# Limping and TTA surgeries



## Wenderwoman (Jan 7, 2013)

My dog has been favoring her left hind leg off and on for about a year. I have taken her to the vet and each time she has given her Rimadyl. I first took her in because it seemed the left hind leg was thinner than the right leg. She wasn't favoring it at this point but I just thought it was odd. At that point, we didn't do anything. Many months later, she was favoring it enough that I brought her in and they gave her carpofren (Rimadyl). This helped but her leg still appeared thinner than the other. About 3 weeks ago, she was favoring it again to the point that she was avoiding putting weight on it at all. So I brought her in again and she gave us carpofren (Rimadyl) again. She has been taking it for 10 days and it got better for a couple days but yesterday she was avoiding putting weight on it altogether again.

First, I'd like suggestions on what to ask for. She had an xray about 2 years ago at the beginning of all this and her hips were fine.

Second, what are the best medicines to give her? I have read some concerning things about Rimadyl. Should I simply try chondroitin and joint supplements? I do give her fish oil.

I am very concerned because she is not putting weight on the leg and because I'm afraid she is in pain.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

I would get a second opinion, see a different vet. Yours is just treating a symptom, and clearly there is an underlying problem causing the limping. The loss of muscle indicates that she is not using it fully and the muscles are atrophying. This could be a knee problem also. But if your current vet is not even trying to find out why she's limping, it's time for another vet. I would recommend you see an orthopedic vet.

Not putting weight on it is definitely a sign of pain.


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

I agree, time for a new vet, preferably an orthopedic specialist.


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## Wenderwoman (Jan 7, 2013)

Thanks, she's a good vet but I think I'm at that point where I'm just too worried. We put in a call this morning and I'm still waiting to hear back. It's unusual for her to take so long to respond. I just can't stand the idea that she is in pain. Argh.

Does anyone have any recommendations for an orthopedic specialist in the Chicago area?


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## Yaichi's Mom (Jul 21, 2012)

Wenderwoman said:


> ................ She had an xray about 2 years ago at the beginning of all this and her hips were fine.
> 
> Second, what are the best medicines to give her? I have read some concerning things about Rimadyl. Should I simply try chondroitin and joint supplements? I do give her fish oil.
> 
> I am very concerned because she is not putting weight on the leg and because I'm afraid she is in pain.


I am sorry to read that your girl is having this problem. The leg being thinner is likely due to her not using it, thus the muscle loss. 

When she had the xray, did they also xray her leg/stifle or just the hip?

When she stands, are you seeing if she is putting full weight on it or just "toe touching"? When she sits, does the leg she is limping on extend out from her body, sort of like a frog's leg? Does she put any weight on that leg at all? Does she hop?

Has your vet examined your girl's stifle? ( drawer test or other).


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

I was going to post about my last dog and her limp and what worked for her - but I agree - you need more than just a painkiller. I hope you get some answers soon.


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## Wenderwoman (Jan 7, 2013)

Yaichi's Mom said:


> I am sorry to read that your girl is having this problem. The leg being thinner is likely due to her not using it, thus the muscle loss.
> 
> When she had the xray, did they also xray her leg/stifle or just the hip?
> 
> ...


I think the previous x-ray just looked at the hips. My vet called yesterday and set up an appointment for us with an orthopedic next Wednesday so, hopefully he will get what he needs. I really don't know if the vet looked at the stifle but I will make sure to ask about this with the orthopedic. I also want them to look at the foot. At this point, they believe it is a ligament tear.

She is toe touching mostly now but I've seen her avoid putting any weight on it at all. The last couple days she has also had a lot of trouble getting up so it seems to be getting more painful.  She doesn't really hop, she just uses the other leg.


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## Yaichi's Mom (Jul 21, 2012)

Wenderwoman said:


> I think the previous x-ray just looked at the hips. My vet called yesterday and set up an appointment for us with an orthopedic next Wednesday so, hopefully he will get what he needs. I really don't know if the vet looked at the stifle but I will make sure to ask about this with the orthopedic. I also want them to look at the foot. At this point, they believe it is a ligament tear.
> 
> She is toe touching mostly now but I've seen her avoid putting any weight on it at all. The last couple days she has also had a lot of trouble getting up so it seems to be getting more painful.  She doesn't really hop, she just uses the other leg.


It does sound alot like a cruciate injury. I went through this with Brisby last spring ( 2015). I did have xrays of the entire rear leg, including the stifle taken however they are often inconclusive with a soft tissue injury.

What I just posted in this thread may or may not be helpful to you:

http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com...standard/429394-tplo-surgery.html#post6771458

Most orthopedic surgeons will consider surgery as the only option....there are others.

Good luck and I hope you chose the best protocol for your girl.


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

It is great you are taking a deeper look, bc atrophy isnt something to treat with Rimadyl ( which is basically doggy Advil). There are so many complex and simple things that can go wrong, and it would have been nice to see your vet look for a soft tissue injury or a joint issue, and xray the long bones. I really hope everything is okay. For chronic pain, Gabapentin can really enhance rimadyl.


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## Wenderwoman (Jan 7, 2013)

I just wanted to give a follow up on this. 

My girl saw the orthopedic yesterday and he definitely confirmed that it is a ligament tear and requires surgery. Thank goodness for insurance. I'll be happy to see my girl running around like her old self again soon. She's such a trooper though and never whines. I sure love my girl.


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## Lexus (Aug 26, 2016)

Wenderwoman said:


> I just wanted to give a follow up on this.
> 
> My girl saw the orthopedic yesterday and he definitely confirmed that it is a ligament tear and requires surgery. Thank goodness for insurance. I'll be happy to see my girl running around like her old self again soon. She's such a trooper though and never whines. I sure love my girl.


I'm glad you found out what the problem is! When will she have the surgery?


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## 3 goldens (Sep 30, 2005)

I am glad you found out what the problem is. Several years ago my then 16 month old golden retriever started limping on back leg and it scared the filling out of me. Just 4 years before I had lost my 12.5 year old Irish Setter to bone cancer--first symptom was limping on back leg. But with KaycCee it was luxating patella. Surgery fixed it. Then 14 months later at ;age 2 1/2 the other knee went and this time there was ligament damaged that had to be repaired along with the patella. But she never had any more trouble with either knee. I lost her at 3 months short of 9 years old. Good luck for your precious girl.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

So good to have a diagnosis and a treatment plan. Hope she's better than new soon.


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## Wenderwoman (Jan 7, 2013)

So, she still favors her hind leg and she is still scheduled for surgery on Thursday but I've noticed that the muscle mass on her leg is increasing since she's been on the pain medicine. Should I postpone the surgery or is that simply because of the pain medicine?


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## Pilgrim123 (Jul 26, 2014)

While pain medicine will make the leg feel more comfortable, it won't fix the problem. Her ligaments are still damaged and need repair. When Pilgrim needed surgery for his cruciate ligament injury, our ortho vet told us that the longer you leave it, the more the muscles in that leg are affected, making recovery more difficult.
Good luck with your girl's surgery.


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## 3 goldens (Sep 30, 2005)

I agree, get th3e surgery. Many a pro football player had shoulders, knees, etc ruined because in the old days ( and maybe still) he was given pain meds and did not feel the pain as his joints were being damaged even more. Same could happen with a dog--pain meds ocver the warning pain and the damage is even worse. Good luck with you fur kid.


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## Wenderwoman (Jan 7, 2013)

Thank you. I guess I was hoping I wouldn't have to put her through it. Does anyone have any tips on how to deal with recovery in a multiple dog household?

My plan is to keep her completely separated the first week and then have her separated by a gate the second and following weeks. She will definitely be taken out only on a leash until the doctor gives the okay. I'm not sure how long she will need to be separated outside from the other dogs. Does anyone know? 6 weeks?

I'm really nervous about this.


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## Pilgrim123 (Jul 26, 2014)

When Pilgrim had his TPLO, our other golden Lily was a real pain, wanting to play with her best friend as usual. We were warned to keep Pilgrim on the lead the whole time they were together, to stop any movement not allowed on his recovery instructions, for the whole twelve weeks. We were all heartily sick of the arrangement by the time it was safe to let him loose. Having to take Pilgrim for his leisurely five-minute stroll, followed by Lily's exuberant half-hour gallop took a lot of time out of the day. But he healed exceptionally well.
If you're interested, the instructions in this handout is very close to the instructions I was given for for Pilgrim. http://edmontonveterinary.com/clien...O_Home_Recovery_Program__final_july_13_12.pdf


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## Wenderwoman (Jan 7, 2013)

Pilgrim123 said:


> When Pilgrim had his TPLO, our other golden Lily was a real pain, wanting to play with her best friend as usual. We were warned to keep Pilgrim on the lead the whole time they were together, to stop any movement not allowed on his recovery instructions, for the whole twelve weeks. We were all heartily sick of the arrangement by the time it was safe to let him loose. Having to take Pilgrim for his leisurely five-minute stroll, followed by Lily's exuberant half-hour gallop took a lot of time out of the day. But he healed exceptionally well.
> If you're interested, the instructions in this handout is very close to the instructions I was given for for Pilgrim. http://edmontonveterinary.com/clien...O_Home_Recovery_Program__final_july_13_12.pdf


I am taking the first week off so that she can be completely separated from the other dogs. So, for 10 days it will be just her and I. After that, we will confine her to a room. I have another 4 year old and a 1 year old. They both love to play with her. Thank you for the instructions. That was very helpful.


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## Yaichi's Mom (Jul 21, 2012)

Pilgrim123 said:


> While pain medicine will make the leg feel more comfortable, it won't fix the problem. Her ligaments are still damaged and need repair. When Pilgrim needed surgery for his cruciate ligament injury, our ortho vet told us that the longer you leave it, the more the muscles in that leg are affected, making recovery more difficult.
> Good luck with your girl's surgery.


Yes, a dog with a cruciate tear or rupture will lose muscle mass in the affected leg as the dog will shift the weight on the healthy leg/stifle.

That said, if one chooses CM ( conservative management), once the stifle stabilizes and scar tissue holds the stifle in place, the lost muscle mass can be regained with return to routine, non weight bearing exercise ( Ie swimming) as in Brisby's case. Laser therapy and acupuncture is also a recommended protocol. I would assume this would be the same if surgery is the chosen method of treatment.


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## Pilgrim123 (Jul 26, 2014)

Wenderwoman, you're welcome. 
Yaichti's Mom, although I can see conservative management working for a dog with a small tear, I cannot see it being totally effective for a severe tear where there is instability. Surely it depends on the dog - and on the extent of injury? (I'm no vet. All I can say with certainty is what worked for Pilgrim.)


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## Wenderwoman (Jan 7, 2013)

I appreciate all opinions and know that there are many ways to deal with things. 

I was kind of hopeful when I saw that she was building muscle mass on the bad leg but I'm pretty sure surgery is best. Mostly because we've been managing it for over a year and knowing how active my girl is and how she plays, sometimes hard, with the other dogs, I think a final fix is the best option. And, greatly because, if we don't fix it, she will surely hurt her other leg because of the way she plays with the other dogs. The other leg can only compensate so much and she because of the situation with the other dogs, I think she has a big risk of hurting the other leg the longer it goes. As it is, she came in covered in mud one day and I'm sure it's because she fell. 

I'm pretty nervous.


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## Wenderwoman (Jan 7, 2013)

Well, my girl is having her surgery today. Any advice would be appreciated. We are a multiple dog household too so any advice on managing the dogs would be especially helpful. Please send positive thoughts and prayers. I'm super worried.


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## tikiandme (May 16, 2010)

I can't offer any advice, but good thoughts are being sent out for your girl... I hope her surgery goes well and she heals quickly....


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## Pilgrim123 (Jul 26, 2014)

Hi Wenderwoman, how did the op go? I've been wondering how your girl is recovering.


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## Wenderwoman (Jan 7, 2013)

Hi pilgrim, thank you for checking on her. She is doing very well. She was toe touching right away which is really good except that she is ready to get back to life as usual. So, we will have our hands full moderating her activity and sticking to the rehab schedule. She saw the doctor today for follow up and he is very happy with her rotation already. She is a fantastic patient and has a high threshold for pain. Like I said it is great for recovery but a challenge with rehab. She's ready to go. 

This is the good week as far as caring for her because I am off and we can keep her separated from the other dogs. Next week I go back to work and we will have to have them altogether. That will really be a test. Because then, for a few months yet, it will be a long road managing 3 young dogs that want to play.

She's through the first 3 days. Which was a lot of rest and making sure to ice and do the passive rotation exercises twice a day. Before the exercise, we apply a heating pad for 15 min., do 15-20 rotations and then apply an ice pack for 15 min. For the next 3 days we don't need to apply the additional ice packs but need to continue the packs and rotation exercises. Starting Monday, we can begin reintroducing her normal activity at a drastically reduced pace. We will SLOWLY build up her strength in the leg. In all, it will take about 3 months but it's important to go slow so that we don't put too much stress on the good leg causing her to blow that knee as well.

But, it is going well and she's getting spoiled.

Thank you again for asking. I was really worried and nervous.


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## Pilgrim123 (Jul 26, 2014)

I'm glad she's done so well! I'd be a little concerned about having them all together - she will probably still want to rest a bit and won't get much chance with the others wanting to play. But she is on the road to healing, and that's the important bit. By the way, what is her name? I keep calling her "She" or "Your girl" but a name gives them so much more individuality!


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

I'm glad she did well with the surgery. The recovery will be tough for sure, keeping her quiet. It might be worth bringing back her crate for when you go back to work, to make sure she stays quiet.


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## Wenderwoman (Jan 7, 2013)

I thought it was time for another update. This whole thing is quite nerve wracking for me. My Arwen is doing well. This is now day 10 and she is putting full weight on the leg at times. The incision looks completely healed and we hope to get her stitches out tomorrow. The most harrowing incident so far happened at the vet’s office. She slipped on their slippery floor. The whole thing was a bit crazy. When we came in there was this other bleeding dog and it just kept barking at her/us. The dog was bleeding on its foot but acting perfectly normal so I don’t think it was hurt badly but it was bleeding through its bandage and smearing blood everywhere. Arwen was already a nervous wreck and I think all the barking finally got the best of her and she tried to make a run for the door and slipped. I had a sling and I think I caught her before she completely splayed. After waiting for 45 min. the vet finally came out and said they couldn’t take her now and asked us to come back. I’m sure because of the bleeding dog. I agreed to come back that afternoon. It didn’t register until I got home and then I just started crying, afraid that she reinjured the knee and ruined the surgery. Fortunately, I composed myself by the next visit and the vet said the knee seemed fine. Still, I worry that it was damaged and I hope it heals properly. She is still putting weight on it and she seems to be improving each day. On a good note, the reason we were at the vet’s was for her laser treatment. She will have 6 of them. She will get her 4th tomorrow. I can’t really say for sure but now, at day 10, she has no bruising and I really do think it is from the treatments. In addition, my feeling and hope is that she maybe just strained a muscle when she slipped. As she was already limping, it was hard to say if she was limping more the next day or not, but to me it seemed she was a little. She was definitely a little more resistant to her PROM exercises, which, of course, just worried me more. However, she had her laser treatment the next day and she seemed MUCH better the following morning. So, I really think the laser treatments are helping.

We are finally putting all of the dogs together again. It went pretty well. When I say together, I just mean under the same roof. They are still in separate rooms, separated by gates. We let them be in the same room only for a short time and they all behaved. I am still going to be very cautious and they will be separated by a gate for the most part for the next 3 months.

We are also finally able to go on short, 5-10 minute walks. It’s still not enough to release all the pent up energy but it is something. 

Thanks everyone who is keeping her in your thoughts.


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## Pilgrim123 (Jul 26, 2014)

I don't know how I missed this. It is great that Arwen is doing so well. The physio and other treatments really help in recovery, don't they. Thanks for the update.


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## Wenderwoman (Jan 7, 2013)

Thanks Pilgrim. I'm just going to update here and there in case someone else is looking for information on the recovery process. It has now been three weeks since her surgery. She's still being a very good patient. She has now had her stitches out and has finished up the laser treatments. The incision has healed nicely with no signs of infection so no more worries about that. We are also done with the PROM exercises. She is also done with most of her medications. She began taking Carpofren (pain), Tramadol (pain), Gabapentin (pain) and an Cefpodoxime (antibiotic). She has finished all but the Carpofren that she is taking twice a day.

We are now just working on rehabilitation. The rehabilitation at this point is just making sure to walk her 2 to 3 times a day for 5-10 minutes and doing 10 repetitions of sitting and standing exercises. I think I expected a steady increase in improvement but find that it's a little more unpredictable than that. But, overall, she is improving. I think some days, she just gets a little too excited and does something to make it a little more painful or sore and she feels it. I was concerned with the movement of the leg because sometimes it seems like it is bow legged or that it is turning strangely but the vet says this is just how it looks when a dog is trying to tip toe or toe touch. Sure enough, sometimes I look and the leg looks perfectly normal. So, it is just her adjusting to the leg as it heals and through the different amounts of pain she may be having. Overall, the fact that she is putting weight on the leg is very good. I see some dogs take weeks before they even try.

So, things are going well.


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## Wenderwoman (Jan 7, 2013)

Well, I guess it has been 3 weeks now since my last post though it seems much shorter than that. I guess that is good news. We are still working on rehabilitation. She still is not allowed off leash. We do allow the dogs to be together now but only in one room and carefully supervised. Thankfully, she's a very good patient and she has only gotten zoomies a couple times and stops when we tell her to if we think play is getting too rough. We are now up to a 20 minute walk, twice a day. Her gait is looking pretty good and I don't see the bowing or strange twisting that I did before. Now, it is more of a little limp. And, the muscle really seems to be developing. I can now touch the knee and muscles without her being concerned much at all. 

Our biggest concern is keeping her from jumping and running, those are still not allowed and we are doing our best to prevent her from doing those. She doesn't really get a chance to run because she is still always leashed and we stay mostly in one large room. The jumping is another thing. She definitely seems to want to jump more than she seemed to want to jump before the surgery. I have given up trying to keep her off the couch. She is fairly careful about getting up and down and she's just too sneaky. I'm afraid yelling or forcing her off will just make her careless and cause her to hurt herself. Plus, I think we are doing pretty good but mostly because she was putting weight on the leg almost immediately and she has already built up some muscle on it. I can't allow her upstairs yet because the one time I did, she jumped on the bed which is much higher.

Anyway, next week we can begin walking her for 30 minutes and begin stair exercises and I really follow these instructions. We could quickly build up the muscles but the bone would still be weak. So, we slowly increase the amount of exercise and build up the muscle and when she is finally able to jump on beds and run around the yard, both the muscles and the bone will be strong and able to withstand it. There is also the other leg to consider. As it compensates for the weaker leg, we don't want to overextend it during the recovery process either. That will increase the risk that the other leg will need surgery as well. So, I'm following these instructions and exercise schedule as much as possible.

Finally, in a couple weeks we can take her in for her 8 week x-ray and that will be the moment of truth. I'll let you know then but for now, I feel things are going well.


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## Pilgrim123 (Jul 26, 2014)

Yes, Pilgrim and I hit a bit of a wall at the same stage. He seemed to be a lot better and wanted more freedom, but he had to be kept on leash. Hang in there - I'm pleased to hear you are following the instructions. I do hope anyone else reading this is as diligent, because you're right - it does help protect the good leg, as well as the bone that was operated on. Good luck with the rest of the rehabilitation.


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## mousemgr2 (Nov 29, 2016)

*Sorry!*



Wenderwoman said:


> I think the previous x-ray just looked at the hips. My vet called yesterday and set up an appointment for us with an orthopedic next Wednesday so, hopefully he will get what he needs. I really don't know if the vet looked at the stifle but I will make sure to ask about this with the orthopedic. I also want them to look at the foot. At this point, they believe it is a ligament tear.
> 
> She is toe touching mostly now but I've seen her avoid putting any weight on it at all. The last couple days she has also had a lot of trouble getting up so it seems to be getting more painful.  She doesn't really hop, she just uses the other leg.


I hope she feels better soon.


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## Wenderwoman (Jan 7, 2013)

Hello everyone, yesterday we had her 8 week xray and the vet said she is healing well. She is now able to do stairs and 40 minute walks. We will have another xray in 8 more weeks. She shows no signs of having pain anymore. The leg does seem a little stiff at times and once in a while I see her turning it a little or slightly limping but after walking a small amount she seems to walk it out. She is putting full weight on the leg. In all, it really doesn't seem to bother her much.

I am attaching a picture of her xrays from the day of surgery and 8 weeks later. I don't really know what to look at other than to see that the bone is filling in and the parts are still in place. My biggest worry was that the parts moved her leg out of alignment during a slip or over-exertion at some time. What do you think?


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## Wenderwoman (Jan 7, 2013)

Can anyone help me understand the xray?


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## Pilgrim123 (Jul 26, 2014)

It's a bit difficult to compare the two x-rays, as they're at slightly different angles. I think that's what makes it look like something has slipped. I very much doubt it has. The second x-ray looks very similar to Pilgrim's at the same stage - his ortho vet was very pleased with the way the joint had healed to a great angle, almost flat, taking all the strain off his knee ligaments. Where the bone was cut, it seems to be be filling in beautifully. (By the way, don't forget I am not a vet - just an interested owner who loves all medical research!)


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## Wenderwoman (Jan 7, 2013)

Pilgrim123 said:


> It's a bit difficult to compare the two x-rays, as they're at slightly different angles. I think that's what makes it look like something has slipped. I very much doubt it has. The second x-ray looks very similar to Pilgrim's at the same stage - his ortho vet was very pleased with the way the joint had healed to a great angle, almost flat, taking all the strain off his knee ligaments. Where the bone was cut, it seems to be be filling in beautifully. (By the way, don't forget I am not a vet - just an interested owner who loves all medical research!)


Thanks Pilgrim. I didn't mean to suggest I thought anything was wrong with the xray, just that I can't tell if it does look wrong and if someone that understood it saw something, I'd like to know so I could bring it up with my vet. It makes me feel better knowing Pilgrim's looked similar.

To me, it actually looks good and like it's holding up. The vet was pleased too and said she is doing well.

It's been extremely cold here the past few days and she's been doing something in the past couple days that she's never done before, she's been picking up the leg. She only does it outside so I think it has something to do with the cold. At least, I hope so.


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## Wenderwoman (Jan 7, 2013)

I'm just stopping in for a quick update. Arwen is still improving. It's a bit hard to exercise her now though because the temperature is now in the teens. In particular, the ground has been covered in a sheet of ice for the past two days. I cannot walk her for more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time. I'm not sure if this creates a set back or not but I'm just not going to risk her poor paws freezing so that is all she gets. When it gets nicer, I'll take her on longer walks. Nonetheless, she seems to be gaining muscle and the hair is growing back. She still favors it a little but she does put weight on it. She still leans a bit on the other leg. She also seems to sit at times as if the leg is tired or bothering her a little. Overall though, I'd say the leg is getting stronger and she does not show signs of stress or constant pain. I think we're still on track.


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## Pilgrim123 (Jul 26, 2014)

Cold mornings bother my ankle that was broken five months ago. The physio tells me it may take up to a year before it doesn't ache any more. I wonder if something similar happens to dogs? It's great to hear that Arwen is doing so well. Thanks for the update.


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## Wenderwoman (Jan 7, 2013)

Well Pilgrim, I really appreciate that you've kept up with me and listened to all my worries and troubles throughout this process. Arwen had her xray yesterday to check that it has completely healed. The Vet said she looked good and can go back to all normal activity. It is a relief to know that her bone has healed well. We're having a bit of a mid-winter warm up so I'm happy that I can walk her a bit longer for a few days. He commented that we may want to give her some aspirin the day before we take any long hikes. Other than that, she seems to be doing well. It's nice to have it behind us.


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## Pilgrim123 (Jul 26, 2014)

And isn't it brilliant when you realise your dog is better - that any residual pain will only lessen from now on? I'm so pleased for you and Arwen! What a wonderful spring you'll both have!


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## Wenderwoman (Jan 7, 2013)

Well, she's had a good recovery on her left leg but I guess the odds were not in our favor. They say there is a 50/50 chance that the other leg will need ACL surgery within a year and my girl is among the 50 that will need surgery. I have to say that I am pleased with her left leg and in some ways I will be relieved when this business is over with her right leg, only because then I do not have to worry so much about her hind legs anymore and she can get back to being her doggy self.

If you saw my other thread, I have been watching her right leg for a bit. She's still bearing weight on the leg but sometimes she limps a little, mostly when getting up from laying on it. We hoped it was just from laying on it but I finally decided to take her in and get a real good look at her legs to see if there was a problem and, yep, she's torn her other ACL.

We'll be scheduling her surgery in the next couple weeks. I'll try to be a bit better about posting the progress this time so that others preparing for surgery can see how things went for me. In fact, I re-read the thread to refresh myself about how it went. lol. I'll still worry all the same. Especially since this is the third surgery since last October. In March, and completely out of character for her, she ate a dishcloth and she needed emergency surgery to remove it.

Let me just say, insurance has been a godsend.


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## Wenderwoman (Jan 7, 2013)

10/30/2017 Update: She is scheduled for surgery on Thursday (11/2). Oh boy.


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## Wenderwoman (Jan 7, 2013)

I just wanted to make an update. Arwen had her TTA surgery on 11/2/17 and we picked her up yesterday about 4:30. She's mostly been resting but is a trooper and doing what she can. She's had a little bit of an upset stomach and has a little pain. But, she has managed to go outside twice to pee, I think the other business might be a day or two longer yet because she is still showing a fair amount of discomfort. When I take her out, I use a GingerLead sling to help support her. She is mostly tip toeing but I think she has put some weight on it from time to time. It's not uncommon for dogs to take a few weeks before putting weight on the leg. I do hope she'll be like last time and use it sooner so that it gets stronger sooner. We are being very careful to avoid jumping, running or having her pull out her stitches. She's not a big licker so we can take off her cone a little bit. I have to say, she is a VERY good patient. She is getting Gabapentin (Pain) and Enroflaxacin (antibiotic) once a day and Rover (pain) and Amoxicillin (antibiotic) twice a day. We need to ice the leg 3 times a day and do the Range of Motion (ROM) exercises 3 times a day. She will get her stitches out in two weeks and have xrays at four and eight weeks. Tomorrow we take her for the first of six cold laser treatments. She had them with the first surgery and they really seemed to help. So for now, she is doing well and resting a lot.


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## KKaren (Oct 29, 2014)

Oh, sweet peach. She is a trouper. I hope her recovery continues smoothly.


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## Wenderwoman (Jan 7, 2013)

11/9/2017 Update: Though it seems like it has been much longer, it has been exactly one week since her surgery. Her incision is healing nicely and I see no signs of infection. She is pretty trustworthy without her cone but it still goes on her at night and when we can't keep a close eye on her. I certainly wouldn't recommend that others risk it, I just happen to know my girl and I've been through two other surgeries where she was a terrific patient. Thank heavens. Our biggest problem is that she REALLY wants to get up on the couch and that's an alright thing to be a problem in my book. The leg is doing the same wobbly, twisty thing that it did last time but since I saw this before, I know not to worry too much about it. I'll try to remember to take a video of her walking but I always seem to forget my camera on walks. I do, however, have a couple pics to show her progress. I am much calmer this time around and I really feel that it's all going well.


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## cwag (Apr 25, 2017)

Poor sweetie. It does sound like all is going well. Good patient and good nurse.


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## Wenderwoman (Jan 7, 2013)

A video of her walking this morning is at https://www.facebook.com/thewenderwoman/videos/10156010465267160/. This is 8 days after surgery. She is bearing weight and has been since about day 3. Her gait looks good to me for a doggie that just had surgery. You can see a little wobble but she did that the first time around as well so I think she's doing good.


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## Wenderwoman (Jan 7, 2013)

I guess I was not as good at posting as I hoped to be but that is a good thing because everything is going well. So, I'm not sure that my dog would be good to judge by because she really has been an excellent patient. Though lately she has been full of energy and will and has snuck up on the couch many times, snuck downstairs twice and gotten zoomies a handful of times. The zoomies completely freaked me out, of course. So, she definitely feels all better. 

It has now been four weeks since the surgery. At this point she is bearing full weight on the leg most of the time. The incision is fully healed and she is even starting to get a little hair back on the leg. Her gait looks just about normal.

The major reason for this post is to update everyone on the 4 week follow up x-ray. The surgeon said that the x-ray looks good and everything is exactly where it is supposed to be at this point. That is a big relief to me. He said to continue with what we are doing but increase the walks throughout the next 4 weeks until we are up to 30 minutes. So, basically I will increase the walk time by 5 minutes each week. I was really hoping we could do stairs by now but he is much more conservative on the rehabilitation process than the surgeon for the left knee a year ago. But, as always, I will do what they tell me because the leg healing properly is the most important thing. So, all she gets is walks for another 4 weeks. We got this far so we will make it another 4 weeks.

However, I asked for a mild sedative because she seems to have a bad case of cabin fever (hence the zoomies and going downstairs). I explained I was most worried about zoomies. He had to ask me what zoomies were and I explained she just starts running from one end to the other and even spins herself around in circles. He agreed that she shouldn't be doing that and gave me trazadone to give her if I feel it's needed. We don't want her lethargic but we don't want her being a maniac so I will be pretty selective about using it. So, we've set the timer for another 4 weeks and I'll pop in again sometime but from here on out it is mostly a lot of walking and keeping her calm. The most worrisome time is behind us but she's still not out of the woods either.


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