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Sandra | 4 years ago
Four Years Ago This Week, My Dog Connor Was Released From A Baltimore-area Veterinary Orthopedic And …

Four years ago this week, my dog Connor was released from a Baltimore-area veterinary orthopedic and sports medicine hospital after THREE failed TLPO surgeries and multiple significant infections, which created the beginning of Connor’s end. The reminders of this are coming up daily in my Facebook “Memories” feed, which is why I’m currently wrestling with taking action four years after the fact. Connor completely tore his CCL and the ortho surgeon sold me–HARD–on TPLO for him. This same practice and surgeon had successfully repaired a torn CCL for another of my dogs, Tessa, when she was five and a half years old. Connor was 13, and the surgeon was all but guaranteeing success, citing examples of 12-year-old Great Dane patients who regained great quality of life and movement. Connor fell off a ramp getting out of our car and three of the six screws broke after the first TPLO surgery. The surgeon did a second TPLO surgery, after which Connor went NOWHERE and did NOTHING, and the screws failed again. Plus, the second time, he developed an infection so bad I mistook the stench for a sewer problem I was having in my house. When the vet intern cut off his splint and dressing, what was inside was bright green and smelled horrendous. I’d been mistaking Connor’s crying and balking as stubborness, not recognizing he was in PAIN. The staff whisked Connor away to the back and kept him for more than a week. MONTHS later, one of the vet techs told me they weren’t sure he was going to make it that first weekend (our appointment was Saturday; while they were typically closed on Sunday, they had this staffer with him around-the-clock, doing regular debriding they didn’t tell me about). The third surgery involved an external fixator I was cleaning multiple times a day. When they found out I was doing this, I was yelled at and told to only clean it once a day. I followed the directions–and another significant infection developed. There were multiple instances of their applying splints in ways that hurt my dog, and I ultimately had to move him to another veterinary ortho practice because the surgeon who performed the surgery, the vet who owned the practice and finally the office manager (who had been the final person who would even respond to my calls and letters) stopped responding. Second and third opinions were that Connor developed a bone infection so severe he might not recover–because a fragment of screw had been left behind from one of the first two surgeries. He ruptured a disk in his back trying to manage the awkward splints the first ortho vet used. The second ortho vet did an MRI–discovering the TWO ruptured disks (one was several years old and had been misdiagnosed by the original vet ortho and sports medicine practice as a “congenital defect”). I went ahead with the spine surgery–within three hours in recovery, Connor pushed the baby-gated pen he was in around a corner. The second surgeon was amazed, and said to me, “Younger dogs who recover perfectly well from this surgery can’t even stand at this point–Connor is rearranging the furniture. I can’t imagine how much better he must feel right now to be doing that.” But the leg wasn’t healing due to the infection, and I finally conceded that, despite my best intentions to give him back his mobility and his life, the decision for TPLO actually made his last year of life miserable and then forced me to put him down. (And I can’t even tell you about the in-home “euthanasia” service–it was so horrible I still weep thinking about what happened there, more than three years later.) With this brief (really!) background, would it be unreasonable of me to file a complaint with the state veterinary licensing board? It’s only now that I realize THEY made mistake after mistake, didn’t fully advise me of the situation and options, and caused me to put my dog through pain and misery that wasn’t going to help him improve. I’ve been really fired up about this complaint this week, but then I read your blog about euthanasia and how clients can be unreasonably cruel, and I need to know if you think there would be anything gained from the practice having to answer for their decisions (which include blaming me and refusing to talk to me or treat my dog until I fully paid them ongoing bills that were supposed to have been covered under the “guarantee” they provided in writing.) I really appreciate your taking the time to read this long post and offer your advice.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I am so sorry for you and your dog. I’m sorry that you both had to go through this and I’m also sorry that they made a terrible situation worse. My blog wasn’t intended to be about cruelty, although yes I do mention it happens, but tether my difficultly in knowing what’s best and how to serve my patients first and foremost. I don’t know what kind of advice to give you. I will tell you that we created the storylines section (the tab for it is above) so that anyone and everyone can share their pets experiences so other may benefit. There are also multiple facebook groups dedicated to pursuing malpractice in vet med. maybe they can help.
    Again I’m so sorry. It’s not fair and it’s not right. I’m not saying that medical complications don’t and can’t happen b. I am saying that no one should be bullied, yelled at or made to feel anything other than valued and appreciated when they seek help for their pets.

    1. Sandra Post author

      I talked to a lawyer about “malpractice.” The law basically says the value of the dog is the most you could recover in a “malpractice” suit. Because Connor had been through the shelter system a year prior to my finding him there, he was already chipped and neutered. I paid $35 to adopt him. The lawyer told me it wasn’t worth my time to pursue it. Thanks for your kind response.

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Melissa | 4 years ago
My 7 Year Old Dog, We Aren’t Sure Of Breed, But We Think A Lab/beagle …

my 7 year old dog, we aren’t sure of breed, but we think a lab/beagle mix of some sort experienced extreme pain and loss of the use of his back legs 2 days ago. I immediately took him to the emergency vet. They told us med management and cage rest. They brought him to the car with the use of a sling for his hind legs stating he still had some movement of his hind limbs intact. 2 hours later I believed he had declined and had no use. I called back to the vet who made me feel guilty for asking for further evaluation stating she would not put a dog through an MRI and surgery that still exhibited neurological function. He cried all night long and every time I moved him to potty was in excruciating pain. he wouldn’t eat and no longer could void. I took him back to the vet the next morning where he received an MRI and underwent surgery for a ruptured disc. at that point he no longer had deep pain sensation. My question is did that delay diminish his chances of recovery? and what are the odds now? I’m just heartbroken for him and do not want him to suffer. I am a nurse practitioner and very willing to provide the care he needs however I don’t want him to be in long term pain or have a poor quality of life.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    Please dont beat yourself up over doing the best you could in a very difficult time. I really hope things work out. Stay in touch with your veterinary team and I’m sending hugs to you both. You are doing the best you can. Give your dog some time. It’s always really hard the first few days. Hang in there.

    1. Melissa Post author

      thank you for your encouragement. I’m going to remain hopeful that he can make a full recovery.

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Alina | 4 years ago
My Sweet Greater Swiss Mountain Dog Was Neutered And Had A Gastropexy 2 Weeks Ago, Sutures Removed …

My sweet greater Swiss mountain dog was neutered and had a gastropexy 2 weeks ago, sutures removed last Friday and today his incision started draining. I took him to the vet and they said it could be a seroma or infection and started him on clavamox and took a culture to further look into it. I was only told to put him in a t shirt and leave it be but it is draining a lot. I feel better if I were to clean it with saline and dress it, changing it whenever the bandage is saturated. What is the best way to go about this and treat this? I feel leaving it open May put it at a greater risk for infection. He is otherwise acting normal with no behavioral changes. Would love any feedback I can get! Most recent picture is attached.

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  1. Sarah

    Good morning???? I would follow the advice of my vet as they know the situation. Having said that, there is nothing wrong with calling your vet first thing this morning to tell them your concerns and ask about cleaning the area. Best of luck.

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Cath | 4 years ago
I Have A Question About Our 13 Yo Dog Who Likely Has A Bulging Disc. He Is …

I have a question about our 13 yo dog who likely has a bulging disc. He is a mutt (probably part Border Collie, part Shepherd). Soon after a small slip on our stairs, he had lameness in his one back leg; this went away after one day, he limped for a few days after, and he quickly recovered from those things.  Though he was walking fine fairly quickly, he showed stiffness, showed hesitation going up stairs unless we gave him a treat (we have only stairs to the outside), and his tail was down and only wagged from the tip of it. We had him quickly on an anti-inflammatory (Novox) and a pain med (started on Gabapentin but had to discontinue). He was fine on a walk; we went on short walks and he always craved for much more than we allowed. We prevented jumping, aerobic exercise, stopped him from using stairs by having a ramp to the outside, etc. We continued the Novox. His symptoms continued, then got better, and then seemed to regress when he started showing signs of pain (panting even when lying down and even when it was cool outside and some anxiety); the pain thing was probably because of taking him off Gabapentin. We took him to the Neurology Dept at a local, large vet hospital and a physical exam indicated that he “likely” has a bulging disc. When they inspected his back, he showed signs of pain and anxiety and his back legs bent and his rear went down. We don’t think we want to do surgery due to his age. He has not had an MRI as the regular vet and my husband and I thought that the treatment would be the same if we did not do surgery — treatment being restricting movement, continuing anti-inflammatory and pain meds, and looking into possible physical rehab. A switch to the pain med Amantidine helps a lot and the panting and anxiety are gone. He now continues to crave longer walks and, at the rare times we forget to block off the couch, he will try to jump up on it. We have been continuing to restricting movement but we just don’t know what to do about activity restrictions and have not had a lot of advice from neurology. He has always craved movement and exercise and when we take him around the block his stiffness seems to go away a bit and he seems energized and maybe even more comfortable. He has always craved a lot of exercise and movement. His spirits are lowered a lot if we keep in him in a small space — it almost seems like he wants to move around. He is eating and drinking, can do #2 (though he struggles some if doing it a long time). If allowed to do some movement, he is mostly happy and getting around with walking. Questions are: Should we restrict his movement altogether despite all this? Should he we do no walks at all? Is it bad if he is free to walk around the first floor or should he stay only in a very small area? I feel we are so confused as to what to do and how to know how to prevent regression. We’d love the input of any veterinarians or other owners with the same experience!

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I’m sorry to hear about your pup. I think that I have to defer these questions to your vet. My inkling is to say strict cage rest except for short walks outside on flat grassy ground. My concern is that he will keep exacerbating the injury if you don’t. I have lots of information on my blog and YouTube channel under IVDD please go there for advice and case based examples. Best of luck

    1. Cath Post author

      Thank you so much for your reply! Do some dogs who have been restricted with movement get to the point that they “recover” or is this always a progressive situation? We don’t know if, after the 4 weeks of restricting him, if he will can to return to walks or anything if he is showing that he improved enough. Do you have thoughts on this? Also, is there anything we can do for him at home (like light massage or heat on the back)? Thank you so very much! You are so very helpful! 🙂 -Catherine

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Spencer | 4 years ago
My Dog Has What Seems To Be A Deep Cut On Paw Pad About An Inch …

My dog has what seems to be a deep cut on paw pad about an inch long. It’s not bleeding but does cause him to limp. I’ve cleaned it and put ointment with gauze pad and wrapped. Should I continue to do this and see if it’s heals on it’s own or take him to vet to see if it needs stitches?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Please go to the vet and inquire about whether antibiotics are needed. I would start there. I always assume these wounds are infected. Instead of waiting for it to happen.

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Sarah | 4 years ago
Dog Adoption/Rescue
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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Oh Sarah! I ❤️❤️❤️❤️ Your story. It is so well written and I can hear you telling it, with your smile and giggle and all of your gleeful mannerisms through the whole story. It just fills me with joy to see how much you loved him and how much you learned about dogs (esp your beloved GSD’s) through his life with you. He was so lucky to have had you as his mom and your family as his own to look over and protect. I will carry a piece of both of you in my heart forever.

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Isabela | 4 years ago
Can A Dog With Ivdd Walk Again Without Surgery?

My dog was recently given the prognosis of intervertebral disc disease or herniated disc. His hind legs currently are not working and are possibly paralyzed but he still has feeling in them. The surgery for him to get better is something that we can not afford and our not sure what to do. Is there any way for him to walk again without the surgery? Is there any other treatments we can try?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I’m sorry to hear about your pup. Some dogs can recover from this even if they don’t have the decompression surgery. It takes time, a lot of intensive at home care and assistance and patience. I have a lot of information on conservative management on my blog and YouTube channel. Please search my name and IVDD on both sites and you can see a patient named Hank who recovered without surgery. It took him almost three weeks to be able to walk again. It is absolutely imperative to have access to pain medications, and the time to invest in their care. It is also very important to have a vet who will help you. Good luck.

    1. Isabela Post author

      Hello,
      I watched your videos and they were very helpful! I just have a couple more questions though. What type of therapy/rehab did u start hank with? Will starting therapy too early hurt the process? Do you think acupuncture is a good idea?

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Steph | 4 years ago
My 11 Year Old Cat Has A Lump On Her Hind Leg Which I Believe Was Caused …

My 11 year old cat has a lump on her hind leg which I believe was caused by a knock to the area after being chased by a neighbours dog that entered my garden, causing my cat to run under the house, I heard the scuffle & not long after she developed this lump, which my vet diagnosed as a seroma, they took a biopsy which was inconclusive. The assesment states Distal left hindlimb mass 1.5 cm tumour (bening or neoplastic) with enlargement due to seroma. She shows no signs of pain in area only when touched, walks fine and is acting perfectly normal. Vet recommended surgical removal costing $1800 .Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I include an image of actual lump

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I’m sorry to hear about your cat. I’m not sure what your question is but if it’s not bothering your cat why don’t you just give it some time to see if it resolves on its own?

  2. Sarah

    Good morning- many seromas are absorbed back into the body over time. So long as your cat is not in pain, and your vet doesn’t feel as if it is something more than a seroma, I would see if it fixes itself.

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Madison | 4 years ago
My 2 Year Old Dog Has Lost 5 Whiskers This Month Is It Normal? He Is Eating Fine …

My 2 year old dog has lost 5 whiskers this month is it normal? He is eating fine and drinking fine.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    Is there a way you can ask your vet to check the skin and make sure this isn’t a health issue? I would start there.

  2. Laura

    Hi Madison – you asked this question a week ago, and Dr. M suggested calling the vet. Have you done that yet?

    1. Madison Post author

      Hello I didn’t see the post last time but I’m calling the vet right now

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Mohan | 4 years ago
My Dog Ran Out Of My House And Got Bitten By Dogs And Returned Back . The …

My dog ran out of my house and got bitten by dogs and returned back . The right front leg has some bite marks and that’s all. It’s day two and he is yelling in pain. In day 1 , he used to walk with 3 legs. But in day 2, he is struggling to walk at all. He got pain in the other 3 legs too. I think rabies is not the issue as it shows symptoms only after a week.

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  1. Sarah

    A dog bite is always an emergency. Even if it looks small- chances are it is much worse and the chance for infection is very high. Please get to a vet if you haven’t already. I hope things are ok!

  2. Mohan Post author

    My dog is doing good now. He can now run with 3 legs. I haven’t seen any rabies dogs in my street. Can I consult a vetenerian after a week or a month? Because vets are hard to find in this quarantine.

    1. Laura

      No, this needs to be handled immediately due to the risk of infection. If untreated, infection can and will kill your dog.