[Dailydrool] What you need to know before back surgery

[Pam McQuade]

<<NO ONe gave me any idea what I was in store with with Bobs recovery..thank 
goodness my job is one I can do when I want (or not at all as the case the 
first couple weeks) they never ever told me about the 24 hour care he would 
need and how draining physically or emotionally it would be on me.and on him 
it was so
sad...thank goodness I had ann who was going thru the same thing with conrad 
so there was someone who knew what it was like and when I was having a pitty 
party for myself I could remind me that I didnt have to go to work like she 
did (altho maybe it was nice to leave it for 8 hours).>>

Our experience with Abner's back surgery was just the same. No vet told us 
how draining it would be.  No one warned us that it's a very painful surgery 
and the dog might react negatively to it. All they cheerily told us was that 
we'd have to crate Abner for a number of weeks. They didn't say that we 
should definitely get one of those slings to hold him up, because their 
recommendation of using a towel would put a terrible strain on both my arms 
and the dog. They didn't tell us to order it the day we agreed to surgery, 
because we probably couldn't find one locally, and we'd need it as soon as 
he came out of the vet's office. No one told us to get a carpenter in that 
day, so we'd have a ramp that Abner could use to get in and out of the 
house. They also didn't tell us that all dogs who have the surgery get 
arthritis later, which can be very painful. The list could go on and on of 
the things we didn't know but should have. I think if they told people, 
they'd never have the surgery done!

No one told us to have someone who had been through this before as our 
backup. Happily, I connected with Elizabeth Lindsey, here on the Drool, who 
supported me through the whole thing. There are people out there who will 
help. I know I have offered to help others who have gone through the 
surgery, since you really do need a shoulder to cry on or someone to tell 
you that it really will be all right, if you can just live through those 
early days. No one has taken me up on that, so I have assumed that they 
found someone else to help them.

So right now, I am letting ALL Droolers know that although back surgery may 
be the right thing to do, if you go through with it, you will need nerves of 
steel, arms of incredible strength, and determination in an extraordinary 
degree. It is not for the faint of heart. But if it does work, it can be 
worth it for the hound. It has given Abner four more years of life.

If you do have to go through back surgery on your hound, call out to other 
Droolers. We can walk you through it and encourage you the whole way. I'm 
sure it's the same for other medical problems. The Drool is a wonderful help 
and can be a real lifesaver.
Pam, food slave to the Dashing Bassets