My Dog's Wild Ride to Recovery: What I Learned Along the Way

I never thought I'd be taking my dog to Moscow's top clinics, but life had other plans. We live in Lyubertsy, and we've got some decent vets nearby, but our furry friend needed the best.

Our dog's 9 years old, a mixed breed, and she's been acting weird for days. She's been breathing funny, won't sleep, and I knew something was off, so I took her to a local clinic (don't get me started on that place).

Initial symptoms:

She'd been doing this for several days, and I knew I had to act fast. I took her to a local clinic, but they just gave her some meds and sent us on our way. I knew that wasn't going to cut it, so I rushed her to Innovet in a panic. The poor thing's heart was racing like crazy, and I could feel it pounding against her chest.

They took us in right away and admitted us to the hospital. It turned out that my dog was in a critical state, and we barely made it in time. She'd developed a spontaneous pneumothorax, which could have been fatal if not treated. They inserted a chest drain to remove the air, and gave her a bunch of meds, including painkillers, through an IV. They also put her on oxygen and took X-rays, ultrasounds, and drew blood for analysis. They managed to stabilize her, but the chest drain only provided temporary relief. The air kept building up again. The preliminary diagnosis was Bullous disease. To confirm the diagnosis, they needed to do a CT scan, which is how we ended up at Biocontrol. It was the closest clinic with a CT scanner.

Image of my dog at the clinic ***We booked an MRI and a cardiologist appointment, since the procedure is done under anesthesia. It's a one-hour drive.

We ended up with the cardiologist, and as soon as they started prepping us for the exam, the dog started struggling to breathe. The doctors tried to brush it off as the drive and stress. They checked her heart and sent us for an MRI to wait. They put us in an oxygen chamber, and I could see that she was really struggling. She was gasping for air, stretching her neck, and clearly choking. That's when we ended up in the ICU with respiratory failure.

We got resuscitated and taken to the ICU ward. They also did an MRI and confirmed the diagnosis of bullous disease. The bullae were huge and bursting, causing pneumothorax and severe pain.

Five days of being stuck in the hospital, with non-stop observations, force-feeding, and blood tests. By the third day, the doctors were talking about the possibility of surgery and consulting with a surgeon. They mentioned that there was an alternative to surgery, but warned that there was a risk of a relapse, which the dog might not survive. Decision made: surgery.I wasn't allowed to see her on the day of the surgery, as they were worried that she'd get anxious. I caught a glimpse of her sleeping from a distance. The surgery went smoothly without any complications. They removed part of her lung with the bullae - performed a lobectomy. The anesthesia was a combination of different types.After the surgery, we spent a day or two in the ICU, then got transferred to the rehabilitation ward. More observations, blood tests, care, and force-feeding. Three days later, we were discharged, with all the drains, including the pain catheter, removed.Based on the test results, we were prescribed antibiotics, a blood thinner, painkillers, and wound care. They asked me how I'd prefer to give the medication, and after I said tablets, they chose the right ones for me.Two weeks later, they removed the stitches and told me to keep an eye out for any issues. If anything happens, I'm to head straight to the doctor.Long story short, something did happen - we ended up with pneumonia, and we're now on antibiotics. But before the surgery, they warned us about the potential complications after the operation.***

This is a quick recap of the last three months 😊

***

About the clinic

The clinic is seriously impressive, like something out of a movie or TV show. It's spotless, tidy, stylish, and modern. The doctors and nurses are always on the move, rushing between rooms. They're even wheeling animals around on carts. The waiting area is well-equipped, with power outlets, Wi-Fi, parking, a clean bathroom, and even card payments and vending machines for snacks and drinks.

One thing I really appreciate is that they let you check in on your pet's progress. You can visit, feed, and even take them for a walk. After our pup's surgery, we were too stressed to eat, but during our visit, we devoured a plate of boiled chicken with our neighbor's ginger cat. It just goes to show that having the owner nearby makes all the difference in their mood and appetite!They're only open until 9 PM, which is a bit of a bummer. I've been trying to get an appointment for my pup for a week now, but I've been too busy to get a spot in the waiting list, and I'm not making it to the live queue due to work. It's pretty inconvenient.

About the doctors

Vets at the clinic

I've gotta say, I'm one of those annoying clients. You know, the ones who read all the online reviews and start asking doctors a million questions. But every vet I spoke to at the clinic (and I spoke to almost all of them in 9 days, including the ICU and rehab teams) was super helpful and answered my questions, no matter how silly they were. I'd call the hospital every hour to check in on my pet and get an update on their condition. I'd call the doctor on duty to get the latest on their treatment, and no one ever made me feel like I was being a nuisance. Even at night or in the evening, I'd call to check in with the night nurses and make sure my pet was doing okay.

I even got a bit feisty with the surgeon, telling them that they shouldn't be so dismissive of a single pet when they have so many cases every day. I told them that if my pet didn't make it through the surgery, I'd be left with nothing. They brushed it off, didn't warn me about the cost of the surgery, or the importance of rehab, or the risks of not operating (I guess that's what happens when you're a surgeon, you're always pushing for surgery).

Most of the time, dogs get pneumonia from getting hit by a car, stepping on something sharp, or getting run over. But sometimes it can happen spontaneously. My dog is a purse dog, never walks off-leash, and only goes out with a harness. Even if the doctors didn't believe me, no one judged me or made me feel like I was overreacting.

It's a good idea to get a second opinion from a few different vets - we're lucky to have two clinics nearby, Innovet and Biokontrol. Innovet is closer and has 24/7 hours, which is a big plus. If the diagnosis matches up, you're good to go. I was a bit worried when the first vet I saw from the other clinic gave me a different prognosis.

My experience with my dog's careI thought my dog would be totally fine as long as I was around, but that's not entirely true. She's either at home or with me, and that's about it. Still, we were both a bit stressed out. We didn't eat as much as usual, and we were hesitant to go to the bathroom in front of the nurses. And when we did, we'd do it in a corner or something. The procedures were pretty painful, and she started growling and snapping at anyone who came near her.

The nurses in the hospital were really great, though. They were super calm and gentle, and they'd talk to her and give her treats and whatnot. They even gave her a bath and changed her diapers!

When I visited her, she was always clean and had fresh diapers on. She looked pretty down, though.

I tried to make her feel a bit better by getting her this aromatherapy teddy bear. It smells like lavender when you press it, and I'd sniff it and rub it on my skin so she could smell me. I don't know if she got the hint or not, but I tried my best.

*On our first night back home, we'd wake up together and just walk around the apartment all night. I think she was having a hard time believing we were really home.

Cost Pricing for services

First off, it's all about the cost. Want to take your dog to a clinic? Yeah, that's around $10,000 a day. Want to do surgery? That's a minimum of $50,000, not counting any additional expenses. And I get it, they're not saying that because I look like a vagabond and clearly can't afford more than 100 rubles. They're saying it because it's the most important question every time. People shouldn't work for free, and they do work hard.

I'm not exactly financially savvy, and I was expecting the whole thing to cost around $50,000 max. But I left around $40-45,000 in the first clinic and realized that was just the beginning.

I spend almost all my money on my physique, often pre-paying for a package deal. And situations like this weren't something I was prepared for. I hardly ever have any free money. So, all the money I spent here and in the other clinic wasn't wasted or unnecessary. Even though I'll be in debt until the end of the year, I didn't regret spending a single kopeck.

Recently, I found out about pet insurance (but it's only for pets up to 7 years old). At least there's some kind of compensation.

*The only plus, I got rid of some unwanted books on Avito. I'd been meaning to do it for ages, but never got around to it.

I've been thinking, of course, that it's not the money that's the problem - it's the lack of it. But that's clearly not the clinic's fault.

Conversations with taxi drivers and moreIt takes an hour and a half to get to the clinic, so almost every trip is a conversation and a story from the driver (almost all of them have pets). People are divided into two camps. Some understand me well and don't consider the dog a thing, while others don't understand and think it's easier to put it to sleep and get a new one.

One man's dog had passed away from cancer. They spent a fortune, saw a bunch of doctors, but their love for animals remained and their understanding that they would do the same thing again and not abandon the dog.

Another guy has a Maine Coon cat with joint problems, it's on meds, but they can send it for surgery. He loves the cat, takes care of it, and spends money on it.

Then there's another category of people. There was a Staffordshire Terrier that got hit by a bus and broke its back - they put it to sleep, looking it in the eye. They didn't want a disabled dog. They were crying, even though it was hard.

My acquaintance just said it would be better to put it to sleep, because it's just suffering.

***

Take care of your pets' health. It's easier to notice something's off and tell the vet. If possible, do X-rays, ultrasounds, and blood tests at least once a year (some clinics have a dispensary service). Compared to treatment, it's not very expensive, but it'll reduce the likelihood of surprises like ours.

***

I'm not sure what's next, but I do know that on August 9th, her life was hanging by a thread, and now she's lying next to me, growling and refusing to give me the bone. And honestly, that's all I need.

2025