Dog With Broken Spine (Evelyn�s Decision)

Ref:�http://myanimalcare.org/2012/04/13/injured-dogs-spine-is-completely-broken-evelyn-wongs/

I enlisted Lydia’s help this morning and asked if she would be able to advise on this dog’s case since Lydia has much experience with special needs animals. Lydia went down to visit with Evelyn this evening and this is what she learnt:

Dear Kah Yein,

I was at the clinic with Evelyn until past 8pm and this is what I
learnt of the injured dog.

Before she arrived the vet gave me a run down of the dog’s condition.
Apart from the fact that a part of her spine had been severely
displaced, the dog was not able to eat and pee on its own. These were
all indications of the extent of the injury and the brain not being
able to send messages for the body to perform these functions.
She was also displaying the Schiff-Sherrington posture where the front
limbs were rigidly extended and back legs were flaccid. This position
is seen in an animal when severe trauma has occurred to the
thoracolumbar (“middle”) of the spinal column and often means the back
is broken.

She was on painkillers so she was somewhat subdued. If Sunshine’s
screaming in pain in the first week she was with us everytime she was
moved to be cleaned and in the middle of the night, was anything to go
by (as she was not on painkillers since she was on steriods and
painkillers cannot be administered in conjunction with steroids), then
if this dog was not under pain management, I could imagine how she too
would possibly have been screaming in much greater pain.

The vet strongly recommended PTS due to the severity of the spinal
injury, loss of function, extent of the pain and poor prognosis. If
the dog was taken home then intensive care for an undefined period
would be needed and secondary complications were to be expected due to
the severity of the injury.

I will leave Evelyn to update you on her part.

As I finished reading Lydia’s email, Evelyn’s sms came in (at 11.10pm) to say she had already made the painful decision of having the dog euthanised this evening since the vets told her that there is no hope of recovery and she did not wish to prolong the dog’s suffering.

As Moon Moon’s (that’s the name given by Evelyn’s daughter) rescuer, it is Evelyn’s decision on what to do for the dog. We are only here to help with funds and in sourcing for help. We failed to find a caregiver within this short period of time and understandably so – who would have the resources to care for a dog with a broken back and with such poor prognosis. As I said, it would be like looking for a needle in the haystack and well, we could not find the needle this time.

Two of our readers have banked in money for Moon Moon’s treatment. I have written to both of them and will be returning the money to them since there would be no more treatment now.

As pledged, we will still help with the bill up to yesterday as yesterday’s trip to the vet’s was done with the intention of saving Moon Moon’s life. It is the intention that matters for us. We just cannot subsidise the euthanasia fee. We will still subsidise all attempts made at saving her life. Upon admission, she had been put on drips and was given painkillers to relief her pain.

Evelyn did not send Moon Moon to the vet’s with the intention of having her euthanised. On the contrary, she was full of hope that something could be done to save Moon Moon’s life and help her recover.

If Moon Moon had been left at that field, she would have died a slow and painful death. We thank Evelyn for picking her up from the road, placing her in the field and calling up for help. We thank Koo for answering our call and helping Evelyn to take the dog to the vet’s to give it a chance at life.

We thank everyone who has helped in his/her capacity to give Moon Moon a chance to be treated.

And finally, we wish Moon Moon a safe journey to her next destination.

Here is the reality of the stray life, folks. This is how sad it is. How many more Moon Moons could there be out there on the streets?

Spay-neuter, please.

Source: http://myanimalcare.org/2012/04/13/dog-with-broken-spine-evelyns-decision/

Tweet

AnimalCare

AnimalCare is a registered society that promotes caregiving to street animals and helps in their neutering and medical needs. AnimalCare has a Medical Fund, Food Fund and Education Fund.

More Articles   |   Pets For Adoption   |   Website