After the initial shock wore off, the tears started. Bob got home and I gave him the best layman explanation I could. It's amazing how we complement each other at times like this. I'm the rock when he needs me to be and he simply said...Its okay, we'll get him fixed.

I should have stuck around here because Anne, your "take a deep breath" was exactly what I needed to do. Your step by step would have saved a lot of the head spinning I was going through.

Bob and I looked up the body parts and tried to make sense of what she was saying with the x-rays. Anne, I really like your idea of recording the conversations. What I did come up with was that I want a written report from her.

The second opinion is excellent guys. And you know, I know this stuff. God knows I've said it a million times, stay calm, don't panic. But sometimes you just need to hear it. Gosh, what a humbling experience.

I don't know anything about the University's you guys have mentioned but I do know I've got a bit of an uneasy feeling about the place I'm dealing with. The punctured eardrum (for some reason, I don't think it would have come to that with my vet). The length of time it took for her to contact me, mind you that could just be the circumstances and the time frame.

In any case, we'll see what this surgeon has to say and I'll get a written report. She did mention the CT scan next. Has anybody had that done?

Regardless, we're going to do whatever needs to be done to get this boy back into the best shape he can be.

Funny, Bob said arthritis, really? No wonder the poor boy doesn't like being touched. He can be an incredible cuddler and loves his head massaged but has never cared for his back and sides being touched. He also said, no wonder he's so long.

Anyway, he's our boy and we’re going to see him through this. Hopefully, along with the excellent advice here, we can get him the best care possible.

I've received a couple of extensions of incredible hospitality and just may have to take one of you up on it, depending on how this unfolds.

Thank you guys, you really are incredible.

Tears are fine, CJ. They are a natural part of this. I bet if you asked, a few of us have shed some tears for you and Vince as well. They are an indicator of love and worry.

If you are having unsettling feelings about this vet, it's a sign that you need to find someone new. Your heart is telling you that something isn't right. (My grandfather used to say that when I had that "little voice" in my head nagging me it was St. Francis trying to tell me something.)

Bob sounds like Paul- "OK, so we fix it" is Paul's response when one of the animals is injured. On the rare occasion that I freak out, he is the calm one telling me to take a breath and think it through. Like when I slammed Caterina's tail in the car door taking about 1/2 inch off. Blood was EVERYWHERE and I was a screaming idiot. Paul said, "it's a TAIL. She's not gonna die from a TAIL injury. She'll be the only Bob-tailed Malinois in the world."

You can do this- we will be here to help in any way we can.

--Kel

Those iner voices or gut fellings are usually honest & worth listening to.

Just another thought...Also ask what kind of 'window of time' your are working with. Often with neurological issues there is a time that action needs to be taken before the issues (like the foot flop) will remain permanant regardless of surgical intervention or other interventions. In people it is called 'drop foot'. The foot never regains it's full range of use if that window closes.

This is not to 'push' you into working with vets that you don't feel comfortable with. Just that you often need to be very 'active' with this kind of injury.

I think that besides seeking out a top ortho vet I would want to see a neuro vet.

I think that the suggestons of a university vet department would be the place to find all of the individual 'departments' that you will need all under one roof & that can work together to find the best total resolution for Vince.

The vet called pretty quick today. Maybe it was because I was busy at work (Bob stayed home - we're kinda tag teaming day by day on this one).

She said three things pretty clear. In consultation with the surgeon, they want better X-rays. They have a CT scan there, which will get them a pretty clear picture with die injected into him. With the nerve type issues though, the surgeon would prefer MRI results, but this would entail a trip to the big city.

Or...she said we could take him off the Meloxicam for 48 to 72 hours (and this is where my doubts come in - which is it? 48 or 72 ) and get him on a high dose of prednisone. Get the inflammation completely down and see if it relieves the nerve pressure.

I said what about this arthritis? She said the surgeon felt it really didn't have anything to do with what he's experiencing right now. This would have taken a while to accumulate, didn't bother him previously and they see it often in shepherds. It's not what his problem is. It's the inflammation and pressure on the nerves. But they don't have a good picture of what's really causing it, which maybe a CT scan would provide but for sure an MRI would.

Without asking, she said the CT scan is 1200.00 and the MRI is going to run us around 2500.00. I'm sure this is all without taxes and anything else that gets added on. And it's not like money isn't an issue, it is, but we can do this, we just don't want to be throwing hard earned money away.

Any thoughts on these options?

Does anyone know the price of the MRI's at these University hospitals. I would really like to get to the root of this as quickly as possible. If we could get these tests done at say 1500.00, that could easily be 1000.00 for travelling money. Or is this 2500.00 pretty standard?

It's going to be a good 10 hour round trip here, which we could easily do in a very long day, taking the x-ray time into consideration. If it meant tacking on a few extra days to get to a better place for comparable money, that might even be a better option.

Or what about this prednisone thing? She said something about if he improves, they'll have to look at weaning him off because he can't be on it long term. (another thing that kind of niggled at me - yes, we would have to wean him off...hmmm).

But I know very little about this drug. Anybody have any ideas what this would or should look like. Does this sound like a good short term plan?

I told her my vet is also waiting for the results and I would really appreciate their findings and recommendations in writing. She said she would do this up for me and get the information to my vet.

And I asked her to give me a day or two to think about this. Bob said he seemed a bit better today. I'm thinking good drugs but I flipped his foot over and he slowly flipped it back. Nothing great I'm sure but he has movement in it??

I guess there isn't a guarantee that the MRI will find anything but I would rather know myself if I could afford it. That's really good there is some ability for him to move his feet. If they think the prednisone would help with that...I dunno, I knows its not the answer long term and steroids can have long term effects...but then if there's a chance of him having permanent nerve damage doing nothing, maybe its best?

The reason I say that is my chow-mix Sport had nerve damage after being hit by a car, they said if we didn't give her prednisone to reduce the inflammation she may not walk again. Thank goodness, she not only walked again but ran...her tail was another story though.

Trying to be helpful. :-(

I don't have anything to add CJ, but I want you to know I'm thinking about you.

Thanks guys, it's great to know you're out there. And Tresa, your information, like so many others, is really appreciated.

Yes, we want to do the right thing as quickly as possible. And with them not knowing exactly what's causing it at this point she couldn't give me a time frame on any permanent damage. He's been on these drugs for 4 days now, and I would say there is slight improvement, but is that just the drugs? There is an anti inflammatory in there.

I would like to get the MRI done but I just wonder where would be the best option. I suppose if we get it done here, they could be shipped anywhere.

What is the working diagnosis here? I don't see any arthritis. What is the differential diagnosis? What are they looking to see in the MRI?

Before you spend a ton I'd want to know what exactly will the MRI show us that will change treatment plan.

Yeah they they should be able to send it where ever needed...they put it on a CD right? It may give you information you really need, at worse nothing...if there is "nothing" wrong like fractures or what not...then I would (and I have very good results with ours) see a chiropractor but one who is highly rated by clients and never twists or anything. I'm saying it because I hear of many people with nerve issues who say it helped a lot if not fixed it. It doesn't fix everything...I have scoliosis but even with that it helps big time and Logan always hurts himself being a dutchie and she fixes him. Sorry for the rambling.

Just my 2 cents FWIW. First off, sorry to hear of this news CJ, I know how tough it can be to deal with a serious neurological issue as my girl had a strange 'accident' 2 years ago, and it ended up being F.C.E. ( fibro-cartilagenous embolism) the closest way to describe it, is like a stroke in the spine.

I would try the high dose of Prednisone first, but would follow with the MRI immediately if no changes are seen.

I doubt I would waste time on a CT scan, when the MRI will be able to look much closer at the areas in question.

I think that $2500 is about the standard rate ( that I remember)
It might be higher too, but that is the general ball park amount.

Kaia has learned to manage with her bad right leg, and we still get some folding of her foot. But she learned to place it correctly with physical therapy, and hydrotherapy.

I just want to send you an ((((ehug))))) and wish you all the best working through this hard time with Vince.
But also to remind you, that our beloved canine companions are very resilient and even if there is a change on the horizon,
they learn to get along in spite of those changes.
Every day, she reminds me of that resilient nature that I so admire. I have learned a lot from her.
Hang in there, you are in my thoughts.