If you’ve been following Dior’s journey through osteosarcoma and amputation, you know how much love and care we’ve poured into every step of this process. This post is different than our usual updates — it’s focused on showing the reality of what a post-op incision looks like and sharing some quick notes about his healing with the most recent updates being at the top of the page.
⚠️ Content Warning:
This post contains graphic photos of Dior’s surgical site. There may be visible blood 🩸, swelling, stitches, and other details that could be upsetting for some viewers. Viewer discretion is advised.
I’ll be adding to this post over the next few weeks as Dior continues to heal. If you’re navigating this diagnosis with your own pup, I hope this helps you feel a little more prepared.
🤍🐾
— Haley
Tuesday, July 1, 2025
Three Weeks Post-Op
| Dior Notes: | Incision Notes: |
| • Didn’t bother incision at all throughout the night • Ate breakfast and took his pills • Walked to and from the neighbors house • Confidently going up and down the stairs on his own (despite how nervous it makes me…) • Devoured dinner and took his pills | • LOOKS SO GOOD! • Muscles are twitching more and more • No signs of infection • No drainage • Minimal swelling • Weak spot on incision seems to have closed |
Monday, June 30, 2025
Twenty Days Post-Op
| Dior Notes: | Incision Notes: |
| • Ate breakfast and took his pills before heading to the vet for his 1 week post-treatment checkup • CBC came back with flying colors • Histopathology results are IN! Watch the video update • Ate a full dinner and all his pills • Finished series of antibiotics | • Dr. Hunter was pleased with the way his incision looks • Dr. Hunter & Dr. Ford agreed Dior didn’t need a drain placed • Swelling is minimal and incision is non-tender • No drainage • No sign of infection |
Sunday, June 29, 2025
Nineteen Days Post-Op
I forgot to take a photo of Dior’s incision today but June 29th is Dior’s gotcha day! So enjoy some photos of him as a pup and read my blog post on my favorite thing about him!
Saturday, June 28, 2025
Eighteen Days Post-Op
| Dior Notes: | Incision Notes: |
| • Didn’t sleep well last night • Tried a cone/donut combination to prevent licking but he has figured out a way to get to his incision despite our efforts • Ate breakfast, dinner, had pills | • One small weak spot on incision we are monitoring • Minimal drainage • No signs of infection • Incision looking better every day |
Friday, June 27, 2025
Seventeen Days Post-Op
| Dior Notes: | Incision Notes: |
| • Woke up at 8:30am to a GIANT MESS • Was able to get him in the bathroom and then into the shower so his leg could drain • CANNOT STOP LICKING • Brandon and I were taking shifts cleaning up blood • Ate breakfast, dinner, and took his pills like normal • Never seemed to care about anything going on with his leg | • Incision oozing again • Drained a decent amount while he was laying in bed and then again when he went outside • No signs of infection • Incision drained from about 8:30-1:00pm |
Thursday, June 26, 2025
Sixteen Days Post-Op
| Dior Notes: | Incision Notes: |
| • Ate breakfast, dinner, pills like normal • Went for another short walk down the street and back • Finished nausea medication • Read the full update: Dior’s First Chemo & A Wound That Wouldn’t Quit | • Incision looks great • A bit more swollen again (not as bad as 6/23 update) • Redness going away • No drainage |
Wednesday, June 25, 2025
Fifteen Days Post-Op
| Dior Notes: | Incision Notes: |
| • Ate breakfast and took pills • WENT FOR OUR FIRST WALK!!!!!!! • Ate dinner and took pills • Read the full update: Dior’s First Chemo & A Wound That Wouldn’t Quit | • Scabbing on incision • A bit of redness • Minimal Swelling • No drainage |
Tuesday, June 24, 2025
Two Weeks Post-Op
| Dior Notes: | Incision Notes: |
| • Eager to eat breakfast • Taking nausea medication as a preventative • Had a lazy day • Ate dinner and took medication • Read the full update: Dior’s First Chemo & A Wound That Wouldn’t Quit | • Still a bit of swelling • Scabs starting to form • No drainage • Minimal Swelling |
Monday, June 23, 2025
Thirteen Days Post-Op – PM Update
| Dior Notes: | Incision Notes: |
| • Dior was great at the vet, despite unloading a bucket of blood all over their facility lol. • Bloodwork came back normal (Kidneys and Liver were excellent – Per Dr. Hunter) • Started Dior on three days of anti-nausea to help prevent adverse effects of chemotherapy • Started Dior back on antibiotics • Couldn’t wait to leave the vet, slept the whole way home (as long as I was rubbing his feet) • Got a sponge bath when we got home • First time he was excited to get up and eat at his normal spot for dinner • Read the full update: Dior’s First Chemo & A Wound That Wouldn’t Quit | • Dr. Hunter said that the blood oozing from the incision site is a normal part of healing • The blood was old blood that had been trapped inside and just found the weakest point out • Stitches removed • Dr. Ford confirmed a normal seroma and wants to monitor again for infection. |
Monday, June 23, 2025
Thirteen Days Post-Op – AM Update
| Dior Notes: | Incision Notes: |
| • Dior had a great night, went out to potty and noticed blood droplets • Ate a full breakfast after a potty, followed by pills and lots of water • First Chemotherapy treatment scheduled for today • Bright, happy and can’t wait to go for a ride in the car • Read the full update: Dior’s First Chemo & A Wound That Wouldn’t Quit | • Incision dripping when Dior went outside • Once lying down, blood stopped oozing out of incision site • Blood gushing out of incision site as we moved into the car • Brandon went through 10+ maxi pads to help sop up / stop the blood but to no avail |
Sunday, June 22, 2025
Twelve Days Post-Op
| Dior Notes: | Incision Notes: |
| • Ate a full breakfast AND dinner! 🎊 • Swelling around incision seems to be uncomfortable as he will not lay on it • Appreciates any sort of massage | • Area around incision looking swollen / feels very firm • Stitches look as if they’re being rejected by the skin in some places • 2-3 spots on incision look scabbed over and irritated • Testicles FINALLY look normal in size again lol\ |
Saturday, June 21, 2025
Eleven Days Post-Op
| Dior Notes: | Incision Notes: |
| • Getting better at walking backwards • Refused breakfast, but ate a small spoonful of cottage cheese with pills • Sunbathed a lot outside in the backyard • Refused dinner but ate cookies with his pills | • Area around incision looking swollen / feels firm • Sutures still look good, no drainage or changes in color or smell |
Friday, June 20, 2025
Ten Days Post-Op
| Dior Notes: | Incision Notes: |
| • Refused breakfast • Wanted to be alone for the majority of the day • Ate boiled chicken and brown rice for dinner! 🎊 • Wanted booty rubs every 8 seconds • Laid upside down for awhile | • Sutures must be bothering Dior because he will NOT leave them alone • Incision still looks good, some scabbing is sloughing away • Leg feels very firm |
Thursday, June 19, 2025
Nine Days Post-Op
| Dior Notes: | Incision Notes: |
| • Had a good night • Officially a tripawd pooping champ! 🏆 • Refused breakfast, had pills with cookies • Ate one small boiled chicken thigh for dinner | • Leg still feels firm • Incision and sutures still look great! • Barely any bruising left |
Wednesday, June 18, 2025
Eight Days Post-Op
| Dior Notes: | Incision Notes: |
| • Didn’t get much sleep • Refused breakfast, but ate a few spoonfuls of cottage cheese • Refused dinner until I shredded up chicken and put it in his bowl, but he did stand and eat today! • Ate a few more spoonfuls of cottage cheese with his pills and a few cookies • We were going to help him up the stairs but he changed his mind (and so did we lol) | • Incision and sutures look beautiful • Testicles still holding a lot of blood • Minimal brusing • Leg feels firm |
Tuesday, June 17, 2025
One Week Post-Op
| Dior Notes: | Incision Notes: |
| • Dior has found a way to lick around his cone • Kept us up all night whacking said cone into EVERYTHING • Howled with his sister for a good part of the morning • Spent a lot of time next to me and sissy on the couch • Stood outside for about 15 minutes and watched dad dribble the basketball | • Incision and sutures look beautiful • Using Chlorhexidine wipes after sunbathing sessions outside • Lower belly still dry, putting antibacterial ointment and vaseline on • Area around the sutures feeling more firm • Bruising subsiding |
Monday, June 16, 2025
Six Days Post-Op
| Dior Notes: | Incision Notes: |
| • Dr. Ford recommended to discontinue antibiotics to help with stomach upset • Tried to follow me upstairs when I went to take a shower (Brandon stopped him) • Brought me a toy • Immunotherapy unsuccessful | • Swelling lessened over night • Incision seems to be fully closed • Discontinued Chlorhexidine wipes after every outing • Skin on the lower half of belly still super dry • Visible scabbing along the sutures |
Sunday, June 15, 2025
Five Days Post-Op
| Dior Notes: | Incision Notes: |
| • Refused breakfast and everything else that wasn’t Three Dog Bakery treats 🙃 • Followed me to the bathroom again this morning • Runny stool (still pooping on his own) • Had a hard fall 😞 • Stayed inside most of the day due to rain • Ate some dinner (dry food, bone broth, chicken) | • Swelling lessened over night • Incision no longer weeping • No changes in odor • Skin on the lower half of the incision is SO dang dry (I have been putting Vaseline / Triple Antibiotic Ointment on it) |
Saturday, June 14, 2025
Four Days Post-Op
| Dior Notes: | Incision Notes: |
| • Followed me to the bathroom in the middle of the night 🥹 • Is learning how to backup without turning around • Learning how to stretch while standing without falling • Refused breakfast • Finished Yunnan Baiyao Jiaonang • No bowel movement • Hopped up on the couch • Standing around from time to time (I think he is restless) • Ate some dinner (dry food, bone broth, chicken) | • Swelling lessened over night • Incision no longer weeping • No changes in odor • Continuing to clean with Chlorhexidine wipes after every outing • Bruising not as dark |
Friday, June 13, 2025
Three Days Post-Op
| Dior Notes: | Incision Notes: |
| • Up at 3:00am to pee and went back down no issues. • Slept on his left side with minimal bleeding • Made it to his back at 7:48AM 🥹 • Urinating and drinking lots of water • Ate 1/4 cup of Poop Food • Ate a full bowl of food at 12:15PM • HUGE midnight poop (all on his own) | • Swelling lessened over night • Same spot on the incision still oozing with pressure / movement • No apparent odor or color changes in discharge • Continuing to clean with Chlorhexidine wipes after every outing |
Thursday, June 12, 2025
Two Days Post-Op
| Dior Notes: | Incision Notes: |
| • MSVC Team said Dior ‘popped up’ this morning to greet those that came in and seems, ‘ready to get out of here.’ 😆 • Hopped out of the hospital on his own • Had some snacks in the car before the drive home • Ate a 1/4 cup of Poop Food • Urinated several times throughout the day • No bowel movement • Brought me a toy on his own 🥹 • Spent some time lying outside in the grass • Starting to try and roll onto his back again | • Dr. Ford said swelling went down which is great news! • Still weeping dark blood from a small spot along the incision site • No apparent odor or color changes in discharge • Continuing to clean with Chlorhexidine wipes after every outing |
Wednesday, June 11, 2025
One Day Post-Op
| Dior Notes: | Incision Notes: |
| • Alert and determined to come HOME! • Spent some time in the grass • No urination or BM as of 2:00pm • Had first meal and bowl of water since 6/9/2025 9:00PM | • Dr. Ford said swelling looked better this morning than he expected • Wound is still weeping blood with movement • Hematoma / incision being iced • Stitches out in 2 weeks |
