Gunner Update

My dog, Gunner, had a rough Thanksgiving weekend and ended up at West Vet for emergency surgery on his throat. We got his 10 day check up yesterday and it sounds like we'll have a great Christmas!

Gunner sounded like he was having an asthma attack on Thanksgiving. By the time I got him to West Vet he was getting so little oxygen, he collapsed. The amazing staff at West Vet got him sedated and on oxygen, and stable. Gunner had Laryngeal paralysis. It's a disorder in which the nerves that control the muscles and cartilage that open and close the larynx do not function properly. He was diagnosed this past summer and I thought he was doing better in the cold weather. Then Thanksgiving he took a big turn for the worse.

He was sedated when he started aspirating food and vomit into his lungs so Dr. Murphy and his staff did emergency surgery where they basically tied back one side of his throat so he could breath and opened up his airways. As you can see he had a really pretty incision along his throat. That's why I call him Franken-Dog. He came home with lots of stitches and aspiration pneumonia.

We went in yesterday to get his stitches out and all looks good! He still has pneumonia but they feel it's under control. He does have degenerative nerve disease (Gunner is 12 1/2) which is what caused the Laryngeal paralysis. It also makes his back legs a little wobbly but with daily walks we should be able to build that muscle back up.

Thank you to everyone who has been concerned about Gunner. You have been so kind. I can't even put into words how thankful I am to all the doctors and staff at West Vet. You saved Gunner's life and I will be forever grateful.