Week 3, Day 3: Back on her Throne

Like I mentioned in earlier posts, Maeby LOVES the couch.

So since her leg seems to be stronger these days, we decided to lift her onto the couch when we're home in the evenings watching TV.

I don't think I've ever seen Maeby happier. She immediately stretched out and fell fast asleep, with half open eyes, drooping mouth, and snoring included.


The Queen is back!

Week 3, Day 2: Video Saturday

Maeby's latest video update, 3 weeks and 3 days post TPLO. She has less of a limp than last week, but her legs still look sort of stiff. She's always walked a little funny, due to her extensive ortho problems in her pelvic area. Her doctors suspect that she got hit by a car when she was very young, and it never got fixed. So she's healed pretty abnormally on her own.

Her doctors say she has pain in her lower spine due to said injuries, so she's been in Rimadyl for that as well as her TPLO for the last 3 months! I'm hoping to get her on some all natural anti-flamatories like Dog Gone Pain or Yucca Intensive soon.



And since we always see her back, here's a video of my sweet girl from the front:

Week 3, Day 1: Good Friday Indeed!

Maeby always hobbles and holds up her leg about 85% of the time on her morning walks. Probably because she doesn't have any Rimadyl in her system after a good night's sleep.

Well GREAT NEWS: This morning she started using her leg immediately, and kept using it throughout her entire walk -- zero Rimadyl and all! She is also weight bearing slightly on her stifle when she's getting up from the sit position. HUZZAH!

She was also unusually frisky this morning. She kept trying to run, flip, and spin in the house after her walk. I've been adding some rare stew beef to her food -- she had her 3rd meal with that today. I wonder if that's helping in her healing process??

The top part of her scar is now completely flat and un-red. (Yes I make up words as I see fit!). The bottom part, the part that was getting slightly puffy, is going down too. I hope it stays that way. There are no pictures, because Maeby has grown to HATE me taking pictures of her scar. I don't want to make her completely camera phobic, because after blogging about Maeby, my next favorite activity is taking pictures of her.

Below are some of my favorite pre-surgery pictures of Maeby and her best friend Bailey. I call the series "Help me, he's taken all my toys."

Week 3: Only 11 more to go

Walking: Good
Scar: Same
Shedding: UNBEARABLE

My little Maeby meister is a shedding machine. She gets brushed with a shedding blade everyday, yet I still need to vaccum every other day. We recently bathed her with a Furminator Deshedding Solution, and this morning I still had enough fur come off to make a small dog.

Now she's getting a Deshedding tablet from 1800petmeds. And if THAT still doesn't work... I'll have to learn to knit so i can make a Maeby hair sweater like this lady.

There's nothing new to report on Maeby's leg. Hence, this post about hair. Did I ever in a million years think I would be blogging about dog hair, bull penises, and homeopathic remedies? NOPE!

Week 2, Day 6

Took Maeby to the vet for the 3rd time in 3 weeks!!

Surgeon says Maeby is most likely reacting to her internal sutures. Considering she reacted to her staples, that doesn't surprise me. If the redness and puffiness continues to get worse in the next 2 days, I am to pick up an antibiotic prescription to keep any infection from breaking to the surface. The redness/puffiness was looking the worst on Sunday, so I'm hoping that we've passed the worst and that we won't need to put her on any more meds.

The great news is that she says Maeby has great range of motion! She still feels a little pain in her stifle, but otherwise is doing great. Last week, a vet tech had told me to start her on 5 minute walks, increasing by 5 minutes each week. That sounded INSANE to me. But Surgeon said that is correct, and that I'm to start her on 10 minute walks, 2 times a day. By the time I see her again in 3-5 weeks, she should be up to 30 minutes. WOW!

By the way, taking photos of her incision has been so helpful. Sometimes the changes are so freakin subtle, if I didn't have pictures I would think my eyes were playingt tricks on me. I showed Surgeon Maeby's photo from Sunday (the bad, puffy photo) and she could see how much she's improved since then. So if your dog will let you (Maeby is starting to get REALLY SICK AND TIRED OF IT!) I highly recommend taking photos.

Week 2, Day 5

So the good news is, Maeby's incision looks slightly less red and puffy today.

The bad news is, it's still puffy, and I think the redness and puffiness is spreading.

I spoke with a vet tech this morning, and she said if things continue to get worse, I should bring her in tomorrow. She could either be having a reaction to the internal sutures (didn't know she had any!) or *gasp* the plate.

The part that upsets me the most is that I've tried SO HARD to avoid any of these complications. All the raw fruits and veggies, fresh meat, vitamins, supplements, homeopathic remedies, flower remedies... If something is really wrong, I just won't know what else to do.

The thing is, she's still walking fine on her leg. She doesn't have a fever. And her scar isn't hot to the touch. I have caught her trying to nibble and lick it though, so it makes me wonder if it's really bothering her. Maybe there IS something going on inside??

God, I feel sort of sick right now.

Week 2, Day 4: Whyyyyyyyyy? (Pt 2)

Ok, I most definitely am NOT jumping to conlusions. Her scar is definitely puffier and redder today. I gave her some more arnica this morning, and popped a Vitamin E pill and put some of the oil on that. I'm hoping this will help with some of the swelling by lunchtime, but if not... it will be yet another visit to the vet for Maeby.

Sheesh. EVERYTIME I feel like we're making progress, something weird happens. First her shaking (due to f-patch), then weird rash after nice healing on incision (due to reaction to staples), and now this!!

Perhaps a beautiful snail crossing your path isn't a sign of good luck after all.

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I've been feeling uneasy all day long. When I went home for lunch, the puffy scar was not quite as red. And it didn't get puffier. But I'm still wondering why it's doing this. I'm worried to see what it will look like when I get home tonight. I'll have to give the Vet Tech a call tomorrow and see what she thinks.