*). I comforted her throughout the night. Early this morning (4am and yes, I really need a nap!) she had her first pain pill/antibiotic dose and she's finally sleeping.
The great news is that she's eating enthusiastically with no vomiting and her energy levels are normal when she's awake. Now, the waiting begins. Next week, I'll know more about how to move forward.
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