Checked by the vet

Winston has been in pain off and on since my last blog.  I tried taking him off the pain pills but every time I do and then walk him farther than around the block (about a 15 minute walk), he ends up on three legs again.  It's a little depressing.

Today we went to AMVS to get his leg checked.  Without doing surgery it's hard to say exactly what is going on, but they suspect that he's torn his meniscus.  We're to continue with pain pills and continue resting him while we consider our options.  The best option for Winston is to remove the TPLO plate, and check/repair the meniscus.  It sounds like the recovery from surgery isn't as bad as having the TPLO done in the first place.

We're expecting a tax refund this year.  I guess it's going to Winston.

Another setback?

For the past month, Winston's been getting some limited free time in the back yard.  First we walk and then he gets some time to be loose in the yard while I pick up poop and small branches that the tree has dropped.  We don't have any toys back there for him to play with so he thinks it's a little boring, but I don't want him running a lot yet.

The foxes have taken up residence in the neighbor's old pool shed next door, so there are times that Winston has run along the fence, and he seems to do ok with that.  Josie is so excited to see him run that she's been trying to get him to join her running around the yard.  Sometimes he does, but not always.  

Yesterday I let them into the side/front yard (we live on a corner) and that's where Winston's big (horse sized) jolly ball has been sitting for over a year waiting for him.  He was so excited to see it and get to play with it that of course he did.  He didn't run hard, just an easy trot, and then he lay down and squeezed it a bunch.  After awhile I called them back to the back yard and shut the gate between the yards.

All seemed well until last night before bed.  When I called the dogs to go potty before bedtime Winston was on 3 legs.  He wasn't using his left hind leg.  Hmmmmm..... I guess he overused it today?  I gave him some pain pills and we all went to bed.

This morning he was extremely limpy but at least was using his leg again.  I've continued the pain pills and he doesn't get to walk or play today.

4 month update

Winston is doing well, and our walks are getting longer.  We get to walk through the neighborhood to the east of ours in addition to ours to make our longest loop and the walk takes about 50-60 minutes depending on how fast or slow we are.  Both dogs are loving the extra time and sights.

I've been loading them into the car and taking them with me when I run errands so that Winston learns that not all car rides end at the vet.  Sometimes we'll park and walk in a different area, but it's been so long since we've been out in "public" that the dogs need a refresher course on manners around other people.  I'm working on it.