NEW DEVELOPMENT....GUS HAS THREE SURGERIES IN ONE MONTH!
AND THEN TWO MORE!
Our sweet big, white puppy Gus is in a life threatening situation right now. In January 2009, we took Gus to our local vet and then to the best veterinary orthopedic surgeon in the world. He had been limping and it was getting worse. Turns out he had an ACL injury and needed TPLO surgery on his right rear knee. All the vets thought the surgery would be an easy one and he would recover in eight weeks.
Immediately after his first surgery, he started limping on his LEFT back leg! We took Gus back to the surgeon and low and behold...he had not only reinjured his right knee but had pulled his left hip out of socket.... he would need surgery on both legs. At this point, we had taken Gus to Texas A&M where our surgeon was on the teaching staff. They performed surgery on both legs and three days later he had torn out both fixatures. He would need to have surgery again...... We were told that they would attempt to repair the right knee first, but if there was not enough good bone left to repair....there were no more options and he would have to be put down.
Obviously heartbroken and scared....we visited him before his February 24 surgery and prayed that he would make it through the surgery. We loved him and talked to him and got him to eat some of his favorite treats (his appetite had not been good). After five hours of surgery, we received the call....GUS HAD MADE IT THROUGH THE SURGERY! We could breathe again....they didn't repair his left hip because of the length of the surgery....more to come on that.
Updates to come....the main thing is....we get to see him again on Saturday..February 28....we weren't so sure we would ever see him again. Thanks to all that prayed and had him in their thoughts.
Late April 2009.....
Update on Gus...our boy has made it through his left hip surgery (that's a total of FIVE surgeries) and has been making huge strides in physical therapy. Below is a picture of him in his hoist...he is completely off of it now! He is walking on four legs and has come home on "furlough" two weekends in a row! He loves coming home, but I think he likes to get back to his friends in Aggieland too. We think he should get a degree based upon the amount of "tuition" he has paid!! Way to go Gussie!
Mid May 2009...
Gus has been home for two weeks now! He is going to physical therapy with Sandra Hudson in Austin and is bravely making progress ...he does underwater treadmill work and Sandra uses laser and ultrasound as well! He'll be going twice a week for the next few weeks! What a brave big white puppy!
Early June 2009
Gus has regressed a bit....not sure why. We have decided to work with a mobile rehab specialist, Deborah Carroll so that he can have more frequent sessions. Bless his heart, he continues to work hard and we continue to be optimistic that he will have a successful rehabilitation! Deborah created a swing/sling for him on the front porch so that he can stand, assisted for massage and icedowns....see picture!
Early July 2009
Gus's test results are back and it's good and bad news....some neurological damage, but also some metabolic causes for his back legs problem. We are continuing his rehab twice a week and about to have more blood tests done to see if anything metabolic can be corrected. He's having persistent diarrhea.....but in between his appetite is back now that he's off the antibiotics. His attitude is great and he's still our Gussie.
Late August 2009
Gus is doing better! Thanks to Dr. Witsberger and Dr. Fitzgerald his diarrhea is over...turned out he needed Fortiflora once a day to correct the damage left over from all the heavy duty antibiotics he had taken for so long. So, now his appetite is back in a big way and he is gaining some weight back! Still using his two wheeler wheelchair and we're going to use back leg splints to see if this helps correct the knuckling problem. High hopes for success...Deborah Carroll is seeing him once a week now and uses the laser therapy on both legs. Evaluating his pain level to see if he needs any pain medication....more to come on that! Gussie gets to come upstairs to sleep with us on Saturday nights...he is ecstatic about this development! And Jerry, well not so much..he has to carry him up!
November 2009
Gus, sweet brave Gus, is continuing to improve. He is still working with Deborah Carroll, his mobile rehab speciialist...he always scoots to the door to greet her! Gus's right leg is just about weight-bearing ...just need to get the left leg (the one with the FHO surgery) to start improving to help balance his attempts to stand up. His attitude is incredible....always cheerful and wanting to play with Tuffy, still loves going out to the backyard to explore. Gus is on two fairly new pain medications....so we're ready to intensify his daily workouts. He has gained almost all his weight back and all of his glorious coat is back as well.
January 2010
Well, it's been a year since Gus's first surgery...the right knee surgery that started our journey. In some ways it seems longer than a year...and in some ways shorter. Gus enjoyed the holidays..we had our family out for Christmas Eve and Gus was the primary entertainment, especially for our grand-nieces Shelby and Elle. The new pain medications seem to help him move around more easily. He continues his rehab and we are still confident that Gus WILL walk on his own again..for right now he's happy and well and as always....brave.
May 2010
I've been recovering from ankle surgery earler this year....sorry for not updating. Gus is doing fine! His middle name should be "Scooter" now! He has figured out his best way to get around and can now go outside, front and back, using ramps....all my himself! He still wears a walkabout harness so we can assist him when needed. He is bright, alert and always ready to play. We'll update with pictures soon. Gus continues to be an inspiration to friends, family and me.....one can be physically challenged and still make a comeback to be a very important and vital part of the family.
Continued thanks to Deborah Carroll....Gus's rehab specialist and biggest fan. Thanks also to Dr. Sierra Guynn of Bastrop Veterinary Hospital for her ongoing assistance with Gus's overall health and pain management. Kudos to Dr. Tige Witsberger at Texas A&M who has been so diligent in looking for the "cure" and also always being there for us! We couldn't have done any of this for Gus without all these folks' help...and it means the world to us!
