- D
As many close friends know, my brother and I added Ruby (aka Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts) to our family several months ago. She was our little something happy, young, and lively that we needed after losing our dad last year to a heart attack only 3 years after we lost our mum to ovarian cancer. I am 24 years old and my brother is only 22. All we have is each other and our dogs. She was a beautiful, smart puppy and Calum is her most favourite person in the whole world. This all changed last Saturday (May 8th, 2021) when I came home from grocery shopping and found her paralysed in her back legs.
I immediately took her to Western ER in Calgary, Alberta where we got rads done to find out she has discospondylitis (an infection of the ends of a vertebrae). She was transferred to CARE ER later that day where we were set up with the neurology team. I was told that it was likely she also had a spinal cord abscess which she would need an MRI. It was possible the paralysis was caused by that, or a fracture, but not both. Well the MRI showed that not only did she have a significant spinal cord abscess, she also had a collapsed vertebral fracture and vertebral subluxation. We don't know what caused the initial infection, 50% of the time no one knows. Its just. Bad. Luck.
I was told she had a 10% chance of return to function with surgery, or euthanasia. We opted for the surgery to clean out the abscess and it went really well, she got out at 3:30am on Sunday morning. She is in a splint to keep her spine still for a while and has a huge road to recovery ahead of her. It is likely that she will be hospitalized for 2 weeks on top of her surgery, and then will need months of physical therapy and hardware to help her get around. I created a gofundme to help with costs if anyone wants to help, even a share of the page is so helpful! I've been quoted $20k to $30k for her surgery, tests, and stay in hospital. I don't know the costs of physical therapy yet but a wheelchair to help her recovery will be about $500. I do have pet insurance but due to a clerical error I have half the coverage I should have and am working on sorting that out.
When we got another dog it was never as a pet, but a family member. This has been devastating to my brother and I, as well as anyone who has met Ruby. All I want is to bring my little Ruby-doo home.
I immediately took her to Western ER in Calgary, Alberta where we got rads done to find out she has discospondylitis (an infection of the ends of a vertebrae). She was transferred to CARE ER later that day where we were set up with the neurology team. I was told that it was likely she also had a spinal cord abscess which she would need an MRI. It was possible the paralysis was caused by that, or a fracture, but not both. Well the MRI showed that not only did she have a significant spinal cord abscess, she also had a collapsed vertebral fracture and vertebral subluxation. We don't know what caused the initial infection, 50% of the time no one knows. Its just. Bad. Luck.
I was told she had a 10% chance of return to function with surgery, or euthanasia. We opted for the surgery to clean out the abscess and it went really well, she got out at 3:30am on Sunday morning. She is in a splint to keep her spine still for a while and has a huge road to recovery ahead of her. It is likely that she will be hospitalized for 2 weeks on top of her surgery, and then will need months of physical therapy and hardware to help her get around. I created a gofundme to help with costs if anyone wants to help, even a share of the page is so helpful! I've been quoted $20k to $30k for her surgery, tests, and stay in hospital. I don't know the costs of physical therapy yet but a wheelchair to help her recovery will be about $500. I do have pet insurance but due to a clerical error I have half the coverage I should have and am working on sorting that out.
When we got another dog it was never as a pet, but a family member. This has been devastating to my brother and I, as well as anyone who has met Ruby. All I want is to bring my little Ruby-doo home.