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Posted by Margaret on April 15, 2008, 11:31 pm
91.105.0.207
4 weeks ago I took Merlin, my ex racing Greyhound to the vets because his right hind leg wasn't stepping under properly, I thought he had arthritis, how wrong I was. 
I was asked to make an appoitment with the orthopedic vet, Gracie is already with him.
A few days later I took Merlin to see Joachim the vet, he said there was no arthritis but seemed to have a problem with his back, an MRI scan was arranged.
When I picked Merlin up after the scan, Joachim showed me the x rays, I was shocked, Merlin had a disc pressing on his spinal cord, if it moved he would be paralised, it was really bad. Joachim wanted to operate urgently.
The operation was on a Wednesday, Joachim said he had never seen anything like the disc, instead of it being soft and easy to push back, it had calcified and he had to chip away at it. He hasn't got all of it away, if he had tried to take more iff he could have damaged the nerves, but plenty to make Merlin more comfortable.
Merlin was to come home on the Saturday, I picked him up and a vet helped me lift him onto the back seat of the car and off I set. I had to stop at a roundabout for the traffic, checked in the mirror on Merlin just in time to see him disappear. He had either stepped off or fallen off the back seat. I turned round and took him back to the vets were he stayed another 2 nights.
Merlin was only supposed to be in an extra night but Cameron the vet on that night, though he had died on him, Merlin hadn't moved for several hours. He opened the kennel door to check when Merlin sat up, he had been asleep. This is normal for Merlin, I can put a blanket over him going to bed and it is still in the same position the following morning.
Merlin can no longer wear a collar, and I have bought him a lovely harness that doesn't put any pressure on his spine anywhere. He will also have to have hydrotherapy, Gracie goes for that so I will be taking 2 dogs in future.
Joachim is really pleased with Merlin's progress, It is only 4 weeks since I first took him and he is well on the way to full recovery.
Merlin in his new harness
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