Czar's Paralysis: Herniated Disc Surgery
Donation protected
All that happened Sunday morning (June 1) was that Czar sneezed. That's it.
He sneezed, I heard a thud, and he started screaming. Not a quick "ouch!" yelp, but the kind of agonal baying in blue notes that only animals in true distress can emit. I don't know if it was the force of the sneeze, if he bumped his head, or if he pulled/ruptured something, but it took him down in a second flat.
His front legs buckled under him and he was trying to drag himself forward by his nose. I had to carry him down the stairs from my bedroom to the car. He had to maneuver himself around the car by using his nose and digging his rear claws.
After initial assessment, it was apparent he had a neurological issue. A spinal problem. As a professional rescuer myself, I know better than to mess around with these. I took him to the vet post-haste.
Banfield couldn't handle his injury. He was referred to BluePearl hospital. Their assessment also leaned toward a spinal cord injury, but requires diagnosis.
Here are some Q&A's about Czar's situation:
WOW! He is a beautiful dog. What is he? Size? Weight? Thank you! Czar is a Malamute/White German Shepherd mix. He is 10 years old. He's always been long and lean (we say "skinny" :) but his weight has fluctuated from 75 - 105 lbs over the years. At his age he's usually around 90. He is currently 82lbs - still within ideal range for him, especially for summer.
Where is he right now? Czar is in ICU at the Eden Prairie BluePearl location. His attending doctor is a certified veterinary neurologist.
What is wrong with him? He has a herniated disc between C4 and C5. It is slightly off-center to the right.
What are his symptoms? The only thing he is presenting is paresis in his front legs and some discomfort when moving his neck. He senses pain when pinching his fourth and fifth digits. Every single other vital statistic, blood test, and exam are within normal ranges and nothing is out of place. He has full lateral use of his neck, but when lifting it past a certain angle he experiences some pain and discomfort. He has never lost consciousness and is still vivacious and very much "himself" in terms of personality. The only thing wrong is that he can't walk.
What is his current status? He is stable. He has neither worsened nor improved since he was admitted. This suggests a great likelihood of full recovery. None of us feel that he will deteriorate.
Why can't you just take him home? Spinal injuries are very delicate, fickle things. Remember, all he did was sneeze and now he can't walk - imagine if he was at home and he rolled over the wrong way! He requires a catheter, colostomy, and 24-hour care right now, if for nothing than mandated rest and observation. While he is not in a lot of pain, he is on some pain meds so he is comfortable. Also, he is a big boy and so requires more than two hands to support him for his bodily needs. The vets and I agreed he would be more comfortable at home if it were a rear-leg issue, at which he and I could help each other move him around.
What other resources have you tried? The U of M is usually a fantastic resource for this. I have spoken with them, and ultimately decided to keep Czar at BluePearl. They are specialists and referral-only hospital. Additionally, U of M would also have to conduct their own triage, admission, and care plan - so while in the end the procedures may cost less, we would have to start all over. Czar's case is not exactly cut and dry, so even with all of his information, he would still require full assessment. Additionally, I just want to keep him comfortable, stable, and develop a safe routine for him while he is in treatment. It's also possible that they would not be able to help Czar any more than BluePearl could.
What is the prognosis? Czar has a fantastic prognosis. I've taken older dogs in for health concerns before, and the vets have given me "the talk" about options, for things far less serious. His regular vets at Banfield and the team he's working with now all absolutely agree that he is in fine shape for this treatment, and he is in truly excellent health, not just for his age and size. Euthanasia really isn't even on the table.
What are his treatment options? Surgery is really his only bet for full recovery. He could survive without it, but he cannot walk - I would either have to arrange for apparatus that is far more expensive, or his quality of life would diminish considerably.
What are the payment options with BluePearl? Unfortunately, there really aren't any. Because of the extensive care and relatively longer-term stay, their policy requires deposit (pre-payment) for all procedures. This is the most stressful part. We all know that in the grand scheme of things, $6,000 is really nothing for health care and is very reasonable. But unlike human medicine, we can't get billed or use insurance to cover it. Czar has care plans, but even if he had a full insurance policy, I would have to still pay up front and then be reimbursed.
BluePearl accepts partial deposits - should you decide to donate directly to his care, they may be reached at [phone redacted]. That is the emergency line, and they will connect you with the ICU billing. Just let them know you'd like to place a partial deposit for Czar's care. If you do this, PLEASE let me know so I may acknowledge your contribution!
What else is there to know? Lots of things!
Czar is nearly everyone's favorite. I know non-dog-people who even have a soft spot for him. He is very affectionate, a total sweetheart, great with kids, and above all else, my baby and best friend. He's a people-dog and loves everyone, and he's a true puppy at heart, thanks to his Malamute side.
Czar is in fantastic shape for his age. I have vet records to prove it. He is older, yes; but now is not his time. I will disclose that he was diagnosed with Lyme disease last summer, but has since been treated and almost completely cured. Every time I take him to the vet, they are always surprised when I confirm that his age - 10 - isn't a typo.
The funds raised include everything - his initial admittance to hospital, care, imaging, anesthesia, and likely surgery. This is a worst-case scenario. Should his total care require less than this estimate, the remainder will be used for any prescribed rehabilitation, and charity donation to a shelter or appropriate rescue.
He is my best friend and the light of my life - he deserves this. I usually have emergency funds set aside for things like this but his initial vet visit and ER triage went through all of it!
Please help Czar's treatment. He doesn't deserve to go to sleep because he sneezed.
He sneezed, I heard a thud, and he started screaming. Not a quick "ouch!" yelp, but the kind of agonal baying in blue notes that only animals in true distress can emit. I don't know if it was the force of the sneeze, if he bumped his head, or if he pulled/ruptured something, but it took him down in a second flat.
His front legs buckled under him and he was trying to drag himself forward by his nose. I had to carry him down the stairs from my bedroom to the car. He had to maneuver himself around the car by using his nose and digging his rear claws.
After initial assessment, it was apparent he had a neurological issue. A spinal problem. As a professional rescuer myself, I know better than to mess around with these. I took him to the vet post-haste.
Banfield couldn't handle his injury. He was referred to BluePearl hospital. Their assessment also leaned toward a spinal cord injury, but requires diagnosis.
Here are some Q&A's about Czar's situation:
WOW! He is a beautiful dog. What is he? Size? Weight? Thank you! Czar is a Malamute/White German Shepherd mix. He is 10 years old. He's always been long and lean (we say "skinny" :) but his weight has fluctuated from 75 - 105 lbs over the years. At his age he's usually around 90. He is currently 82lbs - still within ideal range for him, especially for summer.
Where is he right now? Czar is in ICU at the Eden Prairie BluePearl location. His attending doctor is a certified veterinary neurologist.
What is wrong with him? He has a herniated disc between C4 and C5. It is slightly off-center to the right.
What are his symptoms? The only thing he is presenting is paresis in his front legs and some discomfort when moving his neck. He senses pain when pinching his fourth and fifth digits. Every single other vital statistic, blood test, and exam are within normal ranges and nothing is out of place. He has full lateral use of his neck, but when lifting it past a certain angle he experiences some pain and discomfort. He has never lost consciousness and is still vivacious and very much "himself" in terms of personality. The only thing wrong is that he can't walk.
What is his current status? He is stable. He has neither worsened nor improved since he was admitted. This suggests a great likelihood of full recovery. None of us feel that he will deteriorate.
Why can't you just take him home? Spinal injuries are very delicate, fickle things. Remember, all he did was sneeze and now he can't walk - imagine if he was at home and he rolled over the wrong way! He requires a catheter, colostomy, and 24-hour care right now, if for nothing than mandated rest and observation. While he is not in a lot of pain, he is on some pain meds so he is comfortable. Also, he is a big boy and so requires more than two hands to support him for his bodily needs. The vets and I agreed he would be more comfortable at home if it were a rear-leg issue, at which he and I could help each other move him around.
What other resources have you tried? The U of M is usually a fantastic resource for this. I have spoken with them, and ultimately decided to keep Czar at BluePearl. They are specialists and referral-only hospital. Additionally, U of M would also have to conduct their own triage, admission, and care plan - so while in the end the procedures may cost less, we would have to start all over. Czar's case is not exactly cut and dry, so even with all of his information, he would still require full assessment. Additionally, I just want to keep him comfortable, stable, and develop a safe routine for him while he is in treatment. It's also possible that they would not be able to help Czar any more than BluePearl could.
What is the prognosis? Czar has a fantastic prognosis. I've taken older dogs in for health concerns before, and the vets have given me "the talk" about options, for things far less serious. His regular vets at Banfield and the team he's working with now all absolutely agree that he is in fine shape for this treatment, and he is in truly excellent health, not just for his age and size. Euthanasia really isn't even on the table.
What are his treatment options? Surgery is really his only bet for full recovery. He could survive without it, but he cannot walk - I would either have to arrange for apparatus that is far more expensive, or his quality of life would diminish considerably.
What are the payment options with BluePearl? Unfortunately, there really aren't any. Because of the extensive care and relatively longer-term stay, their policy requires deposit (pre-payment) for all procedures. This is the most stressful part. We all know that in the grand scheme of things, $6,000 is really nothing for health care and is very reasonable. But unlike human medicine, we can't get billed or use insurance to cover it. Czar has care plans, but even if he had a full insurance policy, I would have to still pay up front and then be reimbursed.
BluePearl accepts partial deposits - should you decide to donate directly to his care, they may be reached at [phone redacted]. That is the emergency line, and they will connect you with the ICU billing. Just let them know you'd like to place a partial deposit for Czar's care. If you do this, PLEASE let me know so I may acknowledge your contribution!
What else is there to know? Lots of things!
Czar is nearly everyone's favorite. I know non-dog-people who even have a soft spot for him. He is very affectionate, a total sweetheart, great with kids, and above all else, my baby and best friend. He's a people-dog and loves everyone, and he's a true puppy at heart, thanks to his Malamute side.
Czar is in fantastic shape for his age. I have vet records to prove it. He is older, yes; but now is not his time. I will disclose that he was diagnosed with Lyme disease last summer, but has since been treated and almost completely cured. Every time I take him to the vet, they are always surprised when I confirm that his age - 10 - isn't a typo.
The funds raised include everything - his initial admittance to hospital, care, imaging, anesthesia, and likely surgery. This is a worst-case scenario. Should his total care require less than this estimate, the remainder will be used for any prescribed rehabilitation, and charity donation to a shelter or appropriate rescue.
He is my best friend and the light of my life - he deserves this. I usually have emergency funds set aside for things like this but his initial vet visit and ER triage went through all of it!
Please help Czar's treatment. He doesn't deserve to go to sleep because he sneezed.
Organizer
Reidun Saxerud
Organizer
Minneapolis, MN
