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?!!
Friday, April 20, 2007
Thursday, April 19, 2007
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!
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!
Sunday, April 15, 2007
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!!!
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Week 4, Day 2: Video Saturday
Fantastic news:
Maeby didn't have to go to the vet today!
Her walking was much better by morning, so the vet told me to gradually bring her back up to 15 minutes and if she becomes lame again, then she needs to come in.
I'm so glad she recovered so fast. I guess it was just a sore muscle/leg after all. THANK GOD! She's still limping a little bit, but man this is sooo much better than a few days ago.
Earlier, I thought it was just a coincidence that she started walking better and bearing more weight when I started feeding her raw beef cubes.
After this whole scare, I'm CONVINCED that the raw beef is helping her heal and walk better. Around the time she stopped using her leg (WED?), I had run out of beef so I just fed her ground turkey. By Friday, I was giving it to her again, and by Saturday morning she was walking great. I really do think all those enzymes and proteins that aren't degraded by cooking are really helping her along.
Maeby didn't have to go to the vet today!
Her walking was much better by morning, so the vet told me to gradually bring her back up to 15 minutes and if she becomes lame again, then she needs to come in.
I'm so glad she recovered so fast. I guess it was just a sore muscle/leg after all. THANK GOD! She's still limping a little bit, but man this is sooo much better than a few days ago.
Earlier, I thought it was just a coincidence that she started walking better and bearing more weight when I started feeding her raw beef cubes.
After this whole scare, I'm CONVINCED that the raw beef is helping her heal and walk better. Around the time she stopped using her leg (WED?), I had run out of beef so I just fed her ground turkey. By Friday, I was giving it to her again, and by Saturday morning she was walking great. I really do think all those enzymes and proteins that aren't degraded by cooking are really helping her along.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Week 4, Day 1
Maeby is a daddy's girl
8:30AM
Well, the good news is she's slightly toe touching this morning as she's eating her breakfast. And I gave her 4 Arnical balls last night, so the swelling is down some too.
The bad hews is, she's still limping and holding up her leg a lot when she's walking. I'm so worried about this, I'm considering calling out sick!
2:30PM
Maeby is putting a little more weight on her leg now, but is still limping a lot. Her walk is definitely no where near the walk she was doing on Saturday (See Week 3, Day 3 video below). I left a message with the vet to see if we should bring her in. Now it's just the waiting game...
11:00PM
Vet called back later in the afternoon and told me to bring her in tomorrow before noon so Maeby can get looked at by her surgeon and possibly get x-rays. However Maeby started walking pretty well by her last walk of the night. There's still a slight limp, but there's DEFINITE improvement.
It seems like maybe it was just a case of "too much too soon" and maybe she pulled a muscle or something. I guess those extra 5 minutes were just too much. People on the OD list mentioned that I should do a "warm up" and "cool down" before longer walks too.
If she's doing even better tomorrow morning, maybe I won't have to take her to the vet at all!
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Week 4: Progress is a battlefield
Oh boy.
As usual, Maeby's progress is a roller coaster ride.
Today is the third day she's been on Yucca Intensive instead of Rimadyl. She's been doing great the last few days. And this morning was her first 15 minute walk, which I thought went well.
Well I came home this evening to find her completely holding up her leg/limping around. I have no idea what happened. Here are some likely scenarios:
(A) The walk this morning was too long for her
(B) The Yucca Intensive isn't strong enough for her
(C) She was jumping around and playing in the ex-pen
(D) Something happened when she was attacked and it's just manifesting itself now
(E) There are problems going on inside??
Another possibility is that she was jumping around because there were severe windstorms going on in town today, and I left the sliding doors open. Maaaaybe she got freaked out from all the commotion? *sigh* I don't know. It's another wait and see situation I guess.
I hate worrying. It makes me feel so sad and sick. I know there are others out there in far more worrisome situations. Others whose dogs are battling deadly infections, and oozing sores and other sad things. And here I am worrying because Maeby suddenly started limping. BUT I CAN'T HELP IT!
I checked her scar, and the bottom is still pretty puffy. When is it going to go away?
***
9PM: She's still limping and holding up her leg pretty bad. I have a bad feeling in my stomach about this. I hope it's not a fracture or something...
As usual, Maeby's progress is a roller coaster ride.
Today is the third day she's been on Yucca Intensive instead of Rimadyl. She's been doing great the last few days. And this morning was her first 15 minute walk, which I thought went well.
Well I came home this evening to find her completely holding up her leg/limping around. I have no idea what happened. Here are some likely scenarios:
(A) The walk this morning was too long for her
(B) The Yucca Intensive isn't strong enough for her
(C) She was jumping around and playing in the ex-pen
(D) Something happened when she was attacked and it's just manifesting itself now
(E) There are problems going on inside??
Another possibility is that she was jumping around because there were severe windstorms going on in town today, and I left the sliding doors open. Maaaaybe she got freaked out from all the commotion? *sigh* I don't know. It's another wait and see situation I guess.
I hate worrying. It makes me feel so sad and sick. I know there are others out there in far more worrisome situations. Others whose dogs are battling deadly infections, and oozing sores and other sad things. And here I am worrying because Maeby suddenly started limping. BUT I CAN'T HELP IT!
I checked her scar, and the bottom is still pretty puffy. When is it going to go away?
***
9PM: She's still limping and holding up her leg pretty bad. I have a bad feeling in my stomach about this. I hope it's not a fracture or something...
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Week 3, Day 6: Maeby's Story
Wow.
We are on the eve of 1 month post-TPLO. I can say as of right now, I have zero regrets. Maeby has had a partially torn ACL since the day we adopted her in January, so until her TPLO, I had never seen her walk normally. Instead of bending her knee, she would swing her leg out to avoid bending it at all. Eventually, when she completely tore her ACL, she hobbled around on 3 legs.
To watch her actually bend her knee when she walks now is so amazing. I am so glad we did this for her.
I really have to dedicate this blog entry to all those who helped this happen for Maeby. You see, I couldn't afford her TPLO, so many kind and generous people donated money to help her have the life she deserves!
Here's her story:
happy gal pre-TPLO
Only 2 days after I adopted Maeby, I took her to the vet for what I thought would be a routine physical exam. I actually found out that she has major ortho problems in her hips and pelvis (due to possibly getting hit by a car when she was young) in addition to a torn ACL that required a TPLO. The shelter I adopted her from said they had no idea there was anything wrong with her, and refused to give me back my donation money. There was no way I was going to return her to that shelter, but I couldn't afford a $3500 surgery. You see, by the time we decided to proceed with the TPLO, I had already spent nearly $800 on her medical bills. As I had only had Maeby for 2 days, most people told me and my boyfriend to just give her back! But we decided to fundraise for her surgery instead.
Through my personal blog and a website I set up for Maeby, our incredibly generous friends donated $1700. Her vet also gave us a huge courtesy discount and lowered her estimate from around $3500 to around $2500. United Animal Nations donated $300 in grant money, and Orthodogs' Silver Lining contributed another incredible $500.
Her surgery was estimated somewhere between $2300-2800. We had fundraised $2417. Guess what her final surgery bill came to?
$2420
I truly believe in God's good work, and in the power of prayer and miracles. I will not call the final surgery amount a coincidence -- I know it was truly a miracle!
So thank you to all my friends for helping me do this for Maeby. Thank you to United Animal Nations for the grant money. Thank you OSL for accepting Maeby as a "Pet in Need." Thank you Brenda, for being so supportive and responsive through everything. And thank you to all my Orthodog friends for being there for me and Maeby as we go through the healing process.
Hugs and belly rubs to everyone and their dogs.
We are on the eve of 1 month post-TPLO. I can say as of right now, I have zero regrets. Maeby has had a partially torn ACL since the day we adopted her in January, so until her TPLO, I had never seen her walk normally. Instead of bending her knee, she would swing her leg out to avoid bending it at all. Eventually, when she completely tore her ACL, she hobbled around on 3 legs.
To watch her actually bend her knee when she walks now is so amazing. I am so glad we did this for her.
I really have to dedicate this blog entry to all those who helped this happen for Maeby. You see, I couldn't afford her TPLO, so many kind and generous people donated money to help her have the life she deserves!
Here's her story:
happy gal pre-TPLO
Only 2 days after I adopted Maeby, I took her to the vet for what I thought would be a routine physical exam. I actually found out that she has major ortho problems in her hips and pelvis (due to possibly getting hit by a car when she was young) in addition to a torn ACL that required a TPLO. The shelter I adopted her from said they had no idea there was anything wrong with her, and refused to give me back my donation money. There was no way I was going to return her to that shelter, but I couldn't afford a $3500 surgery. You see, by the time we decided to proceed with the TPLO, I had already spent nearly $800 on her medical bills. As I had only had Maeby for 2 days, most people told me and my boyfriend to just give her back! But we decided to fundraise for her surgery instead.
Through my personal blog and a website I set up for Maeby, our incredibly generous friends donated $1700. Her vet also gave us a huge courtesy discount and lowered her estimate from around $3500 to around $2500. United Animal Nations donated $300 in grant money, and Orthodogs' Silver Lining contributed another incredible $500.
Her surgery was estimated somewhere between $2300-2800. We had fundraised $2417. Guess what her final surgery bill came to?
$2420
I truly believe in God's good work, and in the power of prayer and miracles. I will not call the final surgery amount a coincidence -- I know it was truly a miracle!
So thank you to all my friends for helping me do this for Maeby. Thank you to United Animal Nations for the grant money. Thank you OSL for accepting Maeby as a "Pet in Need." Thank you Brenda, for being so supportive and responsive through everything. And thank you to all my Orthodog friends for being there for me and Maeby as we go through the healing process.
Hugs and belly rubs to everyone and their dogs.
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