The news from the vet for Itzl was very discouraging last night and more so from his insurance company this morning.
He's moving better only because he's acclimating to walking on three legs instead of four.
His insurance doesn't cover knee surgery on Chihuahuas, even if the needed surgery is a result of injury and not genetics. That's a change I didn't catch, because when I bought this insurance for him 7 years ago, they covered knee injuries for Chihuahuas, but nor knee surgery to correct genetic knee deformities. Sometime in the last year or two, they changed that and I just flat didn't catch the change. My bad, and Itzl has to suffer for it.
I am exploring avenues for getting him the knee surgery he needs, but so far, the price is hovering around $3,000.00 - more than I can save up in his lifetime, more than I can confidently borrow because I can't guarantee I can pay it back with budget cuts, furloughs, pay cuts, and rising prices of everything.
I may know someone who knows someone who might be able to connect me with the right people at the OSU Veterinary School, so I'm checking that out. It would mean a long drive and taking days off work to get it done, but that might be a more affordable option than anything else I can find.
Even if he is getting much better and more stable on three legs, it's still just three legs, and not all four. He doesn't prance anymore. He hobbles.
There's been no drop in his job performance. He alerts me to trains, sirens, alarms, high sounds, and more, even if he has to hobble to me to make the alert. He spends a lot more time in his carry bag or in my lap so he doesn't have to travel as far to make his alerts. He's adapting and adjusting to being three-legged.
I knew he would. he's that anal about doing his job. He'll do his best to alert even when he's under anesthesia - like when he had that concussion from the air bag hitting him, or when he had dental surgery. He'll wake from a sleep to alert to sounds. He'll even try to stop pooping so he can alert if he thinks he needs to. Of course he'll alert on sounds if all he has is three legs.
He doesn't need legs to do his job, just ears and a willing heart.
That's why I'm going to work hard to get him his knee surgery so he can have all his legs back, and his silly little prancing walk.
I want this:
Not this:
Edited to add: I've been emailing around to local vets to find one that is experienced not just in the surgery but in the essential after care. After research on line, he will need about 16 weeks of physical therapy and care so he doesn't re-injure this knee. It's the same knee that was injured when the retrievers attacked him in California and if I cold find the man who sicced those dogs on Itzl, I'd make him pay for this.
He sees his regular vet tomorrow to discuss alternatives and to get a referral to a canine orthopedic surgeon. The fees for this surgery seem to be all over the place - I'm not entirely sure who to trust, because one quoted $600, and all the rest were quoting in the thousands of dollars.
That low quote worries me because it's so far off from everyone else's quotes. All of them know Itzl is a service dog, and it's possible the one vet is giving such a low quote because of that. If that's so, why aren't the others?
Of course, it may not be the only low quote. I'm still waiting to hear back from several other vets who do such surgeries. I should have all the quotes a decision and plan of action by Monday.
I'll keep y'all updated.
And if I do need help, if the best surgeon and best care is more than I can afford on my own - I'll let you know.
Thank you all for your well wishes and offers of help.