Yes, She is Shooting for the Record
Yesterday we thought we’d seen it all when Dr. Pyne removed 685cc of fluid from Nikki’s seroma. We figured that there was no way that her body was going to produce much more… Well, we were wrong. Originally we had an appointment for follow-up on Friday evening, but Nikki was uncomfortable today, so Mary called Banfield and they had us bring her in. Dr. Pyne is off today, so another doctor saw Nikki (Nikki didn’t really like her, not sure why, hopefully it was just the fact that she was sick and tired of being poked by that big needle to drain) and extracted another 460cc’s of drainage from the seroma.
Other than these pesky visits to the Dr. for drainage, Nikki is doing great. Today she ran (yes, RAN.. No evidence whatsoever that she was on 3 legs. Wish I’d have gotten it on video to prove it) on more than one occasion from one part of the house to another to chase some threat (You know, like the UPS truck driving down the street, or the neighbor kid ringing the doorbell because he wants to borrow some vanilla extract)
The biggest problem that we seem to be facing right now, surgery + 17 days, is in trying to keep Nikki relaxed and not so active so that the seroma can heal. This, plus the restlessness, which I am sure is brought on by the discomfort around the fluid in the seroma, is proving to be our biggest challenge. Nikki has really adapted to 3 legs just fine, and aside from the fact that I am still uncomfortable letting her try the stairs on her own, she’s pretty much independently mobile.
February 4th, 2010 at 19:59
No one believes that tripawds can run until they witness it for themselves. Pawesome Nikki!! Keep it up!
February 5th, 2010 at 20:53
MY GOD, that’ s lot of fluid! Does the vet say WHY there’s such a massive production of fluid? If it’s a rocord, it’s not normal? Especially so many days post-op, but it’s part of the healing? Sounds like a drain tube would just allow it to produce more fluid and drain as fast as it’s produced? Wow, sorry, but that’s alarming to me but Nikki is a big doggy… I remember how alarmed (petrified) I was when Kanga was standing in a pool of “drainage” – but it was over in three days. Poor Nikki, she isn’t going to want to see another needle again, ever… I’m so sorry you ALL have to go through the daily visits to the vet, you’ll soon have the “Nikki Wing” at the vets office if you keep this up! Sweet Nikki, she sounds like she’s incredibly tolerant of it all.
My vet told me that Kanga is not to do stairs (three steps ok but absolutely not a set of stairs), would that be enough movement to keep her from healing? He also told me that she was to only go on potty breaks on leash and not to play with Sammie. Now you know as well as I do that that’s about impossible but you may just have to try it. Kanga flew past me when I got home and went to the end of the property to chase the neighbors cat out of the back 40, I was amazed at her speed and swift gate, it was a beautiful site to see – however, ten seconds later my heart sunk at how that was exactly what the vet didn’t want her to do. Perhaps just because they CAN doesn’t mean they should. I got permission to give Kanga 75 mg of Benadryl (three pills) twice a day but it only took once a day to put her down and stay down. I did it every other day for three days after the draining incident and it worked, the drainage stopped. Having said that, Nikki weighs almost 50 pounds more than Kanga, she’s a solid dog and Kanga is still a gangly tall puppy. I’ll say this, if you can’t find an answer perhaps there isn’t one, there’s not right or wrong – Nikki is Nikki. I just wish Nikki didn’t have to go get poked with a needle every day, she needs to just be still for a few days and heal. I gave Kanga the Benadryl as much to have her sleep as much as to be still. After my two thoracic surgeries, I can tell you that sleep was the only way I got my strength back and heal – as much as I hate to say the surgeon was right, he was right.
Well, give Nikki extra kisses and hugs from Kanga and family and trust this phase ends, tomorrow! Kanga gets her sutures out tomorrow (God willing) and I’ll let you know what instructions we get from that point forward, I have no idea what our marching orders will be for two weeks out.
All our best,
Kanga’s mom and Kanga (roo)