Winston seemed almost back to normal this morning. He is standing up much easier than he has in the past few days. The rest appears to be helping him. I debated calling AMVS and rescheduling our appointment for next week since I know they're shorthanded this week, but then I thought if something happens this weekend that I'd regret changing the appointment, so we went as scheduled.
Dr Flynn did an exam and said that everything felt good and as he would expect. They did x-rays and said that while he's still not fully healed, he's at 80% and everything looks good. We're to keep doing what we're doing (letting him rest with some 5 minute walks) until Monday when we can return to 25 minute walks, and then if he does ok with that, we can try increasing to 30 minutes on schedule at 12 weeks.
I got the impression that little blips like this aren't unusual. It was just a bit shocking to me how quickly the pain seemed to get really bad, and then how quickly he seemed to get over it.
February 19, 2010
February 18, 2010
February 18, 2010, 11 weeks post TPLO, a little better
Winston seemed better though he was still slow getting up. I left the baby gate up and we didn't walk other than potty breaks during my work day. I called AMVS to see what they thought and they suggested that I come in this week for a check instead of waiting until next week for his 12 week check. We go tomorrow morning.
After work I took the pups out for a potty break and they both stood at the front door and really really really wanted to go for a walk. I took them for a short walk up the street and back, for about 5 minutes total. I gave Winston some Tramadol before bedtime since he seemed a little uncomfortable.
After work I took the pups out for a potty break and they both stood at the front door and really really really wanted to go for a walk. I took them for a short walk up the street and back, for about 5 minutes total. I gave Winston some Tramadol before bedtime since he seemed a little uncomfortable.
February 17, 2010
February 17, 2010: 11 weeks post-TPLO, had a scare
Moving up to 25 minute walks has been more of a struggle than when we moved to 20 minute walks. We started by just changing the time on one walk, and after a few days we did two longer walks and then after a few days we did all three walks at 25 minutes. After a day or two of that, Winston was really sore and limpy so we dropped back down.
Last Wednesday was 10 weeks after surgery and two weeks after we found out that the bones hadn't fully healed, and it was the earliest that the surgeon wanted us to give Winston some more stair privileges. Up to this point, he's only been allowed to do the half-flight when one of us is with him. We decided not to push the healing, so we didn't just take the baby-gate down all the time, but starting this past weekend, we've been taking it down for limited amounts of times. Sometimes after we come back in from a walk or going potty, Winston wants to lie down in "his room". Now we can start letting him stay down there and come upstairs or go downstairs on his own. We still leave the gate up overnight, and if I expect someone, or think he might run down the stairs, I put the gate up. So far he's been very good about going up and down at a reasonable speed, but he has definitely been doing more stairs than he has in months.
Monday was a sore day so Tuesday we dropped back down to 20 minutes each walk. On Wednesday Winston seemed better so I thought we'd try for at least one 25 minute walk and the morning was nice (sunny and pretty warm), so we went for our long walk then. He seemed like he felt fine and was enjoying life.
At lunch Winston was really slow to get up when we went out for a potty break, and seemed really subdued. When he got up for our afternoon walk, he struggled to stand up and once he was standing, he had his head hung down like he thought he was in trouble. I thought it was weird, but didn't really put two and two together. We got about 3 houses down the street before I realized that he still had his head hung down near the ground and it wasn't because he was sniffing. I think he was trying to keep as much weight off his back legs as he could. We turned around and headed back home and I gave him some Tramadol. By dinnertime three hours later he seemed better and was no longer hanging his head down. He wanted to go for a walk, so we tried again and went for a 20 minute walk. I am sooooo STOOOOOPID!
I think the pain pills started wearing off or he just got that much more sore that by 9pm he was panting and pacing and was really a very unhappy camper, so I gave him 4 more Tramadol. An hour later he was still pacing and panting and was velcroed to me so that if I tried to hide in the bedroom, he stood outside the door panting and whining. I thought I'd have to take him into the emergency clinic. When he was getting Tramadol after surgery he was getting up to 8 pills at a time (yep, he's a big boy), so I figured I'd give him 4 more so that he would have a full dose and then we'd decide whether to head to the emergency clinic. Within an hour the rest of the pills kicked in and he seemed comfortable and we both got to go to sleep.
Last Wednesday was 10 weeks after surgery and two weeks after we found out that the bones hadn't fully healed, and it was the earliest that the surgeon wanted us to give Winston some more stair privileges. Up to this point, he's only been allowed to do the half-flight when one of us is with him. We decided not to push the healing, so we didn't just take the baby-gate down all the time, but starting this past weekend, we've been taking it down for limited amounts of times. Sometimes after we come back in from a walk or going potty, Winston wants to lie down in "his room". Now we can start letting him stay down there and come upstairs or go downstairs on his own. We still leave the gate up overnight, and if I expect someone, or think he might run down the stairs, I put the gate up. So far he's been very good about going up and down at a reasonable speed, but he has definitely been doing more stairs than he has in months.
Monday was a sore day so Tuesday we dropped back down to 20 minutes each walk. On Wednesday Winston seemed better so I thought we'd try for at least one 25 minute walk and the morning was nice (sunny and pretty warm), so we went for our long walk then. He seemed like he felt fine and was enjoying life.
At lunch Winston was really slow to get up when we went out for a potty break, and seemed really subdued. When he got up for our afternoon walk, he struggled to stand up and once he was standing, he had his head hung down like he thought he was in trouble. I thought it was weird, but didn't really put two and two together. We got about 3 houses down the street before I realized that he still had his head hung down near the ground and it wasn't because he was sniffing. I think he was trying to keep as much weight off his back legs as he could. We turned around and headed back home and I gave him some Tramadol. By dinnertime three hours later he seemed better and was no longer hanging his head down. He wanted to go for a walk, so we tried again and went for a 20 minute walk. I am sooooo STOOOOOPID!
I think the pain pills started wearing off or he just got that much more sore that by 9pm he was panting and pacing and was really a very unhappy camper, so I gave him 4 more Tramadol. An hour later he was still pacing and panting and was velcroed to me so that if I tried to hide in the bedroom, he stood outside the door panting and whining. I thought I'd have to take him into the emergency clinic. When he was getting Tramadol after surgery he was getting up to 8 pills at a time (yep, he's a big boy), so I figured I'd give him 4 more so that he would have a full dose and then we'd decide whether to head to the emergency clinic. Within an hour the rest of the pills kicked in and he seemed comfortable and we both got to go to sleep.
February 5, 2010
February 5, 2010: 9 weeks post-op
Not much to report here. Winston is slightly improved over last week. He didn't really stand on his left hind leg when there was standing to be done (wating to get his leash on before we head out the door), and kind of limped around on it. If he had to stand for too long (waiting for ME to put my socks and shoes on before a walk), he'd sit or lie down instead of standing while waitng for my slow pokey self.
Seems as though that's finally changing. We were getting ready for a walk this week when I decided at the last minute I'd better take a nature break myself before we got out the door. I shut the bathroom door because sometimes I don't appreciate Josie "helping". She's so funny; just barges on in and puts her head in my lap for a pet cuz I'm conveniently stuck there. Anyway.... when I opened the door, Winston was standing right there and had to back up so that I could come out. Up to this week, he would have stood there or moved forward or sat down or even more likely been laying down nearby. He wasn't able to put enough weight on that leg to use it to back up. HOOOORAY!!!!!!!!!!
On Wednesday at 9 weeks, I wondered if he was well enough to try increasing his walks again instead of waiting for two week increments. We increased one of our walks by 5 minutes and so far so good. Depending on the weather, maybe we'll bump up the time on a second walk. We're due for snow on Sunday. :-(
Seems as though that's finally changing. We were getting ready for a walk this week when I decided at the last minute I'd better take a nature break myself before we got out the door. I shut the bathroom door because sometimes I don't appreciate Josie "helping". She's so funny; just barges on in and puts her head in my lap for a pet cuz I'm conveniently stuck there. Anyway.... when I opened the door, Winston was standing right there and had to back up so that I could come out. Up to this week, he would have stood there or moved forward or sat down or even more likely been laying down nearby. He wasn't able to put enough weight on that leg to use it to back up. HOOOORAY!!!!!!!!!!
On Wednesday at 9 weeks, I wondered if he was well enough to try increasing his walks again instead of waiting for two week increments. We increased one of our walks by 5 minutes and so far so good. Depending on the weather, maybe we'll bump up the time on a second walk. We're due for snow on Sunday. :-(
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)