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Phoebe's ACL Surgery

7K views 72 replies 15 participants last post by  Karen519 
#1 ·
Today's the big day for her ACL Suture surgery - they elected to keep away from TPLO or TTA surgeries and stick with the simpler Suture technique.

We have an X-Pen for her and are getting the house set up - smooth floors covered, stairs blocked etc.

It's stressful but hoping for the best! I will use this thread to post some status reports etc. and have really appreciated reading the posts from others regarding these surgeries and the recovery progress.
 
#30 ·
The incision looks good, I hope the healing is going smooth and fast. Hugs to sweet Phoebes.
 
#31 · (Edited)
Phoebe got her Cone Of Shame off today and had a bath - she's still fragrant - but feeling and smelling much better now! The doc says she has regained 100% of her range of motion - great news! The only thing that's any concern is a little click she has in that knee which isn't really harmful and may go away in time. If not, she may start on joint lubricant injectables...or may start them anyway to head off increased arthritis.

One thing very nasty from this - she had a big raw spot underneath her neck from the cone - plus it was clumped with wet, moldy fur from not getting air and catching saliva for two weeks - it's a gnarly mess. I've cut away as much as I can and will treat the raw areas with Betadyne. It's probably going to take 2-3 baths and brushings to get it all out. Yuck.

 
#32 ·
Question -

Phoebe had to have part of her front wrists shaved for IVs. One was shaved 3 weeks ago (for the X-Rays) and one was 2 weeks ago (for the surgery).

Within a week before the surgery, she had licked the first one raw - now 2 weeks after surgery she got her Cone Of Shame off and has started licking them both again and I'm afraid that they will both become raw again.

Is there anything I can put on these areas (other than bandages) to make her NOT lick them?
 
#33 ·
Igirl

Your Phoebe is a GORGEOUS GIRL!!!
Not sure what you can put on her wrists-I would call the vet and ask and also mention the spot on her neck where the cone rubbed.
How Old is She?

My Smooch had the TPLO Surgery when she was 10 years old.
 
#34 ·
I used to cut socks and use tubes, would put rubber bands on the ends, tight enough to keep it in the place but not too tight. Hugs to a sweet girl.
 
#35 · (Edited)
I am glad she is feeling much better.
I know there is stuff to spray on that is bitter to the taste, but it never worked for any of my dogs.
For Toby, I use some of my socks to either put it totally over the foot and secure the upper portion to the fur with tape, or I take an old sock and cut just the band portion of it off and pull it over the paw and attach it with tape to the fur at the bottom and top. Toby is usually okay with that. I treat the raw areas with neosporin, seems to work best.
Good luck!

Okay, thought about it, if you do the sock thing, just use the cut off band of the sock, pull over paw over area first treated with neosporin or some other antibiotic ointment and secure to the fur with tape on both ends to prevent slipping off.
I thought about slipping dangers with using the entire sock over the foot, so I nixed that idea, lol.
 
#38 ·
Thanks for the feedback and ideas everyone - BTW Phoebe is 9 years old this November.

She's mostly stopped licking her arms on her own now, so that's good. Strange, I thought for sure she would lick the incision - but she hasn't touched it!

If she ever had to have a cone again I would make sure it has air holes so the area can breathe - and also figure out how to add some padding to the inner edge so it doesn't cut into her skin again. The raw area on her neck is much much better today. :)

I'm glad some of you enjoyed the post bath photo - here's another one.... Since she has to stay on leash and the days are getting cooler, she got to sit outside on the deck for an hour in the sun to dry off. Otherwise Dr's orders are strict confinement - no movement except for bathroom breaks and her new exercise that starts this week - puppy squats.

 
#40 · (Edited)
2 1/2 weeks post op video ACL knee surgery

Here's a short video of how well she is doing so far - this is a good result as the vet says she has returned to 100% range of motion.

She still isn't anywhere near fully recovered, but weight on the leg is a good thing. Now for many many weeks of trying to rebuild strength and controlled movement so nothing goes bad.

Golden Retriever ACL knee surgery result week 2-3 - YouTube
 
#41 ·
She is doing great, love her happy tail wagging.
 
#42 ·
I don't know if this is related - probably not - but last night (3 1/2 weeks out from surgery) Phoebe vomited up a hairball! It was tubular in shape - about 2" in diameter and 6" long - if I hadn't seen it, I might have thought it came from the other end! LOL

If related to the surgery, probably the loss of fur and licking/grooming herself just maybe accumulated. In any event, she probably feels much better now that it's over with. More likely this is something that's been developing for quite a while and just "came up".

Besides her regular food she's now getting -

Tramadol (inside bread rolled in with a tiny bit of peanut butter)
GlycanAid-HA (free sample/test bottle)
Fish Oil capsules (dipped in peanut butter)
Cosequin DS

All in all she's feeling great and cannot understand why she's not free - out of the pen in the house and running wild off leash in the yard! Not for a long time yet though.

As a treat before bed time, we've been putting her on the couch with us at night while we watch some TV. She loves it.
 
#43 · (Edited)
I am glad the post-op is going so well. And love her "treat" before bed time. I bet it is a treat for you too.
 
#45 ·
Thanks everyone - 4+ weeks now and she's still doing well. The fur takes a long time to grow back!

It's getting hard to not let her have the run of the main level of the house again, but they say confinement, so she'll stay in her pen for a while longer. :-( Not sure why, when all she ever does is lay around and sleep anyhow - she's never gone wild for the doorbell ringing etc.

Trips outside on the leash are getting much harder as it's freezing in the mornings now. Harder for me because I hate the cold, and harder for her because she's partially naked. lol

 
#48 ·
I am glad Phoebe is doing well. Sorry that fur is growing very slow, time for a winter coat shopping.
 
#50 ·
Phoebe

So glad to hear that Phoebe is recovering nicely, and her pen is the safest-I know how tempting it is!!
When Smooch had her TPLO, I can't remember how long it took for her fur to grow back. Phoebe might be looking for a sweater until it does!
Give her big kisses and hugs for me!!
 
#51 ·
Just a small funny photo update -

Phoebe has started turning into a brat now. After her walks on leash for yard duty, a couple of times I unlocked the leash 1 foot away walking straight towards going back into her pen - and off she quickly turned, dashed and jumped up on the couch.

I tell her to get down and go to the pen, and she's like - no way! I put my arms out like I'm going to pick her up and she rolls sideways on her back into the couch as far and deep as she can get so it's much harder to pick her up...ha ha.

She always loses that game, but is obviously rebelling and getting very tired of being penned up.

 
#52 ·
Just checking in - Phoebe is doing great at 6 weeks out from surgery! Pictured here at full extension- hopping up on the railing of our deck to get a better view - she can easily see the two goldens that live next door from there (Emma and Lucky) - but that's two split rail fences away with a creek in between - and she has never gotten to play with them. :-(

She had her 6 week checkup -
They started her on Adequan injections, and Meloxicam

I can't handle giving her the injections - needles make me queasy...so hubby is going to do it (at least for the next couple of times) - It's $8 a shot extra for them to do it.

 
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