Joan, I highly recommend getting the donut e collar. They rest very comfortable with it on as it works like a neck pillow. They act more normal and don't seem to mind at all. Best invention yet! Just one thing you will need some type of air pump to fill it up. When I got mine at Petco, the kid was very nice and filled it with air from his bike pump. Guess he rides that to get to work.
Also since she had the surgery on her tummy, it isn't advisable to use gauze to cover it, because it will rub while she is sleeping. and while the stitches are trying to close up the gauze can actually get stuck in between the stitches as the skin is constantly growing around the stitches. They usually recommend letting the air hit it so it can dry up faster. But maybe in a day or two you could put a soft t-shirt on her. Maybe even put the shirt on in reverse so that it is longer on her tummy to cover the stitches, and either tie a band of material or a very long velcro strip around her tummy to keep the t-shirt from hanging down? Just an idea. I am sure you will ask your Vet anyway. Glad she is resting, now it is mommy's turn.... have a good night! -------Original Message------- From: Joan Croft Date: 1/5/2012 11:28:50 PM To: Joan Croft Subject: [Chihuahuas] Dolly Hi everyone, I dont remember who I had already told about Dolly either last night or today. So, please forgive me if I didnt tell you, but I am telling you the results. Last night Dolly began screeching in pain. When I investigated what was making her hurt, I saw that her umbilical hernia repair from when she was 7 wks old had broken almost two years ago. The vet and I would watch the size and also make sure that by pressing gently she did not react as if she had pain. When I got home yesterday afternoon, she didnt want me to put her down. I was holding her and even sat down and watched some TV while her meds for her respiratory allergies took effect. When I tried to move her from laying across me and then put her on the chair next to Desi, she was screeching in pain. It didnt take long for me to see that the original hernia repair that had split was now protruding further out and instead of it just being in the center of her belly, it now extended to about halfway between her center hernia and the end of her belly. I took her in to the vet this morning, and he said it was time that it gets fixed. She was in so much pain that she was actually vibrating. I called the vet at about 3 pm and they said that she did well, that she was the first surgery in the morning, and that she could go home around 4 pm. I got there by about 4:30, and Dolly was very happy to see me. She was very alert and I read on my receipt that they gave her the anesthesia that is used for dental procedures so she was not having the residual tiredness. I got her home and am trying to find what is going to work best with her and Desi and all of us sleeping. When Dolly had her knee surgery two years ago, Desi was removing her stitches in the middle of the night. I am prepared to make sure that doesnt happen this time. The vet said that I could feed her half of her normal meal tonight, and so she ate 1/8 of a cup of her food, as I fed it to her piece by piece. After that I mixed some purified water with a little grape pedialyte and she drank almost two syringes full and then she wanted to go outside potty. She actually went a very long time, and I do understand that she was hooked up to an IV, so she had all those fluids in her waiting to come out. She came in and walked around the whole kitchen and then the living room so many times that I lost count. I think she wanted to jump in the chair but she cant do that right now. She has 7 or 8 stitches and no bandaging over the incision, so I really need to make sure that Desi cannot get to her. I have a soft sided kennel that someone gave me before I had Desi, and I put it on the couch and she was laying in it very comfortably. She opted to go in her area after her laps through the kitchen and living room. She is either asleep right now, or resting very comfortably well as comfortable as she can be with the e-Collar on. She has two different kind of pain meds to take one for 10 days and one for 14 days. I am supposed to start her on those in the morning. I think this will be a very long 10 days because Desi really loves her and wants to be by her, but I know that I have to protect her belly from any Desi Licking or any Desi Stitch Removal service. I am so tired, as I only slept 2 hours last night and have had a busy day. I think that the three of us will go to sleep very soon, but I will probably not be totally asleep, and rather be having one eye open to make sure that Dolly is OK. Thanks to everyone that has said prayers for Dolly. She had a very good surgery and I am so thankful for that. It is also so comforting to me all the messages about her, and also suggestions as to how I can keep Desi away from Dolly during the night I think it will prove to be very interesting. Well this seems to be a very good place to end this day and get my rest so that tomorrow will be easier. Joan
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