The Decision for Surgery Is Made
March 6, 2006 – The Decision Is Made
This morning was very difficult for me. What decided things for me was the hope that he will have a BETTER life after the surgery and be able to DO MORE. And no more pain. I am in anguish that I have made him suffer this long. The guilt is overwhelming. The staff at the hospital was all very supportive and told me not to blame myself. But how can I not?
I hope I am making the right decision. The surgery costs $2500 which is expensive but not prohibitive. It will take about three hours to do both hips. Today I am sad and scared and guilt-ridden and wondering if this is the right thing. She just kept reassuring me that he would be pain free and that is the main thing. I cannot believe how he has come this far without complaint.
Even though I now know that the training commands have caused him pain, I am glad he learned them as I think his learning to manage his own behavior will be a godsend during his recovery and new life. And what do you know...he did STAND for part of his exam. Not fond of the rectal thermometer, though!
The second opinion was worse than the first and confirms that Buddy has severe hip dysplasia and reconfirms the first diagnosis that he is in constant pain. The vet said since he has known nothing else and because he is a "tough little guy" he has continued his daily activities despite the fact that he is hurting. I am broken-hearted that I have put him through this. I was so sure he was not in pain. But after seeing the x-rays and having the vet demonstrate to me how the joint does and doesn’t work using models, I can see there is no way he could not feel the grinding of bone against bone. He did cry out during the exam.
The vet says he will get worse without intervention. The muscles could atrophy and the sciatic nerve could be damaged. After awhile he would no longer be able to bear weight on his back legs. She praised him for the way he has compensated, but said that the strain he is putting on his spine and front legs will eventually cause damage there as well.
So despite some fears and misgivings, I have decided to proceed with the surgery. I was there an hour and a half and she convinced me that long-term pain management was not a viable option. With surgery he will be able to walk comfortably and actually do more than he can now.
It is called an FHO - femoral head and neck ostectomy (or femoral head and neck excision). As I understand it, the remains of the ball (femur) of the ball-and-socket joint is removed and nothing is put in its place. Mother Nature takes over and his body starts to build up connective tissue around the top of the thigh and vacant hip socket. The pseudo joint will be free from pain and allow Buddy to increase his activity and have a better quality of life. He will likely continue to have difficulty supporting weight on his rear end and will need a ramp and assistance in and out of the car. There is of course some risk involved. Not all dogs recover with the same level of functionality. The vet was required to tell me that the worst case scenario is that he will not be able to stand after surgery. That is, however, unlikely.
In Buddy's case, the prognosis for a satisfactory recovery is good as he is young and very resilient. The surgery will free him from pain and though he will not be an athlete, he will be able to have a good life and continue moderate activities like walks, swimming, and rolling around on the floor with his beloved Princess.
Aftercare will include weight management, exercise, and a warm comfortable sleeping area. Some massage may be helpful, and moist heat. An elevated feeder is recommended. [I bought Buddy a 12" high dish for his birthday.] A ramp is also recommended for going in and out. [Buddy has a nice ramp built by Andy.] In addition glucosamine and chondroitin supplements can help with the formation of new cartilage.
The surgery is scheduled for Monday, March 13, 2006 with Mt. Hood Veterinary Specialists. Petra C. Ost, DVM will perform the surgery. [She has gray hair and has been doing this for awhile.] He will stay overnight at the hospital and come home on Tuesday, March 14th. Please keep Little Buddy in your thoughts and prayers. We want to give him this chance to have a happy life.
March 7, 2006 – Post Op Physical Therapy Recommended
They have stressed the importance of physical therapy and activity for Buddy after the surgery. Really starting at day two when he comes home. For the first 3-4 weeks he will go to an Animal Therapist 2-3 times a week and have both range of motion exercises and time running on an underwater treadmill. The therapist will give me tasks to do at home.
I may have mentioned that Buddy does not know he is a Lab and he is not fond of the water. Princess is such a water dog and she has tried to entice him in but last summer he just went to water's edge and watched her. He would not get in the yard pool I filled every day for Princess who liked to nap there in the heat of summer. So we will see how the water therapy works. The vet really wants him to learn to swim as the water will buoy him up and make moving his legs easier. The river might be too much for him so we will drive to a nearby small lake with a gentle slope and sandy bottom. Hopefully he will follow Princess' lead.
I think we will also have daily walks, perhaps gradually increasing distance. I have a pedometer so I can gauge how far we go each day. I am blessed to live near the Sandy River Delta where there are miles of easy-to-walk trails that are mostly level and very inviting in the springtime when they are awash with wild flowers.
The estimated recovery period to work up to "normal" activities is two months. I am relieved about that as I leave for Alaska May 30th. My kids will care for the animals in my absence. I won't have occasion to board the dogs until July when we all go to Colorado for my son's wedding. [I wish I could send them to Eastwood!]
So today I feel encouraged that this is the right thing to do. I know that my old dog Babe sent me to rescue this pup and meant for me to care for him and do what I can to make his life happy and pain free. Babe's spirit lives in Buddy and he often reminds me of her. The places he picks to nap in the house, the way he knows when Windy is coming and puts his nose to the crack in the door about three minutes before she pulls in the drive. He is staying close to me this morning and I think he must sense something is afoot.
On another note, I am deeply disturbed by the irresponsible backyard breeding that goes on in rural Missouri. Dave Edwards, Princess' breeder, exercises such care in planning litters and avoiding dysplasia risk, keeping his Labs so healthy. [That is why they are so expensive and so coveted by hunters all over the country.] Whoever owns Buddy's mother was not so diligent. And that person, or someone else, just threw Buddy away because he was not perfect. Not even a compassionate ending. It makes me sick.
But the little fella is a survivor and he climbed out of that ditch and found his way to help and he will get through this next challenge. I am glad I am in a position to provide the surgical intervention and it is nice to be retired and able to devote whatever time the therapy takes.
March 13, 2006 #1 – Today Is the Surgery
We took him in at 7:30 a.m. PST. His surgery will be later this morning and the vet should call me mid-afternoon if all goes well. I am very nervous. He actually fell down on the slippery clinic floor and it was painfully obvious how much he needs this. But there is risk.
March 13, 2006 #2 – Worrying and Waiting
The vet surgeon called and said the operation went well...very routine...no surprises or unexpected problems. Buddy is out from under anesthetic but still numb and feeling no pain. He will rest tonight and they will get him up tomorrow to walk and start to move around. He should come home tomorrow afternoon. I am so relieved.
This morning was very difficult for me. What decided things for me was the hope that he will have a BETTER life after the surgery and be able to DO MORE. And no more pain. I am in anguish that I have made him suffer this long. The guilt is overwhelming. The staff at the hospital was all very supportive and told me not to blame myself. But how can I not?
I hope I am making the right decision. The surgery costs $2500 which is expensive but not prohibitive. It will take about three hours to do both hips. Today I am sad and scared and guilt-ridden and wondering if this is the right thing. She just kept reassuring me that he would be pain free and that is the main thing. I cannot believe how he has come this far without complaint.
Even though I now know that the training commands have caused him pain, I am glad he learned them as I think his learning to manage his own behavior will be a godsend during his recovery and new life. And what do you know...he did STAND for part of his exam. Not fond of the rectal thermometer, though!
The second opinion was worse than the first and confirms that Buddy has severe hip dysplasia and reconfirms the first diagnosis that he is in constant pain. The vet said since he has known nothing else and because he is a "tough little guy" he has continued his daily activities despite the fact that he is hurting. I am broken-hearted that I have put him through this. I was so sure he was not in pain. But after seeing the x-rays and having the vet demonstrate to me how the joint does and doesn’t work using models, I can see there is no way he could not feel the grinding of bone against bone. He did cry out during the exam.
The vet says he will get worse without intervention. The muscles could atrophy and the sciatic nerve could be damaged. After awhile he would no longer be able to bear weight on his back legs. She praised him for the way he has compensated, but said that the strain he is putting on his spine and front legs will eventually cause damage there as well.
So despite some fears and misgivings, I have decided to proceed with the surgery. I was there an hour and a half and she convinced me that long-term pain management was not a viable option. With surgery he will be able to walk comfortably and actually do more than he can now.
It is called an FHO - femoral head and neck ostectomy (or femoral head and neck excision). As I understand it, the remains of the ball (femur) of the ball-and-socket joint is removed and nothing is put in its place. Mother Nature takes over and his body starts to build up connective tissue around the top of the thigh and vacant hip socket. The pseudo joint will be free from pain and allow Buddy to increase his activity and have a better quality of life. He will likely continue to have difficulty supporting weight on his rear end and will need a ramp and assistance in and out of the car. There is of course some risk involved. Not all dogs recover with the same level of functionality. The vet was required to tell me that the worst case scenario is that he will not be able to stand after surgery. That is, however, unlikely.
In Buddy's case, the prognosis for a satisfactory recovery is good as he is young and very resilient. The surgery will free him from pain and though he will not be an athlete, he will be able to have a good life and continue moderate activities like walks, swimming, and rolling around on the floor with his beloved Princess.
Aftercare will include weight management, exercise, and a warm comfortable sleeping area. Some massage may be helpful, and moist heat. An elevated feeder is recommended. [I bought Buddy a 12" high dish for his birthday.] A ramp is also recommended for going in and out. [Buddy has a nice ramp built by Andy.] In addition glucosamine and chondroitin supplements can help with the formation of new cartilage.
The surgery is scheduled for Monday, March 13, 2006 with Mt. Hood Veterinary Specialists. Petra C. Ost, DVM will perform the surgery. [She has gray hair and has been doing this for awhile.] He will stay overnight at the hospital and come home on Tuesday, March 14th. Please keep Little Buddy in your thoughts and prayers. We want to give him this chance to have a happy life.
March 7, 2006 – Post Op Physical Therapy Recommended
They have stressed the importance of physical therapy and activity for Buddy after the surgery. Really starting at day two when he comes home. For the first 3-4 weeks he will go to an Animal Therapist 2-3 times a week and have both range of motion exercises and time running on an underwater treadmill. The therapist will give me tasks to do at home.
I may have mentioned that Buddy does not know he is a Lab and he is not fond of the water. Princess is such a water dog and she has tried to entice him in but last summer he just went to water's edge and watched her. He would not get in the yard pool I filled every day for Princess who liked to nap there in the heat of summer. So we will see how the water therapy works. The vet really wants him to learn to swim as the water will buoy him up and make moving his legs easier. The river might be too much for him so we will drive to a nearby small lake with a gentle slope and sandy bottom. Hopefully he will follow Princess' lead.
I think we will also have daily walks, perhaps gradually increasing distance. I have a pedometer so I can gauge how far we go each day. I am blessed to live near the Sandy River Delta where there are miles of easy-to-walk trails that are mostly level and very inviting in the springtime when they are awash with wild flowers.
The estimated recovery period to work up to "normal" activities is two months. I am relieved about that as I leave for Alaska May 30th. My kids will care for the animals in my absence. I won't have occasion to board the dogs until July when we all go to Colorado for my son's wedding. [I wish I could send them to Eastwood!]
So today I feel encouraged that this is the right thing to do. I know that my old dog Babe sent me to rescue this pup and meant for me to care for him and do what I can to make his life happy and pain free. Babe's spirit lives in Buddy and he often reminds me of her. The places he picks to nap in the house, the way he knows when Windy is coming and puts his nose to the crack in the door about three minutes before she pulls in the drive. He is staying close to me this morning and I think he must sense something is afoot.
On another note, I am deeply disturbed by the irresponsible backyard breeding that goes on in rural Missouri. Dave Edwards, Princess' breeder, exercises such care in planning litters and avoiding dysplasia risk, keeping his Labs so healthy. [That is why they are so expensive and so coveted by hunters all over the country.] Whoever owns Buddy's mother was not so diligent. And that person, or someone else, just threw Buddy away because he was not perfect. Not even a compassionate ending. It makes me sick.
But the little fella is a survivor and he climbed out of that ditch and found his way to help and he will get through this next challenge. I am glad I am in a position to provide the surgical intervention and it is nice to be retired and able to devote whatever time the therapy takes.
March 13, 2006 #1 – Today Is the Surgery
We took him in at 7:30 a.m. PST. His surgery will be later this morning and the vet should call me mid-afternoon if all goes well. I am very nervous. He actually fell down on the slippery clinic floor and it was painfully obvious how much he needs this. But there is risk.
March 13, 2006 #2 – Worrying and Waiting
The vet surgeon called and said the operation went well...very routine...no surprises or unexpected problems. Buddy is out from under anesthetic but still numb and feeling no pain. He will rest tonight and they will get him up tomorrow to walk and start to move around. He should come home tomorrow afternoon. I am so relieved.
posted by Free Spirit at 3:48 PM
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