Post PantyHose Surgery: Let my count the dollars

When the vet came into the exam room, he asked what was wrong.

I pointed to the normally vivacious dog stretched out on the floor not moving and said, “My dog is dying.”

He dropped to the floor beside him, took his temperature, and said, “Do you think he may have eaten a foreign substance?”

I replied, “Yes, I do.  I found a four inch square of torn pantyhose in the bathroom, and could not find the full pair of pantyhose that I threw away two days ago.”

“Let’s get the X-rays immediately.”

As I waited for the doctor, I called my parents and my friends and asked them to pray for me, the doctor, and even Dusty, if that did not offend them.  When the doctor called me back to look at the X-rays, you could see a twisted intestine, bloating from the trapped gas, and something that looked like a miniature accordion.

“Will he pass the pantyhose on his own?”

Crawford CO post surgery

“No, his intestines will burst and he will die, soon.”

So Dusty dollars took precedence once again and there goes the tax return….  “Will you operate tomorrow?” I asked.

“No, we will operate within the hour.  He’ll be dead in the morning. He should recover fully as his heart and lungs are fine,” Dr. C replied.

I said goodbye to my furry child, knowing he might not survive the surgery at his age.  I went to the car, started bawling, called my parents and friends, and left for the Alzheimer’s Association open house.  I needed to keep busy, get some free good food, and hopefully a glass of wine.  People were concerned when they saw me with swollen eyes and a tear stained face and asked, “How are you?  What’s wrong?”

“My dog is having emergency surgery right now” was my reply.

They asked what happened, and I had to say, “My dog ate my pantyhose.”

The expressions on their faces showed that they were desperately trying not to laugh at our predicament. They would look away, or cover their mouths, or take a drink of champagne, and then try not to even smile.    If it was not so serious, it truly was hysterical.

Dusty survived his surgery. I got to see and smell the pantyhose evidence that was removed from his gut and his stomach.  He had to stay in the hospital two nights, and returned home with  a shaved abdomen, 28 stitches and a lot of pain medicine.   He was pretty worn out from no food and little sleep for three days.    I know this dog loves me, but I never thought he would literally try to “get into my skin.”

There are a few lessons I have learned about our unconditional love for each other from my dogs.  God knows me as well as I do my beloved Dusty.  God recognizes when I am sick and need extra loving care.  He cares for me, sends people to help me, and allows me to heal.  Dusty loves me like God does, unconditionally, without thought of consequences, and with the desire to be as close to me as ‘my skin’.

My final lesson was to never ever leave anything that smells of momma in the wastebasket.

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2 thoughts on “Post PantyHose Surgery: Let my count the dollars

  1. My black lab had emergency surgery this afternoon and he too ate not one but two pairs of panty hose that, at the end of the end, cost around $8000 (counting all the ER visits before the sonogram today. Yah, he’s totally worth it. I’ll be more careful next time.

  2. I am glad your dog is ok! My 10 year old husky liked my knee highs, I was very careful to put then immediately in the wash, then the dresser. I put an old pair in the garbage in the bathroom. One night after work I fell asleep in the bathtub, he always laid next to the tub (he was my shadow). He ate them, I didn’t realize until 3 nights later he wouldn’t eat or move. I took him to the vet the next morning. When they did the x ray they couldn’t see an obstruction. I finally asked the doc is it could be pantyhose, they did surgery the next day. The vet called me after surgery and confirmed it was pantyhose and it was knotted up in his intestines. Surgery was very ruff and took longer then he wanted but he got it out. Jack was in recovery and I could come see him when he woke up. I finally could breath I was a wreck. About 30 minutes later the vet called and said he didn’t make it……he stopped breathing in recovery. When I tell people what my dog ate thier lips curl and they smile. Its not funny its one of the worst things a dog can get a hold of, and of coarse you blame your self. I just adopted a new husky now when I throw my pantyhose away I take it to the outside garbage.

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