Cruciate Ligament Ruptures

[Kelly_Louise]

Here's a pic of Chloe showing some leg!

[malleerr]

Hey Kelly_Louise So glad to hear that Chloe is back home and doing well!!!! Glad you have also finally gotton to have some rest.!!. Mallee is doing OK and seems to know, like Chloe does, that she cannot do everything that she used to, it has been four weeks now, and probably another 4-6 to go in the cage so i suppose now the hard part starts with her. As i am sure the better she gets the harder it is going to be to keep her quite!!! She is walking around better, and even on occassions, much to our horror, tries to run and chase bugs while on the lead and in the sling!! Back to see the surgeon early next week so hopfully we can start on physio then.

Give Chloe and big pat from me and keep us posted.

PS.. she looks soo happy in the photo to be home

Edited December 10, 2005 by malleerr

[Kelly_Louise]

Hi Antoinette! Glad to also hear that Mallee is doing well. Still it's a long way to go isn't it? Seems like forever. Yes Chloe also watches anything that moves (eg flies, bugs, aeroplanes) with intent interest. When I see that she is paying too much attention and her eyes are getting bigger and bigger, I have to tell her "No", but thankfully she doesn't seem interested in chasing them.

Sometimes I wonder how others have gone through it. You can just never let your guard down for a second, or else all the hard work can come undone...

Anyways, yes she loves being home... especially now that she knows she is staying here and we are not going anywhere or leaving her. Secretly, I also think she's pretty pleased at having an excuse not to get up or do anything. She's always been a bit on the lazy side!

May I ask how many times a day Mallee, or indeed any other dog going through the same kind of thing, gets up a day to be taken to the toilet or for any other reason? And do they get up and down in their crates very much?

Anyways, it's dinner time for Chloe, so off to fix it up!

Take care all!

[malleerr]

Hey Kelly, Mallee gets taken out between 3-4 times a day, 7.30am, 12.30 and then around 6ish at night, but if she gets really restless at around 9pm we tend to take her out again. She is only outside for about 5 mins at a time... Just lately she has been mucking around alot when it is time to go back into the cage especially at night, so we have been letting her just lie on the floor in the lounge room (where her cage is) for about 5 mins, but you have to really watch that she makes no sudden movements or starts to be too silly...We are so greatful that we had taken her to puppy school before all this started so she is very good with her sits, stays and drops, which has made it so much easier.

Yeap it still is a long way to go, my OH was just saying last night it already seems to have been so long since she was well that he finds it hard to remember what it was like to have a healthy dog......just sooo hope it has all been worth it, and she will be up walking around by herself again soon. I can't wait to be able to walk her again and just enjoy her being a dog, not locked up in a cage all the time, but, it is for a reason so we just have to be patient.

Edited December 10, 2005 by malleerr

[fido666]

Hi KL,

Here's a pic of Chloe showing some leg!

Gotta love that chicken leg look . At least Chloe's fur won't take as long to grow back, Duncan's took months .

Cheers,

Corine

[Kelly_Louise]

Haha Corine... I can imagine with his long hair how strange he would look. Sometimes I forget that there is some skin under there somewhere!!! She thinks she is being sexy!... Little does she know... ugh.....

Thanks for that Antoinette. That's about what Chloe has as well. Sometimes after she goes to the toilet she lies down in the shade of a tree, so I also sit with her on the grass for a bit - cause it's really hot at the moment. Once she even went to sleep in a couple of minutes. So I sat with her (on the lead of course) until she woke up then slowly made our way back to jail.

I agree with your OH... 4 weeks already must seem like a long time. I feel the same about Chloe. I almost forget what it was like to see her running and not having to watch her struggle to get up and down. Even if she never runs around like a loony again, just a jog, a painfree walkie and getting up and down with ease is the most I am hoping for... anything else will be a bonus.

Here's hoping all our pups get better soon and we don't have to worry like maniacs about them....

[kimjm]

Have a look at the motion support harnesses on this web site may be helpful to you in terms of helping her up and down and providing support when pottering around

[Kelly_Louise]

Thank you very much ... I certainly will have a look. Anything to help her get well again!

What would I have done had I not have ended up on these forums??!!!

[malleerr]

You probably would have a white coat on and be in a padded room!!!

How is she today Kelly?? Anymore improvement?

[Kelly_Louise]

Yes you are certainly right there Antoinette... but let me tell you I'm not far off it.

Well after days of being really good Chloe has just had enough of being confined. Last night, she pushed her way under 2 very stable wire fences and made her way up the stairs and into the house. I still don't know how she did it. When I checked her the stitches were all intact, and she was walking fine. The leg was not giving her any problems at all. In a panic I rang the vet who said there was nothing that could really be done or worried about unless she was limping or there was a decline in use of her leg (eg not putting weight on it anymore). But everytime I have taken her to the toilet she seems to be walking fine and has no complaints or hesitation getting up or down. I just don't know what to do with her. She is checked nearly every hour during the night. I asked for sedatives or something similar that would see her sleep through the night but they told me there was nothing they could give to her. Tried crating her and she is worse. She becomes like a maniac - and no I'm not exaggerating. I'm really at my wits end and worried sick. I can't remember what sleep is anymore... The vet told me that if she has so much anxiety being so strictly confined that maybe we need to give her a bit more room to move in. The chances of her hurting herself will probably be less that way than the damage she can do trying to escape.

I just don't know what to do. :rolleyes:

[fido666]

Hi KL,

Perhaps some Rescue Remedy may help to calm her? I haven't used it myself but I'm sure some helpful DOLer out there could give you some advice on its use. We had Duncan in his crate in our bedroom at night (and still do), I think that kelped a lot.

Cheers,

Corine

[Kelly_Louise]

Hey thanks Corine... I will surely look into Rescue Remedy! :rolleyes:

Well we had a peaceful night last night. We thought up as many measures as possible to eliminate a reoccurence. Firstly, we did not let her sleep as much during the day yesterday (it really is her favourite thing to do). Secondly, we put her to bed much much later than usual. We also escape proofed every possible part of the pen. Now she knows that she could escape, she is very cunning and kept trying out the give and take in the chicken wire. We put large pot plants all around the outside of the wire. We pegged down the wire into the ground at all areas so she couldn't get her nose under (it's all she needs - then she's off). I put a wooden board on the outside of the gate to get in so that she can see it's a solid object and not worth testing the wire there. We kept the radio on for her all night (she really loves hearing the radio). She is a very jumpy (read: weird!!!) dog and doesn't like any strange noises etc etc so to help distract her from any other sounds the radio was left on all night. And lastly, we did not confine her to the very small pen. We left it open so she had access to the pen that is about 3m x 5m. She was more calm with this and didn't move a muscle all night (although I was up at every sound and checking still!!).

So we will see how this goes. She doesn't really like to go very far or be overly active in the early hours, so maybe she just wanted some room to stretch her legs and go to the toilet of her own accord? Not sure, but the strict confinement was too much for her. Maybe she is too old for her whole life to change so much... who knows?

Anyway, thanks for the concern guys. I can't wait for her to have stitches out so I can also have some reassurance from the vet that she is okay. But honestly, if you didn't see the stitches or the chicken leg there is no way you would ever guess this dog has had surgery. It's remarkable, but we are still being vigilant cause there is a long way to go still... and then there is the other leg... ;)

Hope every one and there puppies are well!! :D

[malleerr]

Hi Kelly good to hear that Chloe has calmed down a bit for you since the other night!! The cheeky little escape artist. ITs excellent that she is walking around well, and seems to be happy in herself!

After Mallee had her first operation on her front legs, we gave her warm milk at night just before bed, and it seemed to settle her into sleeping a bit better, but then again she was just a baby so that may be why helped her. After the operation on the back legs we were sent home with sedatives....i wonder why they couldn't have given you a lose dosage sedative??? The ones we were given were basically childrens car sickness tablets..

We saw our surgeon again yest....it has now been i think 5 weeks since her last op, and he is very happy with her progress...thank god and gave us physio exercises to do with her. On Tuesday night she actually took 5 steps out the back by herself not supported ;) we could not have been happier, she is also trying to scratch herself with her back left leg, its funny the things we get excited over now!! Back to the surgeon in the first few weeks of Jan for x-rays and then we can start her swimming, more walkies, and more physio. Then he seems to think he will not need to see us for 3 months after that and that she should be running through the vets office by then....i can't wait just want to fastforward to March now and have her all better.

I hope all things go well with you and Chloe, hopefully, fingers crossed you will soon be able to get a good night sleep, maybe you need the sedatives and rescue remedy. Take care and give beautiful Chloe a big pat from me and Mallee.

Keep me posted.

Antoinette

When does she get her stitches out or are they staples??

[Kelly_Louise]

Hi Antoinette! I'm so glad to hear of Mallee's progress. That is absolutely great!!! It's so reassuring to have a surgeon tell you that it all seems to be going well. After all the hard work and sacrifices you and your OH have made to get Mallee this far, it sort of makes it all worth it doesn't it? Let's hope those 5 steps soon turn into 10, then 15 and so on!!! Her recovery is so close now we can almost smell it!!! It's been a long road for that little girl, so I'm sure you will all be glad when she is well again. So when does the time come to let Mallee walk on her own all the time without any assistance? Or do you gradually have to build it up?

Well Chloe goes back to have the stitches out tomorrow. Not by the original surgeon, but by another. It's difficult because our surgeon only works a few days a week.. and it's already been 10 days ( ;) ) tomorrow so they have got to come out. I really don't mind who I hear it from... as long as someone tells me that Chloe is doing okay, I'm happy! I'm not sure why they couldn't give sedatives. The nurse said something about them being way too strong and not suitable, especially now that she is feeling better and moving about more. It's so confusing. I did weeks of research and still feel like I don't really know much!

Ya, the sedatives wouldn't hurt me!!! I had to laugh last night I thought I heard a noise so I stood at the window to listen and make sure. I thought I heard Chloe trying to escape again so I ran like a lightning bolt down to her and was gearing up to yell and tell her she was such a naughty girl... and she was curled up asleep. Geez I'm starting to imagine things now!!!

Off to take girl for toilet break!!!

[Kelly_Louise]

Where is the best place to buy Rescue Remedy? I've looked online but can't seem to find it...

[Kelly_Louise]

Hi all!

Well Chloe had her stitches out yesterday!!! Hooray, the first milestone achieved!!!

When I mentioned that we were going for a ride in the car (after a few weeks of not really leaving the back yard) - she was ecstatic... little did she know where she was going. But I don't think she cared. To see something different was all she cared about. Poor thing still hasn't figured it out that nearly every time she goes for a ride in the car, she ends up somewhere not fun like the vets, or the surgery...

We had a bit of an ominous start to the ordeal though... She was really quite calm in the waiting room of the surgery. Until they called her name. We went one way and she headed straight for the front door. We managed to convince her that she should probably come the same way as the rest of us, but she was very wary, and then SPLAT... fell A over T and ended up with her back legs performing the splits like a well trained gymnast. :p As you can imagine I was horrified and helped her back up, but the surgeon did not seem fussed about it at all (he saw the whole thing). She did not yelp or anything and was still putting full weight on it. Still it was a scare... damn slippery floors in a surgery where most dogs come in have leg problems... ;)

So anyway, her stitches came out no problems, she didn't even bat an eyelid. Then he checked her leg and the range of motion etc etc etc. Again, she didn't even lift her head. He said the movement was very smooth, the bones were not grating on each other and was happy with the way she was using it for so soon after the surgery. Then he checked her other (unoperated leg). Well the reaction wasn't quite as calm and relaxed then.... I thought she was going to take his hand off!!! Obviously it's giving her quite a bit of pain, so I think as soon as the other leg is given the all clear it will be back to go through it all over again. Now that I've seen how good she is on her new leg, and how it does not seem to be giving her any pain at all, it's a good omen to bite the bullet and give her the other new leg too. So it was more painkillers for the old unoperated leg, and off we went home.

But she has been good otherwise... no more attempts at escaping now that she has the bigger pen. We let her out into the yard (on leash) and sit with her for long periods of time during the day so she doesn't mind her little pen so much now. I guess she just isn't a dog that can tolerate confinement. Either that or perhaps she's just spoilt? Oh who would have thought??? :p

Well that's the latest from Chloe. Some good news, which is a relief.

Take care all!!!

[malleerr]

Yea!! Kelly and Chloe :cool:

So glad it all went well getting the stitches out, and that she is feeling so much better. You must be wrapt Kelly, hopefully you are getting to have some well earned rest now!!

So the road to recovery for your two must nearly be over. Hope all goes well for you both over Christmas, have a good one!!

Can you start Chloe back on any exercise or anything yet??

[Paula-]

Yay!!! Great news so far, best wishes for the rest

I know what you mean about the floors, Stella was sliding around at the surgery just after the op, and then whenever there was a check up there were always other dogs there with the same problems - and all keen to play .. lots of dogs trying to bounce around and lots of owners saying "Noooo!!!!!!!! Settle!!!!!!" :cool:

[Kelly_Louise]

Hi Antoinette!

No, no exercise as yet - I will wait until I see the surgeon at about 6 - 7 weeks time before she can go out for a short walk in the park. She has her quiet little walks around the yard, and she's content with that at the moment. Her other leg is giving her problems at the moment, so she's a bit down. It didn't help that she ran to try to get to the neighbour the other day. I was horrified. She was on leash but moved so quickly no one had a chance to stop her. Her operated leg is okay, but the other seems to be a bit painful. She's been so good too. But now I make sure that whoever is out with her has the lead firmly wrapped around their wrist... so if she goes, she has to take an arm with her!!! Just goes to show you can never let that guard down.

But yes she has settled down, especially at nights so we are all getting more sleep. She is happy with the little bit more space we have given her and is not so anxious or tries to escape now. She doesn't generally move very far anyway, but just likes the option of being able to if she wants to as opposed to not having a choice in her smaller pen. Maybe she is claustrophobic (along with her many other strange habits)?

So how is Mallee travelling? It was such good news the other day from the vet. Has she progressed any further? It's like watching a baby take first steps huh? The pride you feel when you see them getting that little bit further everyday.

At one stage I wondered if it was cruel to put a dog through these types of operations... but now, I realise that all the money, time, worry etc will be worth it. I'm starting to feel good about it and not so guilty anymore when she looks at me with sad, "confined dog" eyes!!! I just tell her... a few more weeks Honey!!!

Thanks for stopping by Antoinette! I also hope you, your OH and little Mallee have a great Christmas and New Year. Hope Doggie Santa leaves lots of little pressies under the tree for Mallee and that the New Year sees her up and about again after all her operations!!!

[Kelly_Louise]

Hey Paula, thanks for your support also! It's only a baby step really, but we're on the road to recovery and it feels great!!! It will all be worth it to see my little girl be like a normal doggie again (that's if she ever was to begin with... she sure does get fed better than me!!!).

Yes, everytime I go to the vet I worry so much I want to , especially as Chloe really hates it there and is constantly straining for the front door . Luckily there are never many other dogs waiting there as it's a referral only surgery. Although the other day there was the biggest, fattest, monstrous Alaskan Malamute I have ever seen. It was absolutely huge... like a bear really. I can tell you that Chloe (who is usually very interested in other dogs), turned her head and crawled under my legs just a bit further, pretended the other monster wasn't there, but kept it in her peripheral vision... just in case... well he was about 5 times the size of her after all!!!!