Took Bubbles to the vet this morning to have her staples removed. She was SO good again and even tho she 'commented' all the way there about how undignified it is being stuffed in a box, she let me hold her upright and let the vet remove them without complaint.
The vet was really impressed and more so when I said she'd let them put them in without complaint or sedation too.
So she has a neat line where the cut was and it's healed really well. She is also now very happy she can go out without restriction although she is aware she is being checked on more often and being persuaded to stay in the garden
Still no clue how she did it or where her collar went. The mind boggles