Aleksandra 157 Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 Jesse has a torn ligament in his ankle,which requires an operation to reattach it to the bone.I just wondered if anybody has any knowledge of this?The vet has only come across it once before.I think he did it racing around our water tank ( he made a track and would tear around it after a car left ).At first it was not swollen,but he would hold it up for a minute or two then be fine.Vet said just to rest it and give painkillers.A few days later I noticed a lump behind the knee joint.This was apparently bone trying to reconnect and an operation is essential !He is an 18 month rough collie,slightly overweight so he has to lose another kg before op can go ahead.There is a very long name for this which I can't remember ,but I would be so grateful to hear from anybody with any experience of this.Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffyluv Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 I would imagine it is like most ligament repairs, in that they put some anchor points into the bone and then attach the 'fake' ligament to the anchor points to secure the joint. Some are trickier than others, I believe after talking to my vet about my current foster girl - who just had the ligaments in her knee done (as well as a femoral head removal).. Bella was up and around the next day. It has been 3 weeks now and she is putting it down and using her leg. Obviously keeping them calm and not letting them go tearing around the place, is important. We were encouraged to get Bella using her leg quite soon after the operation. We also do physio with her, stretching her leg out and I had her on the fit disc this week as well (it is a balancing disc, that they stand on). Keeping them lean is important - not just for this but general overall health. All the best - they do bounce back a whole lot faster than we humans do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aleksandra 157 Posted June 5, 2014 Author Share Posted June 5, 2014 I would imagine it is like most ligament repairs, in that they put some anchor points into the bone and then attach the 'fake' ligament to the anchor points to secure the joint. Some are trickier than others, I believe after talking to my vet about my current foster girl - who just had the ligaments in her knee done (as well as a femoral head removal).. Bella was up and around the next day. It has been 3 weeks now and she is putting it down and using her leg. Obviously keeping them calm and not letting them go tearing around the place, is important. We were encouraged to get Bella using her leg quite soon after the operation. We also do physio with her, stretching her leg out and I had her on the fit disc this week as well (it is a balancing disc, that they stand on). Keeping them lean is important - not just for this but general overall health. All the best - they do bounce back a whole lot faster than we humans do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aleksandra 157 Posted June 5, 2014 Author Share Posted June 5, 2014 Thanks so much,Staffyluv,that sounds exactly what has to be done.I remember my Keeshond had her cruciate ligaments done several years ago.The vet is great,I have every confidence in him,but he has an accent and I don't always "get it".Understand it better now you've explained it.Thanks again.Alex. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CountryGirl Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 My old staffy had a cruciate ligament repair. She took a while to recover but with crate rest and keeping her quiet, she got there. It was scary though as she didn't react well to the anaesthetic. If you trust your vet and have a good rapport with them I think that's the most important thing. Best of luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aleksandra 157 Posted June 5, 2014 Author Share Posted June 5, 2014 Thank you so much,Countrygirl.Yes,I'm very afraid of the anaesthetic.My J Spitz heart stopped and he died as soon as it went in 18 months ago.I'm still getting over it.It was after he'd been terrified with all the earthquakes in Christchurch and apparently his heart was weakened.I think this is probably why I'm so upset about Jesse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffyluv Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 My old Stafford had many surgeries because of mast cell tumours.. My vet told me once that there are a couple of different types of anaesthetic that can be used. He explained the differences and we opted for the one that was a bit more expensive and the old boy never had an issue with anaesthetic.. A lot of people don't think the pre-op tests (blood work) are important but, personally and for peace of mind, I had them done. I also opted for post surgery fluids.. These are areas that you can cut costs on a surgery, if funds are tight. I chose not to cut costs but it is a personal decision.. Keeping up with the after surgery pain meds and resting the dog are important as well. If the pup isn't crate trained, I suggest spending some time teaching pup that the crate is a great place to be. I train by offering treats to go into the crate, then feeding in the crate (always leaving the door open until pup is comfortable with closing the door, with just a few seconds, then minutes).. If you don't like the idea of crate training, then you can do the same thing with a bed or mat. Teach the pup that the bed or mat is a great place to be. That way, when you tell pup to go to the mat, he does so, happily. It's a positive thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aleksandra 157 Posted June 8, 2014 Author Share Posted June 8, 2014 It's great to know these options,SL,I will definitely have the bloods and fluids!He's getting really bored with not being able to run! We sometimes put the two of them in the car and take them for a drive, just to give them a change of scenery.Only a dog lover would understand that!He is crate trained,I always make sure I do that right from the start.Easier for everybody!I love the photo of your Staffy. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffyluv Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Keep some of his food out of his meal and get a puzzle ball - where he has to work for the food. Instead of dinner taking five minutes, it gets drawn out a bit longer. Chew toys are another option, so are big meaty bones that will take ages to chew on. It is hard to keep them amused for a long time, when they have to rest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris the Rebel Wolf Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 My mum's staffy had her cruciate ligament done in one leg, but it's hard to say how her recovery went because she wasn't given proper rest and she was allowed to run around and chase her ball in the weeks after her op, she always limped, and in a few months her other leg went So I suppose from that I'd take actually listening to the vet about exercise instead of allowing the dog to set their own exercise level during recovery, like what happened in that instance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffyluv Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 My mum's staffy had her cruciate ligament done in one leg, but it's hard to say how her recovery went because she wasn't given proper rest and she was allowed to run around and chase her ball in the weeks after her op, she always limped, and in a few months her other leg went So I suppose from that I'd take actually listening to the vet about exercise instead of allowing the dog to set their own exercise level during recovery, like what happened in that instance My sister did the same thing with her Stafford.. He is now looking at having his leg removed as it can't be fixed again and he is in so much pain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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