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Hope everything goes well for you today :luck: :luck: :luck: :luck: :luck: .

I'm glad your dad has offered to drive you there. It will give you chance to sit with him and give him plenty of :huggles: :huggles: :huggles: :huggles: :huggles: :huggles: :huggles: :huggles: :huggles: :huggles:
 
Morning all....no sleep for me last night :(

It's nearly 9am and I'm going to be the first on the phone to the vets!

Soooo excited about seeing my boy :)
 
Looking forward to hearing how Arnie is later . Thinking of you today :huggles:
 
WELL! Is he coming home? Hurry up, we need to know :teehee:
 
hope all goes well Sarah :huggles: :huggles:
 
Hi guys,

Well, he is home. I have to say that seeing him for the first time was absolutely heartbreaking. When he was brought in I tried very hard not to cry but as the vet said, no matter how many pictures you look at, nothing can prepare you for seeing your own dog.

The thing that struck me was that the scar itself is very clean but there is a fair bit of swelling which is hanging just under his chest. So when he walks it kind of swings and makes it all look worse. The vet said it would go down and tighten up nicely. He was really pleased with his progress. Im so glad my Dad was with me because he kind of took over. When I'm stressed I seem to go deaf and had to ask the vet to keep repeating what he had told me so I could take it all in.

Good news is that having checked lymph nodes (under the arm and in the chest) he found no evidence of cancer. He has sent off the leg (ewwww!) for further tests and will be able to tell me exactly what type of cancer it was and the likelyhood of it popping up somewhere else (I pray it doesn't).

On a lighter note (having had a little tear to myself on the way home as Dad was in the back with Arnie), when I brought him through the front door he hopped to his bed and found his new toy and promptly ripped it up (in true Arnie style!). ONly problem was he didn't have the front leg for leverage so he laid down and held it with his remaining leg!!!!! The other positive thing for Arnie is that for the first time in his entire life he can reach his own 'bits'! having had such a large neck he has never been able to get down there before...typical man, he is now making up for the past 10 years!!!!

We have been for a walk around the garden and after lifting his leg and falling over he managed to get into a squat and finish what he started. Its so hard to watch him fall over but Im trying not to wrap him up in cotton wool.

I keep forcing myself to look at the wound in the hope that I can accept it quicker but each time my tummy is just turning and it makes me feel so bad for him.

So, good news is he is home and seems fine....I just have to try and get used to it and not let it affect the way I am with him...so hard to not just try and pick him up all the time. The vet said he has to find his own way around things. I need to let him get to a certain pace so he doesn't fall but not so fast he falls!!!! argghghghghghg!

Thank you all so much for checking in on his progress.

Lots of love

Trying to be brave Sarah

x
 
oh sarah that is great that Arnie is now home :huggles:

im sure it was a shock to see him,but i guess with time you will get more use to the scar.

sounds like he is coping,bar the odd little fall :huggles:

you did make me laugh about him being able to reach his "bits" :lol:

you are all ready doing a grand job with him sarah :huggles: :huggles:
 
Great news , he is home :thumbsup:

Even if you were a vet or vet nurse and used to seeing other dogs like that you would still be upset at seeing your own dog like that .

They must be happy to let him home and soon you will be back to just seeing Arnie and not his operation site :thumbsup:
 
Thanks Trac and Hula.

Well, after a cuddle on the floor he just asked me for his dinner! Thankfully I managed to get hold of some elevated bowls and we adjusted it as he ate....He is now lying in his bed wiping his mouth!

On the whole, I think he is doing okay. Its going to take time and Im getting used to the wound. He just tried to shake but was unable to so went for a stretch instead which wasn't very successful. I guess we both have to learn what he can and can't do.

Thanks again for the messages of support :)
 
hiya Sarah, have only just seen your post, sorry :( ,

the girls on hear are such a bunch of the most caring and supportive people you could ever wish to know, i am so glad that arnie is back at home where he should, not long ago another newbie had just taken on a staffy x with three legs, and she is coping very well, just a thought try getting arnie a soft harness and put extra padding on the part where his wound is and then you can start to take him out for walks in which course you will be helping at the mo to help him with his weight bearing issue, i truely wish you and arnie well and keep us updated with his progress, i will try and find the other post so you can read that all the best

Debbie xx
 
back again her name is gonchie and her post is on page six of general dog related diss, called help and advice

xx
 
Great news! :thumbsup: You will soon get used to seeing Arnie's wound - and remember it will be healing a bit each day.

He will feel so much happier back in familiar surroundings and I'm sure you'll both adjust to the new routine in no time.

Have a good night ....and WELL DONE! :luck: :cheers: :luck:
 
(w00t) (w00t) Soooo glad he is home, and doing the dog "bits " thing too !! Well done Sarah, the worst is over and Arnie is on the up (w00t) (w00t) jan x
 
Chin up, hun :huggles:

I knew it wouldn't be easy for you to take on board at first and I

kind of expected you to take it worse than Arnie :unsure:

But the good news is that he has come through the operation and

there's no sign of any spread in the local area :thumbsup:

I won't be long before Arnie will be unstoppable again, and then

you'll have your work cut out because he will know that he can

wrap you round his little claw :lol:

Well done, both of you, and your dad for being so supportive :thumbsup:

I hope you're having lots of gentle cuddles with him and enjoying

having your boy home where he belongs :wub: :huggles:
 
so pleased everything is went well today :thumbsup: lots of luck :luck: :luck: and plenty of :huggles: :huggles: for a speedy recovery :) Juliex
 
Hurray, brave Arnie is back !

good for you dad accompanying you, it's true that seeing your own pet after an op is so much worse than looking at photos of others, you're too attached, only time will help the pair of you, hope you both get a good night's sleep tonight :huggles: :huggles:
 
:D So pleased Arnie is home :D

 

:huggles:

 

Pauline & Ruby
 
Sarah, Ive just read this entire thread....and what a rollercoaster of a ride you and Arnie have had.

Im only too pleased to have followd the thread through to see he has now had his op...and is recovering.

So glad you finally have him home....and I can only wish him well in his recovery....what a lad... :wub:

This takes me all back to the year 2000 when a whippet I owned was badly attacked by another dog

and had to have 20 stitches down his ribcage, 4 ribs wired together and also a punctured lung.

It was a dreadful time, one I never want to repeat...but who knows what lfe is going to throw your way.... :sweating:

Chip went to the Rainbow Bridge 4 years after his accident. Its amazing just how resilient they can be, much better than us humans

in dealing with injuries and getting back on with life.

Best of luck for Arnies future... :luck: and loads of hugs to you.
 
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