Off to Anchorage

[Glacier]

We're leaving in the morning with the big dog!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v38/Glacier1998/2011/cuteface.jpg
Heyoka has a growth in his larnyx that is affecting his breathing. He gets about a quarter of the air he needs with each breath, so he's constantly panting and sounds like a chainsaw! None of the local vets are equipped to deal with this, so our vet has found a specialist in Anchorage, Alaska who thinks he can help.

Anchorage is about a 15 hour drive from here, if the roads are good. Not sure what shape they are in this time of year and we could still get a winter storm without warning! We're taking two days to do the drive over there; have a pet-friendly room booked in Tok, AK for tomorrow night.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v38/Glacier1998/2011/heytan.jpg
Heyoka sees the surgeon on Wednesday; surgery on Thursday if he decides he can help us and we'll be home Saturday or Sunday. Heyoka will probably enjoy being an only dog for a few days! Hopefully the rest of the pack will behave! Our dogsitter is a brave little soul! Last time he dogsat for us, Founder died without any warning(he appeared perfectly healthy when we left). I'm suprised Todd is still willing to take care of the zoo, but glad he is! The critters all love him!

We're hopeful that Heyoka will get some relief and be able to reduce his dependancy on prednisone! If not, at least, we'll know we checked out every option!

[Grace]

Fingers crossed, and prayers winging North for all of you. He sure is a gorgeous dog :love:

[Randi]

Tamara, I so hope the specialist in Anchorage will be able to help Heyoka - what a long trip for vet visit.

I'm sending lots of good wishes that all goes well!

Take care! :love:

[Karen]

He'll be in our prayers that the surgeon is able to help him! As a lifelong asthmatic, not being able to breathe is no fun at all!

[Louie and me]

Have a safe trip. Heyoka deserves the very best you can give him and I know you will. Thoughts and prayers coming your way.

[kuhio98]

Tamara ~ I can't believe I'm going to be stuck in Prudhoe Bay while you're in Anchorage. I would love the chance to meet you guys.

Drive safely. Heyoka is in my prayers.

[Glacier]

Tamara ~ I can't believe I'm going to be stuck in Prudhoe Bay while you're in Anchorage. I would love the chance to meet you guys.



Oh, I forgot you live there! Too bad you will be at work! Would have been great to meet you! We are hoping to meet a cyber-friend from the malamute rescue world while we are there. He has one of Heyoka's littermates!

[chocolatepuppy]

Pawsitive thoughts and prayers for Heyoka and for a safe trip for the three of you.

[sasvermont]

And hope the results are good too.

[maerlyn]

Prayers, Tamara, that all goes well. Specialists are fantastic! Here's hoping this one can help Heyoka - he's so appealing!

[Queen of Poop]

Prayers for a safe trip to and from, a good look see by the vet and a successful surgery.

[Freedom]

Prayers for a safe trip, lots of fun meeting the friend, and of course that the surgeon can help Heyoka.

[cassiesmom]

Big prayers for a safe trip, and for Heyoka. :love:


HI God ~

Prayer Pups here ... wiffa request fur HELP with Heyoka...

He's having trouble wiffa Air Pipes --- needs OxiGin to suck better ...

Please put Your skrubbies on and fly down tumorrow to help wiffa Tests.

And be sure to give his MOM and DAD a big {{{God'sHug}}} to let them know
that You're helpin out.

THANKS, God!

/s/ the Prayer Pups
:love:

[Alysser]

I hope you guys have a safe trip! I also hope Heyoka gets the help he needs. Good luck cutie :):love:

[Roxyluvsme13]

Good luck, Heyoka. You sure are a beautiful boy, and I hope that everything goes okay for you! Have a safe trip!

[krazyaboutkatz]

Have a safe trip and I hope that everything goes well for Heyoka. Lots of prayers and positive thoughts are being sent his way.

[kuhio98]

If anyone hears from Glacier -- or sees updates on Facebook, please let us know.

(I'm away at work, and Facbook is blocked.)

Thanks!

[Glacier]

Heyoka's surgery went very well this morning. We were able to take him to the hotel this afternoon. He's sleeping off the dope right now, but has been out to mark the soccer goal at the park across the street! He's even eaten a bit of canned food....no way would I be eating with a 4 inch long incision only hours old in my throat!

The root problem was larnegyal paralysis. I am tempted to go tell off the vet who told me 2 years ago that he didn't have LP! The lumps in his throat are likely granulomas.....a reaction to the long term irration in his throat. The surgeon took a biopsy just to be sure, but he's fairly sure there is no malignancy. I can not say enough good things about the surgeon and the clinic! I hope to never need Dr. Priddy's skills again, but I would not hesitate to put another of my animals in his talented hands if the need arises!

The LP was dealt with through a "tie-back" procedure. We'll need to take some precautions for the rest of Heyoka's life...no collars, raised water and food bowls. The major concern is aspiration pneumonia as his larynx will remain slightly open all the time now and he could inhale food or water into his lungs. He may loose his voice or have a changed sound, but as the doc said....breathing is more important than barking!

On that note......Silence is weird!! Heyoka's breathing is perfectly normal already, quiet, not recuiting his ab muscles to inhale, not panting all the time, not gasping. We've gotten so used to the racket that we both keep getting up to make sure he really is breathing!

[Cookiebaker]

I'm just reading this now, and wanted to say how happy I am that everything went well. Hope you have a good trip back! :)

[robinh]

So glad to hear it went well.

[Karen]

Yay, so glad!

What you can do is write a thank you letter to Dr. Priddy's staff, explain the situation fully, and also send a copy to the local newspaper where you are and where their office is. Good business can always use recommendations and good publicity never hurt either. Include big ol' Heyoka's pictures and you have a better shot at getting the letter published, too!

[Queen of Poop]

So glad they were able to help the big dog!!! :D

[lizbud]

So glad to hear the great result for Heyoka.:) How did you hear about
this particular DR. ? I am so happy for all of you. Have a safe trip home.:)

[kuhio98]

I can not say enough good things about the surgeon and the clinic! I hope to never need Dr. Priddy's skills again, but I would not hesitate to put another of my animals in his talented hands if the need arises!

Dr. Nelson Priddy !!!! He consulted on Halo's golf-ball sized fatty liver tumor years ago. He is definitely one of the Vet Hero's of the world. :D

Hope you enjoy your stay in Anchorage -- I'm still in Prudhoe -- Bobcat says the forecast is for snow tonight. :( But, you know how the inaccurate forecasts can be. ;)

You guys are in our prayers.

[Taz_Zoee]

This is a wonderful update! :D So glad to hear everything went so well and that Heyoka is on the road to recovery......quietly. ;)

[cassiesmom]

Heyoka's surgery went very well this morning. We were able to take him to the hotel this afternoon. He's sleeping off the dope right now, but has been out to mark the soccer goal at the park across the street! He's even eaten a bit of canned food....no way would I be eating with a 4 inch long incision only hours old in my throat!

The root problem was laryngeal paralysis. I am tempted to go tell off the vet who told me 2 years ago that he didn't have LP! The lumps in his throat are likely granulomas.....a reaction to the long term irration in his throat. The surgeon took a biopsy just to be sure, but he's fairly sure there is no malignancy. I can not say enough good things about the surgeon and the clinic! I hope to never need Dr. Priddy's skills again, but I would not hesitate to put another of my animals in his talented hands if the need arises!

The LP was dealt with through a "tie-back" procedure. We'll need to take some precautions for the rest of Heyoka's life...no collars, raised water and food bowls. The major concern is aspiration pneumonia as his larynx will remain slightly open all the time now and he could inhale food or water into his lungs. He may loose his voice or have a changed sound, but as the doc said....breathing is more important than barking!

On that note......Silence is weird!! Heyoka's breathing is perfectly normal already, quiet, not recuiting his ab muscles to inhale, not panting all the time, not gasping. We've gotten so used to the racket that we both keep getting up to make sure he really is breathing!


YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY! Good news about the sweet guy! Please give him a huge hug for me :love:.

[dab_20]

I'm so glad to hear surgery went so well! That is the scariest thing, putting someone you love in a professionals hands, relying on them to give you the correct information, only to find out later that it is wrong. Incredibly frustrating. I'm glad in the end it ended up well for Heyoka.

Kisses and positive thoughts for healing to handsome Heyoka.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm so glad to hear that everything went well.:) Now I hope that he'll recover quickly too. Have a safe trip home.

[chocolatepuppy]

Good to hear Heyoka's surgery went well!:D

[Glacier]

So glad to hear the great result for Heyoka.:) How did you hear about
this particular DR. ? I am so happy for all of you. Have a safe trip home.:)


Our new vet has clients in Haines, Alaska. She had referred them to this clinic previously and got good reports. Our only other option was to fly Heyoka down south, which proved to be extremely difficult and he would not have down well without us there. I also have a cyber friend who's malamute had a hip replacement done by this doc and he raved about him. I think our Dr. Candace will be sending more referrals his way now!


Dr. Nelson Priddy !!!! He consulted on Halo's golf-ball sized fatty liver tumor years ago. He is definitely one of the Vet Hero's of the world. :D

Hope you enjoy your stay in Anchorage -- I'm still in Prudhoe -- Bobcat says the forecast is for snow tonight. :( But, you know how the inaccurate forecasts can be. ;)

You guys are in our prayers.

He is great vet/surgeon We were very impressed!

We did enjoy Anchorage. It's a lovely city...what a great trail system! Since the surgery was less expensive than we expected, I had some fun in your shopping malls too!

We made it home this evening. Our dogsitter did great with no traumas this time, except that Polly Paws hates him...Polly hates me too. She is Stuart's cat! Heyoka is very happy to be home. I'm pretty sure he thought we were going to leave him behind somewhere along the road!

[Karen]

dogsitter did great with no traumas this time, except that Polly Paws hates him...Polly hates me too. She is Stuart's cat!

Did you tell him this, just so he knew not to take it personally? ;) Welcome home! So glad, still that Heyoka had such good results!

[blue]

Glad you where able to have something resembling a good time in my home town.

Happy you are home safe and sound as well.

[K9karen]

Happiness that all went well!. There's nothing better than finding an awesome doctor.