What does a back surgery cost?

[pixiey]

My Justice doesn't have back problems, but I read that if you little one goes down, you need to make quick decisions on surgery. I was wondering if you could tell me, those of you that have had the surgery, what it cost and what it entailed, also, how your dog is today. My friend had one done and said it was around 2k, is that right?

[TessieMom]

Depends on the location and the surgery... around here it is about $3000.

[blueyezz74]

I live in the Philadelphia area and I heard about 5k here. I'm sure it depends on the vet and location.

We've never had surgery, but my ex-bf's dachsie (formerly my dachsie too) had back issues but she was at the point were the surgery was probably not going to help. He made the hard decision to let her go to rainbow bridge. He told me that it would cost that much.

[Mack]

Last spring my 7-year-old doxie Hannah had back surgery. The cost included the surgery itself but also the anesthesia, blood work, consult, boarding, etc. A not-so-insignificant part of the bill will be boarding. The surgeon won't let a post-op patient go home until he or she can potty on its own. So, this can be a couple days or much longer. Each day the dog must stay in the hospital, the more money it will cost. The price I mentioned included a hospital stay of only a couple days.

[Sausage Mom]

Does anyone on this board have pet insurance? And if so, is everything 100% covered (minus any deductable)??

[blueyezz74]

I previously looked into insurance. The basic plans don't cover back insurance you have to get the premium coverage or they don't cover it at all. If you are considering it, read everything to make sure it's covered!

I can't remember the ones I researched but I know that one did cover back surgery but it was pricey.

I know I asked Meemo (Loren) about it because, if I remember, she has the plan that covers it.

[dutchman]

Cost can very from region to region and case to case. I think a typical range to expect would be some where between $2,500 and $3,500. Consumer reported did a brief study of pet insurance a while back and came to the conclusion you would be better off putting the same money in the bank. With three dogs here I know the one plan that claims to cover backs would equal the cost of one back surgery in about three years if my memory is correct.

When Aggie had her surgery in April of 1990 my total bill was about $2,700 and I'm sure cost have gone up since then. One thing that added to her overall cost was they couldn't get a mylogram (too much pressure in the spinal column) and had to do an MRI (or was it a cat scan can't remember) instead. The good thing was the doctor must have use the MRI for some class because it was billed out with an educational discount.

[mamaw]

My Turbo had surgury In Aug of 2002 and it cost me 3,448.40. About 400.00 of that was because I had to be out of town over the weekend and he was put back in extensive care for the weekend because the little stinker would not eat for anyone but me, but I knew he was in good hands and he did start eating for them before I came home. If you go to the members list and check on mamaw and go to the last page and click on Turbo,s therapy you will see how much he was cut and all the things I did with him. He is fine now and the only telltale sign is a pencil scar down his back. It took a couple months after surgury and he started doing what I call a bunny hop, but with the therapy especially the water therapy he came around and runs and does whatever he wants. (Sometimes he scares me) So far so good.

[DeanneD3]

It was around $2700 here (Portland, OR). My pup crossed the rainbow bridge that night after surgery. I ended up paying $1700.

[babajay]

I paid $1,550.00 for the MRI and then $2,500.00 for the surgery. Hunter's injury was a month old before he had surgery. He's 2 months post-op now and can walk and run. He's a bit wobbly, but he's a happy boy. Barbara

[Heidismom]

plus the local check-up when she did the seal-walk. I was lucky in that she went down just a couple of hours befroe the transport van to Orange County arrived here in town, so I didn't have to wait - which can be dangerous. She had her operation, hydrotherapy, meds, and about 10 days in the hospital for that price in the title - I think the rest was about $350. This was in September of 1999.

[Patt]

At U in Davis, CA it costs around $4000.00. Suggest you call vets in your area to get their fees. Perhaps you should start a savings account for Justice. ;) It's always nice to have money in an account for emergencies or pleasure.

[LUVMYGUNNER]

Surgery runs anywhere from 2,000-4,000. I would but about $25-$30 a month away and save it just in case. I bought some savings bonds that I but away just for that. Hopefully I will never need them.

[lotsadox]

Amanda had surgery years ago (about 7). I believe it was over $2,000. then. She was only in the hospital overnight. On the advice of my vet, they let her go home with me before she was pottying on her own. I had to express her bladder for a couple of days myself. Not pleasant, but it probably saved me several hundred dollars.

[LilRomeo]

Is this a common thing for dashies? I heard my friend had hers done on all three dogs.

[doxie4u]

I use a vet in Springfield Va that has done back surgery on several of our rescue dogs for about 3000.00 which includes a myleogram and one day in the hospital. They give us a 30% discount which brings the price down to about 2000.00.

[doxsun123]

I have had 12 doxies and only 2 have had back problems- count my blessings.

[doxie4u]

If a doxie goes from just having pain to not being able to get up to no deep pain sensation in a 24-48 hour period no amount of crate rest, steroid treatment or acupuncture is going to make that dog walk again. It all depends on the amount of damage or trauma done to the spinal cord.

If you see improvement with conservative treatment, by all means go with it. But if major problems arise there needs to be diagnostic studies done; either a myleogram or MRI (if you have the money) and surgery done.

If people can't afford the surgery they will need to be able to deal or live with a dog that needs to be expressed, wears diapers and use a wheelchair. The general public does not want to do this. That's when the doxie is given to rescue. Hopefully we find a loving soul that will take this pup and is is willing to do the work involved with a handicapped dog.

Check out DodgersList (www.dodgerslist.com) and you will see people who will only do the conservative treatment and others that will be more aggressive with treatment.

Every doxie owner should educate themselves to all aspects of IVDD before it happens so you can make informed decisons for your furbaby when and if you need to face this with your dachshund.

Ina

[dutchman]

From what the neurologist told me and other outside reading I have done much of what Ina posted is correct. The part that I still live with is that when a dog goes from walking to no deep pain response every hour that surgery is delayed can lessen the odds of a happy outcome. The what if game I have to avoid falling victim to with Aggies case is that rather than call back the vet when she ended up totally down after our afternoon visit I waited till the next morning when we had a followup visit scheduled. Those house might of caused the additional neurological complications that continued to get worse and I had to say goodby four days following surgery. MY vet called and got us into the VTH as an emergency case when I did the morning followup visit. I went straight from my vet's office to the VTH where she was greeted by a neurologist in an exam room after a very short wait. Aggie having been a mill mother was a very stoic dog and they had a hard time trying to determine if she had any deep pain response or not. They finally thought they could detect a slight change in her heart sounds and pulse when the did the toe pinch test. They said the odds go down greatly if there is no deep pain response at all.

Again every case is different man dogs do great without surgery but for others it's their only chance of not only recovering but actual of even living. In extreme case the disk fragments can be putting enough pressure on the spinal collum that sever damage is done so even those things like heart beat, breathing and the like the things you don't even think about can be impacted. According to the neurologist in some extreme cases the spinal collum itself starts to break down. And yes there are some dogs extreme cases who will not survive regardless of what treatment they might receive. Aggie was given an 80% chance of going through surgery and having a major recovery. She had just really started to blossom and enjoy life so I gave her the best chance to continue to enjoy life. In my case things didn't work out but I don't question the quality of care she received and if I was told another dog needed surgery and I can figure out a way to get the money I would go that route again. I would also hope that should any of my crew ever go down that they won't require surgery and the more conservative treatment will work.

[jillc]

I just brought my dog home from the hospital on Friday, following his back surgery on Tuesday. The bill was $2300.00 at the University of Missouri vet school. They said he did very well and didn't have to stay in the hospital as long as expected. Now I am hoping for a good recovery.

[Sausage Mom]

:wavey: Hi JillC - Welcome to the DBB (look - I rhymed without even trying :) ). I've very happy to hear that your dog is doing so well after surgery....hopefully you'll tell us some more about him and how he does during his recovery!

Here are some healing rayz for him! :rayz: :rayz: :rayz:

[TessieMom]

Sending lots of recovery rays! :rayz: :rayz: :rayz: