UPDATE SEPTTEMBER 10, 2011: (as always, click on any image for a larger view)
Just got back from my noon visit with Blaze. Once again, she is amazing her caregivers and me! She stood up to greet me when I went back in the hospital section.
During the surgery to remove the bad teeth, abscess and tumor, the bone was so degenerated that the upper right mandibular actually broke.. They had to wire it from one of her remaining canines to through the top of her mouth to hold the jaw in place for healing. You can see the top of the wire in the photos. They tell me it may take several months before her mouth is healed enough to remove the wire.However, this does not stop her from eating at all. They said she ate a big breakfast and as you can see from the photos, she ate her lunch with gusto. We had a nice walk outside on such a beautiful balmy day here in Atlanta. When we went to the door to go back in she didn’t want to go in and pulled backward on the leash. I’m amazed that she is as alert and looks as good as she does – even though it’s still pretty horrifying if you haven’t been used to seeing her every day like I am.
Every vet there and all the technicians are so invested in her that it’s just unbelievable. Dr. Hayes came in to visit and said she thought Blaze actually felt better than she did before the surgery – many of the painful teeth and the painful abscess are now gone and of course she’s has the Fentanyl patch for pain and other pain meds, as well. She is still gravely ill – if the gum “flaps” they built to cover the bone come loose we’re in big trouble because they can’t do another surgery in the near future. But the fear that she wouldn’t eat was one hurdle we can worry less about now; and her pain seems to be under control.
Some of the pictures are obviously gruesome, and some of the photos are not as clear as they could be, but they show the reality of Blaze's condition. The biopsies on the mouth tumor and belly tumor won’t come back for another week yet, so we just have to wait to know that verdict.
I petted her a lot, scratched her right ear which she loves. I got to feed her myself. After she ate, they washed her face and feet and put her protective collar back on. She turned around in three circles and went peacefully to sleep. I love that picture the most. Darling girl is nowhere near out of the woods yet but everyone is guardedly optimistic. They remind me to take it one day at a time. And Blaze is trying so hard to do her part. I’ll never cease to be amazed at how tough and how stoic fox terriers are!
Thank you to everyone who has sent love, messages and prayers – and especially for the wonderful donations.
Holly
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