Where to begin...

So much has happened over the past several months -- so much indeed. It's hard to know where to begin. Do I start with the evil? The evil that lurks all around us - well at least according to Prudance. Shall I write about the evil rabbits, the evil new Dyson, the evil suitcases? No, I think I'll start with the evil tumor. For some time Pru has been 'showing' us her behind. You know the trick; you try to pet your pet and he/she turns and shows you his/her butt. Well, Pru has been doing this for some time. I read all types of information on this behavior. I asked those I trust on the message boards. I got the same information from both -- showing or offering the bottom is a sign of submission. Okay, it made sense; I could buy that.Then a few weeks ago, Himself noticed a growth on Pru's behind. It was a solid & red and on her left leg about three inches from her rectum. She was favoring the growth and starting to chew at it. I immediately called the vet who wanted to see her just as immediately. After a brief and if I must say 'hilarious to watch' vet visit (visiting the vet is a whole other entry - trust me when I say it's more than hilarious!), we found that Pru had to have surgery to remove the growth. Himself and I had so much guilt. How long had she had this growth? why hadn’t we seen it? Was she in pain? Could it be c. . . . . ? As if this type of thing could happen at a 'good' time, this was a horrible time for surgery. Himself and I were leaving two days after the surgery for Vegas - a trip we had planned for several months. Thankfully we have two fantastic, grown male species for offspring, and they were willing to dog/house sit & visit the dogs for us. We had it covered!

The day of the surgery came and off I went to take Pru to the vet. Before leaving I had to give Pru a sedative - she really freaks out in the vet's office so a sedative in this instance was absolutely needed. Once we were in the actual surgery room, it took me, the vet assistant, and the vet to hold a muzzled Pru so that we could put her to sleep. Finally, after what seemed to my untrained brain as a very long time, she was snoring away, tongue hanging out, in all her glory.
I digress. Our vet allowed me to be with Pru every step of the way. I was there with her when she woke up from the surgery. Being the verbal girl she is, she moaned at me, unable to lift her head. I rubbed her and sang to her and she calmed right down and rested. If I stopped singing, she’d moan – if I stopped rubbing, she’d moan. Clever girl!

Pru bounced back right after the surgery and all seemed okay for Himself and me to go on to Vegas. So off we went. Then on Sunday evening I got a call from my sons indicating that Pru had ripped out her stitches and that they were taking her to the emergency clinic. They called shortly after to report that once again Pru would have to be put under and have the incision cleaned and re-stitched. After a brief chat with the emergency vet, I gave the go ahead.

Boy, the guilt we felt at not being there.

A few hours later we got the call that Pru was out of surgery and up & walking – doing very well. We were relieved. And we’d be home in a day or so, and felt much better. Now we simply had to wait for the pathology report on the growth.

We got home in the wee hours of the morning and thought that once again Pru had ripped out her stitches. After a panicked call to the vet and a hurried car ride there, we were told that the stitches had held fine; that the incision was simply large due to the size of the tumor. We were glad that Pru wouldn’t have to be put under again, but had heard the word ‘tumor.’

The fear of that word was short lived. The tumor was benign. Again, great relief. So off we went back home to relax and enjoy being reunited with our babies.

The evil tumor is gone and the incision is all but healed now. You’d never know there was ever anything wrong with the girl. She’ happy and healthy. Well, healthy yes. Happy? As happy as Pru gets with all the evil that lurks around her. But that is for another post.