On Saturday just past we went to the vet. We arrived on time, 11:30, and got as settled as we could given Sasukes anxiety at being there.

As he was looking around and conveniently distracted the vet tried to give him a sedative ready for the biopsy operation. This.did.not.go.well. At all.

2 and a half hours later with lots of snarling, snapping by Sasuke, and attack glove wearing by me, we managed to give him the sedative. Now before you all have a rant – understandable, I would too – we spent 2 and a half to 3 hours trying to keep Sasuke calm, relaxed and in the end he had two sedatives via food, a tranquilizer and finally the injected sedative because there was so much adrenaline running through him it was not working as it should have. Traumatic all round.

Even after given the sedative, we were unsure it worked because Sasuke the little horror slept with his eyes open!! He just kept on fighting. Eventually the vet managed to pick him up and take him to the theater. I was allowed in and quite honestly as traumatic as it is seeing your pet on the table I am glad I was allowed in.

So. The lump.

As the vet was examining it to take a sample, it ruptured and bled everywhere. However this was to our advantage because the vet was able to take better samples. During the operation, he suggested that it looked like a tumor of some sort however further examination was needed. I believe the whole process took about an hour – I lost track of time to be honest and before I knew it Sasuke was bandaged up ready for post op recovery.

As Sasuke was slowly recovering, the vet was looking at the samples taken during the operation. I stayed by Sasukes side the whole time so he knew I was there and will always be there for him.

Just before he came to, flaying like a fish no less, the vet took me to one side and showed me what he saw under the microscope. Aside from the red and white cells there were also clumps and clusters of cells which were darker and tumor like and very obviously different to the surrounding matter. The vet was very honest and said that he will be sending samples to a histopathology lab for further analysis as he didn’t know if this was a benign or malignant tumor. Either way though it is a tumor.

Sasuke at this point was starting to come to more, so I agreed with the vet about sending off samples and sat with Sas. A couple of hours later, he was still really wobbly on his paws, swaying to and fro and generally looking and acting punch drunk. The vet very kindly took us home as it was evident that Sas couldn’t walk and I couldn’t take him by taxi because dogs have to be in a crate or carry box. I honestly cannot thank the vet and his clinic enough for what they have done. They are remarkable.

My gorgeous boy came home and promptly stole my bed and slept on and eventually in it for the next 36 hours. All that adrenaline and medication knocked him for six.

Sunday I changed his dressings and all that time with horses paid off – I can officially change bandages for animals! One thing I would say though if your dog is having an op and coming home the same day, make sure you have wet wipes and pee mats. Plenty of them. Get any sticky bandage tape, from your vet and cotton pads for cuts as well so you can redress the wound at home under a less stressful and scary environment for your dog. Be sure to have favorite treats on standby and pamper your dog like there is no tomorrow. Unlike humans, they don’t understand our world and why we take them to scary places to be cut open, poked and prodded, all in the name of getting them better. So indulge them.