Please help our warrior, Roxie.
Donation protected
Our five year old husky, Roxie was diagnosed with IVDD (Intervertebral disc disease.) just this past Saturday, July 12th. Saying we are devastated is an understatement.
IVDD is a condition in which a disc develops a problem and the material inside escapes into the spinal column, ultimately causing pain, nerve damage, and even paralysis. The spinal cord is one of the most important and sensitive organ systems in the body. If it is damaged, the nerve cells do not regenerate but are replaced with fibrous or scar tissue. Spinal cord injuries usually result in permanent, irreversible damage.
There are five different stages of IVDD. Our Roxie is in stage IV.
Stage I disc disease produces mild pain and is usually self-correcting in a few days.
Stage II disc disease causes moderate to severe pain in the neck or lumbar (lower back) area.
Stage III disc disease causes partial paralysis (paresis) and results in the dog walking in staggering or uncoordinated movements.
Stage IV disc disease causes paralysis but the ability to feel is present.
Stage V disc disease causes paralysis and loss of feeling.
Roxie had a sudden onset of symptoms. On Thursday evening, July 10th, we noticed Roxie started limping. She couldn't put much weight on her left hind leg. We thought maybe she had sprained her leg or pulled a muscle. We figured we would keep a close eye on her for the next few days and if it got worse, a trip to the vet would be in order. Little did we know what would be in store for us the next day. Friday morning came and Roxie was still limping. We noticed now that both her hind legs were starting to give out, and she would stumble and fall. By Friday night, she couldn't bare any weight on her hind legs. We carried her outside to the bathroom, but as soon as we placed her in the lawn, she laid down, and was reluctant to move. We knew something was very wrong. We made an appointment with her vet the following morning. I think I maybe slept a total of two hours that night; I stayed up researching on what could be wrong with her. Never did I once come across IVDD. I had never even heard of the disease until the next day when she was diagnosed. Her vet immediately started her on Prednisone, a steroid to help with inflammation. She was also prescribed Robaxin as a muscle relaxer. (I should mention by Saturday it was affecting her bladder, and her muscles were so tight, she wouldn't urinate.) She was also prescribed Neurontin for the nerve pain. She told us that Roxie would need surgery. She told us to call her on Monday and to tell her how she was.
After leaving the vet's, we went to the pet store and purchased puppy pads (since we knew she would not be going outside to the bathroom) and some snacks for her and her brother, Gizmo. Saturday went relatively well. At this point, I did not know the severity of her condition. We knew we couldn't afford the surgery, so we put all our faith in God and the medications. Sunday was not a good day. I spent the day reading horror stories online about IVDD. Roxie started "crying" from the pain, and seemed a lot more uncomfortable. She did start urinating on her own which was a huge positive. However, the Prednisone started giving her horrible diarrhea. When I wasn't reading about IVDD, I was cleaning her. If you own a husky, you know how thick their hair is. On Sunday night, I was in tears. I called Erik (my fiance) and told him I wanted to bring her to the emergency vet. He agreed, and said we would bring her when he got home from work (which would not be until midnight.) Erik works as an RN supervisor and has a very demanding job, as well as long hours. When Erik arrived home, Roxie seemed more content. We decided we would bring her to a different vet in the morning.
Today, Monday, July 14th, we brought Roxie to her appointment. The new vet explained to us that Roxie did in face have IVDD. I think I was in denial for the first two days. He also said she absolutely needed surgery within the next 12-24 hours for her best interest, and it was crucial to her health. We applied for Credit Care and unfortunately, we were not approved. The vet explained if the meds were not working by today that they probably wouldn't. They then brought in paperwork about euthanization. They explained that she would eventually become paralyzed and have no quality of life. They explained the process of euthanizing a pet. At this point, I was not in denial anymore. I was heartbroken. I couldn't imagine our life without "our wolf." Together, Erik and I have five children. I thought not only about how depressed I would be, but the kids as well. She is our baby, our family, and our girl. She has always been an active, healthy dog. She is wonderful with kids, and is so protective over all of us. She loves swimming in the river, hiking, "stealing" our food, and belly rubs. Our lives are full with because of Roxie. I am so upset that this debilitating disease has taken over her body.
The sooner that surgery is done, the better the prognosis. Ideally, they said she should be operated on within the next 12-24 hours. The vet called us when we got home and explained that he will see how she does on the medication for two more weeks before we consider "putting her down." Letting her go is not an option for me. I know she will not live forever, but no one expects to lose a pet at such a young age. Time is of the essence in this delicate situation. Even if Roxie were to start walking again, she will always have this disease. It is only a matter of time before she suffers from paralysis and needs the surgery immediately. Just delaying the surgery now is drastically reducing the possibility of a positive outcome. The cost of the surgery is $6,000. I hate asking anyone for donations, but at this point we are running out of options. We would greatly appreciate any amount you can donate. If you took the time to read all of this, thank you. We appreciate it from the bottom of our hearts. If you cannot donate, please pray. Erik told me, "We are praying for a miracle and won't stop, but we might not need a miracle because Roxie is so very strong and she has no signs of giving up anytime soon."
IVDD is a condition in which a disc develops a problem and the material inside escapes into the spinal column, ultimately causing pain, nerve damage, and even paralysis. The spinal cord is one of the most important and sensitive organ systems in the body. If it is damaged, the nerve cells do not regenerate but are replaced with fibrous or scar tissue. Spinal cord injuries usually result in permanent, irreversible damage.
There are five different stages of IVDD. Our Roxie is in stage IV.
Stage I disc disease produces mild pain and is usually self-correcting in a few days.
Stage II disc disease causes moderate to severe pain in the neck or lumbar (lower back) area.
Stage III disc disease causes partial paralysis (paresis) and results in the dog walking in staggering or uncoordinated movements.
Stage IV disc disease causes paralysis but the ability to feel is present.
Stage V disc disease causes paralysis and loss of feeling.
Roxie had a sudden onset of symptoms. On Thursday evening, July 10th, we noticed Roxie started limping. She couldn't put much weight on her left hind leg. We thought maybe she had sprained her leg or pulled a muscle. We figured we would keep a close eye on her for the next few days and if it got worse, a trip to the vet would be in order. Little did we know what would be in store for us the next day. Friday morning came and Roxie was still limping. We noticed now that both her hind legs were starting to give out, and she would stumble and fall. By Friday night, she couldn't bare any weight on her hind legs. We carried her outside to the bathroom, but as soon as we placed her in the lawn, she laid down, and was reluctant to move. We knew something was very wrong. We made an appointment with her vet the following morning. I think I maybe slept a total of two hours that night; I stayed up researching on what could be wrong with her. Never did I once come across IVDD. I had never even heard of the disease until the next day when she was diagnosed. Her vet immediately started her on Prednisone, a steroid to help with inflammation. She was also prescribed Robaxin as a muscle relaxer. (I should mention by Saturday it was affecting her bladder, and her muscles were so tight, she wouldn't urinate.) She was also prescribed Neurontin for the nerve pain. She told us that Roxie would need surgery. She told us to call her on Monday and to tell her how she was.
After leaving the vet's, we went to the pet store and purchased puppy pads (since we knew she would not be going outside to the bathroom) and some snacks for her and her brother, Gizmo. Saturday went relatively well. At this point, I did not know the severity of her condition. We knew we couldn't afford the surgery, so we put all our faith in God and the medications. Sunday was not a good day. I spent the day reading horror stories online about IVDD. Roxie started "crying" from the pain, and seemed a lot more uncomfortable. She did start urinating on her own which was a huge positive. However, the Prednisone started giving her horrible diarrhea. When I wasn't reading about IVDD, I was cleaning her. If you own a husky, you know how thick their hair is. On Sunday night, I was in tears. I called Erik (my fiance) and told him I wanted to bring her to the emergency vet. He agreed, and said we would bring her when he got home from work (which would not be until midnight.) Erik works as an RN supervisor and has a very demanding job, as well as long hours. When Erik arrived home, Roxie seemed more content. We decided we would bring her to a different vet in the morning.
Today, Monday, July 14th, we brought Roxie to her appointment. The new vet explained to us that Roxie did in face have IVDD. I think I was in denial for the first two days. He also said she absolutely needed surgery within the next 12-24 hours for her best interest, and it was crucial to her health. We applied for Credit Care and unfortunately, we were not approved. The vet explained if the meds were not working by today that they probably wouldn't. They then brought in paperwork about euthanization. They explained that she would eventually become paralyzed and have no quality of life. They explained the process of euthanizing a pet. At this point, I was not in denial anymore. I was heartbroken. I couldn't imagine our life without "our wolf." Together, Erik and I have five children. I thought not only about how depressed I would be, but the kids as well. She is our baby, our family, and our girl. She has always been an active, healthy dog. She is wonderful with kids, and is so protective over all of us. She loves swimming in the river, hiking, "stealing" our food, and belly rubs. Our lives are full with because of Roxie. I am so upset that this debilitating disease has taken over her body.
The sooner that surgery is done, the better the prognosis. Ideally, they said she should be operated on within the next 12-24 hours. The vet called us when we got home and explained that he will see how she does on the medication for two more weeks before we consider "putting her down." Letting her go is not an option for me. I know she will not live forever, but no one expects to lose a pet at such a young age. Time is of the essence in this delicate situation. Even if Roxie were to start walking again, she will always have this disease. It is only a matter of time before she suffers from paralysis and needs the surgery immediately. Just delaying the surgery now is drastically reducing the possibility of a positive outcome. The cost of the surgery is $6,000. I hate asking anyone for donations, but at this point we are running out of options. We would greatly appreciate any amount you can donate. If you took the time to read all of this, thank you. We appreciate it from the bottom of our hearts. If you cannot donate, please pray. Erik told me, "We are praying for a miracle and won't stop, but we might not need a miracle because Roxie is so very strong and she has no signs of giving up anytime soon."
Organizer
Kiersten Cooper
Organizer
Allentown, PA
