Deirdre went to the Ocean State Vet Specialists yesterday for a myriad of tests. I don't know who was more stressed, her or me. In the end... it was her.

She had a digital x-ray done on her knee to figure out what is truly going on in there--whether it is an injury (torn muscle) or whether it is an infection. A small piece of bone was missing from her left tibia. This could be old trauma or an infection. In order to determine which  is the case, we elected for a tap (obtaining a sample from the joint and sending it out for cytology), but I insisted on anesthesia to control her stress and our vet was in absolute agreement. She was masked with sevoflurane gas and then an endotracheal tube was placed so that the vets could breath for her during the procedure.

Deirdre was also given buprenorphine for pain medication. She did not have an easy time with it and struggled to come out of anesthesia, so next time she goes under different pain meds will be needed. Still, she came out just fine and proceeded to dunk her head and splash in a bowl of water they put in front of her.

While under anesthesia an ophthalmologist check her eyes. She can't see out of her right eye and cataracts are just beginning to form in her left eye. We have to rule out bacterial infection in her leg, which might be causing her cataracts. If this is the case, antibiotics will halt both the infection and her cataracts. If her leg is an injury, then as she loses sight in her left eye, she will eventually need cataract surgery in her blind right eye to give back her vision. Cataract progression could take a few months or even a year. She will have a follow up check up in 3 months to check her left eye again.

Deirdre "Dear Heart" at Ocean State Vet Specialists

This morning Deirdre looked as good as ever, so I put her back on her antibiotics until the culture test results come back (hopefully on Monday). I'll take her out on the pond with the girls for a relaxing swim on the pond.