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--Success Story--    

Seamus
By Debbie Joncas

At the age of 5 1⁄2 Seamus’ first sign of discomfort came on 4/19/09, which I noticed, but thought I should push him….., thought he was being a baby. Finally 3 days later, 4/22/09, I took him to his vet who did x-rays and diagnosed him with IVDD. Put him on muscle relaxer and prednisone and crate rest really with no specific time frame. Through my work, I know personally a vet who is affiliated with a Veterinary Specialist group near where we live, called my friend and he suggested strict crate rest and the meds he was on were good. And if there was any change, call him at home and or bring him immediately to the practice (which is a 24-7 practice). So tending to be more pro-active than re-active I called and made an appointment with the group the next day. (I would rather have Seamus evaluated and they get to know him outside of an ER situation.) That was beginning and continuation of a wonderful relationship with VCA.

At his first appointment he was evaluated by a neurosurgeon, Dr. Randy Fitch at VCA, Veterinary Specialist of Northern Colorado, who told us to continue the path we were on with no change. Which we did….but then came the stomach problems and all that comes with that. Seamus had stopped eating and drinking. I spoon fed him yogurt, cottage cheese and water. Anything to get him to eat and drink. The following week I returned, and met with the other neurosurgeon, Dr. Ronald Bright and we started the whole regiment of stomach and diarrhea medications and finally put him on pain meds. (Poor guy!) At the same time I learned about a dog food which had been raved about for being easily digested, Royal Canin-Digestive Low Fat. It worked….he ate it as I continued to feed him by hand.

We continued with our weekly appointments for 1 month and he seemed to be improving, so the vet released him with crate rest and a whole host of pain meds and stomach meds. All along he struggled to walk, very slowly and you could see the pain in his face. We would carry him in and out to our yard and he would cry and yelp when picked up a certain way. Friends who stopped by thought he would die anytime, he looked so bad.

Then on 6/5/09 (Friday) we returned to VCA because he seemed to be getting worse. Dr. Bright lay on the floor once again to examine him and said, “I think it is time for surgery”. I said when, and he said today, I have cleared my schedule! We were ready, we had discussed the cost and the risks and the outcome. At least I thought I was ready until I had to kiss him goodbye. But the staff comforted me, and I immediately felt better about leaving him there. Dr. Bright asked to do a CAT scan once they had him ready for surgery, so they would know every detail and we said absolutely. He called us after doing the CAT scan and before surgery and said “We have made the right decision. This little boy is in such pain, surgery is the way to go.” Dr. Bright would be performing a Neuro hemilaminectomy on Seamus as soon as we hung up the telephone.

Surgery went very well, and we met Dr. Bright at the office the next day (Saturday). He went over the CAT scan and surgery and then took us back to see Seamus. Even though he was still on morphine, his eyes were bright and he was much more attentive than prior to his surgery. It was the right thing to do; now we really knew.

Again the next day Dr.Bright (Sunday) came in to check on Seamus and then called us first thing in the morning. Seamus (with the help of a sling) had been outside and peed and pooped. What wonderful news! So we headed over to see him and take him some of his special food and yogurt and couldn’t believe our eyes. He was so happy to see us and Dr. Bright said he would check him again the next morning first thing, we should wait for his call, but he could likely come home.