Rusty- MRI info

[Rusty’s Owner]

OMG, I honestly love Rusty. He is the prettiest frenchie and looks so gentle and sweet.

In most things, I truly take the attitude that we should all be entitled to make our own choices as we see fit. What I may want to do may not be what you think is the best course. In Rusty's case, I don't think I would opt for the MRI for two reasons. My main concern would be the anesthesia time. It seems even dogs that have various surgeries aren't out for that long. My second concern is financial, although you said your insurance would cover 50%. Sounds like you are getting as much information as you can by talking with various professionals. In addition, I'd talk to the breeder and ask about Rusty's lineage - were there problems with his parents with epilepsy, IVDD, brain tumor, etc. Maybe I'm wrong, but based upon human occurrence, I think a brain tumor would be unlikely - IVDD is more common, obviously, as can be seizures, although not as much. It can be agonizing deciding whether or not an MRI is the right thing. There is no perfect answer. The best you can do (I think, as you know), is to get all the facts and information you can from the professionals and weigh the benefits and drawbacks. Whatever you decide will be right for you. Good luck! Hugs!

Jelly is a doll. He has regressed horribly with his house training. He just doesn't want to go outside, and whenever he is out of sight, he will take the opportunity to poop and pee. I let him out each night anytime between 1-2:30 AM. He holds it until he gets outside and then pees within a minute. When I/we let him out during the day with Petey, he usually stays on the deck and doesn't go in the grass. He'll lay in the sun and won't pee, but again, I will find a spot in the house after I let him in and he is out of eyesight. Cold weather is coming and he is going to hate going out even more.

I think Jelly scratched Petey's eye during play on Sunday. It's murder to get a vet appointment around here, but I finally got him in yesterday (Weds.). He has a scratched cornea and has drops and must wear a cone for a week.

Lastly, we have a couple of boxes stacked next to the bed and Jelly learned immediately how to use them to get on the bed. He gets down by jumping, which concerns me, the number of times he's up and down. Can you suggest a good way for him to get down? Ramp? He doesn't use the box "stairs," and I don't like him jumping so far so often.

So we got a email from the neurologist he seen already(the one that would put him out for 6-8 hrs ti do MRI, the other clinic we are going to on Thursday), since I had to send the X rays and the liver test results to him for him to go over and rule those out, he emailed me today.

It said yes Rusty has seizures, but the scary thing is he said Rusty has a ‘kink in his spine’ that’s not seeming to cause any major issues at this moment, however, the spine issue makes it less room for his lungs which means we have to be careful with anesthesia, but the MRI NEEDS to be done to rule out the potential causes of the seizures and to check his spine(now we NEED to check his spine as well for sure), and the sooner the better.

But OMG I wasn’t expecting to see/hear that he has a ‘kink’ in his spine causing less room for the lungs, now I’m worried.

So we know for sure he has seizures, and now we know for sure he has a spine issue, darn why both spine issue and seizures


I will be asking my vets opinion this weekend on 3-4 hr anesthesia and we will get the other neurologist at the other clinic opinion, and I will let you know when I know more, this is not what I expected to know he has a kink in his spine that’s not yet causing issues but can definitely cause issues and pain.

Poor Rusty, the sweetest boy, and with so many issues, so sad for him!

 

[Rusty’s Owner]

So we got a email from the neurologist he seen already(the one that would put him out for 6-8 hrs ti do MRI, the other clinic we are going to on Thursday), since I had to send the X rays and the liver test results to him for him to go over and rule those out, he emailed me today.

It said yes Rusty has seizures, but the scary thing is he said Rusty has a ‘kink in his spine’ that’s not seeming to cause any major issues at this moment, however, the spine issue makes it less room for his lungs which means we have to be careful with anesthesia, but the MRI NEEDS to be done to rule out the potential causes of the seizures and to check his spine(now we NEED to check his spine as well for sure), and the sooner the better.

But OMG I wasn’t expecting to see/hear that he has a ‘kink’ in his spine causing less room for the lungs, now I’m worried.

So we know for sure he has seizures, and now we know for sure he has a spine issue, darn why both spine issue and seizures


I will be asking my vets opinion this weekend on 3-4 hr anesthesia and we will get the other neurologist at the other clinic opinion, and I will let you know when I know more, this is not what I expected to know he has a kink in his spine that’s not yet causing issues but can definitely cause issues and pain.

Poor Rusty, the sweetest boy, and with so many issues, so sad for him!

@Mavis

Rusty’s neurologist appointment at the other clinic is this Thursday, I was told to fast him(no food after midnight the night before), I asked as to why as it’s just a consultation, they said they might want to go right into MRI or imaging under anesthesia or other tests right after the consultation(the same day), and they started asking what they are going to feed him after anesthesia(their canned food-that’s garbage that made him sick), I said no he has severe allergies, they Said make sure you bring a wet food he can have after. I will bring RR food but it’s seems strange.

And that they will have a estimate waiting for us when we arrive for the initial consultation(we haven’t been there before), this is freaking me out cause it seems like they are planning on doing anesthesia for MRI or something Thursday.

They are the place that will do it in 3-4 hrs, they said check with the Dr as to more accurate anesthesia time.

I know we have to do the MRI no matter what, especially with the kink in his spine, however I wanted to do it a different day not the same day as the appointment, me and my mom(we are both going to the appointment), we have to work and I’m already gonna be late for work, I can’t believe they are already planning on doing a procedure the same day(Thursday), we haven’t even been to this clinic before!

They say well we are a 24 hr care unit so you can pick him up after work, it’s seems strange to me.

If they demand to do it the same day(Thursday), wish Rusty good luck.

He definitely needs the good luck, and I’m so worried now knowing they are expecting him to have the anesthesia procedure the same day! And it’s not even 2 days away!

Wish Rusty luck with the appointment and I hope they will let us do the MRI another day

 

[Rusty’s Owner]

OMG, I honestly love Rusty. He is the prettiest frenchie and looks so gentle and sweet.

In most things, I truly take the attitude that we should all be entitled to make our own choices as we see fit. What I may want to do may not be what you think is the best course. In Rusty's case, I don't think I would opt for the MRI for two reasons. My main concern would be the anesthesia time. It seems even dogs that have various surgeries aren't out for that long. My second concern is financial, although you said your insurance would cover 50%. Sounds like you are getting as much information as you can by talking with various professionals. In addition, I'd talk to the breeder and ask about Rusty's lineage - were there problems with his parents with epilepsy, IVDD, brain tumor, etc. Maybe I'm wrong, but based upon human occurrence, I think a brain tumor would be unlikely - IVDD is more common, obviously, as can be seizures, although not as much. It can be agonizing deciding whether or not an MRI is the right thing. There is no perfect answer. The best you can do (I think, as you know), is to get all the facts and information you can from the professionals and weigh the benefits and drawbacks. Whatever you decide will be right for you. Good luck! Hugs!

Jelly is a doll. He has regressed horribly with his house training. He just doesn't want to go outside, and whenever he is out of sight, he will take the opportunity to poop and pee. I let him out each night anytime between 1-2:30 AM. He holds it until he gets outside and then pees within a minute. When I/we let him out during the day with Petey, he usually stays on the deck and doesn't go in the grass. He'll lay in the sun and won't pee, but again, I will find a spot in the house after I let him in and he is out of eyesight. Cold weather is coming and he is going to hate going out even more.

I think Jelly scratched Petey's eye during play on Sunday. It's murder to get a vet appointment around here, but I finally got him in yesterday (Weds.). He has a scratched cornea and has drops and must wear a cone for a week.

Lastly, we have a couple of boxes stacked next to the bed and Jelly learned immediately how to use them to get on the bed. He gets down by jumping, which concerns me, the number of times he's up and down. Can you suggest a good way for him to get down? Ramp? He doesn't use the box "stairs," and I don't like him jumping so far so often.

I forgot to mention, my regular vet called last night with her opinion on Rusty and the MRI, this is our regular vet we have gone to for over 8 years now and she has Frenchie too.

She said do not wait another month, if you can do it now, do it.

And regarding the 3-4 hour anesthesia at the clinic we are going to today, she said that’s common and the benefits outweigh the risk of the anesthesia.


So that was a big relief, my parents and I had talked it over the other day, we think this is the right decision for Rusty, and the vet thinks the same.

But my vet wants it done ASAP! And so do we honestly.