Day 2 - A new term - Deep Pain Sensation

The surgeon called us around 8am.  Nathan would have to have surgery immediately.   The next few hours were endless.   The surgeon called around 11am.   Nathan came through the surgery OK.  There was a badly damaged disk which the surgeon repaired.   That was the only good news we'd get.  The mylogram, a dye test that shows the surgeon which disk is damaged, did not go well.   They could not get the needle in and had to keep poking him.   It also appeared that Nathan had no deep pain sensation.     This is a term we would become all to familiar with.   As a dog's disc deteriorates, first they lose the ability to walk normally, they begin dragging their back feet.  Then, they lose the ability to have potty control. Next, the ability to wag their tails.  Lastly, they lose deep pain sensation.   This is caused by severe damage to the spinal cord from the pressure of the exploded disc.   Dogs who lose DPS, are less likely to recover the ability to walk.   We would find out, as we researched this disease, that time is the enemy.  There is a 12-hr window between the injury/start of symptoms and time of surgery.   By waiting until morning to operate, we had crossed this window.   The surgeon was unsure of what Nathan's recovery would be, but it wasn't good...