Dolly's Surgery - 2 Days Later

Dolly can't wait for the muzzle growth to come off

Our 9 year old Weimaraner, Dolly Loretta had some minor surgery on her nose this past Tuesday to remove a growth. She's doing well now.
   As dogs get older, some develop bumps and fatty deposits - just like people. A small bump developed on Dolly's muzzle last year and she's been scratching it with her paw (despite the ointment I've put on it).
   So, she tore it open and it bled, dried out and just stayed there like a skin tag in her line of sight. It bothered her so we had it surgically removed at the Family Vet Clinic.

Franklin checks out Dolly's surgery area

  The vet, Dr. Varner, did a great job (as usual). Dolly recovers pretty quickly and by 2:30 p.m. on the day of surgery she was "pacing and ready to come home" so I took a late lunch and brought her home.
   She did get a side-effect of the local anesthesia, though - diarrhea. So, she's also on Imodium (yes, you can give a dog imodium after every movement- little dogs get 1/2, bigger dogs get an adult dose).  
   She's so good about not touching things she shouldn't and hasn't once bothered the spot, so she never needs an E-collar.

Dolly after surgery

  By Wednesday evening she no longer needed the pain medication and acted like her normal self, had a good appetite and energy returned. Now, hopefully the tummy trouble will subside. At least she's a lot happier without that nasty skin tag in her line of sight.
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Rob's Sinus Surgery Day!

Today's the day I (Rob) get a "Septoplasty." What's that? It's to correct my nose's deviated septum.

     A "deviated septum" occurs when the septum is severely shifted away from the midline. The most common symptom from a badly deviated or crooked septum is difficulty breathing through the nose. - I haven't been able to breathe out of the right side of my nose since I was a teenager!
     In some cases the crooked septum can interfere with the drainage of the sinuses, resulting in repeated sinus infections, which I've had. Septoplasty is the preferred surgical treatment to correct a deviated septum.
   HOW DID IT HAPPEN? - Hockey. I think it was the last time I ever played hockey.

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A hockey puck changed everything

I was about 15 years old when I was playing a hockey in my parents' driveway with my two brothers. My older brother hit a "slapshot" and the hockeypuck smacked me squarely on the nose. Of course I remember it bleeding all over the place.
  AFTER EFFECTS? - After the accident I lost most of my sense of smell and couldn't breathe out of the right side of my nose. That was 36 years ago! So Tom always asks if I can smell candles, pine trees, dog poots (farts) or anything, and for the most part, I can't - I usually get a faint whiff of something if at all. So, the doc said this should help correct that. Having this also made me prone to a lot of sinus infections, too.
  THE PROCEDURE - It's actual surgery, and they'll be using a laser, so I'm told- to cut holes in the cartilage that makes up your septum. They'll put me under for it, and I haven't had a surgery since I was about 5, when I had my tonsils out. Hey! Maybe they'll pull the skin on my face tight and remove my "smile lines!"