(#5092) I am feeling a bit anxious about my dog Billy's surgery this morning

      My Billy, 12 1/2 year old long haired Chihuahua is about to go under for 2 teeth to be removed plus a benign mass on his right cheek that he scratched open. There is another mass on his leg that I will ask the Doc to remove as well since he will be under anesthesia already. A lot of things happening all at once for Billy and it has me a bit anxious. When our pets get older it is harder to think of them not being with us and this is one of those times for me. I know in my mind that he will be fine but there is always the chance that he won't come back after I drop him off. It has happened to me before with 2 of my other pets, but those were under more dire circumstances. This is not that so he should be fine.
     Should be but no guarantees. I don't know about other people but I suspect it is the same, my pets are like children if I had any. I would do most anything to make sure they are safe and healthy. So the anxiety I am feeling is probably appropriate for the moment. Just talking about it here is helping me accept whatever outcome avails itself. I am about 40 minutes from leaving with Billy to the veterinarians so the level of anxiety is increasing. I am fine though and although anxious I am very glad that I can afford the rather expensive, for me anyway, surgery. I trust the Doctor to make sure Billy is properly cared for during the surgery experience.
     I don't know if Billy senses my anxiety but for now I don't think so because he is in the bedroom laying on the bad sleeping. I didn't give him his usual breakfast like I always do but he doesn't seem to mind right now. He will be happy to go for a trip in the car because he loves going with me places when I can take him. He is my little buddy who I have had for 10 of those 12 1/2 years. 10 years doesn't seem that long in the big picture but it is a long time for our pets. I can see some aging on Billy from when I first got him from the dog pound but his character and behavior are about the same. I expect after today another 10 years of being together may well be our future.