Weird Swelling Apparently Normal

So Sonar-Girl has this crazy swelling in her "hock". Fill a sandwich baggie a quarter full of water, and then hold it up and poke the bottom of it gently. That's what is feels like. Of course I panicked mildly and called the vet, who promised to get someone to call me, but in the mean-time I asked my brilliant Nurse-Aunt. Nurse-Aunt said probably not to worry, but check with vet. This reassurance took us from DEFCON-1 ..... back down to DEFCON-3. Then I spoke with the Vet, who said it was normal, should go away in a week, and that we could put a warm compress on it for about 10 minutes a day, and that this would feel really good for Sonar. This took us back to DEFCON 4. We're pretty crazy, so we're never really at DEFCON-5 anyways. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DEFCON in case you don't read enough Tom Clancy novels to know what the heck I'm talking about.

Sonar's also been a bit restless today according to Garv, who was such a good Dog-Dad that he worked from home today to watch her. The Vet thinks this is probably because she's feeling painful, which is gut-wrenching for us to think about. The Vet asked if we're giving her Tramadol. Um, Yes? Um, Of COURSE? Why would I not?

Everyone (Vet, Guy-I-Work-With-Whose-Dog-Had-This-Done-Twice) says that the first 4 days are the awfulest. Yes, Mom, that's a new word right there. You saw it here first. Firstest.

The handy CAB-Sling caught her from nearly falling today, according to husband. Her other leg buckled. That gives me the willies, because we're imagining her other ACL basically pulling a Tacoma-Narrows episode in super-slow motion inside her good knee.

I wonder if her leg is magnetic now? Is surgical steel magnetic? Doubt it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surgical_steel

Just got an update: she's doing good.