Smooth Fox Terriers are a unique breed. We have had our fair share of issues and quirks over the last 13.5 years. This last round though has been both scary and expensive. A small, what we thought was a fatty tumor, enlarged and then burst. Zero was rushed to the vet and they said he would need surgery the following week. Well after we got him home he was very lethargic. I called the vet and the surgery was moved up to the following day. What we know now is part of his lethargy was due to the extreme duress he puts himself under when he is left at the vet. Granted the tumor was gross and necrotic. He came home with a drain in the wound and we spent the weekend cleaning up blood, but by Monday he was doing much better. Fast forward 10 days, stitches are removed but he was required to be dropped off at the vet for the day. When he is at the vet he barks his shrill annoying repetitive bark the entire time he is boarded, and let's be honest, then entire time he is in the waiting area as well. When he was maybe a year old we boarded him for a week while we went to Disney and he was traumatized by it. From that moment on we either took him on vacation with us, which hardly ever worked out because he could not be left alone, or we had a friend who loved him that stayed with him at out house. That worked best but he still liked to leave little poopy stress balls around the house when we were away.  Anyway, got off subject for a bit. When we got him home he started this gagging, choking cough. Let's fast forward another 6 weeks. Zero develops another lump near the first one and a small one by his rear. I take him back in, plus I did not like the way the wound was looking and his cough. They keep him all day again and schedule another surgery. They do not notice the cough because of all of his barking. We get him home and his choking gets worse. We have surgery and he does not need a drain. He also begins licking his paw along with a cough. He has always been a stress licker but this time his paw is bleeding. We can't see anything. Two days later he busts open his stitches and we are back again at the vet for more sedation and all day boarding. He get sewn back up and his paw is bad, they have to completely wrap it and we have to keep it dry. When he goes outside we have to put it in a baggy. Now while he is home his cough sounds like he is dying and he has mucous in his eyes and nose. He is also making a chewing sound. Guess what...his stitches popped open again. I have no idea how because he barely moved all weekend and never took the cone off. He went back to the vet, more stitches, bandage was replaced on his foot and chest x-rays were taken. His heart is a little enlarged and his lungs are showing age. They called it old dog lungs. But nothing abnormal. Mucous is clear. No infection. He does have bleeding gums and some more bad teeth but because of everything else the vet says not to do anything about that right now. Most of his issues (cough, chewing, licking) is all from stress of being at the vet and separation anxiety.

He is now back home and on doggy downers until he heals. I could use a whole lot of good vibes sent his way.

The first picture is of when the tumor burst. The second is when he came home after surgery with the drain still in.

The rest of these were taken after the stitches burst and he got his foot wrapped the first time.

I am feeding him fresh pet only to help heal his gums. Just ordered some homeopathic cough drops and a soft cone. I know it doesn't look like it now. But he is mostly in good shape. The stress of his separation anxiety is literally killing him. Please pray he doesn't pop anymore stitches. He needs to just be at home resting so he can get better.