Post-Op Day 7
"She's resisting. That's a good sign," Dr Laskawy said as she pressed Lola's belly, coaxing her bladder to cooperate. "If she had no sensation, she wouldn't fight it."
Good. The nerves were still in business.
Back at home, Lola kept up her pipi rebellion. Every attempt on the pad met with tension; every press, a quiet refusal.
New strategy: I lifted her, carried her to her rightful domain, and set her down on her grass patch by the Linden tree.
One press. No struggle. Nature took its course.
Lesson learned: location, location, location.
Post-Op Day 8
The morning began as most do—coffee, a half-hearted attempt at productivity, and an inbox demanding attention.
An email from Dr König's veterinary clinic: Lola's surgery co-payment is due next week, and thanks to the generosity of the Dachshund community and their donations to Lola's GoFundMe, the money for that bill is almost there!
It's just Lola and me. And yet, somehow, we are not alone.
Thank you!
Post-Op Day 9
Lola settled on 11 AM as poop time. She tried, wobbled and readjusted—but squatting? Nope. And so, I lifted her tail, set the position, and coached her like Pep Guardiola.
She manages it, but something is off. She finishes, I check, and there it is—her anal glands are full. Again.
Before, her body handled this on its own—the muscles around the anus contracted, the pressure of squatting helped empty the glands, and nature did the rest. But IVDD changed all that.
Her muscles aren't strong enough yet. She can't hold herself up, much less push with force. Her glands don't empty without the usual pressure, so they just fill. Add to that weeks of crate rest, and her digestion slows, making everything worse.
She resigned herself to the fact that she needed help. So, I helped. I am her trusted assistant in one of the most undignified episodes of her life. And I won't judge—we've both had our moments.
She looks at me, eyes soft, sighing in reluctant gratitude as I get the job done.
Lesson learned: love is patient, love is kind, and love occasionally requires rubber gloves.