The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Spine surgery helps dog recover, comfort family
PHILADELPHIA — It’s hard to keep a good dog down, and Andy, a dachshund with Yoda ears and boundless energy, was as good as they get.
Ever since he joined Lorraine and Robert Young as a pup seven years ago, the little guy had been a tireless source of laughter and licks. This was especially valuable to Robert, who had a rare degenerative neurological disorder, multifocal leukoencephalopathy, that was increasingly limiting his mobility. As Robert’s condition declined, Andy’s favorite place to lounge became the spot next to him on the recliner. Basically, Andy was wherever Robert and Lorraine were, with a wagging tail and an eager heart.
But one morning in July, when Lorraine had to call for Andy, she realized something was wrong.
“When he tried to come to me, he was dragging his legs,” she said.
Alarmed, Lorraine rushed Andy to St. Francis Veterinary Center near their home in Woolwich Township, N.J., whose chief vet, Mark Magazu, had been caring for the Youngs’ pets for 30 years.
The diagnosis: Andy was suffering from intervertebral disc disease, a condition in which the cushioning discs between the vertebrae of the spine push into the spaces between the discs. The disease paralyzed Andy’s hind legs.
Lucky for Andy, St. Francis was taking part in a pilot program with Thomas Jefferson University’s Health Design Lab, which is exploring the clinical use of 3D printing for veterinary patients. Jefferson’s staffers quickly created a 3D replica of Andy’s damaged spine based on data from his CT scan that was then used to guide and inform his surgery the next morning. Andy’s procedure was the first surgical application of the pilot program.
But there was another reason everyone hoped for its success: Robert Young had been under hospice care at home and his caretakers knew his end might be near.
At home, the retired DuPont chemical operator was weakening. And after midnight Aug. 6, with his family gathered around him, he died at age 73.
Hours later, St. Francis’ staff sent Lorraine a video: Andy had taken his first postoperative steps.
A couple days later, Lorraine, 72, a retired medical lab technician, went to visit him with some family. To everyone’s delight, Andy ran to them — wobbly, but wagging his tail and giving kisses.
“He’ll be coming home,” Lorraine said. “It won’t be quite the same, not having my husband here with us. But at least I’ll have Andy back. And we can kind of move on together.”