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Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly  You poor thing! You have your hands full with a little go-getter having to be restrained for her own good 24/7. Maybe she will let you hold something for her to chew for a while at times to buy her some down time. I also read stories to Tibbe and he will just lie there and cock his head to one side and the other and - listen. I swear he does! He'll lie for the longest time if I am just quietly telling him stories or talking to him. Just try talking to her and see if she will lie and listen - tell her bedtime stories or anything you can think of to engage her for a time. I learned this about him when he had pneumonia and had to rest and was itching badly and wild from his medication and I had to quieten him and keep him quiet. I just began reading old bedtime stories to him and it worked for the longest times! Nothing to lose if it doesn't work and it might keep your Bella listening and quiet for a while like it did Tibbe. Just never tell your friends that you did that! 
I feel so for all of you having to go through this - you will all be utterly exhausted if she's not going to accept lying or sitting quietly in her crate for prolonged periods of time. Maybe she'd do better after a while if you both just leave the house for a while and watch her on the netcam and be sure she's remaining quiet in the crate. Most dogs will quieten down and sleep while their owners are away but are "on" a great deal of the time when we're home and right there to do their bidding - I know - I have one who excels at it!
I'm so glad she's no longer vomiting and hope that she keeps on doing well physically and the time will fly and she'll get her discharge for some activities before too much longer. I sure wish I could offer more help!!! |
That is so sweet, Jeanie, telling stories to Tibbe! Unfortunately, Bella is too easily distracted by the cat, Walter, street sounds, you name it. She pays less attention to me than practically anything else! But I did hold the nylabone for her, and she spent about 15 minutes chewing on it. Then she brought over her rope bone, and I joked that she wanted to floss after brushing, LOL!
I took Bella's hard plastic E-collar off and put on the inflatable E-collar this evening, and she hasn't tried to lick her incision yet after two hours with it on. If this continues, I'll let her sleep in it. After running around the living room all evening, she's resting quietly in her crate.
Tomorrow will be the halfway point before stitches are removed! Then it will be just one more week. I hope and pray that her other (good) leg stays healthy and doesn't need surgery. The way she's been using it, I'm fairly hopeful.