Well, update #2 is much better. She is at home with me. Their recommendation was take her to Reach (the big 24 hour clinic), but they felt she was doing SO better with me than strangers, and I could care for her, but "it might be a night from Hell." And all I got was an RX for Tramadol and Tylenol 3 from the 24 hour vet. Upon my vet hearing this (I called her on my way home), she had me come by for 5 syringes of something much stronger. It's to be administered orally with food, hopefully I can get her to eat. She has drains that are dripping all over the place, but only seems to be in pain when her mind isn't on something. If she hears a noise or I'm interacting with her, she stops whimpering. Otherwise, every exhale has been emoting. She is not a vocal dog. Also, her nose is badly busted and one eye is bloodshot from trauma. That stuff is minor in the scheme of things though.

A little frustrating news -she has one couch in the house she is allowed on. I pushed the end table and coffee table in front of it to keep her off until she gets back to her normal self. Then I heard a loud yelp while preparing her supper (she hasn't eaten since the first surgery). She had jumped ON THE TABLE to get to the couch. Rather than get her down, I just gave her a raw meaty bone which she is going to town on as I type this. I've moved the table so she can get down if the mood hits her. Once she's off, I'll either stand the couch on end or move it to another room. I should have never put furniture in the way -I'm tired of making wrong choices!!!

Well, I left this in the editor for a while. She doesn't seem to want food, I grabbed some cans and kibble in case her regular chicken raw diet wasn't appealing, but not much interest in either. The meaty beef bones are eagerly accepted, then she seems bored with them. She wants to pace -or at least stand. The cone is pawed at and fought relentlessly. I have her in whatever room I am in with closed doors so I don't have to keep a cone on her, but she just goes to the door wanting out. Once out, she has no real direction. I suppose the morphine and stuff still has her a little delirious. But she IS moving around great, considering. I wish I'd have been given a sedative, but I'm just glad to have her home with me, pacing, standing, whimpering and all. That tail sure is getting some exercise, and my tear ducts finally aren't!

I can't thank all of you enough for taking all the time. Not only the good advice, but just people who understand... even though you've never met me or Rose. I have concerned friends and family, but most have been really bad at "helping" me through this. It's either, "A thousand dollars a NIGHT? I know a vet assistant who might come to your house" or "Oh, instead of morphine, maybe she just needs some Valerian root, my homeopathic guy says that that works great for dogs!" Good intentions all, but it kinda gets like people informing me that raw chicken bones will splinter and hurt her. I can barely find it in myself to have the conversation. God bless the Internet and Leerburg, and thank you all for caring. I know I have taken much more than I've given. The extent of my contribution on this board has been to try to help a couple of people with working the recall, I owe the community big time! I'll keep you updated.

Here is what I've done with an "out of it" dog" .... push a pile of flat sofa cushions and folded non-slippy blankets up against the couch, then another lower pile against that. Now show her how to get up and down (more than once).

Put something grippy under each pile. The things you put under throw rugs are perfect.

Now you try to slide the piles. If you can't, she won't. (Even if she did, it's better than furniture.)

Then I set up a mirror in the kitchen so I could see the side of the living room where the dog was.

Then I focus on fluids and potty, and also on a poop chart. (Pain meds and anesthesia wreak havoc with pooping, and the WORST thing is to have to give her an enema or to have her need to strain.)

If she eats but no poop in 24 hours, I call the vet and ask about stool softeners.

For food, I cook up some chicken and then chop it. I leave out the calcium for a day or two (or longer if needed) because of the stool-hardness thing from pain meds. I serve it warmish (the most odorous state). I pour a little "gravy" out of the stew-type canned foods (like Dogswell) on it. Plenty of odor.

Is there another food she loves?

You might also want to set up her nighttime bed right next to yours. If she knows you are right there, she's less likely to wander around in a medicated fog. I'd set the alarm for potty too, because a medicated dog will sometimes feel the urge and (again) wander around in confusion.

"I owe the community big time!"

Oh no you don't. You know how it works here ..... we pay it forward.

Plus, we really do understand and care.

Chip, do you know about how narcotics can scare/bewilder/confuse some dogs?

I'm throwing it out there because it's possible that some of the restlessness and vocalizing might be related to narcotics.

I'm big on pain control, but I just wanted to mention that two days later (like tomorrow), you might want to discuss using tramadol with the vet and see if Rose's mental state and ability to rest improves.

I'M NOT A HEALTH PROFESSIONAL. I'm just speaking from experience with seniors and surgery. It varies, but I've seen restlessness and anxiety that improved immediately with the switch from heavy narcotics to tramadol. But this is a vet thing ..... she may indeed require the heavy meds, and I would never deny needed pain relief.

JMO!

Thank you especially, Connie. I have tears in my eyes.

FWIW, the only place Rose has fallen asleep is on her couch and without the cone. I bought a Cuddle Cone from the links, but she hates it. That's her nature though, she's like a cat in that respect. Putting a bandanna on her is like putting a collar on a puppy for the first time. Yet my niece can put doll clothes on Shortstack. I'm thinking about setting up a sleeping bag right at the foot of the couch. Silly she'd be on cushions and I'd sleep on the floor, but I can not get her to lay down for long anywhere else. And if she moved, I'd know it -and I might not if I actually drifted off from above in bed. I know that if I allow myself to sleep tonight, I have to either be right beside her or have her crated and coned. I'm adding the old Leerburg podcasts to my Ipod now!

It's 11:11 PM, and I've only had two screams of pain, getting her out of the car, and when she jumped on the coffee table to get on her couch. MUCH better than I expected.

"I'm thinking about setting up a sleeping bag right at the foot of the couch. Silly she'd be on cushions and I'd sleep on the floor, but I can not get her to lay down for long anywhere else. And if she moved, I'd know it "


I would do that too. You need sleep and so does she, and this sounds most secure.

Restlessness and anxiety that are tied to narcotics ..... yeah, I bet she will benefit from having you right there, right in nose-zone.


Put thick blankets under your sleeping bag (even towels) so you're off the floor,OK? You don't want a stiff back or neck along with a sick dog to manipulate.

I'd let her sleep on her couch undisturbed, perhaps put some towels on there in case she leaks or has an accident. She'll be better in the morning. I think you can take the collar off overnite if you are there.
I'm thinking of you and hoping you get a decent nights sleep, hope you have TV near your couch to drown out the snores!

I'd let her sleep on her couch undisturbed, perhaps put some towels on there in case she leaks or has an accident. She'll be better in the morning. I think you can take the collar off overnite if you are there.
I'm thinking of you and hoping you get a decent nights sleep, hope you have TV near your couch to drown out the snores!

The restless can be due to the narcotic fog but it also could be because she has a lot of discomfort and pain. Laying might be more painful than moving around.

I definitely would not let her get up and down the couch on her own. One wrong move and she could tear her sutures open again. Do everything you can to keep her confined - maybe a crate/kennel or xpen.

As for food, I'd buy some ground meat (I'm assuming you feed raw) and see if she eats that. You can always sear it a bit to make it more fragrant. Or mix cottage cheese in it. Personally I steam vegetables for my guys mixed with meat and it makes it very appetizing for them.

Hang in there, Chip. You're not making mistakes, you're doing the best you can with what experience you have. Some of us have more experience than we care to admit, cuz that just means we've had a lot of animals in trouble. Keep us posted.