Hi @Former-Member ... my little four pawed patient is feeling sore and sorry for herself, but will recover.
It wasnt the best outcome, because the lipoma was an infiltrating type and the vet was not able to take out the whole thing. If it was a normal lipoma, they come out in one encapsulated lump. But this one was infiltrating type with fingers reaching out far and wide. Entwined in her trachea, windpipe, voicebox, veins, nerves, etc. So all the vet could do was to removed as much of the lipoma as possible, without doing damage to any other organs. Which means that part of the lump remains, which means it may grow back. 😔 Hopefully it wont, but if it does ... lets just hope that it does not cause too much of a problem next time. The vet said it was a real mess in there. She was on the operating table for an hour and a half. I know he did the best he could, and I'm grateful I still have my little girl. She is 12yo, but is only a small dog, so with luck I will have her for a few more good years.
Although she is clearly very sore and uncomfortable now, I can already see an improvement in her breathing. She no longer seems to be gasping for air. So for that reason alone, the surgery was a success. There is a lot of swelling all around her neck, throat and cheek ... so when that subsides I expect there will be further improvement.
She also clearly has a sore throat from the anaesthetic tubes down her throat. I can sympathise with her on that one, having gone through the same thing only 3 months ago. But she is eating and drinking just fine. Her surgical wounds look pretty gruesome right now, but they too will improve a lot. That too, I can attest to. 😊
So I am just keeping watch over her, fussing and spoiling her somewhat. But she is doing all the things she normally would. She did her usual boundary check around our 3 acre block this morning, a check for rabbits, and a quick visit through the fence to see the next door neighbours alsation. She has him totally bluffed. 🐶 They are funny to watch.
Anyway the important thing is that I still have my little girl, and I'm very relieved. She needs to see the vet again next Friday for a check up, and then again after 10 days for suture removal.
Emelia 🌺
