Two Days Post-Op!

Yesterday was Day 2 of recovery after Brisbane's big surgery, and he is starting to feel a bit more like himself. He is perky is enough to get grumpy with the vet for messing with the IV catheter in his leg, but doesn't mind having his face cleaned. Since the mass extended into his nasal cavity, the surgical sight can drain through his nose and he doesn't need an icky surgical drain in his head. The surgery was done through his mouth, so he won't have any scars on his face.

The pain meds are really good, you guys.

Poor Briz is still lumpy and swollen after his facelift, but his cheek is already much closer to normal than it was before surgery. He had 200 cubic centimeters of mass removed, and we're not quite sure what he'll look like when fully recovered. His jowls are still quite puffy, but the swelling has improved dramatically since yesterday and should continue to get better rapidly.

The most exciting news today is that Brisbane is tracking objects with his left eye. The pressure from the tumor had reduced the function of that eye significantly, and before surgery we couldn't be sure he could see at all with it. The assumption was that he had lost vision entirely on that side, and we were not expecting it to return.

How is he feeling? Not so great yet. We went for a tiny walk outside when I went to visit him today, and then he was ready for a long nap. I was relieved to see that he was resting comfortably and sleeping peacefully. His kennel at the veterinary hospital is usually left open, and he has been getting up and exploring a bit today.

I was hoping to bring him home yesterday, but Briz still needs injectable pain meds to stay comfortable. Today the vet is starting him on oral pain medication to see how he does, and if he continues to improve he can come home tomorrow.

Brisbane has not recovered his normally spectacular appetite yet, which is incredible. He did eat a tiny bite of Fromm Shredded Pork for me, but I'm sure his mouth is still very sore. He'll be eating soft foods for a while, so we'll be checking out some new squishy foods during his recovery. I'm not too worried about him eating yet, he was a couple of pounds heavier than normal before the surgery so he's got a little extra padding in there.

Please share Brisbane's GoFundMe campaign if you can. Our amazing vet has used a number of different treatments to help slow down the spread of the hemagiopericytoma, and we're hoping she will be able to write up a case study to help other vet treating dogs with this type of tumor. Though this was not a curative surgery, we're hoping this palliative treatment will get Brisbane a lot closer to the end of his expected cancer-free lifespan. There is also a fund set up for direct donations at Valley Animal Hospital in Goleta, California.