A Rough Day For the Puppy

Our beloved puppy has had a rough time of late.  For the last half a year or so, we've been treating her for an infection in her left ear that just won't go away.

Apparently this ailment, a yeast type infection, is not uncommon in the weimaraner breed.  We know she's really been suffering more of late with it though, as she's scratching at her ear and often yelping when she does so.

So, Caleb took her in to the Animal Hospital.  At her regularly scheduled appointment on Monday, after her vaccination and exam, the doc took a look in her ear.  I should probably just say "tried" to take a look in her ear, because according to Caleb, Sheila threw a complete conniption and wasn't having anything to do with anyone getting anywhere near that ear.

From what little glimpse the doctor could get, she knew it was a pretty extensive infection, and bad enough that it would require putting Sheila to sleep to get a good look and be able to thoroughly treat the problem.

An estimate of charges was provided (Gulp!), and the procedure was conveniently scheduled for the very next day.

As instructed, after her dinner that evening, we put her food bowl away and there were no more treats given, in preparation for her anesthesia.  

Shortly after that, we sent her out into the yard to do her business, and she had a minor accident.  Something happened to her toe and the nail got broken out to the side, broken way back into the bleed zone.  And bleed it did, all over the kitchen, till we could eventually get it stopped.  We are just glad that the timing of this little mishap allows the doctor to deal with it while she's "under."  

At 7:00 AM yesterday morning, Caleb dropped the hungry puppy off at the Animal Hospital.  We didn't know exactly what time her procedure would be, but were told they'd probably call us around 5:00 to let us know when it was all finished.

Her tail is down.

I think handing her over to the vet tech was harder on Caleb than on Sheila, although she definitely acted uncomfortable about the whole process.  I know it was a rough day for Caleb, waiting, and here is what he posted on Facebook early in the day:

The doc called as predicted around dinnertime, and Caleb was able to pick her up and bring her home shortly thereafter, along with several prescriptions to fully knock out the infection and keep the swelling in her ear down.

The report from the vet was that Sheila's ear was so badly infected way down into the inner channel that it would be surprising if she had even been able to hear in that ear.  She said that even with all the treatment we had been giving her, the infection was too resistant.  

After administering the sedation and IV, and then after taking care of her injured toe, it took another full 30 minutes just to fully clean out her ear.  After installing some sort of antibiotic packing deep in her ear, she was sent to recovery.  

We suspect her procedure happened late in the day, because she was dizzy, disoriented, weak, and whimpering the entire evening.  Today she seems much better as the sedation meds are wearing off, but still, she's very lethargic and tired.  

She just seems to want to sleep and relax in her favorite spot on the couch, with her special soft blanket.  

She's just not back to her happy self yet.

In two weeks, she'll return to the veterinary for a follow up look-see.  I hope she'll let the doc actually look and see!  Until then we'll just be hoping and praying for an end to this unpleasant Sheila saga.