TECA Surgery - Watson's New Lease on Life
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Recently, my husband and I learned that our 7-year-old rescue Pit Bull, Watson, needs Total Ear Canal Ablation (TECA) surgery in both ears due to chronic ear infections which have resulted in calcified ear canals. The procedure on his left ear is scheduled for 11/2, while his right ear will be done on 11/16. This will cost us around $6.6k between both procedures.
Watson's Story:
Watson was found abandoned in an empty lot in New Orleans East after Hurricane Zeta in October 2020, immobile and left to die. He spent the next several months in and out of the shelter (LASPCA), largely overlooked, but also adopted and returned due to his temperament. In January 2021, one day before he was set to be euthanized due to his ongoing medical issues, we brought Watson into our home as a permanent foster placement and wound up adopting him ourselves in March.
What we got when Watson walked into our home in January was not a dog, it was a shell of a dog. It took him days to even look at us, and weeks before we were able to coax out even the smallest, lowest tail wag. Although he has made tremendous progress and has bursts of joy here and there, Watson's life is largely a life of pain and discomfort due to a chronic, persistent ear infection.
Watson had an ear infection when he was found last October, and continues to have that same ear infection today, almost one year later. Believe me, we have tried everything and nothing has worked. Countless vet appointments, different medications, diet changes, ear cultures, even special ointments compounded specifically for the infection that is living in his ears. He cries out in pain whenever he itches, he has no interest in toys, he struggles to get comfortable and paces frantically throughout the day searching for anything to rub his ears on for relief. Being in constant excruciating pain, it's no wonder that Watson is also quite temperamental.
About TECA Surgery:
TECA surgery involves the complete removal of the ear canal (and potentially the tympanic bulla), leaving only the ear flap remaining. While this seems extreme, it is the only solution once the ear canal has become calcified, as both of Watson's have. The procedures will likely render him deaf, but he will finally be pain-free and have a much better quality of life. Most owners report a dramatic improvement in the attitude of their pets postoperatively, claiming they see a return of social and play behaviors they have not seen in many years (or ever for us and Watson).
Every contribution helps give Watson the joyous pain-free life he deserves.
Organizer
Julia Milrod
Organizer
New Orleans, LA