Left leg TPLO plate removal today

We dropped Winston off this morning for removal of his TPLO plate and a check of the meniscus in his left knee.  Putting him through this again was heart wrenching.  He figured out what was up as we loaded him into the car, and he was not a happy camper.  When we got to AMVS and we went into one of the exam rooms, he started crying and buried his head in Don's lap and begged us in doggy body language NOT to leave him here.  My poor boy.  I wish I could explain that we were trying to make him better.

I chose the DNR option again, and there was a part of me that honestly expected to get a call that Winston had died during surgery.  I wouldn't be surprised if he just gives up.  The hours crept by, and the more time passed without that call, I figured that he'd made it through surgery.

Finally, Dr. Duerr called to say that the surgery had gone well.  He said that a couple of the screws were loose, and he hardly ever sees that, so he's going to send off a culture to the lab to see if there's an underlying infection going on.  Also the meniscus was torn and frayed, so they removed part of it.  He wasn't sure if they were going to keep him overnight or if he could come home later, so he said he'd call back in a couple of hours and make the decision at that time.  After another hour, they called back and decided to keep him overnight.

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.

March 9, 2010: Week 14 and all is well

Winston is allowed anywhere in the house except for beds.  He thinks this stinks.  We figured if his leg bone was only 80% healed at 12 weeks, it's best to wait until at least 16 weeks before we risk him hopping off of one of the beds.  He's still got a lot of muscle atrophy in his left back leg, and a little bit in his right hind leg, but with any luck and a little time and some more PT exercises that will get better. 

I've started Winston (and Josie because whatever he does, she wants to do too -- especially when there's biscuits involved) back on some of his physical therapy exercises at home.  Also when we encounter people (with or without dogs) on our walks, I'm asking both my dogs to sit while the other folks go by.  I need some more practice with timing on that one.  If I give them the biscuits too soon, they'll both stand up and bark or lunge.  This is new behavior since Winston had all of his surgeries and Josie joined our family.  I think it starts with her, but I could be wrong.  I can tell that Winston isn't as trusting of people as he was before all of this.  Anyway, distracting and bribing them with biscuits seems to be working, so hopefully with time they'll just focus on me instead of whatever's going on around them.

After our afternoon walk, Winston gets some off-leash time in the back yard.  I take him out on the leash and wait until Josie has run around looking for any stray bunnies that might be in the yard, and then I let him off the leash.  So far so good with this.  He has done a few trots and a little gentle run from time to time but so far not a lot of activity and no full-out "get the bunny" running.  I won't let him in the front yard until he's built up his leg muscles a bit more.