Boo-Boo Baby's Cone of Torture

Look at my poor boo-boo girl having to wear that hideous cone. She doesn't understand why we are torturing her, and I feel horrible watching her discomfort. The baby girl keeps bumping into walls, chairs and even got tangled in the Christmas tree lights. Her low mournful wail is enough to melt even The Grinch's heart and her pleading "help me" eyes brings tears to my own.

Why is she subjected to this cone of torture? It's because of her spaying over two months ago! I noticed her licking her belly two days ago where the still not completely healed incision was. It looked red to me and the bump looked larger. I showed my husband and he said, "It's nothing." I felt it was "something" so I kept a watchful eye on Bella. I noticed she was being way more cuddly than usual. She reminded me of a sick child that wanted to be held, and if you know her, that's very unusual.

Yesterday I rolled her over on her back and noticed the incision looked even more red, raw, and raised and thought maybe it was leaking. I put some peroxide on a gauze pad and dabbed it. When she about hit the ceiling, I knew I had to bring her to the vet. My son drove us and the poor baby trembled as soon as she got in the Jeep, knowing full well where she was going.

The vet looked at her and asked if she could bring her to the back and shave the area to get a better look. I heard her yelp twice from behind closed doors and I knew all was not well. Sure enough, Bella has an infection from the inside suture. The vet stated it was very rare, especially this long after the operation, but some dogs do have a reaction to them when they dissolve. Since Bella resides in the house of rare medical conditions I wasn't surprised. The wound was opening up so now Bella has two staples holding it together and the cone of despair so that she doesn't lick it. She's also on pain medication and antibiotics. The cone has to remain on her until her follow up appointment next week.

I had thoughts of running up to Brooklyn tomorrow but no way that is happening now. I can't leave my baby in the boy's hands. He's hardly home and will not be as vigilant as I am with her. Although I'm sorta sad I won't be in New York, I'm more glad that my mommy instincts kicked in and I listened to my inner voice. Had I not, and just went away, who knows how bad that infection would have gotten. So, here I will stay, because mommy's babies, even the four-legged ones, always come first.