Man's Best Friend

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About two weeks ago a friend stopped by to discuss our Christmas display. As he went to get in his truck to leave, the dogs started barking and carrying on. I never paid much attention to them since they always bark when someone is here. However, as he pulled out the drive, I realized they sounded more aggressive than usual. As I looked back at them, I saw Reo, aged 2, and Molly, aged 3, were attacking Joe, aged 9. The younger and stronger dogs had a good hold on the older guy and was really going at it. I was able to separate them without getting myself hurt, but Joe looked to be limping a bit. When Bailey came in for the night, Joe wanted in as well. I put him in a crate and let him stay inside. Rosanne would take him for a walk several times a day over the last few days and he got around okay, but a little slow. We wrote that off as soreness.

By Saturday afternoon he couldn't stand to get out of the crate and kept licking his sore leg near the left front hip. We decided he was more hurt than he let on, so we took him to the veterinary emergency hospital. We sat for four hours before we could see a doctor. After it was all said and done, they kept him overnight so they can stitch up two serious wounds on the inside of his left front hip and leg joint, kind of like a human's armpit. He also had a lot of infection that had set in. They put him on antibiotics, trying to get the infection. He will be there until tomorrow to see if the infection goes down. If it still looks bad, they will keep him another day.

We went back Sunday evening to bring Joe home. The good news is he is going to live and keep his leg. They had to clean out a lot of infection and remove a lot of dead skin. But at least he is up and around and moving on his own power.

He had some pretty serious wounds under his left front hip, I call it his arm pit. They said the bandages would have to be changed every day for at least the first week while the sores drain and then they would decide if it can be every other day or so. He would be wearing a bandage for a minimum of one month before they reassess everything. The other problem was they wanted the bandage to be changed by a veterinarian or assistant so the wound could be reassessed each day. That meant having to take him in every time. Not only would that be time consuming, but a hit to the wallet each time as well.


Things took a bright side the next day. We took him to our regular vet to have his bandage changed. The vet looked at the wound and said it needed stitches so it would heal better and faster. He also said the bandage did not have to be changed every day like the emergency room said because he wasn't going to get one.
He said the emergency room only cleaned up the wound and removed any infection and just put a bandage on to let the wound heal naturally. That is why they said the bandage would have to be changed by a vet every day for about a month.

Our vet scheduled Joe for surgery for the next day. Before we left his office, the next appointment after ours canceled. The vet said to leave Joe and he would stitch him up next and we could pick him up in the afternoon. He said there was no reason to wait until another day since he now had an opening to fill. Joe now has everything sewn up with a drainage tube inserted so there was no need for bandages. Instead of daily vet visits for bandage changes, we are now looking at once a week checkups until it heals.

We took him back yesterday for his first post-surgery checkup. The vet was happy with Joe’s speedy recovery and removed the tube. Thursday, he goes back to have the stitches taken out and his lamp shade removed. The vet said that would be the last of his visits. So instead of a minimum of a month with a bandage, he is about ready to get back to about normal in just two weeks.

None of this came at a cheap cost of course. Rosanne and I agreed that we will not be buying Christmas gifts for each other this year. We decided Joe is our gift. We are happy he is here with us.
 
Bill, I know that's been an ordeal for both of you, but I'm happy the outcome is positive and Joe is home and doing fine.
 
I’m glad this coming out better than initially expected. My wife has been keeping me, somewhat, filled in but thanks for the comprehensive report.
 
I got a lot of experience recently with the Vet ER. It’s very similar to the human health care experience but usually without insurance. Based on what I spent to get my dog back to normal, I probably should have looked into pet insurance, although I have no idea what it costs. The thing about Veterinarians is, there are lots of opinions, but just like with humans you need to run tests to find out what is going on. In my case, in late 2021, my then 9 YO Boston Terrier was in pain and was diagnosed to have a slipped disk. The only way to confirm that he had a slipped disk was to do an MRI which I was quoted about $4,000 for the MRI and other related expenses. He was prescribed a daily low dose of Rimadyl, which is an anti inflammatory like Ibuprofen. He did great on it so there was no need to get an MRI.

Almost exactly 1 year later my now 10 YO dog started vomiting and not acting normal. Within a few days he was collapsing under minimal exertion to the point where he could only walk a short distance. My primary vet did a test and determined that he was severely anemic and needed a blood transfusion to survive. I took him to the ER and he was fine after the blood transfusion and a night in the hospital. However, the underlying issue is what caused the internal bleeding that led to the severe anemia? An ultrasound revealed a mass in his abdomen which was speculated to be almost certainly cancer. I scheduled a surgery consultation not knowing if it was feasible but wanted to at least check into it.

On the day of the surgery consultation, they did the usual blood work and tests. If he was a candidate for surgery the plan, if I approved, was to immediately do the surgery since he was sedated and prepped for it anyway. The surgeon then informed me that he could not have the surgery due to a dangerous low platelet count. He would bleed to death. So, I was left with a very bleak outlook for him.

The surgeon proposed one more procedure which was to put a camera down into his digestive system and look at the “mass”. It ends up the mass was not cancer but was actually an ulcer which is treatable so that was good news. He was prescribed antibiotics and other drugs and has gained almost 3 LBs and looks and acts normal. It is very likely the ulcer was caused by the Rimadyl but impossible to prove.

One thing that was determined during all of this was that he was examined by a Veterinarian Neurologist and does not and never did have a slipped disk. The ER vet recommended some further tests and, since I already spent a fortune I figured, I might as well do it. These tests were more extensive than the blood work typically done at a primary vet and had to be sent offsite to get the results. It ends up my dog has full blown Lyme disease. It is very possible this is the root of his physical problems thought to be a slipped disk. So, now he’s mostly through another 28 day run of antibiotics.

Fortunately he is now back to normal. Can walk 3 miles with ease. Gobbles his food and is playful.

One thing I would like to say is that I have a place in Wisconsin which is known for ticks that spread Lyme disease. I have had Lyme disease myself. I religiously applied Frontline to both of my dogs the first of every month 12 months out of the year. My dogs have been to my Wisconsin place at least 50 times. So, Frontline failed me. If you are in an area with Lyme spreading ticks I’d find another method to prevent it.

My dog is about 10 1/2 with a typical lifespan of 11-13 years but no matter how much time he has left I have no regrets. I guess I’ll admit that I spent about $11,000 on him and, although I not rich, I am glad I could afford it. The only good thing is that I actually lost 10 LBs with all the stress worrying about him and what I might have to do. I’m in decent shape for my age but could lose a few pounds so I’m gonna try to stay at my new weight and so far I am. Vet ERs are just like people ERs and they have a lot of highly educated and well paid veterinary specialists. And a lot of expensive test equipment that primary vets don’t have. The cost adds up real fast. They saved my dog’s life and I’m grateful for that.
 
thanks lyle-

take care of that dog and you are a good man

i am glad there are people like you in this current world
 
I have two dogs and 6 cats. a few months ago our smallest cat came up to the house with both her front legs severely mangled. we took her to the vet and she did the best she could to stich things back together and removed some bone chips. it was $110. The cat will hold one foot up once in a while but runs around and jumps like she did before. I took our older dog in a year or more ago because she had several lumps under her skin in many places, the vet removed them and charged us $80. She will often keep the animals overnight if the surgery is major. This is a small place that services farm animals. I cant say how much it has enabled us to care for our animals to have this vet around! I have never had a complaint with any of her work. having gotten prices for having spaying done I can tell you the other clinics charge many many times what this vet does.

I am pleased to hear your Joe is doing well!
 
As a follow up, Joe has now become our house dog. He was a house dog for almost two years before we got him, and he is adapting well. He goes out in the morning and Reo, his nemesis, comes in. Around noon we switch them again to let Reo have some sun until around 5 pm when Reo returns to the house. Finally, Joe comes back around 10 pm for the night. Since both dogs were house broke before we got them, we have now problem with accidents. So far this arrangement is working well.

The outside dogs never have a problem with Joe when he is out. When he is inside, he usually curls up by my desk and takes his nap.

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Indy4570":2s91s24w said:
I have two dogs and 6 cats. a few months ago our smallest cat came up to the house with both her front legs severely mangled. we took her to the vet and she did the best she could to stich things back together and removed some bone chips. it was $110. The cat will hold one foot up once in a while but runs around and jumps like she did before. I took our older dog in a year or more ago because she had several lumps under her skin in many places, the vet removed them and charged us $80. She will often keep the animals overnight if the surgery is major. This is a small place that services farm animals. I cant say how much it has enabled us to care for our animals to have this vet around! I have never had a complaint with any of her work. having gotten prices for having spaying done I can tell you the other clinics charge many many times what this vet does.

I am pleased to hear your Joe is doing well!
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Although my dog’s issues were way more difficult to diagnose and treat than obvious physical injuries, those are unbelievably low prices. At my other place in rural Wisconsin, twice my other Boston Terrier was stung by a bee and had a reaction. That was several years ago and it was about $250 for an emergency vet visit and the shot she needed. Both of my dogs have had dental cleaning and tooth extraction at over $400 each time. There is a lower priced vet clinic that is walk in only and doesn’t take appointments but I didn’t like the place.
 
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