Tracker Jack has had his surgery!
Jack is now back home from the veterinarian's office.
We felt he was strong enough to go ahead and have the neuter, because he has been doing so well.
I dreaded it and am really glad we went and got it over with. This should be the end of all his trauma for a long time (forever I hope). He is doing great and is very alert and sleeping on his bed right now.
The Veterinarian called and he was awake standing in his cage and by 10:30. I was able to pick him up after lunch. This is amazing considering I just took him at 8:30.
It is a good thing we did not schedule the palate surgery, as when she had him under anesthesia and was able to get a good look in his throat, his palate was not as long as first thought.
However he has lots of folds of tissue in the back of his throat, as though he has had some kind of trauma to that area. My thoughts are: either someone had attempted to debark him with a rod, or years of breathing filthy, stagnant air in that small box in the puppy mill had built up scarring on the tissue. It is also a possibility that recurring untreated kennel cough or pneumonia might have contributed to this also.
Dr. Hurlbert had to perform the surgery with him on his belly working upside down in order to keep his oxygen going. He was able to have just one incision and she was able to move the abdominal testicle out through that incision.
Dr. Sue Ann Hurlbert is amazing with what she can do with her tiny hands on these little guys.
He has shown some swelling in the areas of the site of the anesthesia and the surgery but she has given him some anti-inflammatory for this.
I paid to have him micro chipped, so if he is ever lost he can be scanned and it will show that his home is with us. Tracker Jack has embedded himself in our hearts and we want him safe and well.
He is one special, tough, tiny, little dude! I am so glad it is over.
