Information is useful.

The overnight vet just called. On the plus side, she didn't call because Piper's condition deteriorated. Minus side, explanation for the condition is not good.

The blur on the X-ray was an infection. They drew a sample of fluid, and it has an elevated white blood cell count, and the white blood cells have been busily killing bacteria. They didn't show on her bloodwork because they're all going to the fluid to deal with the infection, rather than running around in her bloodstream.

(Yes, she has a small reservoir of infection contained within her body that is currently not spilling out and overrunning everything. Management thanks you for considering the Feed reference to have already been made, but is willing to hear further commentary along these lines.)

((Goddammit dog when you get these many X-rays you are supposed to get super-powers. Superpowers. Not zombie infections.))

This is likely septic peritonitis, most probably due to (1) a perforating ulcer from inflammation from the medicine that burst, or (2) a puncture or tear in the abdominal wall from something she ate. It might be an infected tumour, but they're not looking at that as one of the two likely primary causes.

The surgeons are getting in at 8 a.m. The surgeons and the medicine guys are going to look at her, and unless one of them spots something that puts a different spin on things (which everyone is pretty sure they won't) they're going to skip the ultrasound and go straight to getting her an emergency surgery slot.

50/50 chance of making a recovery and coming home.

Come now, my child...

...if we were planning to harm you,
  do you think we'd be lurking here beside the path in the very darkest part of the forest?

Piper is not awake yet. She is out of surgery, and they have patched up the hole in her stomach with a bit of intestine. We got to it reasonably quickly, and everything went well, and if she lives through the next 36 hours, she'll recover fully.

The vet said "We are not out of the woods. These are very large, very deep woods. But we're on the path."

I am going to sit here and hope. It is scary, and exhausting, and much better than the alternative.

Don't expect to be around much for a day or so.