What a New Year... Penny seemed to be doing so well he last couple of days but then today she seemed to take a turn for the worse! This afternoon when I took her out to potty she screeched in pain and wouldn't walk. She isn't completely down just her left leg. We rushed to the specialist hospital and saw the ER vet we saw last Wednesday. She examined her and called the neurologist. They decided to admit her and tomorrow will be performing a mylogram and most likely surgery. Watching them take her away was one of the hardest things I have done - she was so confused.
They are really great at this hospital...they gave us a tour and showed us where she would be tonight. In the cage next to where she would be tonight there was a sweet little dachsie that was recovering from surgery - 4yrs 8 months old.
So it is a wait and see until tomorrow. I'll post an update as soon as I hear anything.
Oh Kari. I am SO sorry. My heart is on the floor for you guys. I was so sure she was going to be fine on crate rest alone!
BUT...tons of doxies have gone through this surgery. She will feel better when she comes out of it than she does right now. When my Jessie had her surgery, she walked down the hallway to me after the surgery. The most shocking thing is their big shaved area and incision, but it doesn't matter to them all they know is they feel better.
You have a lot of things going for you. You caught it early. She is still walking. You did the right thing in between her episode and now, so she didn't have a chance to really make things worse by jumping around, etc. She is where she needs to be right now, as hard as it is for you to be apart from her. She is getting top care and they will do what is needed for her. You have made the best decisions throughout all this and now it's out of your hands, the hard part is going to be the waiting.
Many many prayers from here. Please keep us posted.
yes me to, my heart is in my throat. Keep as calm as you can, we are all here for penny and you. Penny is in the best place at the moment, with people who know what they are doing.
Keep us posted and big big hugs......if she knows you are calm Penny will pick up the vibes..........
dachies rays from OZ
Roberta
Oh No! I was so hoping she would do well with just crate rest :(
Lots of prayers coming your way :pray:
Jen
:comfort: :comfort: Prayers and Healing Rays coming your way for a speedy recovery for Penny. We are all here for you to comfort and support you. You are doing exactly what you need to be doing right now....Lots and Lots of pups undergo this surgery and do just fine....and you did catch this early....
The people at Dodgerslist will be there to support you just as everyone here will be there for you. Take care and let us know asap how Penny is doing....
Thanks eveyone! I called this morning to check on her and she is resting at the moment getting fluids and a a pain patch. The neurologist is due in at any time to do the mylogram so it is just a waiting game at this point. I'll let you know as soon as I hear anything. I too thought that we were going to make it just on crate rest! She seemed to be really improving! Thanks for all the support!
Good thoughts coming your way Good Luck with the surgery hope Penny will be back to her old self soon.
Patches Mom
Penny had her mylogram and it seems that she has a possible herniated disc. Based on the neurosurgen that would like to do the surgery so they were going to move her directly into surgery at 11:15 am PST. The prognosis is great since we caught it early but it is hard to waiting to hear that she made it through the surgery fine. We will get to visit her tomorrow and she will probably come home on Thursday. I'll keep you updated.
We got the call that Penny is out of surgery. The surgery went well and she is doing good. The disc wasn't ruptured yet, but there was fluid severely compressing the spinal cord. This has been relieved and the discs in the area fenestrated. Prognosis is great and we get to visit her tomorrow. I'll keep you updated!
Rays and prayers are coming your way for Penny! Dee, Dave, Sargey and Looie
:pray: Well, I was hoping for better news when I logged on today, but I am sure that Penny will do great with surgery... I think we all hope that we never have to go through it though... I will be praying for you, Penny and your family.... EmmyLou sends get well puppy kisses to you all... Healing rays coming your way from my family and I... *hugs & prayers* ~Tara & EmmyLou
Loads and loads of healing dachsie rays to Penny and calming peaceful rays to her hooparents. I'm so happy she's responding well to the surgery. Please know we're thinking about you. :pray:
Well that's a relief she came through the surgery so well and they got it before it became a full blown rupture which is GREAT. :thumb: Now she's also fenestrated there so she should recover nicely! When my Jessie had her back episode, they prophylactically fenestrated her entire cervical (neck) and lumbar (lower back). They don't normally do the ribcage area (thoracic) which are rare to have problems anyway. Jessie never did have problems in her neck, but she did have some reoccurances of pain only about every 9 months which was easily corrected with 2 weeks crate rest. They think that problem was at the base of her tail where they can't fenestrate because there are too many nerves coming out there that can be damaged. They don't think she ever had a problem where she was fenestrated again though. And they did think the fenestration helped her not have further episodes like her first and also the ones she did have again were very mild in comparison so hopefully it helped with that as well.
I'm sure Penny will be 100% again well before her hair grows back in! :) This is the best news we could get at this point with things, I'll bet you can't wait to get your baby home again. :heart:
Quote from: Dee Dee and Hallie on January 01, 2007, 02:24:38 PM
Well that's a relief she came through the surgery so well and they got it before it became a full blown rupture which is GREAT. :thumb: Now she's also fenestrated there so she should recover nicely! When my Jessie had her back episode, they prophylactically fenestrated her entire cervical (neck) and lumbar (lower back). They don't normally do the ribcage area (thoracic) which are rare to have problems anyway. Jessie never did have problems in her neck, but she did have some reoccurances of pain only about every 9 months which was easily corrected with 2 weeks crate rest. They think that problem was at the base of her tail where they can't fenestrate because there are too many nerves coming out there that can be damaged. They don't think she ever had a problem where she was fenestrated again though. And they did think the fenestration helped her not have further episodes like her first and also the ones she did have again were very mild in comparison so hopefully it helped with that as well.
I'm sure Penny will be 100% again well before her hair grows back in! :) This is the best news we could get at this point with things, I'll bet you can't wait to get your baby home again. :heart:
That is good to hear! I think that fenestration was proactive and will be a big plus in the future. I have to work tomorrow so Drew is going to drop me off at work (I work less than a mile from the hospital) and is going to get me a lunch to go visit her and then pick me up in the evening and visit her again. I just talked with my boss and she is really understand as I told her that I would get my work done but it may be odd hours or at home. It will be great to have her home again!
I'm glad to hear the prognosis is good for Penny. And you are lucky to be so close to her. We'll keep the rays coming your way for no more occurances in the future.
So glad to hear Penny came through surgery well sounds like her prognosis is really good :) Sending lots of rays for a speedy recovery!
Jen
I'm so glad the surgery went well and Penny did great! It was wonderful that you were home with her during this time and could be watching over her and catch it as quickly as you did. I'm sure that is one reason things went as smoothly as they did (besides the fact you are both wonderful parents!) I know the next couple of days will be long and you will be waiting impatiently to bring your baby home, but she is in good hands for now and soon you can spoil her as much as you want!!
I feel so badly for not checking in earlier....it sounds like the surgery went very well and so glad you will be able to be flexible with your work. WE are all thinking of you and sending rays to our Penny. We will all be waiting for an update to see how she does through the night. Hugs to you mom and dad - hang in there.
We talked with the technician about an hour ago and Penny is alert and doing well. She is up on her front legs and they are going to begin tapering off some of the medications. The tech had her cage open and said that Penny was giving her kisses as we spoke. She also said that Penny has been talking to them quite a bit and that she looks great for the day of surgery. They are going to call us in the morning with another update and we'll see her tomorrow. I may not be able to post while I am at work but will do so as soon as I get home.
:thumb: Sounds like great news!!!! Now it is time for Mommy and Daddy to get some rest while Penny is in good hands and prepare for her homecoming. Congratulations and we can't wait to hear more about Penny's progress...
ps: Penny looks so much like my Zoe...they are identical
Quote from: Kari on January 01, 2007, 11:46:55 PM
We talked with the technician about an hour ago and Penny is alert and doing well. She is up on her front legs and they are going to begin tapering off some of the medications. The tech had her cage open and said that Penny was giving her kisses as we spoke. She also said that Penny has been talking to them quite a bit and that she looks great for the day of surgery. They are going to call us in the morning with another update and we'll see her tomorrow. I may not be able to post while I am at work but will do so as soon as I get home.
Go Penny - sounds like she is doing great !!! Sending rays and prayer - we will be waiting to hear how your 2 visits go today -
Oh, Kari! I'm sorry to hear it came to surgery but you will be amazed at how fast she pops back now. Which will bring you to the next problem - keeping her calm and crated. We crated Gretchen for a while (I don't remember exact times - it's been a few years), then graduated her to her expen, which we put in the middle of the living room, with a few toys, blankets, a water bowl, AND...a paperback novel that DD and Hallie sent her. She 'read' that novel over and over again. It was shredded to the pieces! The hard part is over - Penny is out of pain and the problem is fixed. Just keep that in your mind when you see her.
Oh Kari, I am so sorry that I did not see this before now. Sending prayers and rays to Penny and your family for a healthy recovery.
Keep us informed on her progress. Hugs to you!
So sorry to read that Penny had surgery, but so glad you caught it in time, and have great emergency/surgical options. Lots of Colorado rayz coming to your sweet little girl. You all get all the rest you can, and hope the balance of the year is MUCH better.
Hi All! We just visited Penny this afternoon. She seems to be doing as well as possible. She is walking but very wobbly. Her incision looks really good but long. She wagged her tail when she say us and gave kisses. You can tell she is uncomfortable and was upset when we had to leave her. She is also quite bloated. They said she is peeing but has pooped yet. There is a possibility that she will come home tomorrow so we will see how she does overnight. So all-in-all she seems to be doing well but it broke my heart to leave her there! Just wanted to update and say thanks for all the good thoughts!
Leaving has got to be the very hardest thing to do. Sending rays in full force that she has a restful night - YOU too !
Kari, I'm sorry to hear that Penny has to go through this. However, as you can tell, many dachsies on this board have gone through this same procedure and made 100% recoveries, sometimes in such a rapid time frame it astonishes owners and veternarians alike. I'm sure Penny will join the list of those that succesfully recovered from the surgery. You can't keep a good dachshund down, and Penny is certainly a very good dachshund. The Zs send their rays and we'll kick in a few prayers for Penny, too.
Quote from: Kari on January 02, 2007, 03:53:47 PM
They said she is peeing but hasn't pooped yet.
All in all, Penny sounds like she is making good time in her recovery. Clifford wasn't able to get up on his hind legs for 8 days (threat of a bath!!!!) and didn't poop at all for 7 days after surgery.
Glad to hear Penny is doing well probably had her up trying to walk some of the gas out of her if like people she may not get to come home till she poops. Spinal Surgery usually causes allot of gas and they make you walk to get the bowels up & awake.Gas pains can really hurt so some of her pain might be that. Was a Nurses Aide on a Orthopedic floor for 14 years have been away for about 4 years need back surgery myself but too chicken. I have looked & looked on the internet what does fenestration mean???Dogs usually do well with any type of surgery they do not know they are suppose to hurt so they hurt & deal with it allot better than humans do.
Good Luck Penny
Patches Mom
thanks for the updates and we will be sending rays. You'll have her home soon.............
Roberta
I am so sorry I missed this thread until this morning. We are sending belated prayers and rays for Penny's successful recovery.
Jeri
Good Morning! I talked with the vet this morning after her rounds and she said that Penny is doing well and they would like us to take her home tonight. So we are going to pick her up after work about 6 pm PST. Last night we got her area all set up and bought an air mattress for one of us to sleep on downstairs by her crate the first couple of nights. We didn't want to carry her up and down the stairs. I will be staying home with her tomorrow and Drew will be home on Friday and then between the two of us and my mom we will cover her in shifts next week! Thanks again for all the rays and prayers and I will try and post and update and picture tonight once we get home.
Yea - Penny is coming home !!!! That is great news - she will be SO glad. Sounds like her loving family has everything covered for her care - sending rays that she has an easy day and rests well tonight !!!! Try to get some rest yourselves...but I know it will be hard - you will be awake watching her !!!!
Hugs to all of you !
Quote from: Mike on January 02, 2007, 09:21:32 PM
All in all, Penny sounds like she is making good time in her recovery. Clifford wasn't able to get up on his hind legs for 8 days (threat of a bath!!!!) and didn't poop at all for 7 days after surgery.
Did you have to give him anything to help him poop?
Nope, I had called the surgeon to express my concern and he said "what goes in, must come out" and Clifford had been eating ok. Not more than an hour later it DID come out. As he wasn't able to stand yet, it wasn't a pretty sight, but a welcome one just the same.
Penny seems about the same this morning expect for the fact that she wants to be more active. The last couple of days she could have cared less if our cat Mr. Tucker was around her and now she is extremely alert and wants to "get" him :thumb: She is the same walking - wobbly with support. She is flipping her feet over a little more but not all the time. She is eating really well too! Last night she slept for 7 hours straight which is the first time since the surgery...that meant Drew and I got 7 hours solid too!
Sounds like she is doing better each day - and that is GREAT !!! Smoochies Penny - do what mommy and daddy tell you too !
Glad to hear she is doing so well!
When does she get her stiches out?
Quote from: Valerie on January 07, 2007, 03:55:11 PM
Glad to hear she is doing so well!
When does she get her stitches out?
Her stitches are actually inside and apparently dissolve so there are no stitches to come out. How about Cookie?
Interesting- Cookie gets stitches removed in almost two weeks on a Friday-plus we have follow up appt the same day.
Penny's follow-up is on the 22nd unless we have problems before that - isn't it strange how different doctors favor doing surgery different ways?