It’s been quite a crazy few months. The week before Halloween, I noticed Edgar Allan was limping a little bit one morning. After several veterinarian visits within one week, we were able to rule out Lyme Disease. Edgar’s primary veterinarian than referred us to an orthopedic sports medicine specialist.
When we arrived at the specialist it was clear that there was something wrong with Edgar Allan’s right leg. The lameness in his leg was apparent. They took x-rays of all of his legs and his pelvis. The x-rays ended up being unremarkable. Everything in the x-rays appeared to be in place and just fine.
Upon the physical examination, the specialist felt that there may be a bone fragment in his elbow causing Edgar Allan to limp and have discomfort. The vet suggested that Edgar have arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow to determine if there was a bone fragment causing his elbow pain. If so, they would be able to remove the bone fragment. Since this is a genetic condition, the vet also suggested that if they found a fragment in the right elbow that they should also operate on his left elbow to remove any fragments from that elbow as well.
I decided that Edgar Allan should go through with the surgery and we scheduled the surgery for November 8th. Thankfully when I adopted Edgar Allan, I decided to purchase pet insurance for him. Having pet insurance gave me peace of mind. I knew that a large portion of the consultation fees, x-ray fees, surgery and post-operative appointments/fees would be covered up to 90%. Knowing that I would be reimbursed for the expenses, helped to make a very stressful situation much more manageable.
Within the two weeks leading up to his surgery, Edgar Allan was put on pain medication, as well as a sedative. This helped with his pain and to keep him from being over active. In addition, this helped us to learn which medications would help him to relax after the procedure. Edgar Allan is still very young and has plenty of high energy. I was told that he would be on 10 weeks of bed rest post-surgery.
November 8th arrived and the surgery went very well. They did not find a fragment in his elbow, but did find softening bone. They called it vascularized diseased bone. Essentially, if given more time, the bone would have broken off and turned into a fragment. I was glad that I went with my gut and proceeded with the surgery. That afternoon I picked up Edgar Allan from the specialist. Although they normally would keep him overnight, the vet noticed that he was not doing well in confinement. We agreed it would be best for him to go home, be somewhere familiar and begin his recovery.
The next few weeks were a roller coaster ride! It’s been a very rocky recovery! Many more blog posts to cover all of the ups and downs. I have learned so much about myself, Edgar Allan, and Poe the last few weeks. Poe has been the most incredible big brother to Edgar Allan throughout this journey. Always watching over him and by his side. My family and friends have been so supportive throughout everything.
Throughout all the hardships, it just reminds me how blessed we all are. Today marks 7 weeks since the surgery. I am happy to say even with several hurdles, Edgar Allan is finally showing signs of his old self. Looking forward to sharing more about our wild few weeks and what I have learned.
Until next time, paw prints and tail wags from Edgar Allan and Poe :)
To view more of Edgar Allan and Poe’s stories click here!
