Leo's Story - From injury to surgery

This blog is dedicated to Leo the Cardigan Corgi and his recovery process from back surgery following a herniated disc.  

Leo and his little brother Flummi

It all happened Tuesday, May 12, 2015. Just an ordinary day. Shawn, my husband, got up early for work, the dogs and I stayed in bed longer. We got up, walked, ate, and I went on to school. Afterwards, Shawn and I took the dogs to our usual spot where they can run around in nature and occasionally sniff and play with other dogs. Leo chased the ball over and over, while his younger brother Flummi the Miniature Schnauzer Mix inquired the area. When we came home, both dogs got a long overdue bath, and then a chew bone, because Shawn and I were about to leave for the gym. We left at around 6.40pm and returned home at around 8.30pm.  

Flummi greeted us at the door whereas Leo just looked at us from the bench next to the door, which isn't unusual for him. We went on to tidy up our place, when I noticed that Leo wouln't come down from his bench. I thought he was sore from running, or tired, but when I mentioned the word "dinner" which is to be used with caution around our dogs, he still wouldn't come off the bench. Something was wrong. 

After he got down, we asked Leo to show us his belly, which he usually does a few dozen times a day, to get belly rubs, but he also does it when asked. He attempted to roll over, but started urinating half way through without noticing it himself. This is when I realized how wrong things were. Leo has not urinated inside our house once since we got him, and when he needs to go outside, he will whine and bug you until you let him out. This behavior was very very unlike Leo. Shawn took him outside, he still walked himself, but looked like a very old dog, or somewhat sore.  

As he came back in after urinating outside, I offered him food, which he devoured. I then called the vet, who told me not to feed him any more this night. Leo got worse and worse, to a point where he yelped when attempting to walk up the stairs. Shawn then carried him upstairs, and I took a shower. When I came back, he seemed even worse, unable to move and very much in pain, so we decided to drive him to the emergency vet. 

The drive there was very intense as Leo was with me in the back seat, Flummi in the back and Shawn trying to drive as carefully as possible. Leo seemed to be in a lot of pain now, and my guess was that he somehow had been poisoned, and his pain and symptoms came from the stomach, whereas Shawn was convinced he had gotten a hearty chunk off his chew bone bothering him in his insides somewhere.  

Arriving at the vet (Sage Dublin), Leo yelped at every move, being picked up, carried to the vet and even just Shawn moving slightly underneath him. I was worried he is going to die, as we have had heard that there was an algae near to our house in a lake, that had killed a few dogs not too long ago.  

When we were called into the examination room with the doctor, we were baffled at the results. 

He has a back injury. 

We were relieved for just a second, then slapped across the face with the facts of the financial aspect of this kind of injury. An MRI alone was estimated by the Doctor at about $2500. Nowhere near what we have. In fact the only money we had saved up at this point was to pay for my nearing summer semester. Surgery for Leo was supposed to cost around $6000-$8000. We were devastated. This was not only out of our price range but out of our price Universe.  

We took the several meds and Leo home. It was a very very sad night for us, when we came back home at 2am Wednesday morning. At this point, Leo could still stand and urinate by himself, but the vet told us, if his condition worsens, e.g. his drags his back legs or doesn't urinate for more than 24 hours, we would have to come back. We should also keep him crated, medicated and only carry him outside for his business. Strict crate rest.  

The next day, he indeed drug his legs behind him as I left him out of his crate. I started to cry, knowing he is seriously in trouble. Of course he tried and cheered me up, that's what he always does. That's Leo. 

But I had to go to class, 2 more weeks until finals, and indeed my Wednesday classes had finals next week. So I took him to pee and poo, which he did, that cheered me up. He ate with his Lion-appetite again, and then I had to go.

After school, I went by a neighborhood friend who loaned me a x-pen, which we had decided would be better for him if he had to be in a restricted area all the time. This way we could see him, and he could watch TV, which, believe it or not, he really enjoys. 

Thursday was very uneventful. In fact so uneventful that he did not relieve himself at all, no matter what we tried. I took him to our family Vet Dr. Tanner at Parkway Vet in Dublin, where they just confirmed that the best for him would be surgery. I asked them to express him, but they wanted me to do it myself at home,so they vaguely showed me how. Of course at home, Leo wouldn't let me do it. No chance. That dog has pride,and if he doesn't want to be expressed, it is impossible. Even when we got our neighbor who is a vet tech, he wouldn't let her do it.

This led me to having to taking him back to the Vet (Sage Dublin) at around 10.30am, where they urged me to get him surgery. What I didn't know at this point was, that the donation site I had set up minutes before leaving to go to the vet, had blown up while Leo and I drove there. In under 30 minutes, people had donated more than $500 in order to get Leo surgery. While I was waiting, the staff kept incouraging me to to apply for credit cards or urge my friends and family to loan me the money. At 2pm that day, a very generous friend loaned us $5000 and the donation page was exploding. I was so happy. But now time wasn't on my side anymore. Sage (Dublin) booked me an appointment that very day for an MRI for Leo in Redwood City, but Leo had to get his blood drawn first, so they don't have to do it in a rush before the surgery (I think). I took Leo to Redwood city, where he relieved himself in the lobby on a pee pad for the first time in over 30 hours, and I kept telling him that he's a good boy, but felt bad because he was inside. But then again, he had waited to be out of my car and not while I was carrying. Such agood boy. He then was sedated and taken from me for approximately an hour.Meanwhile I called my friend to come to our house and get Flummi, because I had never anticipated that Leo was actually having surgery today. I thought I would come right back after Leo's bladder was expressed. But the generous people that donated to us, had other plans, apparently. 

When Flummi was taken care of I felt a huge relief. Now I could focus on Leo and his upcoming surgery, which was supposed to take place in Campbell (by San Jose), because the neurologist in Dublin was not working that day. After Leo woke up, we immediately took off to go to Campbell and get him in surgery. The staff there, like everywhere and always, completely fell in love with Leo, who was still a bit high from the MRI drugs. Everyone came to say hi and pet him, especially a nurse who also owned a Corgi and had anticipated his arrival since we had left Dublin. Doctor David Raczek talked to me about the risks of the surgery and side effects and that Leo might lose some of his grace when walking, which I am not concerned about 1 bit. He then took my little drowsy Grizzly Bear away. I kissed him, hugged him and told him to be a good boy and recover quickly. (Note: Who knew he would listen so well?)

And then he was gone. They told me he might not eat for a few days, that he will have a catheter for 1-2 weeks and that he might not have bowel movement up to 10 days after surgery. 

I took care of some paperwork, drank the soda they had given me, told the staff to be good to him and left. 

When I came home that day, People all over the world had donated nearly $4000 to us in hope to get Leo the surgery and recovery he needs. We felt so relieved and happy and tired and went to bed.