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To watch 2007 Dachshund Dash Video, please pause the volume for "Big Dog" on my music player above. You can skip forward to the 6:00 mark on the video to see my semifinal and final runs.
His back surgery went very well. His neurological exam was also reported as very good too. We are so happy to report that he is home with us.
Recovering, after prayers, hopes, and praises to the wonderful Doctors and Nurses, we are still praying he will be back to his normal frisky and spunky little self...
Thanks for all of your wonderful prayers.................thank you for taking time out of your very busy day....to Pray for Rufus...
Ru and his family in Oklahoma are praying for all of his buddies and the Haiti doggies. God Bless to all of his pup pals.
Love Ru's Mom and Rufus
Rufus had surgery for his back.
This information is kind of an example what he has experienced.
We are praying that his neurological exam on January 21, 2010 report is good!
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In surgical cases time is of the essence, the longer the disc material presses against the spinal cord the more damage it does. Your dog can go from walking to not walking overnight. Durning that time they start to loose nerve impulses, the last is deep pain, which is bone pain. This is tested by pinching the dogs toes and watching for a response. A withdrawl is not a "real" response, it is a reflex. Deep pain response is dialation of pupils, crying, if the dog is panting it may stop, they even turn to look at you or the toe you are pinching.
If a neurological exam determines the dog may need surgery they will undergo a procedure to determine where the herniation is. Either a myelogram (dye study of the spinal colum) or MRI can determine this. Spinal x-rays cannot and are generally not helpful to a neurologist. Myelograms generally can take from 30 minutes to an hour start to finish depending on the size of he dog and how well the dye flows through the colum. MRI take significantly less time, but in most cases they are not always accessible. Surgery is usually performed in the same day, they animal goes from myelogram to the OR. Depending on your surgeon it could be another hour. The process is quite simple, locate the lesion, clear it out and get out.
Expect you dog to stay overnight at least for 24-48 hours depending on the extend of the lesion, and their condition prior to surgery. After surgery you will be required to keep your dog on STRICT cage rest for 2-3 weeks. This means carrying them outside to potty and right back to the cage.
Picking a surgeon. It is my personal experience that I would recommend you find a neurologist/neurosurgeon instead of a general surgeon. no offence to the good ones out there, but they tend to cut corners. Dr. Chauvet (the neurologist I worked for) was adament about fenestration. Fenestrate means window, and it is when the surgeon creates windows in the discs above and below the herniation, this process helps in the event of a second herniation. If that happens the disk has a place to go and is directed away from the spinal cord. If you choose to go with a general surgeon ask if they do this, if not, ask why, and if they will, or can. Consider a university for the surgery, but don't expect it to be much cheaper than a neurologist :)
.Asking for many prayers for Mom to be strong and get Ru back home and get him his much needed strict cage rest or home rest...without NO Pain for Ru.
Mom is Praying
...could use some thoughts and prayers.
Her back once more had given her trouble,but this time it is far worse.
Now her disk have calcified and the vet said he said it could snap at any time. She no longer can stand on her hind quarters. He has her on steroids and he said if this doesn't work, she is going to have to have surgery and that may not work at this point. She went down so fast. Either that or she just tolorate it until she couldn't any longer. Mommy Nancy is going to have to carry her outside or to the potty pad. She can't do it on her own any more. They gave her an IV as she was dehydrated. If this med doesn't take care of the pain, he will put her on something.
Will you please pray that the meds will help her,She can't walk.Her upper spine does not look good.The Dr said from the looks of the three discs they could go anytime. If that happens it will be Tucker all over again. She is going to scream with pain. She is partially paralized now.She is going to have to learn how to get around without the use of her hind legs.
Taking a deep breath.....please send some thoughts and prayers...the POP to my wife Princess
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