Willis had to go to the Vet

Well, after three days, I had no luck in getting the stick out of Willis' mouth. After returning from the grocery store today Willis met us at the car and the smell coming from her knocked me down, so I knew that a trip to the vet was in order.

The vet thought she may be better at holding Willis than I was, and after realizing that Willis was having nothing to do with letting anyone in her mouth, she decided to sedate her. After one dose and 15 minutes Willis got hyper like a child whose dose of Benadryl backfired. So, she was given another dose and another 15 minutes.

She did calm down a bit, but wasn't sleeping and was still having nothing to do with her mouth being touched. So, an intravenous dose of valium was next. FINALLY she went out. Of course, I kept thinking about Poogan and how her death was due to complications of being dosed and I kept watching her breathing the whole time. That is until the Dr. removed the stick.

It was just an oak tree type branch, about the size of my pinky, firmly wedged between the back molars across her palette. Once removed, a large, necrotic trough across her palette was revealed. Bloody and icky looking, Legare says, "eeewww - that's gross!".

The doctor pulled out several patches of dead tissue, and you could actually see some bone. A lot of work for three days! Well, after some reversing medicine, a shot of antibiotics and a bottle of take home pills, we get to bring Willis home. The nurse suggested soft foods, the Dr. wasn't sure that this wound would slow Willis down.

Well, the Dr. was right, Willis turned her nose up at the soft food, but lay with her head in the automatic feeder. I had to go next door to retrieve something, and guess who followed? Willis, running the short cut to meet us there and back. So I would say that she should be o.k. Especially since she will be taking 600 mg of antibiotics a day for the next 7 days. God just doesn't allow for animals to feel pain the way we do I guess. Smart thinking!