BIGSBEE the Basset Hound Road to Recovery

Hello New and Old Friends & Family,

My name is Catherine, and I am Bigsbee the basset hounds mom. Bigsbee is 7 years old, from Wichita, Ks and I have owned him his whole life. I appreciate that you have taken the time to read this GoFundMe account and that you’ll keep us in your prayers, we also appreciate any donations this fundraiser may bring.

This last month has been rough for us. On July 5th Bigsbee was diagnosed with IVDD (Intervertebral Disc Disease). The last month has been emotional, draining, and full of disappointments. We have tried so many things to get Bigsbee up and walking again and nothing has worked. So, on August 4th our vet requested that we prepare for surgery. Here’s our journey and hopefully an outcome that gets Bigsbee the surgery he needs so desperately bad. This has been completely heart breaking to me and our family, so I hope you can bear with me while I explain this whole nightmare.

TIMELINE OF EVENTS:

On July 4th, Bigsbee was super excited to have family over for the holiday and to celebrate. He was so excited to see his aunt that he jumped up on our couch. Apon getting on the couch he screamed extremely loud. I ran over and picked him up to set him on the floor and he wouldn’t move his back legs. I immediately knew something was very wrong. Because it was a holiday our regular vet was closed, so we waited until the next day to take him in. The rest of the day I kept him comfortable.

On July 5th, first thing in the morning I scheduled an appointment and took him in right away. The vet looked him over and told us she thought it was a sprain, a pulled muscle or possibly a slipped disc but she really didn’t think it was that bad. She sent us home with meds and told us if he wasn’t moving within 3 days to bring him back. I brought him home and kept him comfortable.

On July 8th, By this time, I am extremely concerned and worried that my baby is hurt horribly bad. My mind is so lost as to what to do to make him better. I make another trip to our regular vet. They take us right back to a room and tell us that the orthopedic doctor will be right in. After waiting for over 45 minutes, he finally comes in. By this time, they would be closing for the weekend in approximately 30 minutes. The vet comes in and looks at Bigsbee, he pinches Bigsbees toes and said, “Well he’s not paralyzed yet”! He tells me that bigsbee has a slipped disc and needs to stay overnight, I told him ok and he gave me a few minutes to tell Bigsbee bye. He came back in and off with Bigsbee he went. The nurse came in and told us they would call us Monday morning with updates. That’s when I asked the nurse if anyone would be with him. The nurse said yes that they have someone there with the more intensive care animals over the weekend. I left thinking Bigsbee was in good hands. Over the weekend I stressed out worrying if Bigsbee was ok and if he thought I just left him and wasn’t coming back. He has never spent a day with me.

On July 10th, I got up early that morning and call the vets office first thing. They transferred me to a nurse that had been caring for Bigsbee. I asked her how he was doing, and she said he still wasn’t putting weight on his back legs, then told me to hold and she would get the vet. When the vet came to the call, I asked what I do now. He told me that they would get the x-rays run and start his treatments. I was in complete shock and my words were…You mean you haven’t taken xrays? What was done over the weekend. The vet then told me that all they had done was give him pain meds to keep him comfortable. If I Had known they were just going to lock him up in a kennel and dope him up I would of brought him home so he would have been comfortable. He said he would like to keep him for a couple more days so he could get Bigsbee going.

I allowed them to keep him. This was our regular vet office and we had been there a thousand times before. 15 years I had taken all my animals to them and never had an issue. We were always treated with compassion; I completely trusted them with my fur child!

On July 11th, the vet called me and told me that he still wasn’t improving. I told him that Bigsbee had never been away from us and he probably thinks I left him and I’m never coming back. He said it would be a good idea if we came in and visit. I immediately jumped in the car and went to see my baby. We got there and they brought him to me. He was super excited. I sat with him for over an hour. When I left, I thought for sure he would have a little more will.

On July 12th the vet called and told me we could come pick him up and that Bigsbee still wasn’t walking. He was very short. So, I set out to pick up my baby. When I get there the nurse brings him to me and tells me the vet will be right with me. 25 minutes later the vet comes in, I ask what the plan was, what do we do next, what do I do at home, is there any after care I need to bring him back for, did he think a chiropractor was a good idea. He looks at me and says nope he’s good to go home, yeah you can see if a chiropractor will work on him, well unless you have $45 a day for the next 2 weeks then we can do some laser treatment on him. I was so upset and pissed. I knew at that moment I wasn’t going back! How in the world do you treat animals with such a sever issue and not have a plan in place. I paid my bill and walked out of there, clueless as to what I would do next!

I have a very good friend who suggested trying a chiropractor, so I sat on the phone for 2 days looking for someone that would take him. Most wouldn’t because he had a slipped disc and didn’t want to cause damage to the spinal cord. Finally, I found a vet’s office that wanted to see Bigsbee first, so I set up the appointment.

July 17th, we set out to the new vet. I took the X-rays and all the paperwork from the last vet. I prayed hard on the way there that the new vet would say that we could see the chiropractor. We went in and they called us back to a room. We didn’t wait long, and the doctor came in. He looked at Bigsbee and the x-rays and said he didn’t think it was a good idea for a chiropractor. Bigsbee doesn’t just have one slipped disc, but the x-rays are showing up to 4. He needed to get Bigsbees swelling down and that would take some time. So, he started a plan. 2 weeks of laser treatment 3 times a week, adequan injections once a week, pain meds, and a steroid. We would continue this for 2 weeks and go from there. The doctor said hopefully within the next 2 weeks he will be walking. I left there feeling accomplished. Like Bigsbee was finally going to get the help he truly needed. Over the next 2 weeks we notice small improvements. Like his toes werern’t curling as bad, his legs had a little more movement in them, he was kicking his legs while I had him in the sling for potty time. Small signs.

On July 28th we sat out for another laser treatment and before we left the doctor had the chiropractor there. Yay, I was super excited! The chiropractor came in, looked over Bigsbee and said let’s do a few things to him. The chiropractor did his thing and told me that if this worked, we would see some sort of sign over the weekend. Maybe him trying to bare weight on his backend, or him trying to stand. Over the weekend I did notice that the curling in his toes wasn’t as bad, and he was standing on his feet if I held him up in his sling. Not huge but small steps.

On July 31st, the next doctor’s visit, the chiropractor came in. He seen that I had noticed some small things, so he tried his work again. Hopefully this time was the one!

On Aug 2nd I took Bigsbee in for his laser treatment with no new signs. He still wasn’t walking. The doctor did Bigsbees laser treatment and said he wanted to change Bigsbees plan. So, he moved Bigsbees laser treatments to twice a week and keeping the injections the same. He felt that if he spread them out for longer breaks in between that it would give Bigsbee a break between treatments. We went home with a new plan in place, and he wanted to see him back that Friday!

August 4th, We walked into Bigsbees room and waited on the doctor. Something just felt different. The girls at the desk were a little quiet, when the doctor came into the room, he was also a little more quite. I had a feeling there was some bad news coming.

This was it. The doctor had said what I didn’t want to face. I had worked so hard. But I knew it was coming. I felt it right after the chiropractor had seen Bigsbee and it didn’t work. Surgery!

I cry every time I hear that word. I have done so much research into IVDD. The recovery, the treatment, the cost of surgery….I have watched video after video. I hurt so bad for my baby! Why? How could I let this happen to him. He showed no signs, nothing at all.

This year has been extremely hard on our family. Emotionally and financially. We have lost people close to us, On January 22nd we had to have our 16-year-old dog laid to rest, we have lost jobs, we have used everything in our saving so we could pay our bills. We have used every credit card we own to stay afloat. 3 months ago, we finally started seeing light at the end of the tunnel. Some relief from all our finances. We were finally paying off debt and then here we are again. I have already spent what we had paid on cards and the little bit we had put back in saving. I’m trying to save my Bigsbees life.

The slipped disc in Bigsbees back is putting pressure on his spinal cord and pinching a nerve. Which can also do long term damage to his spinal cord. The doctor said that if Bigsbee doesn’t have surgery that Bigsbee will slowly lose feeling in other parts of his body, like his lungs. This could end up in me having to have him put down.

The surgery has a 95% success rate and will be performed at K-State Hospital. He will go in, have an MRI ($2000), they will check the spinal cord for damage,  move the disc back into place, and fix the pinched nerve ($5000), and then he will stay for up to a week for after care($1000). When he comes home, he will have more laser treatment, injections, physical therapy, and water therapy (these cost won’t be estimated until after sergury). Bigsbee can’t go into surgery until I have come up with all the funds.

If you can donate my heart will be full. If you can’t that is ok. Share Bigsbees story. I appreciate you reading this and please keep us in your prayers.

If you would like to keep track of Bigsbee and his progress, you can follow him on Facebook at Bigsbee the Basset Hound.