Local Dog Receives Rare Brain Surgery to Save His Life
A six-year-old dog named Woody has undergone a rare and complex brain surgery at DoveLewis Animal Hospital in Portland, Oregon, which has given him a new lease on life. The surgery, performed by neurosurgeon John Du and his team, involved removing a tumor pressing up against the dog's brain, as well as rebuilding part of his skull with titanium mesh.
Woody's owners first noticed something was amiss last summer when they observed their dog stumbling on stairs and hesitating before jumps. By November, doctors at DoveLewis had diagnosed the cause: a bone tumor that required urgent attention. The surgery took several hours to complete but proved successful.
The procedure posed significant challenges due to the brain and skull structure of dogs varying greatly by breed, as well as thicker muscles in their heads, making incisions more complicated. Dr. Du acknowledged the risks involved, stating that the team was "worried about the tumor being very close to a few major blood vessels around the skull" and took approximately four to six hours to safely remove.
Despite these concerns, Woody made a remarkable recovery, being on his feet just three days after surgery and able to return home. He is now back to his normal routine, enjoying daily walks and playtime with his brother.
Although the tumor may not be completely gone, Dr. Du assured that it's a slow-growing one, and ongoing monitoring will help manage its progression. This successful surgery demonstrates DoveLewis Animal Hospital's expertise in complex canine surgeries, as seen in their previous success with Tuba, a 7-year-old Boxer who also underwent brain tumor removal last March.
Woody's remarkable journey serves as a testament to the dedication of his doctors and the hope that dogs like him can lead long, happy lives despite health challenges.
A six-year-old dog named Woody has undergone a rare and complex brain surgery at DoveLewis Animal Hospital in Portland, Oregon, which has given him a new lease on life. The surgery, performed by neurosurgeon John Du and his team, involved removing a tumor pressing up against the dog's brain, as well as rebuilding part of his skull with titanium mesh.
Woody's owners first noticed something was amiss last summer when they observed their dog stumbling on stairs and hesitating before jumps. By November, doctors at DoveLewis had diagnosed the cause: a bone tumor that required urgent attention. The surgery took several hours to complete but proved successful.
The procedure posed significant challenges due to the brain and skull structure of dogs varying greatly by breed, as well as thicker muscles in their heads, making incisions more complicated. Dr. Du acknowledged the risks involved, stating that the team was "worried about the tumor being very close to a few major blood vessels around the skull" and took approximately four to six hours to safely remove.
Despite these concerns, Woody made a remarkable recovery, being on his feet just three days after surgery and able to return home. He is now back to his normal routine, enjoying daily walks and playtime with his brother.
Although the tumor may not be completely gone, Dr. Du assured that it's a slow-growing one, and ongoing monitoring will help manage its progression. This successful surgery demonstrates DoveLewis Animal Hospital's expertise in complex canine surgeries, as seen in their previous success with Tuba, a 7-year-old Boxer who also underwent brain tumor removal last March.
Woody's remarkable journey serves as a testament to the dedication of his doctors and the hope that dogs like him can lead long, happy lives despite health challenges.
dude this is insane! i mean woody's got a crazy tumor & they had to basically rebuild his skull with titanium mesh lol what a life changer 
but seriously its amazing how these docs at doveleague animal hospital are saving lives left & right like tuba the boxer too 
. and yeah its not just about the dog getting fixed it's about the owners who are all worried sick & finally get to breathe easy again 
. i guess that's what makes this surgery so special - it's a 2 fer 1 deal for woody & his fam 
and i gotta say its so inspiring he was all like 6 yrs old and still managed to bounce back from major surgery 
anyone know where i can get some dog food for him tho 
and it's wild how much complexity went into saving his life... i mean, titanium mesh in his skull? it sounds crazy but i guess that's what you gotta do when there's a tumor pressing on the brain lol. what's even crazier is how long the surgery took (4-6 hours) - can you imagine being awake for that long?! 
. I mean, it's great that he can walk and play again - those daily strolls are everything for a pup like him 
this is so messed up a 6 year old dog had to go through brain surgery 
how many more dogs have to suffer like this? 
Can't believe it took 'em this long to catch the tumor... and now he'll have to deal with meds for the rest of his life 
. Titanium mesh on a dog's skull is straight-up messed up 
like, imagine having to navigate around all those tiny blood vessels on your head lol. but seriously though, dr du and his team are total heroes 
i mean who else is gonna go in there and try to save a pup's life? 
and woody's recovery is just amazing - he's back on his feet in like three days? that's some next-level healing power right there 
4-6 hours of surgery?! I'm just glad the docs were able to save him but seriously, can we talk about how rare and high-risk this surgery is for dogs? 
I'm soooo stoked for Woody!! That poor pup was stumbling around and now he's back on his paws 
! Brain tumors are super rare in dogs too, so this is like a miracle, right? 
DoveLewis Animal Hospital does some serious magic stuff there. Can we get updates on how Woody's doing though? Like, a year later or something? That's the kind of info I wanna know about 
And I love how Woody's still getting back into his routine, enjoying daily walks with his bro - it's all about living life to the fullest, right? 
and the fact that woody's doin okay now is just the best news ever 
it uses this special kind of salt that's supposed to enhance flavors or something, idk but trust me it's LIFE.CHANGING. anyway back to woody the dog... i'm so glad he's doing well after his surgery 
and now hes gotta be on monitoring forever lol. like, what's the point of even doing surgery if ur just gonna keep an eye on him? 
- we're all rooting for him! And if his story can inspire others to appreciate their own pets a little more, then I'm totally here for it