How many levels are too many when it comes to cervical ADR?

[Katie]

Again, off topic w. the dogs, but definitely check into food allergies, or allergies of any type for the Goldens. They are very prone to this. Sometimes you have to go through half a dozen allergy foods from the vet to get the right one. The good thing is, if it doesn't work, you usually can get a refund and try another. Sometimes all the way up to kangaroo and catfish...who'd a thunk it!

Those hot spots are agony for our best friends. We changed his food when moving to a different province and couldn't find his regular one. Within a week, he started getting the big sores, and when we took him to the vet, she got him on a better diet. He was fixed within days.

We also found that in the older guy, a joint mobility support food added years to his life. The same dog at 12 was having trouble getting up and down, or moving in general. We started to wonder if it was kinder to put him down...he was really miserable. The same vet recommended this food, and he was leaping, running and playing in no time. What a difference food makes!

Also, if this isn't the problem, or in the interim before the new food starts to help with the itching, the vet can give you some anti-inflammatories to take away the misery.

Now back to our regularly scheduled program

[KBear]

Thank you CL and Katie, I'm going to pass all this information on to her.

Sorry for hijacking your thread Scott.

[scotto74]

Hey Kathy -- Yep, that's one of my parents two golden retrievers, Jake. He's a complete goofball and has a bit of ADD, but I still love him! He has definitely had some skin issues, and occasionally licks the hair off of his paws -- which we're not really sure if it's a nervous habit kind of a thing or a skin allergy of some sort (probably the latter). They trim them up in the summertime so they look like labs -- that golden retriever hair can get all over the place! Cindylou, I'm so sorry to hear about poor little Sophie, but I'm glad she's still around and bringing so much love into your life. I think I eventually want to get a yellow lab, but I also think boxers are great dogs. And I love this little basset hound pup that goes to the park where Jake and Baxter play... all dogs are pretty awesome IMO!!

Marti -- thanks for sharing your experience, I really appreciate it. I watched your videos on Nick Boeree's website, and am so glad to hear that you are doing so well! I am still torn between Dr. Bitan and Nick, the hybrid versus the double ADR. And I am sure the inevitable battle for reimbursement after surgery (although I am not expecting anything) is going to be an arduous process!


Katie -- I worry also about that number from Dr. Bitan's office going up after the surgery, especially if my insurance company changes its mind and decides not to pay for stuff. I'm not really sure how to confirm that out-of-pocket amount, but I will talk to Dr. Bitan's office today about it.

Jeff -- Thanks for the support! Your story is one of the ones that has given me the most encouragement and hope for a successful outcome given the multi-level issues in your neck. I think for me it comes down to really liking Dr. Bitan alot, having confidence that I will be in good hands with him, and I also really like the idea of a "hybrid" approach. However, I just can't seem to get around my concerns about the ProDisc (lack of cushioning, potentially too much movement). On the other hand, I also really like Nick Boeree alot and have heard nothing but great things about him as well. And while the downside or potentially risk is that the M-6 is newer and "less proven", I can't seem to help thinking that the axial compression and cushioning design may be better suited for my multi-level degenerative disc disease.

Well, sorry for the long post -- and thanks again to everyone for the support!!

Scott

[scotto74]

Ok, I have another question that's now kicking around in my head... how do I know exactly how degenerated my facet joints are? Dr. Bitan didn't really talk about them at all, and Nick Boeree said they were in reasonably good shape, or something to that extent. However, I've seen some people on here quantify where their facets are with a number. I guess I will pose this question to both Nick and Dr. Bitan today, as it seems like degenerating facets and ADR sound like not such a good mix. The reason I worry is that alot of the crunching and achiness I feel in my neck seems to come from the sides and back, where I would think the facet joints are. I know that one surgeon (a fusion guy, who said he would do a four-level fusion on me if I were 60-plus) specifically noted that he saw some degeneration in my facet joints in the flexion / extension x-rays.

Any thoughts would be helpful -- thanks again everyone!

Scott

[KBear]

Scott,
On the facets, it's not really black and white as far as how degenerated they can be. My MRI report stated mine were moderately degenerated, whereas all 3 surgeons felt they were mild. It is also my understanding that surgeons 'read' an MRI differently than a radiologist too. Most (if not all) of us with DDD are going to have facet changes, nature of the disease, so the question isn't so much 'if' we have changes, but how bad. I would assume that both doctors don't feel yours are too bad, since they are both recommending ADR. I would still ask them though.

Onto dogs... We have Jack a white boxer, who's a great dog; but has been a nightmare with the vet bills. I would guess we have spent somewhere in the neighborhood of 15K over 8 years with all his vet visits. The dog has had cancer 3 times (first on his tail as a 1 year old dog, then his side). I don't think we will ever get another pure bred, because the health issues are so much worse. Boxers also seem to stay puppies for about 5 years. He was the worst puppy, always running away. We would take him for a walk and people we didn't even know would say "hi Jack" because he was always hauling rear out the door, down the road and we would be outside screaming "Jack come home" LOL I was talking to the vet about this, saying he went from puppy straight to his golden years, it seemed like and he said that labs and boxers are notorious for being puppies for years. He's awesome with kids though, even when my girls were babies, I could lay them on the floor to play and he would watch over them and never stepped on them (even when he was playing and distracted.) He will sit and growl if we roughhouse with them, he's protective of them and I like that- but not to the point where I have to worry about him biting, he's a big baby. I joke that if anyone ever breaks into my house the dog will be like, "hey, once you off them, will you get me my milk bones off the fridge?" He's a sweet boy, sounds vicious though.

[Jack-of-all-trades]

I have been keeping up with your dilemma with much interest. After getting good results from lumbar surgery last year, fate has moved the spine issues to my C-spine. Sadly, the two spine diseases go hand in hand much of the time. Our C-spines are quite similar. We have the same insurance companies too. it may be interesting to see how they handle our claims being in different states.

I was at a conference recently. Heard a neurosurgeon described the use of the Prestige cervical disc. It looked like Medtronics had done their homework. I haven't heard any real world results either pro or con. Maybe someone here can chime in.