Tanker - emergency surgery

[Argie's Wife]

About a week ago we noticed Tanker was walking like he was lame. He had trouble getting up and seemed to be in pain. We took him to our vet in Gilford to get checked. He was found to have a herniated disc in his back. He was given an anti-inflammatory medication and pain medication, and we were told to keep him "quiet" (no jumping, no stairs, etc.)

Over the weekend, Tanker did very well and seemed to be back to his ol' self again.

However, Sunday night he took a bad turn. He started dragging his hind legs - he was paralyzed. We took him back to the vets on Monday morning, and were told he had a ruptured disc.

Our vets, Lakes Region Animal Hospital, did a great job of getting us connected with a neurologist in Scarborough, Maine. Argie took Tanker to Maine Veterinary Referral Center. They accepted him immediately, and he was in for surgery (hemilaminectomy) within two hours of Argie arriving there.

If you ever find yourself in a situation like this - and I hope you never do - this is a wonderful animal hospital. We are very impressed with the care, communication, and professionalism of the animal hospital. We highly recommend them!

Today, I'm headed to Maine to get my four-legged best friend. I'm looking forward to many more years with that fur-farmer!

[ishoot308]

Your pooch is very lucky to have owners like you!

I always said if God made something more wonderful than a dog he surely kept it for himself!

Good luck with your "hairy child"!! :)

Dan

[VitaBene]

Best wishes to Tanker and you AW!! I just got in from a 4 mile walk with my boy, dogs are the best:)

[Argie's Wife]

Thanks!

I am selling my winter beater car to help pay the bill and just listed it in the ads. If anyone know a bit about cars and has a high school or college kid who needs a safe first car, I highly recommend this car - it's a 97 Dodge Intrepid...

[SIKSUKR]

Ok AW, I'm on the edge of my seat. Is he still paralyzed or was the surgery successfull?

[TOAD]

Thanks!

I am selling my winter beater car to help pay the bill and just listed it in the ads. If anyone know a bit about cars and has a high school or college kid who needs a safe first car, I highly recommend this car - it's a 97 Dodge Intrepid...

Hope Tanker gets full mobility back. :)

I know about the expense of getting dogs care at a vets. Two weeks ago my little guy Moby (Brittany Spaniel mix) who runs through the woods like a crazy man stuck a dead fall pine branch 8" into his chest. We were lucky that the branch did not penetrate his chest cavity. It glanced off his ribs and tore hell out of his chest and shoulder muscles. Well two and a half weeks, surgery and a donation of $3500 to 3 different vets Moby is mobile as ever like nothing ever happened. :D

Now my big guy Dick (Mastiff mix).....well I don't even like to think what we have spent on him with two surgery's on both hind legs.:eek: Dick makes Moby's trouble seem like pocket change. :cool:

[Rattlesnake Gal]

So glad your little buddy is going to be okay! I wish you luck keeping the him quiet while recuperating. Sometimes our furry friends don't know what's good for them. ;)

Thanks for sharing your experience with Maine Veterinary Referral Center. I hope none of us ever need them!

[eillac@dow]

AW...

I am glad to hear that all is going well....but I do know you must of been very upset and concerned.

My own baby....Hunter... was very sick when he was young...took a while to find out what was wrong. Spent lots of money....but seeing him now...he was worth every dime and more.

Best wishes to Tanker! :)

[Argie's Wife]

Ok AW, I'm on the edge of my seat. Is he still paralyzed or was the surgery successfull?

Oh, I'm sorry - I didn't mean to leave you hanging.

The surgery was very successful. He is walking on his own and we have a sling to help him out, as he's still a little weak. He's expected to make a full recovery.

[martbri7]

I'm glad the pup is better....does he still have a odor of skunk after being sprayed last year...one year later and our dog still has a slight skunk odor during the rain we had recently.

[Argie's Wife]

A tiny bit of skunk smell... not too bad. It's worse at the threshold of the front door where he rolled right after it happened. The skunk gunk got in the wood, I guess, and the smell gets ripe when it rains.

Skunk... the gift that keeps on giving.... ;):cool:

[TOAD]

Skunk... the gift that keeps on giving.... ;):cool:

:laugh::laugh::laugh:

[moose tracks]

I am very sorry to hear about Tanker. You got great care and advice by getting him to a neurosurgeon as quickly as you did.

Our 8 year old dachshund has intervertebral disc disease, [IVDD] and has had the same surgery twice within a 6 month period [2009-2010] for disc ruptures. We felt we had a great surgeon at the Animal Specialty Center in Yonkers, NY near where we live. She has recovered use of her hind legs each time with minor residual weakness.

We built ramps for the steps and do not allow her to jump on the furniture anymore to reduce the stress on her spine.

I hope Tanker has a full recovery. They improve remarkably once the pressure is relieved from the nerves.

[Argie's Wife]

Thanks!

The Tank-man is doing awesome. I am really impressed with the progress he's made, and he's even up to some of his ol' tricks. The weakness in his hind-legs is going away a little at a time, each day. We've placed ramps at the stairs and door jamb of the house to help him in and out of the house - he no longer requires a sling to be used on his back end.

We've had to make a major change in his diet, too, as we learned he was overweight. We've changed his food to a different type (Science Diet) and are carefully measuring his food for each feeding (1 cup x 2/day). Tanker is almost 5 years old - and should have many more good years ahead - but being overweight won't help him. We were indoors too much this winter and that's when he really packed on the extra baggage... I felt like I was a bad dog-mom for letting him go like that...

[lawn psycho]

Just some notes about that place in Scarborough. They are about the priciest vet in town and are quick to go to the most expensive route possible.

If you have a late night/after hours pet emergency, this is where you will be referred to by just about all vets in Southern Maine if your vet is not available.

Before you take the plunge and spend huge money, I would have recommended getting a second opinion.

They had my 11 yo golden set-up for MRIs, CAT scans, neurology, etc. It was a Saturday morning at 2AM. They were quoting $3000. We waited until Monday and went to our local vet. Cost us $250 to get him back to health.

I'm not saying your dog did not need the surgery, etc but I am not the only one who has gone down this route (with their over-testing, over diagnosing)

When FIDO is a family pet it's easy to get caught up in the moment and throw caution (dollars) to the wind. Been there, done that.

[Argie's Wife]

Sorry you had the experience you did...

They were a second opinion for us. The only other neurosurgeon in the area was in Nashua and they were closed. This was one of those cases where timing was everything.

Our "regular vet" told us that removal of the disc was the only option for him to regain the function of his legs (and lower-extremities) - and that he needed surgery as soon as possible. Our vet also told us a price range for the cost of the surgery - and he was right.

When Argie took Tanker to the animal hospital in Maine, he was given an estimate for the procedure, and everything - including meds and suture removal - that went with it. The bill we received was $450 less than the estimate we'd been given.