UPDATE: Thanks to fundraiser, Sultan family gets their young dog life-saving surgery

** _ Re: Family asks for community’s support to help their young dog (Jan. 1, 2017) _ ** _ By Jessica Sultan _ I just got the call from the vet, after 7+ hours of excruciating wait time during Nukka’s surgery. I’m bawling……… with the most complete, utter relief. She’s OKAY! She’s going to be OKAY! I just can’t believe it. I am beyond words.

In the words of the vet, the surgery was a success. She says we should be very pleased with what we accomplished and feeling positive about her full recovery.

The decompression of Nukka’s spinal column by the congenital abormality was completed with no issue (translation: the pieces of the two vertebrae that were malformed were removed successfully, and her spinal column is no longer pinched as a result.

The cyst at C5 was also successfully removed, thereby further eliminating compression of her spinal column.

What was discovered, and the reason the surgery took so long, was a lot of fibrous tissue (translation: scar tissue) at the sites of C4 and C5, the malformed vertebrae. Fibrous tissue is very difficult, if not impossible to remove. It was so thick at C4 that the vet had trouble removing even bone (it is apparently unusual for fibrous tissue to adhere to bone).

The prognosis is still good. The fibrous (scar) tissue most likely formed as a response to the congenital malformation. Now that the bones are removed a- no more fibrous tissue should form and b- if it does, there is now ‘space’ (ie a void where the bones used to be) that it can ‘fill’ without decompressing her spinal column again.

The vet reports that Nukka is resting comfortably and will be in injectable pain meds all night to keep her sedated.

The goal for the next 24 hours is to have her pee without a catheter, and eat of her own volition. Within the next 24 (ie day two) if we see her stand on her own, that is an amazing win.

I do not have the words right now to appropriately express my relief and happiness, nor my gratitude to you all.

Please overlook my babbling as I simply try to share this simple message – Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Our Nuney is going to be okay. _ Jessica and Family _ _ (This post was originally published on our sister site StittsvilleCentral.ca) _