I’m resting in my blankie on my daddy’s lap but boy do I have a few questions for him.
Lucy: Hey, daddy. Why didn’t I get my usual breakfast this morning? I know I’m a bit picky when you feed me, but I’m hungry.
Daddy: I can tell. You didn’t eat much for dinner last night. I tried to warn you but you didn’t care. I added a few treats, some of Ellen’s Halo Chicken seasoning and even a few carrot slivers. But you did not want much.
Lucy: I wasn’t in the mood. I’m a little Chihuahua girl and I am prone to moodiness. Then you taunted me with that bowl of Chocolate Cheerios this morning, which you know I can’t eat anyway. Who ever heard of Chocolate Cheerios?
Daddy: It’s new. But I can’t feed you anything this morning because you’re going for surgery today. In fact, we have to leave in about 20 minutes. I’m nervous but I don’t want you to be. It’s supposed to be relatively quick.
Lucy: What’s surgery and why do I need it? I’ve been a good little girl, mostly.
Daddy: It’s because you have a few issues that need to be taken care of. You’ve been holding on to that one canine baby tooth. It’s right in front, next to your adult canine tooth. It’s curved and very sharp and needs to be pulled so that your teeth are not too crowded.
Lucy: Sounds gross. And painful. I choose to keep the tooth.
Daddy: Sorry. No can do. You also have a hernia in your tummy where part of your intestine is escaping. That has to be closed up. It’s also supposed to be simple and quick.
Lucy: Yikes. Who did that to me?
Daddy: It could have been your biological mother. Or else you inherited it. And speaking of inherited, you have kneecap problems in both back legs. One is always popping out and needs to be fixed. The other leg can wait for a while.
Lucy: So I’m having a three part surgery? I’d rather not. I want breakfast and a nap instead, thank you.
Daddy: Unfortunately I can’t let you do that. This pains me more than it will you. Plus you need your vaccinations and your nails cut. Think of it as a spa vacation.
Lucy: I’m so going to make you pay for this when I get home tonight. Don’t count on sleeping much.
Daddy: I don’t. Now take a 15 minute nap before we have to leave.
And so I take a nap under my blankie, not really understanding the adventure that lies ahead.
P.S.
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Leave a commentSad but true. Even Chihuahuas. And I am unfortunately a living example. It turns out what seemed to be a lump on my belly is instead an “Umbilical Hernia”. There is an opening where my belly button would be if I had one, and through that opening has passed either part of my intestine or fat. Ugh. Can you imagine?
A hernia is “an abnormal opening in a muscle through which other tissues of the body pass.” These openings, or hernias, are under the skin so you don’t actually see them. There are two primary kinds of hernias in dogs. One is in the groin area and another in the “belly button” area.
I blame my mother. According to my vet, it may be hereditary or my mommy dearest may have bitten off my umbilical cord too close and left a little hole. Then I grew up and that hole did too. Because it’s under the skin you can’t see it. Except now there’s an unsightly bulge in my belly. No bikinis for me right now.
So if you notice a lump on your Chi, take them to the vet and have it examined because there can be complications with blood supply and such and can be fatal. Yikes! Having part of your intestine ooze out of your stomach is yucky. Surgery is needed to close the hole after placing back the stuff that escaped.
For more information read Inguinal, Umbilical and Diaphragmatic Hernias in Dogs from Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc., Race Foster, DVM or do a search online. Or visit your friendly vet.
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