Hang dog

Snowy has a terrible hangover today although she doesn't remember the party at the vet's yesterday at all. She remembers not being able to have breakfast, then a bit of a scary ride in the car during which she didn't throw up. Happy with that, she then met Dr Jenny the lovely vet again. She heard her voice in the consulting room before she saw her and started whining and pulling at the leash to get to her. Favourite vet! Then she stood on a cold, stainless steel table and was looked over and talked about. After that she doesn't remember anything...


After being a breeding beagle all her life last year she was retired. The elderly couple who owned her didn't want her to go through another emergency caesarian section at 4:00am. They probably didn't want to go through it either. They preferred to find her good owners provided they had her spayed. We hope we've been good owners. Snowy might not agree.


Having had the other operation last year made the spay this year a bit more difficult. There were old scars, adhesions and what we shall call middle aged spread. Not puppy fat, Snowy is 6 years old, but chubbiness was noticed and commented on by the vet. Meaningfully. Directed at us. Must be all the good lamb. Her and I both, actually. We'll need to get out for even more walks together.

Meanwhile, Snowy's got to recover. She's being unnervingly quiet and biddable just now. She showed signs of normality at the vet when, after a whole day of being good, her beagleness welled to the surface again and she chewed off her drip line. Now she doesn't feel like chewing anything.


She had a small meal - of lamb again - and a good drink. A short walk outside and that was it. For half an hour, before beagleness resumed. Restless and uncomfortable she insisted breaking all the rules sent home on the post operation information sheet. Snowy can't read so she insisted on trying to get up onto the lounge, a Dog Free Zone, the armchair, another DFZ or go into the bedroom, definitely a DFZ after the incident with the socks.

Eventually we had to go to sleep due to our eyes already doing so. The Orphan Lamb Luxury Apartment was deployed. This is a couple of gates that just happen to fit next to the fire, for corralling lambs who like exploring. It serves a wayward dog just as well.


She kept everyone awake for a while playing harmonica and singing the prision blues. Around 1:00am I moved to the sofa to make sure she didn't chew her stitches or try to break out when her anaethesia wore off completely. Her upheaval of the household complete, she settled down and slept.