January 4, 2020

White Dog heard me talking to Jackie from Dr. Julia's office and moved closer so she could eavesdrop. Jackie called in the early afternoon to let me know Opal was out of surgery and had just awakened; Steve could pick her up at five.

"Only one tooth needed removing," Jackie added. "a molar in the back so it won't affect her smile." "I am happier that it will not affect her chewing," I laughed. "She might be a little sore tonight so maybe something soft and light but otherwise there should not be much of a difference when she heals. Dr. Julia will talk to Steve when he picks her up but I do not think there are any special instructions."

Nurse Rosie apologized that Opal was damp when Steve got to the vet's office. "The tooth has been a bit bloody. We have stopped it and all is good but you know a blood smeared face on a white dog looks well, kind of scary. So Opal has had TWO baths this afternoon." She looked at the chart, "there is not mention of sending home pain meds," Rosie said just as Dr. Julia walked into the room. "That is because these guys have pain meds at home." She looked at Steve. "Vetprofen, if she needs it. Call if there is excessive bleeding or swelling or discoloration or if you just want to hear my voice," she laughed. "you know the drill."

Opal burst through the living room door and rushed right to sit on my lap. Her preemption of the "stop at the door and be sniffed" protocol left her surprised sisters and brother trailing her into the bedroom to check her scent, sniff her mouth, and gauge the damage done to her. Zsofia wanted to know if she got to bring home the tooth so she could put it under her pillow in hopes of a gift bearing tooth fairy visit. 

Opal looked at me as she answered that she had not even seen the tooth. "Maybe," I told her, "we could do a White Dog Army tooth fairy version. One where we ALL share ice cream after dinner. We are all glad you are home and that it went so well."