Update on Cladius

Yesterday Claudius went in for an X-ray at the vet because he was not feeling any better than last week.  The vet called us in the afternoon and said we may want to consult with a neurologist about having surgery on his back.  When I went to pick him up that evening, he had progressed and was much worse than earlier in the day, and the vet was then recommending emergency surgery as soon as possible.

Which meant somehow getting to Yonkers (a million thanks to Rob, who drove me and the sick puppy) and then waiting around in the animal hospital ER while he was examined.  The surgeon explained our options to me (with Marek on the phone, as he was in Kansas), and we didn't really have to think twice about what to do.  Poor Claudius has been in constant pain for a week now and things were not getting better, so we went ahead with the MRI and authorized surgery if necessary.

After the MRI, the doctor showed me a huge ruptured disc he had in his back and said surgery was definitely the right way to go, so they got started on that and Rob and I headed back to the city around midnight.  I stayed up until about 2 AM, when the doctor called me to let me know that Claudius had finished up in surgery and was a great little patient (not hard, I suppose, when you're sedated!), and that surgery had gone well.  She said he was just coming out of his anesthesia and she would call me every day to let me know how he was going.

So a very tired me (long day of doctors' visits, lots of crying, and LOTS of stressing about getting to Yonkers and paying for emergency surgery) finally went to bed but woke up bright and early to wait for the vet's call.  She was very happy to report that he already seems to be feeling better and was now standing on his own and even walking a bit, two things he could not do last night when I picked him up from the vet.

He'll be at the hospital for a few more days, and we are planning to go and visit him tomorrow.  I CANNOT wait!  That little dog means so much to me and it has been so heartbreaking to watch him suffer and be in so much pain for the past week, so I'm so glad surgery has fixed things (so far).  We know we'll have to make some lifestyle changes, but we are just so happy that he is going to be okay and we don't have to say good-bye to him.

We also want to say a heartfelt thanks to all of our friends and family who have been texting, e-mailing, Twittering, IMing, and just asking about him and checking in on him.  We know he is not the easiest dog for other people to love, but it has meant the world to us.  Thank you!