Charleston you are really lucky to have a first class veterinary clinic there. I was over there about 2 weeks ago to meet with Dr. King a Neurologist/Neurosurgeon (From his bio or something that I read in his clinic, he likes to fish too). Below is why I posited the above statement:
It has been a long 10 weeks. About 12 weeks ago my Beagle had some stuff cut off her and was put into one of those radar cones which she hates. She learned to hate them about 5 or 6 years ago when she had a disc replaced in her neck. I think that the doctor screwed up by not replacing the disc in front and behind the one that was bad. Well while she was in the cone from the last ?SIMPLE? surgery, she tried to run into everything that she could to knock the cone off. By doing so, she screwed up the disc in front of the one that was repaired.
For the last 9+ weeks she has not been herself and is some pain. The local vet did not want the orthopedic surgeon who did the surgery the first time to do it again. He was hoping he could heal her with medications and laser treatments. Candler is not getting any better. Well after 9 weeks, I told my vet that I only have 2 choices, put Candler down or do the surgery. Putting her down is out of the question. The Beagle helped be through my stage 4 colon and liver cancer recovered in 2005 and I just cannot give up on her. Chris my local vet referred me to a place in Charleston, SC (Charlestonvrc.com) that is 2nd to none. They have many 20 different vets there. The one that is taking care of Candler is a Neurologist/ Neurosurgeon, Dr. King. On our first visit I agreed to have a MRI done to confirm the injury. Dr. King did not want to do the surgery until Candler gets off the steroids which will take 2 weeks. He also agreed that the first surgery should have done the disc in front and behind the one he repaired.
Well we are schedule to leave Savannah around 7AM this Friday to meet with Dr. King and do the surgery. I do not see any other choice that I have. Do I have the money, maybe but you d
Ricky; Take care of her as she took care of you! I know you will! Have you seen the inflatable collars? Kind of like an innertube. Much more comfortable for a dog.
Thanks Easy. I have not seen them but if she does make it through the surgery, not matter what the cost, she will have one.
Easy, if you are in Charleston and have pets, I would suggest that you get to know this clinic. They are out on Bee Hive Hwy before you get to Charleston coming in on Hwy 17. Besides the clinic, they do have a 24 hour staff ER center. It is not cheap but something’s are worth it. If Dr. King fixes Candler, I will never complain about the price. I look at it this way, a few less fishing trips, tackle or other play toys that I will have to wait for.
THANKS
Ricky Friedenberg
Savannah, GA
2004 Sea Pro 206
1975 Mako 171 Angler
Here you go Ricky! They are cheap and can be bought at most pet supply stores! See what your Vet says about one for your dog. I used one for my dog when she had a hernia operation. It worked well. Good luck with her. http://www.pawposse.com/inflatable-dog-collar/product-277/
Easy, that would be great if it had a heating or cooling element. Do you know of a place in Charleston that sells them. I have a feeling that I will be in Charleston until after the surgery on Friday and if all goes well I will buy one for the trip home on Tuesday or Wednesday. Candler never rode in a cage but I am thinking about getting one from my vet to transport her to Charleston. It is right at 110 miles from my house in Savannah to the clinic. I would be able to tie it down in back of the SUV.
Thanks again,
ricky
Ricky Friedenberg
Savannah, GA
2004 Sea Pro 206
1975 Mako 171 Angler
Prayers for a speedy recovery. I’d rather be with my dogs than most people. Which reminds me that all three are getting a bath when I get off work tonight!
Well after 2 weeks from HELL, it is all over with now.
Candler was taken to Charleston Veterinary Referral Center today (Friday) for a 9:00 appointment. We did not get to talk to the doctor but his PA met us in the lobby and answered our questions. The doctor had 2 surgeries on the schedule today and Candler was the second one. The drive over to Charleston was hell, every time the Beagle lost her footing she would go nuts screaming in pain. Even in the middle of the night, if she rolled over in her bed, all hell would break loose. At that point I did not see how I could let her live this way.
After we dropped Candler off, I told the PA that we were going to hang around Charleston for the good or bad news. Around 3:00 pm we called the clinic and they were just getting ready to start on Candler. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I was thinking the surgery was going to last a max. hour and a half. We got to the clinic around 4:00 and they were still working on her. 4:30 still working on her. Not good thoughts are going through my mind. At 5:30 the doctor comes out and pulls Barbara and I to a corner and says “it could not have gone any better”. Very little bleeding, was able to work around the scar tissue from her first neck surgery and he fixed all the discs in her neck. The first surgeon should have worked on the one before the back one and the one in front of that one. Dr. King cleaned out every disc in the neck this time.
He said that we could pick her up this Sunday and I said what…SUNDAY…that is too soon. We live 2-1/2 hours away and I want to make sure everything is good. He confirmed it is good and if we felt Monday would make us more comfortable that would be OK with him.
I am telling you, that clinic, Charleston Veterinary Referral Center, is as good as it gets. From the front desk help to the assistants and doctors everyone shows so much compassion for your pets. They have about 20 vets in the practice with a bunch of different specialists.
Dr. King saved us from losing our minds with a bad skin allergy our great dane had. After years of vet bills and specialty foods, Dr. King actually correctly diagnosed what nobody else could seem to do.
Your dog was in very good hands. I’m glad everything worked out for you.
Good news Ricky! How does she seem? Do what I do, when my wife is sick or had surgery. Drugs She is a nurse and the worst sick person you ever saw. Bring me this, bring me that, all the time. So I got to, whenever she woke up, feeding her another pill and putting back out, until she was better! Works great, until the pills run out
