Sometimes Merlin hasn't been stepping under himself properly with his right hind leg properly so I took him to the vet. Earlier today he had an MRI scan and he has a disc pressing on his spinal cord and an infected disc.
He is having antibiotics to clear up the infection before they can operate on him.
Poor little boy, he must have been in a lot of pain and I hadn't realised.
Merlin needs an operation on his spine.
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Merlin needs an operation on his spine.
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I haven't been back long, Merlin keeps going in and out and it is pouring down at the moment. I have put his waterproof coat on so he can be outside if he wants. He wouldn't eat either so I put a small tin of tuna in with his food. Do you think he is spoilt?<g>
The good news it is were the spine joins the hips and it is bad. You can see the the disc pressing on the spinal cord on the xrays. This is usually a successful operation, because there is only the back legs and tail left on the spinal cord.
The bad news, I have to be careful with him until the operation or he could loose all movement from that disc down.
I don't have to put him on crate rest but do have to make sure he doesn't do anything very active. Not difficult with
a Greyhound. Only on lead walking for 10 minutes twice a day and no jumping etc.
Depends on the infection when they operate, but he wants it sooner rather than later. Normally it is a 6 week course of antibiotics for infection were it is, but he is hoping he can operate before then.
The xrays are going away for someone else to look at them just to make sure he has it right.
The Bill for today was £1,491, thank goodness for insurance. I hope there is enough left for the operation.
The good news it is were the spine joins the hips and it is bad. You can see the the disc pressing on the spinal cord on the xrays. This is usually a successful operation, because there is only the back legs and tail left on the spinal cord.
The bad news, I have to be careful with him until the operation or he could loose all movement from that disc down.
I don't have to put him on crate rest but do have to make sure he doesn't do anything very active. Not difficult with
a Greyhound. Only on lead walking for 10 minutes twice a day and no jumping etc.
Depends on the infection when they operate, but he wants it sooner rather than later. Normally it is a 6 week course of antibiotics for infection were it is, but he is hoping he can operate before then.
The xrays are going away for someone else to look at them just to make sure he has it right.
The Bill for today was £1,491, thank goodness for insurance. I hope there is enough left for the operation.
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The vet phoned after I left on Friday, been away for the weekend, the man who reads the xrays phoned him to tell him to operate asap, it looks like more is going on than a disc, it could be a tumour.
Merlin is going in on Wednesday for his operation, please keep the healing thoughts coming for him.
Merlin is going in on Wednesday for his operation, please keep the healing thoughts coming for him.
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The vet has just phoned, instead of the disc being soft, it was hard, more like bone so he had to chip away at it. He doesn't know what it is but has sent some away to try and find out.
Merlin is staying in for at least tonight and probably tomorrow as well. Depending on how he recovers, will depend on when he can come home.
Merlin is staying in for at least tonight and probably tomorrow as well. Depending on how he recovers, will depend on when he can come home.
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At 10.30am I thought I had enough time to have a shower before the vet phoned, I was wrong, he phoned when I was in the shower. I phoned back he said that I could come and get Merlin, I didn't bother to dry my hair, got dressed and ran. I was then sitting in the waiting room for 1.25 hours, a pup was rushed in, he had eaten Co-Codomal.
Got Merlin and the vet and I lifted him into the car and we set off. When I got to a roundabout I stopped, had a look at Merlin just in time to see him disappear, he had stepped off the back seat. I pulled over and he was stuck, turned round and drove fast back to the vets. Thank goodness I hadn't gone far.
A vet and nurse came out but he was well and truely stuck so I moved the front seat forward to give more room. Merlin then got back onto the seat but wouldn't come near the door so we could lift him. The nurse got in with him and managed to get him to the door were the vet picked up his fron end and the nurse the back and lifted him onto the floor.
The vet said that I could take him home if I wanted but he would prefer him to be back in the hospital just in case so poor Merlin is back in
I am having a sandwich at the moment then going outside to reorganise the car so he can't fall off the back seat.
Got Merlin and the vet and I lifted him into the car and we set off. When I got to a roundabout I stopped, had a look at Merlin just in time to see him disappear, he had stepped off the back seat. I pulled over and he was stuck, turned round and drove fast back to the vets. Thank goodness I hadn't gone far.
A vet and nurse came out but he was well and truely stuck so I moved the front seat forward to give more room. Merlin then got back onto the seat but wouldn't come near the door so we could lift him. The nurse got in with him and managed to get him to the door were the vet picked up his fron end and the nurse the back and lifted him onto the floor.
The vet said that I could take him home if I wanted but he would prefer him to be back in the hospital just in case so poor Merlin is back in
I am having a sandwich at the moment then going outside to reorganise the car so he can't fall off the back seat.
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