Amazing tales of survival, recovery, and medical triumphs

Buster's Back!!

Buster came to me in November of 1998 at age 9 years old. As a volunteer for Boykin Spaniel Rescue, I took him in as a foster dog. Buster joined my husband, me, Lulu (another Boykin rescue I kept) and Millie, my husband’s English Setter in our home and he made himself quite at home.

Being an older rescue dog, we knew Buster would be difficult to place in a new home. A few months passed and Buster endeared himself to us. He and Lulu became inseparable. In late February, 1999, we made the decision to keep Buster. He just fit in.

Well, early in March disaster began to strike. I started noticing Buster would not lift his leg to urinate. Then, he began to drag his back feet. Off to the vet we went. After radiographs, the vet put him on prednisolone and Rimadyl hoping to relieve Buster’s pain from what appeared to be a bulging disc. Well, things only continued to worsen. Buster was barely walking. I carried him back to the vet and they kept him overnight. During that time, he required catheterization as he lost the ability to sense need to urinate. After a couple of days, Buster came home and seemed somewhat better. But my vet knew he needed specialized treatment.

So an appointment was made at the Auburn University School of Veterinary Medicine Clinic for April 8. I was truly worried by this time that Buster could be helped and he could regain full use of his rear legs. Once the Auburn vets examined Buster, they advised me a myelogram was necessary to get a complete picture of the problem disc and make diagnosis/prognosis from what they found. I was only willing to put Buster through surgery if these doctors felt they could improve Buster’s condition. So I left Buster with them on the agreement that once they completed the myelogram and were reasonably sure they could help him, then they could proceed with the surgery to repair the disc.

The next day, I received the call that surgery indeed had been performed. Buster was recovering and was doing very well. What great news!! I kept in touch all weekend and Buster continued to improve. I was able to bring him home Tuesday (surgery was Friday). His entire back was shaved with an 8 inch incision. WOW! The back of his head/neck was also shaved. That is where they injected the fluid for the myelogram. How funny he looked!

Now the road to recovery began. Buster was to get light leash exercise but no stairs or anything strenuous and remain confined to his crate otherwise. He and Lulu could not romp. How hard that was!

One year and two months later, Buster is as good as ever. He runs, plays, jumps, stands up to give me kisses and leaps off the deck, hitting the ground running. So this is truly a story with a happy ending. We are happy his is with us and doing so well thanks to the vets at the Auburn Vet School Clinic.

- Amelia Skipper