Update on Dizzy - cruciate ligament surgery

by Lis Wed Aug 01 2012, 13:33

Hi

Just thought I'd update you on Dizzy's progress since his cruciate ligament surgery last Thursday.

Well the surgery went really well (although I was worried sick the whole day waiting to hear from the vet) and the specialist that performed it was wonderful and explained everything to me and said there was no cartilege damage, which was a very good sign for the future. He had TTA, as opposed to TPLO surgery, which has a quicker recovery time - great news! Smile

When I picked my poor boy up from the vets he was still pretty groggy and clearly wondering what had happened to his leg bless him. He was very cuddley straight away and was wimpering quite a lot, but from the scar on his leg and the size of the stitches in it, I am hardly surprised!! Sad

It must have been pretty painful!!

I came away with a bag full of meds, pain killers and specialist instructions for the next 6-8 weeks. He then had a peaceful night and slept right through thank goodness and did not seem too bothered that his bed was now in his old crate from when I first got him at 10 months old. He then spent the whole of Friday and the rest of last weekend having lots of cuddles and TLC from his mummy and the rest of the family.

He has been such a good boy since and doesn't seem too bothered that he is spending so much time in his crate/bed since the op and gets in it no problem at all after he's had his food or been out for a toilet break. I wish so much I could explain it all to him, but in a strange way I think he kinda gets it. He does spend the evenings with me though but clearly being kept very calm and rested, which sometimes is a trial in itself, but he's generally quite a chilled dog and always has been, well apart from when he's tearing round the field of course, which we won't be able to do for a while yet of course Sad

Thank the Lord for insurance also. I was worried there might be some problems, as you know what insurance companies are like, but John Lewis have been swift to pay out for the initial consultation and x-rays and now all that is outstanding is the cost of the surgery (ouch) and the follow up treatment and rehab. I do hope there are no problems as that is one bill I would not like to foot myself lol!

Anyway, the next couple of months will be slow going for both of us and I know his biggest concerns right now are boredom and cabin fever, but I know the post op recovery period is crucial to his healing and recovery so we are being as careful as possible. I just make sure he gets lots of attention, cuddles and bones to chew on during that time until he is fit enough to go back to his lovely daily walks again Smile

I've attached a couple of photos of him the day after the op feeling sorry for himself... bless!! Love Struck

xxx

cruciate ligament - Update on Dizzy - cruciate ligament surgery New_im11

by Lis Wed Aug 01 2012, 13:46

by Guest Wed Aug 01 2012, 14:07

Awwww, poor little guy, he looks so sad. Sad

It'll heal before you know it & he'll back as good as new - well, better, really!

by **Kathy** Wed Aug 01 2012, 15:09

Ahhh poor Dizy there looking so sorry for himself "Look what they did to me Mummy".

I'm sure he will recover OK and soon be back to his usual self, it's just the bit inbetween that's the problem, the trying to remain quiet bit. As you say lots of love and cuddles he will soon be there.

by Lis Wed Aug 01 2012, 15:15

Ahhhh, thanks ladies Smile

Yes, it is the in between bit that's the tough part. He's kinda got used to the fact that he doesn't go for walkies anymore, well for the time being at least, but it makes me sad leaving him in his cage so much but know it's for his own good and will be worth it in the end!

Can't wait until he's back on his feet and we can enjoy some 'Autumn' walks by then Smile

xx

by Lis Thu Aug 02 2012, 14:58

Thank you everyone - your get well wishes are greatly appreciated by Dizzy and myself > Big Grin

<

xxx

by Lis Thu Aug 02 2012, 15:50

vanessa wrote:

aww Dizzy get well soon and a big woof woof from Jethro and Winston.

Poor baby does look sad in the photos but I bet he is lapping up all the extra cuddles and attention!

Glad it all went well.

Thank you so much Vanessa, Jethro and Winston > Big Grin

<

The photos were the day after the op so he was still very very sore and feeling extra sorry for himself bless him. He is loads better already and the external swelling and redness has gone down a lot and the healing of the scar is making good progress. I know the internal injury is going to take a lot longer, but we will get there Smile

Yes you are right, he has been having plenty of cuddles and extra TLC and is lapping it up! He has been an extremely good boy though and has not picked/licked at his stitches hardly at all and quite happily got in his cage/bed whenever asked considering the amount of time he is spending in there.

He will be having lots of wonderful walks again once he has the all clear from the vet in bout 6-7 weeks to make up for it Love Struck

xx

by **Nosipho** Mon Aug 06 2012, 13:50

Poor boy, still at least he will recover quite quickly, it sounds like you are doing everything right. I guess at the moment he is in quite a bit of pain, hopefully this should ease off as his cruciate heals. Thats when it will be difficult to keep him still! Lots of cuddles and treats are in order I think!

by Lis Mon Aug 06 2012, 16:15

vanessa wrote:
thanks for that....
give him a cuddle for me Lisa !! XX

I sure will Vanessa, thank you xx > Big Grin

<

by Lis Mon Aug 06 2012, 16:29

Nosipho wrote:Poor boy, still at least he will recover quite quickly, it sounds like you are doing everything right. I guess at the moment he is in quite a bit of pain, hopefully this should ease off as his cruciate heals. Thats when it will be difficult to keep him still! Lots of cuddles and treats are in order I think!

Ahhhh, thank you > Big Grin

<

He is doing really well as it goes and all the external swelling and bruising have disappeared. He is also weight bearing and walking on it very well so far, so that is a good sign. Just don't need him to over do it though, altho time out of the crate is closely monitored and restricted. Lots of juicy bones and chews have helped there! Smile

The trouble is, as you say, is keeping him settled and rested as he already feels like he is well again and wants to run and play, which we can't allow of course. The hardest thing is stopping him from jumping up. We discourage it as much as poss but there's always those unpredictable moments.

But he is def lapping up all the cuddles and attention Love Struck

xx

by Lis Mon Aug 06 2012, 16:38

[quote="vanessa"][quote="Lis"]

vanessa wrote:
so how is he going anyway?? hope it is all going according to plan!

He's doing really well thanks Vanessa and being so good. I thought he might be going stir crazy by this point after over a month with very little now hardly any exercise, but he has been such a good boy. Well the extent of his exercise is toilet breaks and time with us in the front room in the evening, well more time with us at the weekend but very closely monitored and restricted movement as much as poss.

He has his stitches out tomorrow, so another step further on the recovery period. He has been brilliant with that and apart from a few minor licks the first few days after surgery, he has basically ignored it which has been a godsend! Smile

xx

by BigNick8 Sun Dec 16 2012, 14:16

Hi,
How is Dizzy doing now?
My bitch Ella has recently had an operation to repair her rear cruciate ligaments herself, and although she feels much better in herself; she's very frustrated that she can't be let off her lead or have her ball.
She's into her 3rd week of the recovery process and is doing really well, vet is very pleased with progress.
She's a lovely dog but doesn't understand that I confine her to her crate for rest quite a lot for her own good, and that what was 2-3 hour walks & ball playing fun is just a ten minute walk on her lead for the time being bless her.
Just wondering if Dizzy made a full recovery and can do the normal Staffy things after his operation and how long it took to resume normal activity.
Thanks,
Nick

by Lis Mon Dec 17 2012, 10:42

BigNick8 wrote:Just wondering if Dizzy made a full recovery and can do the normal Staffy things after his operation and how long it took to resume normal activity.
Thanks,
Nick[/color]

Hi Nick

Thanks so much for your message which has prompted me to give an update on my Dizzy boy after his op earlier this year. So I can fully appreciate what you are going thru with Ella right now, and also that she has had both cruciates repaired at the same time which must be even harder! In some ways I wish Dizzy had had the both done at the same time, as I am 99% sure the other leg will go in about a year or 18 months as it is very common for both cruciate ligaments to be affected. My vet said they call it 'cruciate disease' as opposed to injury as it is, in most cases, a bilateral condition unfortunately. Well, at least I'll know what to expect for next time!!

That's great that Ella is doing so well into the third week of her recovery. The first two weeks are by far the hardest, keeping them rested and still for long periods of time and keeping them on a lead to even do their "business" I know. I must admit Dizzy was very good during those weeks, I think he sort of understood he had an injury in a way and felt very sorry for himself in the first few days (as you will have seen from the photos above bless him). Then after that it's all about getting to that 8 week mark which is what the experts say is when the bone has healed enough around the implant to start introducing a bit more exercise.

It is so hard I know as you can't explain to them why they aren't going for their daily walks, why you are no longer playing with them and with their toys, and why they are confined to a cage for so long. I hated it it at first as I felt Dizzy thought I was punishing him, but thankfully he wasn't too upset with the cage as he had had one as a pup until he was about 12/13 months old (until the chewing stopped lol), so he kinda saw it as his little den as was pretty content in it. It was just the sad looks that got when wanting to know when we were going out for 'walkies' and it not happening Sad

Anyway, I can completely reassure you that your lovely Ella will make a complete recovery and will be able to run, jump and play ball to her heart's content fairly soon. After Dizzy's x-rays at the 8 week mark when the vet confirmed everything was healing really well, he said I could take him for walks as long as I wanted to and could walk 10 miles if I wished on a lead!! He also said I could start very limited off the lead walks giving him about 10 mins at a time off lead, but obviously not letting him go mad. We had one instance when he first started to have his 10 mins off lead time when he suddenly realised that he was "free" to run again and he went charging round at top speed like a nutter over the field. It had been recently ploughed so was very uneven. I grabbed him as soon as I could but the next day he had a bit of swelling in the leg so I rushed him down the vets for a check over. Thankfully he was ok and no lasting damage, just had overdone it a bit (obviously), but I was very careful after that not to let him go mad until we got to about week 16, which is when they say things can properly return to normal if there are no signs of pain/stiffness/swelling.

Dizzy now runs about (at top speed most of the time) jumps and plays ball to his hearts content and you would think he never had anything wrong with his leg! It's fantastic! It's a tough recovery period I know and you have to be very very strict with them for their own good, but it's worth it in the end believe me!

Not sure if you are giving Ella any supplements, but I started Dizzy just before his op on Seraquin (which is the vetinerary prescribed medication) which is made up of Glucosamine Hydrochloride and Chondroitin - a joint supplement, specially formulated to help maintain healthy joint function in dogs. Unforunately in nearly every case of cruciate ligament injury arthritus is an unavoidable condition which follows due to the nature of the injury. Serquin helps relieve the symptoms of arthitus pain and stiffness, also in the long term as they get older. The tablets are chewable and flavoured and can be mixed in their food daily or given as a treat if they like the taste.

Green Lipped Mussell extract is also massively beneficial as it has massive anti-inflammatory benefits and in the long term guards against the normal wear and tear of the ageing process. You can give dogs the human form of this as I checked with the vet. You can also give dogs human Glucosamine but make sure it is not Glucosamine Sulphate as they have difficulties absorbing the sulphate. Again, just mix the tablets in with her food.

Dizzy is now on these supplements for life and I 100% feel they have helped his recovery process massively and onging wellbeing as he is hardly ever stiff when he gets up out of his bed anymore, which is brilliant! It also brings their coats up a treat! Smile

Keep me posted on Ella's progress as it will be lovely to hear about her recovery. Lots of cuddles and TLC are key in those first 8 weeks, but fear not she will be back to her true self before you know it!! Smile

All the best to you both Smile

Lisa

by **Kathy** Mon Dec 17 2012, 12:06

Wow Lisa, thanks so much for the update on Dizzy. I'm sure your experience will be of immense help to others in future who are going through or have been through the same procedure.

Pleased to read that Dizzy is getting on well now although he is having to take the supplements of Glucosamine Hydrochloride and Chondroitin for life I guess that is a small price to pay for having him back in healthy condition.

We give Rocky these supplements in the form of nugget treats as in the link below. He doesn't have any problems with his joints at the moment but we thought they may be a good preventative measure. They are also contained in his food which is Barking Heads kibble.

http://www.vetuk.co.uk/dog-treats-beaphar-dog-treats-c-601_1232/beaphar-joint-support-nuggets-p-10405

by BigNick8 Mon Dec 17 2012, 12:34

Lis wrote:
Hi Nick
Thanks so much for your message which has prompted me to give an update on my Dizzy boy after his op earlier this year. So I can fully appreciate what you are going thru with Ella right now, and also that she has had both cruciates repaired at the same time which must be even harder! In some ways I wish Dizzy had had the both done at the same time, as I am 99% sure the other leg will go in about a year or 18 months as it is very common for both cruciate ligaments to be affected. My vet said they call it 'cruciate disease' as opposed to injury as it is, in most cases, a bilateral condition unfortunately. Well, at least I'll know what to expect for next time!!

That's great that Ella is doing so well into the third week of her recovery. The first two weeks are by far the hardest, keeping them rested and still for long periods of time and keeping them on a lead to even do their "business" I know. I must admit Dizzy was very good during those weeks, I think he sort of understood he had an injury in a way and felt very sorry for himself in the first few days (as you will have seen from the photos above bless him). Then after that it's all about getting to that 8 week mark which is what the experts say is when the bone has healed enough around the implant to start introducing a bit more exercise.

It is so hard I know as you can't explain to them why they aren't going for their daily walks, why you are no longer playing with them and with their toys, and why they are confined to a cage for so long. I hated it it at first as I felt Dizzy thought I was punishing him, but thankfully he wasn't too upset with the cage as he had had one as a pup until he was about 12/13 months old (until the chewing stopped lol), so he kinda saw it as his little den as was pretty content in it. It was just the sad looks that got when wanting to know when we were going out for 'walkies' and it not happening

Anyway, I can completely reassure you that your lovely Ella will make a complete recovery and will be able to run, jump and play ball to her heart's content fairly soon. After Dizzy's x-rays at the 8 week mark when the vet confirmed everything was healing really well, he said I could take him for walks as long as I wanted to and could walk 10 miles if I wished on a lead!! He also said I could start very limited off the lead walks giving him about 10 mins at a time off lead, but obviously not letting him go mad. We had one instance when he first started to have his 10 mins off lead time when he suddenly realised that he was "free" to run again and he went charging round at top speed like a nutter over the field. It had been recently ploughed so was very uneven. I grabbed him as soon as I could but the next day he had a bit of swelling in the leg so I rushed him down the vets for a check over. Thankfully he was ok and no lasting damage, just had overdone it a bit (obviously), but I was very careful after that not to let him go mad until we got to about week 16, which is when they say things can properly return to normal if there are no signs of pain/stiffness/swelling.

Dizzy now runs about (at top speed most of the time) jumps and plays ball to his hearts content and you would think he never had anything wrong with his leg! It's fantastic! It's a tough recovery period I know and you have to be very very strict with them for their own good, but it's worth it in the end believe me!

Not sure if you are giving Ella any supplements, but I started Dizzy just before his op on Seraquin (which is the vetinerary prescribed medication) which is made up of Glucosamine Hydrochloride and Chondroitin - a joint supplement, specially formulated to help maintain healthy joint function in dogs. Unforunately in nearly every case of cruciate ligament injury arthritus is an unavoidable condition which follows due to the nature of the injury. Serquin helps relieve the symptoms of arthitus pain and stiffness, also in the long term as they get older. The tablets are chewable and flavoured and can be mixed in their food daily or given as a treat if they like the taste.

Green Lipped Mussell extract is also massively beneficial as it has massive anti-inflammatory benefits and in the long term guards against the normal wear and tear of the ageing process. You can give dogs the human form of this as I checked with the vet. You can also give dogs human Glucosamine but make sure it is not Glucosamine Sulphate as they have difficulties absorbing the sulphate. Again, just mix the tablets in with her food.

Dizzy is now on these supplements for life and I 100% feel they have helped his recovery process massively and onging wellbeing as he is hardly ever stiff when he gets up out of his bed anymore, which is brilliant! It also brings their coats up a treat!

Keep me posted on Ella's progress as it will be lovely to hear about her recovery. Lots of cuddles and TLC are key in those first 8 weeks, but fear not she will be back to her true self before you know it!!

All the best to you both

Lisa

Hi Lisa,
Many many thanks for such a thorough reply.
I can tell by Ella's progress so far, so soon; after her operation that she will recover fully. Like you say, the hard bit has been keeping her calm and retained in her crate. She was in one as a pup too, but since the chewing stopped (apart from one night where she decided she didn't like the dining room wallpaper and chose to strip it all off for me doh

) she has had free rein of the downstairs of the house and garden. It has been difficult to keep her on her lead, and she sees the crate as a punishment; and whines and looks at me with her cute little face with her nose pressed right into the bars Crying or Very sad

Her next stage of recovery starts on Thursday, the same as what she is currently on; just an increase in the length of the walk, but I'm sure she will appreciate it.
I will ask the vet the question about the Seraquin on Thursday after her routine follow up appointment, and thanks once again for your very helpful reply.
Really pleased to read that Dizzy has made a full recovery too Wink

And just to end any confusion, Ella has only had her right rear leg done. I have asked the consultant to perform a thorough check on her left one, and he gave her the all clear - for the time being at least Wink

Kind Regards,
Nick & Ella Bella (S.P.B.H.)...........Don't ask Laughing

by Lis Mon Dec 17 2012, 12:52

kathytake2 wrote:Wow Lisa, thanks so much for the update on Dizzy. I'm sure your experience will be of immense help to others in future who are going through or have been through the same procedure.

Pleased to read that Dizzy is getting on well now although he is having to take the supplements of Glucosamine Hydrochloride and Chondroitin for life I guess that is a small price to pay for having him back in healthy condition.

We give Rocky these supplements in the form of nugget treats as in the link below. He doesn't have any problems with his joints at the moment but we thought they may be a good preventative measure. They are also contained in his food which is Barking Heads kibble.

http://www.vetuk.co.uk/dog-treats-beaphar-dog-treats-c-601_1232/beaphar-joint-support-nuggets-p-10405

Thanks for your message Kathy and also the link to the doggie treats for joint support. I shall have to get some for Dizzy as they sound better than just boring dog biccies Wink

Thank you too for your kind words and it would be fantastic if what I have said can help and give advice to others going thru or about to go thru the same procedure with their dogs.

Like you I have chosen to give Dizzy the supplements for life now as they've have without doubt helped his recovery and progress considerably and I agree with you whole heartedly to start early with any dog as a preventative measure. We only want the best for our babies after all Love Struck

xx

by Lis Mon Dec 17 2012, 13:23

[quote="BigNick8"]

Lis wrote:
Hi Lisa,
Many many thanks for such a thorough reply.
I can tell by Ella's progress so far, so soon; after her operation that she will recover fully. Like you say, the hard bit has been keeping her calm and retained in her crate. She was in one as a pup too, but since the chewing stopped (apart from one night where she decided she didn't like the dining room wallpaper and chose to strip it all off for me ) she has had free rein of the downstairs of the house and garden. It has been difficult to keep her on her lead, and she sees the crate as a punishment; and whines and looks at me with her cute little face with her nose pressed right into the bars
Her next stage of recovery starts on Thursday, the same as what she is currently on; just an increase in the length of the walk, but I'm sure she will appreciate it.
I will ask the vet the question about the Seraquin on Thursday after her routine follow up appointment, and thanks once again for your very helpful reply.
Really pleased to read that Dizzy has made a full recovery too
And just to end any confusion, Ella has only had her right rear leg done. I have asked the consultant to perform a thorough check on her left one, and he gave her the all clear - for the time being at least
Kind Regards,
Nick & Ella Bella (S.P.B.H.)...........Don't ask

Hi Nick and Ella Bella (ok so I won't ask aboutthe SPBH lol )

Thanks so much for your kind words and I am more than pleased that what I said is of help to you and Ella's recovery. Always very happy to help and offer advice where I can Smile

So sorry I got confused with regard to Ella having what I thought was both cruciates repaired DOH!! Yes, definitely get the vet to thoroughly check and x-ray both legs, which I am sure they did initially, but also when she gets the all clear after week 8. This is because they obviously use the other leg a lot more to counteract not being able to use the repaired leg properly until it is strong enough again, which can cause weakness in the the good leg and often result in the cruciate repair of the other leg. Sad

This is why I am pretty certain I will go thru the same experience again as when Dizz had his all clear x-rays at week 8 my vet said that although in the beginning their was no sign of damage or arthritus in the good leg, after the initial recovery period there was now a very small amount of fluid on the good knee which can be a very early sign of cruciate damage unfortunately Sad

My vet said it is now in the hands of the gods and only time will tell, but at least I am prepared this time and will know exactly what to expect!! Also a wonderful thing is that my insurance will cover a second operation for the same condition, which is a godsend believe me... as I know you will know just how much this surgery and treatment costs!! Surprised

It's funny as I totally agree with you, I knew too at about week 3 that he would be just fine and make a full recovery as he was making such good progress. He had been pretty good even from day 1 as I was shocked when I picked him up from the vets and he came walking to me (very groggy I might add) and was already putting his toe down on the leg he had just had surgery on that day!! Very brave boy indeed!!

Just never forget that it only takes one sudden twist, one jump up, or one unintentional dash up the garden if you are not on her case to cause the implant to fail before the bone has healed enough, so although you think they seem like their old selves and want to run and play again, it's still very early days to even consider thinking it's safe to let them do so. This is what I found really hard too, but stuck to the rules like glue! Of course dogs will always be dogs and as you can't explain it to them, it's still very difficult to monitor and control every single move they make, but you just have to do the very best you can to keep them from causing any damage to themselves, which is why the cage is a must in those first 8 weeks (even with the cute sad faces) Wink

You did make me laugh about the kitchen wallpaper! I have so been there!! When Dizzy was younger he decided he didn't like the stair carpet in my old house, so I came home from work one day to a bit of his redesign... and a £200 new carpet bill!!

Looking forward to hearing how Ella progresses in the next 5 weeks and feel free to ask if you think of anything else that I might be able to help with.

Lisa & Dizzy xx

by Lis Wed Jul 10 2013, 12:53

Lis wrote:
BigNick8 wrote:
Lis wrote:
Hi Lisa,
Many many thanks for such a thorough reply.
I can tell by Ella's progress so far, so soon; after her operation that she will recover fully. Like you say, the hard bit has been keeping her calm and retained in her crate. She was in one as a pup too, but since the chewing stopped (apart from one night where she decided she didn't like the dining room wallpaper and chose to strip it all off for me ) she has had free rein of the downstairs of the house and garden. It has been difficult to keep her on her lead, and she sees the crate as a punishment; and whines and looks at me with her cute little face with her nose pressed right into the bars
Her next stage of recovery starts on Thursday, the same as what she is currently on; just an increase in the length of the walk, but I'm sure she will appreciate it.
I will ask the vet the question about the Seraquin on Thursday after her routine follow up appointment, and thanks once again for your very helpful reply.
Really pleased to read that Dizzy has made a full recovery too
And just to end any confusion, Ella has only had her right rear leg done. I have asked the consultant to perform a thorough check on her left one, and he gave her the all clear - for the time being at least
Kind Regards,
Nick & Ella Bella (S.P.B.H.)...........Don't ask

Hi Nick and Ella Bella

I just wondered how Ella is doing now and I am sure her she is now back to her former self now that it has been some time after her op.

Sadly my poor Dizzy is going in to have his left cruciate done 2 weeks today :(Literally a year to the day when he had his right leg done! I did half expect it as the vet, and also through people I know who's dogs have had it done, said it is very likely that the other leg will go within 1 to 2 years after the first. Sorry, I don't want to put a downer on Ella's progress, but it's best to be to be aware of these things.

Anyway, about 3 weeks ago he showed signs of lameness in his right left leg, which was the first time of seeing any limping in this leg since he had the right leg operated on. The vet did say the first sign of any limping to get him in for a check up, which I did, and an x-ray later revealed that his knee showed signs of degeneration from the previous x-rays on his all clear from the first repair which indicated a partial tear. So before things get any worse, the ligament ruptures completely (like last time) and any arthritus takes a good hold, he is booked in to have his left leg operated on on the 23rd of this month.

I'm gutted he is going to miss the rest of summer once again and be restricted to his cage for 8 weeks with very limited exercise, especially in the few weeks. Moreso he will have to go without his beloved ball for approx 3months now, which means by the time he can have it back it's going to be cold and miserable once again

Thank goodness for insurance is all I can say. I am with John Lewis and can't fault them. I called them to make sure he is covered for a second op of this type of condition and they said he would be. Phew!!

Just dreading him going in for the surgery now I hate it when my boy has to have any medical treatment and I have to leave him at the vets as he is so not happy about it bless him.

Well at least I know what to expect this time and what to do to make his recovery and progress the best I can.

Will keep you updated.

Lisa & Dizzy xx

by **Nosipho** Wed Jul 10 2013, 12:54

Poor little pickle, sending lots of love and healing vibes!

by Lis Wed Jul 10 2013, 13:15

Nosipho wrote:Poor little pickle, sending lots of love and healing vibes!

Awww, thank you so much!!

kiss

by swansmike Wed Jul 10 2013, 13:26

get well soon ! glad everything went better than expected

by Lis Wed Jul 10 2013, 13:45

swansmike wrote:get well soon ! glad everything went better than expected

Thanks Mike

Yes, the first surgery last year went really well and he made an excellent and fully recovery. So we are hoping for much of the same when he has his second op in two weeks! nail biting

by **Maria90** Wed Jul 10 2013, 15:22

I hope the second surgery goes just as well and he makes a full recovery, im sure he will! Rocky and I sending loads of hugs and well wishes! x

by Lis Wed Jul 10 2013, 16:51

Maria90 wrote:I hope the second surgery goes just as well and he makes a full recovery, im sure he will! Rocky and I sending loads of hugs and well wishes! x

Many thanks for your kind words Maria & Rocky so very kind of you. Smile

Send my love to Sydney, I love it there! Love Struck

xx

by Guest Wed Jul 10 2013, 22:26

I bet you'll be just as worried the second time around! Crying or Very sad

by **CaraElizabeth** Thu Jul 11 2013, 03:28

Aw poor Dizzy! Sad

He is doing the sad puppy eyes. I hope he has a quick recovery!

by Lis Thu Jul 11 2013, 10:07

Caryll wrote:I bet you'll be just as worried the second time around!

Hey Caryll, you know that! In fact I am even more worried this time as I know what to expect and I just hate the thought of him undergoing anaesthetic again. I worry so much and am pacing until I have heard back from the vet to say he is ok! Crying or Very sad

by Lis Thu Jul 11 2013, 10:10

CaraElizabeth wrote:Aw poor Dizzy! He is doing the sad puppy eyes. I hope he has a quick recovery!

Thank you Cara :)The photos were from his first op last year, so I am sure I will have some very similar ones in just over a week's time.

My poor boy, he is going to wonder why he is back stuck in a cage again with a sore swollen leg. I wish at times like this they could talk so you could explain it to them. cruciate ligament - Update on Dizzy - cruciate ligament surgery 3198918699

cruciate ligament - Update on Dizzy - cruciate ligament surgery 3198918699

by heelshouse Fri Jul 12 2013, 03:55

Sorry to hear about Dizzy. Bart had the same surgery in Feb of this year and I was not aware that there is a very good chance the the other leg will go as well...sigh...

Well wishes for Dizzy on his 2nd surgery and a nice calm recovery for the guy!

by Lis Mon Jul 15 2013, 14:39

heelshouse wrote:Sorry to hear about Dizzy. Bart had the same surgery in Feb of this year and I was not aware that there is a very good chance the the other leg will go as well...sigh...

Well wishes for Dizzy on his 2nd surgery and a nice calm recovery for the guy!

Thanks for your kind words Smile

How is Bart doing now? I would say he is pretty much back to his normal self by now, I hope! Did he have the TTA or TPLO surgery? Dizzy had the TTA and I must say I was impressed by his recovery last time as we had no complications at all. The only tough bit was keeping him calm and rested for 8 weeks (EEEK - here we go again)!!

Yes, unfortunately it is very common for the opposite leg to suffer the same ligament damage. All dogs I've known/heard of that have had cruciate damage have had both legs done over a period of time. The trouble is whilst recovering they over compensate on the good leg, which puts more strain and pressure on it which more often leads to the degeneration of the good leg. My vet says it's pretty much a bilateral condition and 30%-40% of dogs have the opposite leg rupture within 1-2 years of the first surgery. It is exactly a year, give or take a few days, to the day he had his last surgery Sad

Supplements such as Glucosamine & Chondroitin (combined) are great for keeping joints supple and relatively pain free after the surgery. I also give him green lipped mussel extract in tablet form which is also great for joints. Unfortunately arthritis is common place after the ligament damage, so my poor boy is quite stiff sometimes on his right leg which was operated on last year, especially in the winter months. Hopefully it won't be as bad in the left leg as we have caught it early this time, not like last year when the ligament actually ruptured. It's only partially torn at present, but the sooner it is operated on the better. Unfortuantely it's a one way street as once torn there is no going back/healing sadly Crying or Very sad

Wishing you and Bart all the best and fingers crossed he isn't one of the percentage cruciate ligament - Update on Dizzy - cruciate ligament surgery 3198918699

by heelshouse Mon Jul 15 2013, 17:24

Lis,

Bart is doing pretty well. We had a small set back about 3 weeks ago when he strained his ligament after trying to avoid drains in the street (he is deathly afraid of them). He had the TTA surgery and it was smooth sailing with the recovery. He really was back at it in 3-4 weeks and I had to reign him in before he pushed himself too hard.

We have another follow-up visit in a month (his 6-month post surgery) so I will definitely question if it looks like there is any strain on the other leg.

Thanks for the info!!

by Lis Mon Jul 15 2013, 18:05

heelshouse wrote:Lis,

Bart is doing pretty well. We had a small set back about 3 weeks ago when he strained his ligament after trying to avoid drains in the street (he is deathly afraid of them). He had the TTA surgery and it was smooth sailing with the recovery. He really was back at it in 3-4 weeks and I had to reign him in before he pushed himself too hard.

We have another follow-up visit in a month (his 6-month post surgery) so I will definitely question if it looks like there is any strain on the other leg.

Thanks for the info!!

Ahhh, so glad Bart is doing well and apart from the minor set back is, fingers crossed, back to his former self Smile

I know what you mean, it's hard to tell them they need to rest for 8 weeks, especially when they feel pretty much back to normal even after a couple of weeks! When I picked Dizzy up from the vets after his surgery he was already weight bearing on the operated leg, which he hadn't been days before due to the ligament rupture. It's pretty amazing surgery!

If you are having further x-rays at Bart's 6 month post surgery check, get your vet to compare x-rays of the good leg against the last x-rays. I'm assuming the vet took x-rays of both legs? Dizzy had tell tale signs when he got the all clear from his first repaired leg. The good leg showed a very minor build up of fluid around the knee/ligament. The vet said to me it could be an early sign of that leg degenerating but, as he said, it was "in the hands of the gods" Wink

Anyway, after comparing the x-rays this time of his good leg, the fluid build up had increased dramatically, which confirmed a partial tear of the cruciate ligament. So if you see even the smallest sign of any lameness in Bart's good leg in the future, get him straight down the vet, as the sooner it's dealt with the better chance they have of being less stiff in old age, bless em!

My boy is my baby and I want him to live life to the full and be with me for as long as he possibly can Love Struck

Let me know how Bart gets on next month.

Sending you both best of UK wishes thumbs up

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