Veterinarian technicians prepare K.D., a 13-year-old golden retriever-German shepherd mix, for surgery at the Affiliated Veterinary Specialists clinic in Orange Park. The dog received a life-saving hip replacement. After surgery, K.D. was able to stand and put weight on her leg. However, after slipping and fracturing a bone Thursday, K.D. remains in the Orange Park clinic. - Don Burk/staff

By Sharon Pugh
Times-Union staff writer

Hip dysplasia had gotten the best of K.D., a 13-year-old golden retriever-German shepherd mix.

The pills she had taken three times a day for two years to combat the ailment were no longer working. K.D., who had battled the condition since the 1980s, was unable to walk.

Until recently, K.D.'s owners, Argent and Betsy Iodice of Jacksonville, would have had just one option - euthanizing their pet. But today, a second option is available to the Iodices and other pet owners - advanced surgeries and medical procedures to help the animals live longer healthier lives.

For K.D., the procedure was a life-saving hip replacement, performed June 7 at the Affiliated Veterinary Specialists clinic in Orange Park. The clinic specializes in advanced procedures including surgeries, internal medicine, neurology and dermatology.

Veterinarians today are able to do many advanced procedures, including brain and open heart surgery, tumor removals, fix disc problems, transplants, reconstructive, laser and cataract surgery, straighten out bones that aren't growing properly, insert artificial knees and limbs and much more.

Doctors at Affiliated's two sites (an Orlando clinic opened seven years ago) perform an estimated 2,500 to 3,000 surgeries per year. They do so in an operating room filled with high-tech machinery, a facility that in appearance, rivals that of an operating room for humans.

 

Veterinarian ophthalmologist Dan Brogdon does an exam. Affiliated does 2,500 to 3,000 surgeries per year at two sites. - Don Burk/staff

Colin Burrows, chief of staff at the small animal hospital at the University of Florida in Gainesville, said the costs of modern-day procedures vary, depending on the animal and how serious the injury. But few are inexpensive. For example, removing a tumor on the brain can easily cost $4,000. Hip replacements like K.D.'s run $2,500 to $3,500.

Veterinarians Robert L. Goring, Jacek J. de Haan, and Kent Talcott, along with several technicians, performed the threehour hip replacement surgery for K.D.

After the surgery, K.D. was able to stand and put weight on her leg. However, after slipping and fracturing a bone Thursday, K.D. remains in the Orange Park clinic, where she may have to stay up to four weeks. Her prognosis, doctors say, looks good. Usually hip replacements for dogs only require them to stay in the hospital for two to three days.

At the same time K.D. was in surgery, another ''patient'' at the Orange Park clinic was recovering after being hit by a truck.

Rocky Gieger was in a critical condition after suffering from internal bleeding and a severely injured pelvis. Three surgeries, a blood transfusion and several thousand dollars later, Rocky was scheduled to go home Saturday. Saturday morning he was having trouble urinating. Doctors had to do additional surgery. He is doing well now and is able to stand and move around a little. He is expected to stay for two weeks.

Many pet owners are willing to spend the money it takes to get their pets well.

 

Rocky Gieger was in a critical condition after suffering from internal bleeding and a severely injured pelvis. The animal has had several surgeries. - Don Burk/staff

''A number of people look at pets as a family member. In some cases they prefer an animal to some of their family members,'' said Goring. ''It's like having a child forever.''

Since K.D has been apart of the Iodices' family for a long time they don't want to consider living without her, they said.

Therefore, they were willing to pay the high price of advanced technology.

Money also wasn't a factor when Barbara Wing's dog, Coleby needed three surgeries on his back legs. Each of those procedures cost as much as $1,500 each.

The dog also had to take medication for a collapsing trachea, which is similar to a person with bad asthma. And Wing had to take him to the emergency room when Coleby was poisoned.

''If you had a child you wouldn't think twice about not taking them to the hospital if they were sick,'' said Wing, who estimated she has spent about $6,000 on Coleby.

 

Rob Goring (left) and Jacek de Haan go over x-rays taken of K.D. prior to the animal's hip replacement. - Don Burk/staff

To help reduce the cost of medical treatment, a small percentage of owners are starting to insure their pets.

Linda Rice of Jacksonville took out pet insurance for her four cats nearly five years ago after one of her cats needed an operation for $2,000 to correct a urinary tract problem.

She used the insurance again when her cat had hip surgery that cost $600 to $700. Because she had insurance, Rice said she only had to pay $40.

But, even without insurance, some pet owners aren't bothered by the high cost of a saving a loved one.

Kelly Davis of Jacksonville has spent over $3,000 for a series of medical surgeries on Brunos, her 7-year-old German shepherd.

Brunos was rushed to the hospital after being hit by a truck. She was bleeding heavily and needed a blood transfusion and treatment for her front two legs.

''She's my baby,'' Davis said. ''I don't know what I'll do without her.''