The Epilog

 

 

The fracture of the left Radius was a huge complication for Tarat. His left leg did not grow properly because of this. This is what it looked like in the end of June 2006 – so 3 months after the first operation:

 

 

 

 

This is a Radius Curvus caused by a mechanical injury…

We went to Munich to see prof. Matis to consult what she thought was the best to do with Tarat’s left leg. She wanted to keep him in the clinic for 2 weeks and proceed with a corrective osteotomy. We traveled over 350km to see prof. Matis, we scheduled this meeting few weeks before, yet she only had 5 minutes for us. We didn’t see the clinic, we didn’t know where Tarat would be kept, no one had time to show us the cages. Prof. Matis admitted she never saw an azawakh in her life. It all didn’t feel right. The clinic seemed old, it smelled bad… And knowing that Tarat was not able to stay in the cage we thought it was not a good idea to leave him in Munich at all. My due date with my daughter was for the beginning of September. But the summer was so hot and many of my friends from prenatal classes gave premature births. I was afraid to operate Tarat before giving birth. We took Tarat to the Brno University clinic to consult his case with Prof. Necas too. The difference in comparison to Munich was shocking. The clinic in Brno is top modern – just built a few years ago. Best equipment, beautiful specious rooms, clean cages, a lot of student helping, good English spoken. Prof. Necas spent over 2 hours studing Tarat’s case with us, he showed us around the clinic. He even tried to close Tarat in a cage for a while to see how he was doing. He ensured us Tarat would have special care of a team of people looking after him. The cost of the operation in Germany or in Czech at this stage was exactly the same, the only difference was the price of hospitalization. We decided with prof. Necas that we would bring Tarat to the clinic right after I give birth and we would leave him there for at least 3 weeks after the operation so that he would be looked after 24 hours per day within the first 3 weeks after the osteotomy. I would not be able to devote this time to Tarat having a new born baby at home.

And this was what we did. At the end of September 2006 my husband got up early in the morning and took Tarat to Brno. It was so difficult to say good bye to Tarat… I told him to be good and strong, gave him a thousand of hugs and he was gone. Everything seemed well. I was calling every few days asking how Tarat was doing. He was fine. about 3 weeks after the operation – so just a week before we were supposed to take him back home - Tarat seemed to feel so good at the clinic that one day the team decided he didn’t need to be attended at nights anymore. The student who used to sleep with him was released home. And this was a huge mistake. Tarat got mad, he injured himself, he opened the injury and infected the bone. I was so angry!!!! I just couldn’t believe it happened again! Tarat had to stay in the clinic for much longer and the whole operation had to be repeated. This whole story proved to me that even a team of people couldn’t stop Tarat from hurting himself. From that moment Tarat was never left alone at the clinic – just like at home after the fracture. After over 7 weeks since leaving home, so in the middle of November 2006 Tarat was back from the clinic.

He was more then happy, and at the same time he was so sad. It was a great moment to have him back but I also felt so sorry he had to go through all of this….

This is the first evening with Tarat back home:

 

 

At the beginning his left leg looked awful to me, It was swollen, if was stiff of course…. I was depressed. The bone was fixed with a metal implant and two pins. We had to go for regular check ups every few weeks. In the meantime we started moving to a new country – to Budapest in Hungary where we are currently located. Tarat and Tatrir had to be still separated. We became masters of dealing with extreme situations. A small baby at home, a sick dog, packing for a new home!!!! I still cannot believe we managed. At the end of December 2006 we decided the baby, the dogs and me should go to Poland to my parents’ place and wait there till Karol gets us settled in our new home in Budapest. In the middle of January 2007 I came with the whole gang and joined Karol in Budapest. We had to built a special place for Tarat in the living room where he could be separated from Tatrit. The garden in the new house was not fixed so I had to walk both dogs a few times per day. Alone with a 4 months old baby, in a new country, in a new house, not fully unpacked… It was a nightmare!

 

Finally, at the end of February Karol went to see prof. Necas again. Just a few days before one of the pins in Tarat’s leg got through the skin. It had to be removed and prof. Juhas here in Budapest has done it. He also took an x-ray of the left leg. Everything looked well. Prof. Necas saw Tarat and this x-ray and he told us: “well, guys, he can be back to “normal” life now”!!! Meaning, he can be outside of his “cage”, he can run off leash etc.

So, finally, after 11 months of a fight, of extremely though life, after all together 5 operations we have a happy ending!

 

This is what Tarat looks like now, just a few pictures (more will follow soon in a slide show!)

 

 

 

The right leg is totally ok, it is straight and healthy, even though the Ulna has never fully united there. It happens sometime… The left leg is stiff in the wrist joint, it is still slightly deformed and it will stay that way, but considering what this leg was through it is in a very good condition. The metal implant is still in the left Radius. In July 2007 prof. Necas will have a look at it again and will decide if Tarat will keep the implant forever or if it should be removed. The elbow joints are perfectly well. Tarat is a happy, cheerful dog. He is amazing really. He can run, though I am always so afraid of him. But he needs it! Finally Tatrit and Tarat can be together!

 

 

 

 

>>> SLIDESHOW <<<