Advice needed....my baby (puppy) is having surgery

[princessbelle]

Got a call from the vet yesterday. Bella's surgery is scheduled for Tuesday at noon. I have to take her in and leave her on Monday at noon. I understand that they have to do blood work and premedicate her on Monday night.

With all of the support I received here and in doing research I feel this is best of course to go ahead and get this done.

I asked about getting her "fixed" while she was under and they said no. They explained that this surgery is very time consuming because they are freezing each and every eyelash and it will take about 3 hours. They said that was long enough to be under anesthesia and she can't be under longer than that.

I'm trying hard to stay strong. I never realized I would fall in love so hard and so deep and so fast as i have with her. She rests her head on my pillow each night and she is always there for me. She has never let me down. I will do the same for her and do what is best.

I will update next week when things happen....

Again, thanks to all that have posted here. You are truely angels. It's meant the world to me.

[princessbelle]

Oh and she got her first "big girl" hair cut this week. The pic is in the gallery. I tried to put it on my sig line but can't figure out how to....

Thanks again....

[SelfMadeMan]

Originally Posted by princessbelle

My bella is 5 months old and she is a shih tzu. She has what is called Distichia which means she has tiny hairs growing out of her eyelid margin that are rubbing her cornea. She has had one ulcer already that has healed and the specialist today told me she needs surgery so that she don't get another ulcer and possibly go blind.

Ok course I will do anything for her. She is my baby. I'm terrified though, more than that, I simply am beside myself with worry.

Number one she is so little and to be put "under" this young is terrifying.

Number two, the vet hospital told me that she will be there from Monday night (surgery is early Tuesday morning) until possibly Friday or maybe Thursday. OMG we have not been apart more than a few hours when i work.

I'm so afraid she will be so scared and spending all of those nights alone, in a cage just is ripping my heart out. It is a teaching hospital however and told me that there is someone there 24 7, which is a little comforting.

Questions....

Has anyone's animals had this before? The procedure is called electroepilation.

Has anyone had a baby that young, five months, had surgery before? They said she is too little to have the IV sedation and has to have gas...

When your babies have had surgery and were there more than overnight. Did you visit them? They said i could but then a friend mentioned that that may be harder on her if she sees me and then i go away again? I don't know. I'm just bawling my eyes out and I guess need some info and support, white light, prayer, whatever it is you can throw my way.

The surgery will be toward the end of July. Thanks in advance....

Just wanted to let you know that I was a Vet Tech for years, and also recently worked as a Veterinary Receptionist, and I can assure you that this is a pretty common procedure, and is relatively easy on the puppy. And she will feel so much better and have none of that yucky irritation after her eye is fixed. I have also seen many dogs even younger than her put under anesthesia for various reasons, and they are closely monitored while under. I know how scary it is, but stay positive for her, and know that you're doing the right thing getting her eye issue repaired. Thanks to you, she'll be able to be a worry free, unencumbered puppy and not have the eye issue affect her anymore.

As far as visits - I would! It'll let her know you haven't gone away, and the affection from you will help her heal and also give you more peace of mind.

Best of luck to you and to her! Sending her lots of positive thoughts for a fast recovery!!

[princessbelle]

Originally Posted by SelfMadeMan

Just wanted to let you know that I was a Vet Tech for years, and also recently worked as a Veterinary Receptionist, and I can assure you that this is a pretty common procedure, and is relatively easy on the puppy. And she will feel so much better and have none of that yucky irritation after her eye is fixed. I have also seen many dogs even younger than her put under anesthesia for various reasons, and they are closely monitored while under. I know how scary it is, but stay positive for her, and know that you're doing the right thing getting her eye issue repaired. Thanks to you, she'll be able to be a worry free, unencumbered puppy and not have the eye issue affect her anymore.

As far as visits - I would! It'll let her know you haven't gone away, and the affection from you will help her heal and also give you more peace of mind.

Best of luck to you and to her! Sending her lots of positive thoughts for a fast recovery!!

Thank you so much. You are right, she gets that yucky eye irratation all the time. I will plan on visiting with her daily and see how it goes. You, among others here, have clued me that I need to show her I'm still around and visit her so that she knows her mommy hasn't left her. Thank you for your positive post.

[Darth Denkay]

Please keep us posted. My Norah and I are keeping you both in our thoughts. She'll be fine!

[princessbelle]

Update:

Took her in yesterday at noon. The vet was very kind and actually butch if my gay dar worked. Made me feel very at ease. Promised me this is a common surgery and she would be fine. But, of course I cried on and off all day and didn't get to sleep till around 4 am this morning. That's ok, I would rather her be doing good and me having problems than the other way around. Sounds like she is doing just fine.

They called late yesterday to assure me she was resting and was ok. I had packed her a bag with a few small toys, her favorite baby and her blankie. The tech said that she had those in the crate with her. So, that was comforting.

They called this morning at 8:00 to let me know she did good all night and did not have diarrhea and did eat her dinner and those are the two things they watch for if a baby is stressing too much.

So, so far so good.

Surgery started at noon. The doc said i may be able to pick her up today if she wakes up from the anesthsia good enough. Keeping my fingers crossed tight.

Trying to stay busy.....thanks all for your support...you will never know what it means to me...

hugs

[lipstixgal]

Good luck to you and bella I will keep them in my thoughts and prayers, the dogs are a great comfort to me especially at this time while I am sick with the shingles. She'll be just fine!!

[Soft*Silver]

Hey BFF...breath.....Bella will do well and she will be home soon. She is in capable hands and the surgery is a common one. Is she spayed? I dont remember if you spayed her....

[princessbelle]

TY lipstixgal...keeping you in my prayers and thoughts as well honey.

BFF, No on the spaying. She just turned 6 months old and they won't do it along with this surgery. Trust me I wanted to. They said she will be "under" for up to three hours because it is a very tedious surgery and that is the longest they can have her out.

So, after this, I will have to right away get another surgery scheduled.

But, rest assured I will. I always try and do the right thing for my animals...as we all do.

Hugs and ty for the kind words. Oh and the breathing? Wow that did help, ty for reminding me....lol.

[girl_dee]

((((((((( Belle ))))) hang in there!

[princessbelle]

Hip Hip Horray!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Baby bella is home safe and sound.

The surgery was a complete success. She did awesome!!!!!

Picked her up a little while ago and other than being a little sleepy, she seems perfectly fine!!!!

Her eyes are barely even swollen. She has antibiotic drops I will put in three times a day and that's bout it.

I can't believe how truly wonderful it all went. I can now....breathhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

You guys rock, your support was amazing and your words warmed my heart and helped me get throught this...

Hugs to ya'll and we are forever thankful to you....

belle and bella

[durrrrrrrr]

good to hear that everything is ok

[Soft*Silver]

prayers answered

gratitude prayer going out...

[Darth Denkay]

So glad it all went so well!!!!! My Norah is too! When will she get spayed?

[princessbelle]

I wanted to give an update in case this may help any of you in the future.

If you remember my puppy, Bella, had Distichia (her eyelashes grow in toward her eye instead of outwardly) and I was told by her Vet and by the experts at the UT Vet hospital she needed surgery and she had it of course....

I whined and cried to many of you and thank God you guys were there for me, reassuring me and holding my hand. I honestly could not have gotten through that without you.

Now, update....six months later....went in today for check up. Her lashes, the Distichia, have grown back. We are back to square one.

Or are we.

My Vet called the UT vet hospital and they said that these lashes were probably new ones and not the ones that they "froze". Oh really? Would have been nice if they had told me that this could happen six months after. However, NOW they don't recommend surgery, NOW they recommend once a day eye drops to help lubricate the eye so the lashes don't hurt or interfere with her vision.

Ok let's see.......$8.00 a bottle drops vs. $1,000 eye surgery with a huge amount of stress on both of us. Wonder which one i would have picked if given the opportunity back six months ago.

I'm not saying that this surgery would not work on other animals and may be needed.

But, i wanted to put this out there because i'm a firm believer that information is power and i don't want ANYONE having to go through what we did for .....basically...nothing.

Thanks and hugs to you and your babies....

belle

Oh and P.S. She got spayed back in November..

[girl_dee]

Originally Posted by princessbelle

I wanted to give an update in case this may help any of you in the future.

If you remember my puppy, Bella, had Distichia (her eyelashes grow in toward her eye instead of outwardly) and I was told by her Vet and by the experts at the UT Vet hospital she needed surgery and she had it of course....

I whined and cried to many of you and thank God you guys were there for me, reassuring me and holding my hand. I honestly could not have gotten through that without you.

Now, update....six months later....went in today for check up. Her lashes, the Distichia, have grown back. We are back to square one.

Or are we.

My Vet called the UT vet hospital and they said that these lashes were probably new ones and not the ones that they "froze". Oh really? Would have been nice if they had told me that this could happen six months after. However, NOW they don't recommend surgery, NOW they recommend once a day eye drops to help lubricate the eye so the lashes don't hurt or interfere with her vision.

Ok let's see.......$8.00 a bottle drops vs. $1,000 eye surgery with a huge amount of stress on both of us. Wonder which one i would have picked if given the opportunity back six months ago.

I'm not saying that this surgery would not work on other animals and may be needed.

But, i wanted to put this out there because i'm a firm believer that information is power and i don't want ANYONE having to go through what we did for .....basically...nothing.

Thanks and hugs to you and your babies....

belle

Oh and P.S. She got spayed back in November..

WOW... thank you!!

[Soft*Silver]

I guess second opinions are a good thing to get for pets too.

[The_Lady_Snow]

I'm glad she's not having eye surgery!!

[princessbelle]

Originally Posted by softness

I guess second opinions are a good thing to get for pets too.

Oh honey i got a second opinion and a third. I saw her vet and two surgeons as well as a student Vet.

Funny, no one told me this could happen.

I'm wondering if i had waited till she was older if maybe these lashes wouldn't have regrown or grown. She was just 6 months old. They of course knew that.

"they" being the experts.

Oh well. We got through it. Just want to put this out there for anyone to at least...keep in mind.

[chefhottie25]

i had a shar pei who had that procedure done. she was about a year old at the time...i can't remember how long she had to stay at the hospital. it felt like forever to me. she was fine when i got her back...very happy to see me. i know it is hard to not worry about your baby...but she will be fine. she will spend most of the time sleeping after the surgery...at least that is what my vet told me. take a deep breath and relax. she will be back with you before you know it.

Originally Posted by princessbelle

My bella is 5 months old and she is a shih tzu. She has what is called Distichia which means she has tiny hairs growing out of her eyelid margin that are rubbing her cornea. She has had one ulcer already that has healed and the specialist today told me she needs surgery so that she don't get another ulcer and possibly go blind.

Ok course I will do anything for her. She is my baby. I'm terrified though, more than that, I simply am beside myself with worry.

Number one she is so little and to be put "under" this young is terrifying.

Number two, the vet hospital told me that she will be there from Monday night (surgery is early Tuesday morning) until possibly Friday or maybe Thursday. OMG we have not been apart more than a few hours when i work.

I'm so afraid she will be so scared and spending all of those nights alone, in a cage just is ripping my heart out. It is a teaching hospital however and told me that there is someone there 24 7, which is a little comforting.

Questions....

Has anyone's animals had this before? The procedure is called electroepilation.

Has anyone had a baby that young, five months, had surgery before? They said she is too little to have the IV sedation and has to have gas...

When your babies have had surgery and were there more than overnight. Did you visit them? They said i could but then a friend mentioned that that may be harder on her if she sees me and then i go away again? I don't know. I'm just bawling my eyes out and I guess need some info and support, white light, prayer, whatever it is you can throw my way.

The surgery will be toward the end of July. Thanks in advance....