[NAGDU] Taking A Guide Dog To Convention Soon After Surgery

[Sherry Gomes]

Hey Rachel,

You know your dog best, so I would say, see how she seems to be feeling and acting the next few days. Also, do you have someone you trust, that she loves, who could take care of her if you decided to leave her home? I have a couple people who can take care of Shani, should I need to travel without her for some reason. 

Sherry


-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Rachel Grider via NAGDU
Sent: Sunday, June 25, 2023 10:24 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Rachel Grider <rachel.grider at gmail.com>
Subject: [NAGDU] Taking A Guide Dog To Convention Soon After Surgery

Hello, everyone:

Demi had two masses removed on June 12, and she gets her stitches off tomorrow. She is doing great, but she hasn’t been able to work because the incisions are located where her harness straps would brush against them, and we also need to be careful of infection. Needless to say, I am counting down the hours until I can work her, and she definitely agrees.

I am flying to Houston on the evening of July 1, and I am worried about taking Demi. The vet told me a few weeks ago that she would probably be good to go by then, but she will probably still have bald spots where her incisions were, and she also may be extra fragile because there may still be some pain there. National conventions are intense and over-stimulating, and we have gotten used to being jostled and Demi often gets hit by canes… I’m just questioning whether or not I should take her so soon after having surgery. On the other hand, though, I don’t like the idea of leaving her at home after so soon having had two weeks of not working at all…

Does anyone have experience with anything like this? I am going to talk with her vet tomorrow and also with The Seeing Eye to get some advice, but if anyone has thoughts, I would love to hear them.

Thank you all so much!

Rachel
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