July 12, 2009 - 6 weeks post TPLO

Winston seems less sore and we're back to walking around the block again. My goal is to walk around the block every time we walk, but if Winston is too sore or it's too hot, we'll shorten it up. Yesterday was pretty darn hot when we went for our mid-day walk so we stuck to the shadiest route which is a bit shorter than the block. We got out for 4 walks total and 3 of them were around the block, and today Winston is fine, so I'm still convinced that when he does start limping, it's muscle soreness from that poor atrophied leg trying to get built back up.

I've been trying to figure out where I can take him so that he can walk in water. I described in an earlier blog how he doesn't fit in the treadmill, so I've been trying to figure out where I can take him. There are a few dog swimming pools in the Denver metro area, but when I've called around, it sounds like there are only two options for us where he'll fit (one of the perils of having such a large dog), and one is WAY too far away to go regularly, and the other isn't all that far, but they expect the person swimming their dog to know what they're doing (they don't have support staff, so I would just reserve and pay for a 30 minute block of time and I'd have to know what I'm doing). I haven't driven up there to see what it looks like yet and it didn't sound like there was much area for walking, it sounded like it was just a ramp into the pool and then we could do swimming. Winston hasn't been cleared to swim yet, so that will wait. The physical therapist recommended waiting for 12-16 weeks before we tried swimming with him after the TPLO. By that time, the pool will be closed for the season as it's outdoors. Maybe we can try it next year.

There is a "dog training beach" at a nearby reservoir, but the water is murky like most lakes around here, and it's also a stocked fishing lake with boating, so last time we were there (years ago), there were dead fish and fish hooks/fishing line washed up on shore, even in the dog training area.... not really my idea of a "safe environment". Guess I should check it out again to see if things have changed. In the meantime we'll just keep walking on land for now and he'll build muscle on that leg more slowly.