(Molly is temporarily unavailable for comment, so we, her humans, have stepped in to tell you what's been happening.)
We have a dog. A marvellous, magnificent, one of a kind dog. Her name is Molly. But you know that.
What you may not know is that she has been in pain since we got her 2 years ago. We didn't know. Until about 6 months ago, we were unaware of the constant suffering she was in. As her behaviour started to change from one of bouncy joy to periodically mellow recalcitrance, a trip to the vet (or Molly's personal physician) confirmed that she had problems with her spine and hip - although which and what were not specified. A protracted period of antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and other painkillers, including a course of natural joint remedies eased the pain, but not the symptoms.
On Tuesday last week we took her for a consultation to a specialist surgical veterinary practice, Dick White's Referrals, in Newmarket* where she had x-rays and an MRI which confirmed she had a slipped disc where the hips and spine join. This was putting pressure on her spine and hip joints as well as trapping nerves, causing her tremendous pain. It also appears that she may have a congenitally deformed spine - there are all sorts of reasons - which had been steadily worsening over time.
The only real option was surgical. So, on Thursday, she went under the knife to have the problem remedied as far as was possible.
The results are fantastic! She has gone through the sickness and diarrhoea phases, has been eating properly again and is responding brilliantly to physiotherapy. So much so, that now that her scars have healed and there is no infection, she can come home.
On Thursday, the 25th June 2015, the Moo-sized hole in our living room will be replaced by a recuperating Molly. We are ecstatic.
Thank you to everyone who has been so fabulously supportive. It is very clear that Molly is a firm favourite with many people - this now includes everyone who has dealt with her at Dick White's Referrals, too - and that her story has been followed with concern and applause. We are supremely grateful and Molly would be extremely upset if I didn't pass on her waggy tailed appreciation.
We will allow Moo to detail her own recovery, in her own way, over the coming months. It's going to be hard, we know, but we also know that she'll be back to herself and then some soon.
Love and waggy licking to you all.
*- a place where there many people, most of them like humans only much, much smaller.
