Sad & Concerned

[dan2x38]

We have a 3 year old Yorkiepo Diego. He is very excitable. My son whose dog it is and myself had our shoes on and Diego thought he was going out for a walk. He jumps like 3' - 4' literally into the air repeatedly and that is what he was doing. On his 4th or 5th jump he dropped onto his butt yelping as if he'd been stepped on when but he wasn't. Any ways his legs were not moving properly and he was in severe pain. So we grabbed him up and off to the emergency vet hospital on Carling.

They have to keep him over night and medicate him just to get x-rays plus get some swelling down. They will not know what exactly is wrong until they can complete a full examination. The best case scenario he has a sprained neck sort of like whiplash. The worst case there is herniated disc or even worse a bone chip from his backbone protruding into his spinal cord.

We will not hear more until around 6am - 7am and told them no matter what time it is if there is a change please let us know. This will be after x-rays, see if any swelling goes down or if more loss of movement occurs. If there is more loss of movement then the worst case scenario will have come true! That means an operation to repair a disc or try to remove a bone chip. That would be $6000 - $8000 operation and he could be left paralyzed.

It is our son's 13th birthday this weekend on Sunday we have a fun day planned for the big event. My son asked me, "will Diego be back home for my birthday?" He also asked, "he will be OK - right?" It almost brought me to tears especially knowing we cannot afford such an operation. This costing $1000 already in such a short time is a real killer and much more than that will be very hard stretch too.

Any ways we'll be doubling prayers tonight that little dog is very special to us and loved dearly! Wow such freakin' fluke accident.

[Nerine]

Vet bills are terribly expensive

I do hope it's nothing super serious and he just sprained himself...little dogs have such troubles sometimes!!! they are so delicate!!!!
Hope he can come home soon and it's not something crazy expensive...

[JetJumper]

Sorry to hear that Dan!  I know how much Dogs mean to younger kids as I had one when I was his age.  Hoping for the best!!!!!!!

[yellowtang]

Dan- so sorry to hear such bad news.
I just saw Diego this evening
And he looked as a very happy dog.
I just hope it is a strained neck or back
And not a broken or chipped vertebrae.
Sincerely I do hope he gets well soon.
Please keeps us posted on his status.
Take care Dan.
If there is anything we might be able to do
Please post it.

[White Lightning]

That's terrible Dan. I'm so sorry to hear that. I have a little dog and could not even imagine what I would do if something happended to him. It's your story that has almost convinced me that pet insurance is teh way to go. Vets are so expensive....
6-8K is more than anyone would ever like to spend. Yep, time to get that pet insurance.

[NanoSF]

Hoping for a good update Dan. It's so sad to hear news like this.

I have heard that some vets have funds stored away for financial hardship. If it comes down to it maybe you can make inquiries. I'm pretty sure Bayview Animal Hospital has this, and I bet a few others do too.

For a healthy dog that has the ability to jump like this, you would have to think this is more a case of pinching nerves rather than fractures. Something like an athlete that will get a stinger. I'm sure hoping for this.

I will be thinking about you and your family, wishing the best. Please let us know the update.

[Darth]

good luck dan my prayers are with you

[dan2x38]

It is still a solemn day around here even though at 3am we got a promising call. The x-rays were negative for bone chips of broken vertebrae. He also had stood some plus was taken outside and it there appears to be no further loss of movement but an increase. But there is always a but he is still in great distress and they are not certain if there is serious pressure being created on his spinal cord. In order to determine that he would need a CAT Scan at a cost of $2000. This would only reveal that he needs surgery which would be $6k - $8k. None of which we can afford.

OH and I agree I can't see why a healthy dog and he is plus he is young would have more than a so called stinger.

They informed us we can bring him home but he can't be left alone so he remains calm. He needs lots of rest for now and to be comfortable. We could leave him for another day at $250/day but they will be doing the same thing observing him, administering anti-inflammatory, a steroid pertazon and another medication to sooth his stomach. We also feel if he was home it would be much better for his recovery being with us, in his home and with our cats since they all sleep together. The extra $250 is not the issue it is just like us they feel if we leave the hospital ASAP it is faster to recover at home being with family in familiar surroundings. We left him for 3 days with a sitter who he knows last winter and he said he was shaking and scared whenever he came near. He is very attached to all of us he sits under my arm when I drive and is glued to us when were on the coach.

We pick him up at 5pm. He will be spoiled by my wife that is for sure and doted over! Of course my son and I will be there to baby him too. He is by no means out of the woods yet they told us - that is not what we wanted to hear today. The sad part is the money!!! It is such a shame there is no control over this pricing. Just the drugs from them would be $75 for one prescription but from my pharmacy $18 after I called so we asked for a prescription instead of them supplying the drugs. If he needs an operation we will have to put him down.

I've already thought of selling my setup but it wouldn't even make up a fraction of the cost. The CAT Scan is 2k, operation upwards to 8k and he could end up paralyzed, there is all the follow-up visits and medication so this would likely run well over $10,000 easily. If I had the money the crazy thing is I would pay it!

We thank you for all the kind words and well wishes! I hope our prayers our answered it would be awesome and a hell of Birthday present for our son tomorrow - poor dog and poor kid this really tugs at my heart strings big time.

[NanoSF]

I think you are making the right choice no matter how much money you do or do not have. Taking them home and seeing how he does is a much better idea then going ahead with a scan and leaving him with people he does not trust. I have a good feeling that he will recover with time, drugs, rest, and love.

Not only are the costs ridiculous and inflated for no reason, they also pressure you into treatments often. Now I'm not saying all vets are bad, but there are lots of people out there who have been guilted by a vet to pay for a procedure that may or may not have been necessary. I mean $2000 to stick a dog on a machine and take some pictures...wow!

So many pet owners are willing to do almost anything for their family members (pets). It is unfortunate that this means there will be some people that take advantage of this. It is just the world we live in I think.

I know you said he is not out of the woods, but to stand and walk around a bit one day after trauma like this. It just has to be nerve, inflammation, or muscular damage, not structural or irreversible damage. I know it is pointless for someone like me with no knowledge to presume things, but I just have a good feeling as I said.

Really wishing for a speedy recovery. Keep us updated.

[brotherluv]

Something similar happened to my parents papillion (although she's ten).  The vet recommended half an aspirin and she was walking the next day...from what I've been told only aspirin would be safe for an animal and at that size half is best.  Good luck for your sons birthday tomorrow.  I hope your dog pulls through!

[RedFish]

I am so sorry you and little Diego are going through this.   Vet bills are really expensive, but so would our heath charges be if we didn't have OHIP.    IF you have to have surgery, please contact Cornell University in NY.   You may even want to talk to them now.   It is THE place for dogs and horses, cutting edge surgery and can be at a much reduced price than up here.   http://www.vet.cornell.edu/hospital/   A girlfriend with horses takes her horses there instead of surgery here.
A friend's little dog had to have surgery on both back knees and up here it was 5-6,000.  At cornell it was just over 1,000.  I know that is still a lot of money but worth talking to them.  They drove their dog down and then picked her up 4 days later.
Even the vet in Ogdensburg is really good, I know several dog owners who take their dogs there for all their treatments.  For instance, teeth cleaning here, $600-750, in Ogdensburg, $80.   AND they are good, it is not a case of "you get what you pay for".  There are other options!

Do keep Diego absolutely quiet.   Crated if you can.   I know several people who have been through something like this, and the diagnosis was different for each one, surgery and/or weeks of crate rest.    But rest for everyone, no stairs, no jumping, no reaching.   SO scary and I hope that complete rest will do the trick.   I do understand that care at home can really help a dog that doesn't want to be separated from his family.   

[dan2x38]

He is home. Not himself and it is sad right now! He can only stand on his front legs. His back right he drags it and his left rear isn't much better. Not sure what they were saying about him standing on his own and walking a little? On the bill 1/2 a Robaxin was $16.50 - are you kidding me?

It is so sad to watch him he is such an active dog. I am always a half full type of guy but this I am fearing the worst. Keeping it to myself that is for sure.

[NanoSF]

Dan keep in mind he was totally immobile and in serious pain just one day ago. If he has improved at all I can't see this being permanent (without surgery). How could it get better on it's own if surgery is required. I figure if it is something so serious that surgery is required it would only get worse until the surgery was done. I know this isn't an exact science and I am no vet, but I wouldn't be pessimistic just yet. Animals are so much better healers than humans (well dogs are at least). I Think anyone who has gotten their dogs reproductive parts chopped would know this. My dog was running around 12 hours later or less after her spay. I tried to stop her but she was fine. Keep your head up Dan.

[bergenm]

So how is the little guy doing today?

[yellowtang]

Hi Dan.
How is diegos recovery coming along?
Hope he is doing well and being bit himself.
Regards

[dan2x38]

Thanks guys for asking haven't been online much son's b-day and watching after Diego.

He is trying hard. We take him out to go but just in the backyard so he doesn't get excited if he sees another dog. He is walking but does not have control over his hind legs. His right hind is so weak and the left seems to have gotten stronger. He wobbles and sways then losses his balance and starts to fall but he ends up sitting on his butt.

Another good sign is today he wiggled his stub (tail) a couple times - Yorkiepos have a bobbed tail. This is a good sign in my books since that is the lowest part of his spine.

He is on a steroid and anti inflammatory plus a medication to prevent his stomach from getting upset. I did what I do and researched more on his injury. I found out which vitamins can best help with nerve regeneration. B1 is the main one but you should use it in a B complex so they are at the right ratio. I read on many sites that you can use human vitamins. The Bs are also water soluble so they do not build up in fatty tissue there is no know overdose of B vitamins. If there is to high a level it is just passed in waste. But you need to still adjust the dosage to a dog's dose by weight. So we added the B complex today as well to help heal any nerve tissue.

We see improvement but it is still maybe 10% - 20% usage of the right back leg. When he lays beside me I massage that leg and the other but really work the right.

We also had to Diego prove the house. He jumps up and down on things so much. We moved the mattresses onto the floor since he sleeps with all of us plus moved stuff around everywhere. We can't leave him alone for a second to prevent him from jumping or trying to and he has several times already.

I am still saying extra prayers for him. There is a change but not sure how much or if it is going good? I'd like to say I am really confident but for now just hoping and praying a lot. The other good things are he's peeing, had bowl movements plus he's eating and drinking!

[NanoSF]

You know if he never fully recovers in his hind legs you can always get a doggy wheelchair. My father had one on his dog. The good thing is they say dogs don't feel sorry for themselves and don't really care what their situation is. My father also go it subsidized somehow. If it comes to it I could look into for you.

I don't think it will though. Seems like it might a long slow recovery, but probably a full one. Good to hear things are still going in the right direction.

It's honorable of you to do so much for your dog. 

[dan2x38]

It's honorable of you to do so much for your dog. 

Thanks but it has nothing to do with honorable he is a family member!

[NanoSF]

Thanks but it has nothing to do with honorable he is a family member!

I feel that way too about my dogs being a family member, but for some people money spent on a dog is one thing but changing your whole life to accommodate a dogs needs is a different story. Sounds like you have a lot of accommodating to do. So just saying good on you for taking that extra step to see that he has the best chance for recovery.

[Greatwhite]

Wow, Dan... I feel bad that you and your family have to go through this - and worse that it's happened over  your son's birthday.

My brother has a 14 year old Pug that seemed to be having weird seizures out of the blue.  Turned out that it was "just" a herniated disk.  No surgery was required, though.  A change in diet, anti-inflammatory pills, and some relaxation healed him up as good as new.

Hopefully a little R&R will help your little guy out.

Non-dog-people never understand the bond between "us" and our dogs.  Like you said - they are a part of our families, and there's not much I wouldn't do for my family.  Too bad costs are so high for ANY vet services.