Week 6, Day 4: Video Monday

This video is actually from this past saturday but I got lazy about posting. Per vet's instructions of increasing by 5 minutes each week, we're at 25 minute walks now. And now I'm keeping an eye on how much her knee turns out when she walks. Hoping that will go away soon.

I study these videos like a nut! I watch each week's and compare it to the last one to see if there's any improvement. It definitely gets harder to see improvement from week to week now. I feel like I'm a sports coach, studying plays and old games or something.

Week 6, Day 3: My Circus Dog

So the good news: Maeby's limp is really starting to go away.
The bad news: She's getting REALLY HARD TO CONTROL!!



She's going in for her 7 week x-rays this Saturday (and I'm crossing my fingers for 100% bone healing) but then my mind goes back to all the "woops" moments we've had the last 6 weeks and I get so nervous.

We haven't had any major accidents -- no slipping or falling on the leg -- but she sure has been trying to jump, spin, and flip a lot.

Today was no exception. I stood there in complete and utter shock as Maeby proceeded to jump and spin around in a circle no less than 4 times. Had she been in a dog circus, it would have been really cute. But as a post-TPLO-only-6-weeks Dog, it was horrendous! "How did you allow her to spin like a top FOUR TIMES!!" you ask? Let me tell you, Maeby is light on her toes. She's part dog, part rabbit. It all happened so fast, and I stood there frozen with half of me going "AWWWWWWWWWWWWWW" and the other half going "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"

I've always secretly refered to Maeby as "Maeby the Wonder Dog". It actually sounds like a pretty good stage name, doesn't it? Maeby the Wonder Dog, coming to a circus tent near you!

All jokes aside, I've really been making a concerted effort to keep her from jumping and being the spastic self she wants to be. So I HOPE EVERYTHING GOES WELL THIS WEEKEND!!!

Week 6, Day 1

Dear Maeby's Left Hind Leg,

It's me. Just checking in to say congratulations, we've reached the 6 week mark. How's it going in there? Are all those natural foods, supplements, and vitamins I'm practically pouring down Maeby's throat doing anything for you? I really hope you're doing okay, and not bothered by the crazy dog's attemps at jumping. I'm trying to keep her controlled, I really am. But I swear since this surgery, little Maeby has transformed from a dog into a rabbit. She just wants to bounce, bounce, bounce!

I promise to keep her still, if you promise to keep healing.

Thanks bunches,

Grace

Week 5, Day 2: Video Saturday

Our weekly video update. Her walking is looking pretty good. Nice weight bearing when she walks, pees, and poos.

She semi-weight bears when she stands. But the weirdest thing though, is the way Maeby moves her knee. Her left leg doesn't just go straight front and back. She rotates the knee around when she walks. This is really hard to explain, but trust me, it's sort of weird. I'm hoping this will subside as her leg gets stronger?

Week 5, Day 1: On Increasing Walks

So last week, I had the biggest scare when Maeby suddenly started holding up her leg. She was walking GREAT before, and then this scary set back happened.

I realize now my mistake was increasing her walk time WAY TOO MUCH AT ONE TIME. So I hope you read this and don't make the same mistake as me! This may seem like common sense, but as this blog may have revealed: I don't really use common sense too much, especially when it comes to Maeby.

The vet said to increase her walks 5 minutes each week. So as soon as Week 4 hit, I jumped us up from 10 minutes to a 15 minute walk in the morning. By that evening, she was 100% gimpy.

I spent the last week slooooooowly increasing her walk times. Minute by minute, each day. And each walk consists of 4 steps:

1) Start each walk by walking very. very. sloooow
2) Speed up a teeny bit in the middle
3) End by walking very. very. slooooooow again
4) Ice for 10 minutes inside, while Maeby chomps on a bully stick

Maeby is now up to slooooooooooooooooow 20 minute walks. Let me tell you, I was very very very scared to increase her walk time. My biggest fear was that once we started going on longer walks, she'd start hobbling again, and we'd end up at the vet.

Actually, the longer, slower walks, have forced her to use her TPLO leg a lot more. She's putting down a lot more weight when she walks, and she's weight bearing a little bit when she stands now.

I have no idea what the "correct protocal" for increasing walks is. And nobody really went into detail explaining this to me. So this is just what I've done and it's been working.

SLOW AND STEADY IS THE KEY, YA HEARD?!!

Week 5

Wowee, we have successfully endured a week without a single visit to the vet!

Maeby is now on her 3rd day of antibiotics, and the puffiness in her scar is soooo much better. It's still sticking out a little bit, but it's firmed up and no longer that angry shade of red it was on Sunday.

As far as her walking is going, we've increased back up to 16 minutes and she's doing great. She's still not bearing 100% weight on her leg, but I know we'll get there.

Yay Maeby!

Week 4, Day 3: UH-OH.

The lower part of the incision that was just slightly puffy before, is now really, really puffy and red. It looks like there's a lot of fluid in there, and seems on the brink of oozing. I called the vet ASAP to put her on the antibiotics she recommended if this were to happen. In the meanwhile, I'll keep smearing Vitamin E oil on it.

I did ask if they thought Maeby's sudden lameness and this sudden inflammation were related. They seemed to think they weren't, since her walking has gone back to normal. Then I asked if they thought I should bring her in to get a bacteria culture so she could be put on the appropriate antibiotics. They said she's getting the AB. they usually prescribe for internal suture reactions. If it doesn't start clearing up though, I'll be concerned!

AY-YI-YI!!!