Recovery from partial tear of medial ligament (non-surgery)

[Bandit-Bailey]

About 3-4 weeks ago my dog suffered a partial tear of his medial ligament  luckily no surgery was required , Since then he has been kept as calm as possible  no running around which he hates , He is 9 years old but thinks he is 2 .. No it time to start the recovery  we have started small walks & try to encourage him to use his once injured leg to build strength  he does use it  he even stood on in while trying to take a leak  but he does tend to want to just keep it of the ground , When I walk him I notice if we walk very slow  he tends to use the leg often not sure if he is putting that much pressure down on it but it is at least using it but as soon as we speed up any say  normal walking pace he starts lifting it and just using 3 legs

 

This is concerning me  I don't want him to go so use to not using it it becomes his natural walking , I have been thinking about a few things that may help ,  Jack Russell back right leg :A leg brace to hold the leg a bit straighter ? hydrotherapy or Just taking him to Parramatta lakes to swim  or should I just continue  with small walks  and see hopefully his improvement .

 

First Time Dog Owner.

Any help much appreciated

[_PL_]

Hi  what does your vet say?

3-4 weeks doesn't seem that long, usually 4 - 6 in my experience. 
He'll use his leg with caution for a while so don't push him too hard. 

You can do hydrotherapy yourself  but I recommend having the brace chosen and fitted by your vet instead of DIY if you choose to try that.  

[Bandit-Bailey]

Thanks for the response , My vet said a brace is fine  but I need to make sure its the right type and size  she said measure the dogs legs in 4 spots  she drew a diagram  then find a brace that fits the area . she also said  to maybe wait another week or 2 before walks  but small walks under 500 meters is fine for now as long as its on a flat surface .

[_PL_]

  I'm soooo glad you've got help from the vet for your brace. Improperly fitted ones do more harm than good. Best wishes for a great recovery. 

________

Not referring to you at all here Bandit-Bailey, but as many of these threads show up for people browsing Google seeking help..... Yes, you can buy all sorts of braces off Temu now that look like the real thing, but are pieces of garbage. Always consult your vet for a reputable supplier.  

[Papillon Kisses]

If you have the funds for it, you could get input from a rehab vet or physiotherapist. Maybe the team at SASH Ryde. They can do manual therapies and put together an exercise plan beyond just a gradual return to activities.

[Dogsfevr]

Get a rehab specialist .
Generally speaking swimming for injury recovery is warm water & with a set purpose in mind .

[Deeds]

I thought the usual recovery time was 6 weeks even without surgery.  In fact I thought it may take even longer with conservative treatment.

 

There was a Vizla near that went through the conservative treatment i.e. no surgery and it took quite a while .  They kept the dog crated a lot of the time but in the end it worked perfectly.

[Bandit-Bailey]

Update: Everything seems to be going as expected X fingers ,Bandit had his first trip to Hydrotherapy/ Laser Therapy he had a full assessment  and it went well he didn't misbehave   and he is booked in for his next treatment  , although he still is not using the leg as much as I would like after 6 weeks and has lost 3-4inchs of muscle around the leg I am working on it by taking him for 10 Min walks  as per vets orders + his treatments as well as massage the Hydro people showed me 

 

Now I want to get him to use the leg before he become so use to not using it that he just get comfortable on 3 legs which he is getting to be as he can do anything on 3 legs  Jump on the bed couch run flat out around the yard when I am not looking  , So I decided to by a small pool 7 feet long by 4.5 feet wide and 2 feet high  hoping that I can get him in there with his floating vests  and just got from one end to the other hoping he works the muscle in his leg with the resistance of the water

[persephone]

bandit has a good caring owner here's hoping his recovery continues well! 

[JRG]

Dinky little pool!

If you put him on a longish lead and get him to swim round the pool with you walking round the outside. That way you will be able to control the speed and as he gets stronger you can walk/ run faster.  (Gosh, you are going to be so fit at the end of all this!!)

(years ago I did this for a bitch who was paralysed and we got so fit. It was a much bigger pool and I used to coach/talk to her as we went round eg “drive to the end”;” relaxing now”; “take it easy”  “faster, faster” etc - the other people using the pool at the same time as us must have thought I was crazy!!)

[Bandit-Bailey]

After 2 months  of recovery , Laser therapy and Hydrotherapy and swimming ,  its looking more and more like Surgery is going to be the only option . while bandit is still happy and excited every day  and love to go on walks ( 10 minutes) he would want 60   I have not seen any real improvement in the first 8 weeks , The biggest challenge is keeping him still and calm , imagine a Jack Russell who just had 10 red bulls and cocaine thats bandit   , So now I am looking at vet options , I would love to just use me Vet I have had for his entire life  but as a Pensioner with limited funds I have no option but to look around TPLO Cruciate Surgery is looking to be the option and can range from $4500-8000 depending on the dog _ looking at followup care which usually is included  can help determine the Vet I use.