Hello All

Just looking for some more info regarding the above. First a bit of
background. My 11yo JRT suffered from this in Oct 08, then just before
Christmas and now just last weekend. Each time he was taken into ICU at the
vet hospital and each time pericardiocentesis was carried out. I have
appointment with surgeon to see about operation (pericardiectomy) either by
cutting small hole (which they have done only a few of) or by full op to
open up chest cavity, etc.

I guess I just wanted some info on success rates, what to ask (I was just a
bit concerned when they said they had only done a few of the keyhole ops,
but the thought of a major one would be stressful!) What should I ask, etc.
Any and all advice would be very gratefully received.

Regards
Mags

Mags wrote:

Hello All

Just looking for some more info regarding the above. First a bit of
background. My 11yo JRT suffered from this in Oct 08, then just before
Christmas and now just last weekend. Each time he was taken into ICU at the
vet hospital and each time pericardiocentesis was carried out. I have
appointment with surgeon to see about operation (pericardiectomy) either by
cutting small hole (which they have done only a few of) or by full op to
open up chest cavity, etc.

I guess I just wanted some info on success rates, what to ask (I was just a
bit concerned when they said they had only done a few of the keyhole ops,
but the thought of a major one would be stressful!) What should I ask, etc.
Any and all advice would be very gratefully received.

I'd seek a second opinion from a non-affiliated specialist, especially
for something as major as this, even if it means a substantial drive and
repetition of certain tests and or films.

We recently dealt with a situation in which a spinal stroke was
diagnosed twice as a ruptured knee ligament and twice as traumatic
spinal injury. The fifth vet to examine the dog diagnosed the spinal
stroke - a neurological insult, but not a traumatic injury.

Vet number four, affiliated with the illustrious University of Missouri
At Columbia, had been prepared to saw a freakin' wedge off of her tibia,
at a cost of about 2 grand, based on her erroneous diagnosis.

After receiving Scully's diagnosis of spinal stroke my daughter began
immediate intensive physical rehab including stretching, passive range
of motion, moist heat and swimming, which involved my daughter wading
into local ponds and supporting her in her first non weight-bearing
efforts to use the affected hind limb.

Scully's spinal stroke occurred in 6/08 when she was 8 years old. At
the time of the event, the affected hind limb hung like a piece of dead
meat. No control and very little sensation. After intensive rehab she
raced again on an extremely limited rotation 11/08. It was only maybe
one heat every other race but her joy at re-entering the ring was
obvious. And she got a standing ovation after her first run.

Please, please get another opinion. Even highly competent vets can have
their diagnostic biases and their blind spots.

"Kathleen" wrote in message
news
Mags wrote:

Hello All

Just looking for some more info regarding the above. First a bit of
background. My 11yo JRT suffered from this in Oct 08, then just before
Christmas and now just last weekend. Each time he was taken into ICU at
the vet hospital and each time pericardiocentesis was carried out. I
have appointment with surgeon to see about operation (pericardiectomy)
either by cutting small hole (which they have done only a few of) or by
full op to open up chest cavity, etc.

I guess I just wanted some info on success rates, what to ask (I was just
a bit concerned when they said they had only done a few of the keyhole
ops, but the thought of a major one would be stressful!) What should I
ask, etc. Any and all advice would be very gratefully received.

I'd seek a second opinion from a non-affiliated specialist, especially for
something as major as this, even if it means a substantial drive and
repetition of certain tests and or films.

We recently dealt with a situation in which a spinal stroke was diagnosed
twice as a ruptured knee ligament and twice as traumatic spinal injury.
The fifth vet to examine the dog diagnosed the spinal stroke - a
neurological insult, but not a traumatic injury.

Vet number four, affiliated with the illustrious University of Missouri At
Columbia, had been prepared to saw a freakin' wedge off of her tibia, at a
cost of about 2 grand, based on her erroneous diagnosis.

After receiving Scully's diagnosis of spinal stroke my daughter began
immediate intensive physical rehab including stretching, passive range of
motion, moist heat and swimming, which involved my daughter wading into
local ponds and supporting her in her first non weight-bearing efforts to
use the affected hind limb.

Scully's spinal stroke occurred in 6/08 when she was 8 years old. At the
time of the event, the affected hind limb hung like a piece of dead meat.
No control and very little sensation. After intensive rehab she raced
again on an extremely limited rotation 11/08. It was only maybe one heat
every other race but her joy at re-entering the ring was obvious. And she
got a standing ovation after her first run.

Please, please get another opinion. Even highly competent vets can have
their diagnostic biases and their blind spots.


Hello Kathleen
And many thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, this is the uni teaching
hospital and it's where they have all the equipment and specialists. (I do
believe there is only 3 specialist veterinary cardiologists in Aust!) The
"nearest" large city is about a 4 hour flight away!!! I had originally
taken him to my local vet but they weren't much good and would have referred
him to uni hospital anyway. He has seen a number of specialists the
(clinician, cardiologist, etc) So I really don't know where to take him -
the other options are local vet practices. I am at a loss, but one day out
of the er and he started the "cough"; a precursor to the previous effusions.
Regards
Mags

Mags wrote:

"Kathleen" wrote in message
news
Mags wrote:


Hello All

Just looking for some more info regarding the above. First a bit of
background. My 11yo JRT suffered from this in Oct 08, then just before
Christmas and now just last weekend. Each time he was taken into ICU at
the vet hospital and each time pericardiocentesis was carried out. I
have appointment with surgeon to see about operation (pericardiectomy)
either by cutting small hole (which they have done only a few of) or by
full op to open up chest cavity, etc.

I guess I just wanted some info on success rates, what to ask (I was just
a bit concerned when they said they had only done a few of the keyhole
ops, but the thought of a major one would be stressful!) What should I
ask, etc. Any and all advice would be very gratefully received.

I'd seek a second opinion from a non-affiliated specialist, especially for
something as major as this, even if it means a substantial drive and
repetition of certain tests and or films.

We recently dealt with a situation in which a spinal stroke was diagnosed
twice as a ruptured knee ligament and twice as traumatic spinal injury.
The fifth vet to examine the dog diagnosed the spinal stroke - a
neurological insult, but not a traumatic injury.

Vet number four, affiliated with the illustrious University of Missouri At
Columbia, had been prepared to saw a freakin' wedge off of her tibia, at a
cost of about 2 grand, based on her erroneous diagnosis.

After receiving Scully's diagnosis of spinal stroke my daughter began
immediate intensive physical rehab including stretching, passive range of
motion, moist heat and swimming, which involved my daughter wading into
local ponds and supporting her in her first non weight-bearing efforts to
use the affected hind limb.

Scully's spinal stroke occurred in 6/08 when she was 8 years old. At the
time of the event, the affected hind limb hung like a piece of dead meat.
No control and very little sensation. After intensive rehab she raced
again on an extremely limited rotation 11/08. It was only maybe one heat
every other race but her joy at re-entering the ring was obvious. And she
got a standing ovation after her first run.

Please, please get another opinion. Even highly competent vets can have
their diagnostic biases and their blind spots.



Hello Kathleen
And many thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, this is the uni teaching
hospital and it's where they have all the equipment and specialists. (I do
believe there is only 3 specialist veterinary cardiologists in Aust!) The
"nearest" large city is about a 4 hour flight away!!! I had originally
taken him to my local vet but they weren't much good and would have referred
him to uni hospital anyway. He has seen a number of specialists the
(clinician, cardiologist, etc) So I really don't know where to take him -
the other options are local vet practices. I am at a loss, but one day out
of the er and he started the "cough"; a precursor to the previous effusions.
Regards
Mags



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