Fraser by Holly Nierman McLaren
Fraser was 8 years old when he showed signs of a back injury. We took him to the Vet. X-rays showed a mild herniated disk. He was sent home with medication and mild activity. A few weeks later he started to cry in pain and could not walk.
We rushed him to the University if Georgia Vet Hospital ER. They stabilized him and on 12/30/2019 they did a left sided L3-L4 Hemilaminectomy he had significant spinal residual material so he underwent two surgeries and two MRIs in one day. Six+ hours. He stayed in ICU for 5 days and another 5 days at the hospital.
We brought him home and he was on strict kennel rest for six weeks. He was only allowed out of his kennel to go outside and potty. With the Help-em-up harness we could carry him outside. He never had an accident in his kennel.
The Neurologist said it was the worst disk injury he had seen in 20years. Fraser could not find his left paw or leg.
The Neurologist said it could take six months, but three months later he found his paw and left leg and began to walk. He is lame, , but he goes out for a morning 1/4 mile walk, hops chasing his tennis ball and still loves to swim. We are sad, but he seems happy.
We look back and remember two things. He was chasing a squirrel about three years ago and hit a tree. Cried out in pain but got back up after a few minutes and seemed fine. About a year ago there were times when he would not come up the stairs. Then he would be fine. We wish we would have taken him to UGA after his x-rays. Monday morning quarterbacking.
So our hospital bill was $8300. Plus PT visits snd follow up visits to UGA And if course the Vet bills which were $500+. And then this spring our Vet had to remove a growth on his right hind leg. It had to be biopsied. That cost us another $1000.
Fraser weighed 54 lbs at surgery. He is now a healthy 40 lbs. UGA told us he needed to lose some weight. Helps us carry him up and down stairs and helps his walking. Our new normal. He can’t get in the bed anymore, so the floor it is. His sister, Dixie, now sleeps on the floor with him.
We rushed him to the University if Georgia Vet Hospital ER. They stabilized him and on 12/30/2019 they did a left sided L3-L4 Hemilaminectomy he had significant spinal residual material so he underwent two surgeries and two MRIs in one day. Six+ hours. He stayed in ICU for 5 days and another 5 days at the hospital.
We brought him home and he was on strict kennel rest for six weeks. He was only allowed out of his kennel to go outside and potty. With the Help-em-up harness we could carry him outside. He never had an accident in his kennel.
The Neurologist said it was the worst disk injury he had seen in 20years. Fraser could not find his left paw or leg.
The Neurologist said it could take six months, but three months later he found his paw and left leg and began to walk. He is lame, , but he goes out for a morning 1/4 mile walk, hops chasing his tennis ball and still loves to swim. We are sad, but he seems happy.
We look back and remember two things. He was chasing a squirrel about three years ago and hit a tree. Cried out in pain but got back up after a few minutes and seemed fine. About a year ago there were times when he would not come up the stairs. Then he would be fine. We wish we would have taken him to UGA after his x-rays. Monday morning quarterbacking.
So our hospital bill was $8300. Plus PT visits snd follow up visits to UGA And if course the Vet bills which were $500+. And then this spring our Vet had to remove a growth on his right hind leg. It had to be biopsied. That cost us another $1000.
Fraser weighed 54 lbs at surgery. He is now a healthy 40 lbs. UGA told us he needed to lose some weight. Helps us carry him up and down stairs and helps his walking. Our new normal. He can’t get in the bed anymore, so the floor it is. His sister, Dixie, now sleeps on the floor with him.