This morning Moses paid a visit to the College of Veterinary Medicine at Michigan State University. It is one of the toppermost of the poppermost when it comes to vet ed. It was to be the fourth and final diagnosis. (The 1st visit to the vet in Alaska doesn't count -- since they didn't get a chance to look at the x-rays...)
What follows is the final diagnosis of Curtis W. Probst, DVM Diplomate ACVS. Professor, Orthopedic Surgery. (typos due to my inability to decipher handwriting)
Diagnosis Or Findings At Time of Discharge: Chronic Salter II Fracture of the distal femur.
Surgery Performed Or Treatment Rendered:
None. Surgery is not likely to permit continued growth due to the amount of healing that has occurred.
Diet: Normal
Excercise: Leashwalks only. Please keep Moses crated when you are not home to prevent further injury and promote healing for an additional 3 weeks.
ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS:
We do not recommend surgery at this time. The physis has closed prematurely and surgical correction will not prevent continued growth. There has already been a significant amount of bone healing already. Moses has a lot of growing to do. It is possible the tibia may lengthen to compensate for the shortened femur, but there is no guarantee. Please call us if you should have any questions or concerns!
C.W. Probst 10/19/04
Attending Clinician
So -- once again -- you're all getting refunds...
Thank you all very much for your generosity. Mark and I will try to get those funds back to you as soon as possible. As many of you know already -- he's overseas -- for another eight days --- but may during the course of that time have access to a computer. Or -- he may call home -- and pass along secret codes so that I can send back the moolah.
If you are wondering how this diagnosis suddenly changed -- I am too...However -- as the Vet students at MSU hinted -- it may have something to do with certain veterinarians wanting $2500.
Now - if you'll excuse me -- I have to go and close all the doors that let people give Moses money...
Well I hope the little fella recovers alright. Will he walk funny now? Is one of his legs going to be shorter than the other? I hope that you find a good home for him.. hmm seems like someone I know just lost a beloved dog. Funny how things work.
After I lost Frank not too long ago I had a cat mysteriously show up on my doorstop a few days later. It was friendly and I fed it, gave it some water. I figured if it kept coming back for more maybe I'll keep it. That was the only night it came by. Oh well.
He's such a cute little dog. Moses fits too. Keep us updated on his progress every once in a while please. Thanks.
Doc says that he'll never "fully" recover -- he'll probably always walk with a limp. But at the same time he told us that almost always surgery for broken legs in dogs disappoints (and he told us further that he really didn't even want to use the word almost). I'm pretty sure Moses is going to find a great home -- either in AK or MI. He's got that personality that is hard to deny - and there's already a lot of bonding that's gone on the past week here...Enough so that no matter where he ends up - it's fairly certain you'll hear more about him down the road.
Okay, I found the pictures of Moses. Cute puppy. I think your Mom should keep him. Oh, and maybe she'd like 2 hamsters. My children have 'aquired' two little rodents. They come equipped with cages! Any takes? Contact me!
I hear Uncle Jimmy is always looking for fresh hamsters. He can't seem to get enough of them.