[mikhal]

Hi everyone, my Sara (7 year old) had ACL surgery in June.
She is recovery well, and we recently found a place for her to go swimming indoors!

She just passed her 13th week, and no longer limps. We try to go for 1/2 an hour of swimming twice a week. And on the days we cannot go swimming, we try to go for a short walk (to the end of the neighborhood street and back sort-of-thing).

She's doing very well, but I'm still very skeptical of letting her free in the backyard.

For those of you that have experience with ACL recovery, do you have any tips to share about exercising and when you were confident enough to let the dog run again?

Thanks!

Mikhal

 

[sharlin]

Skyler had ACL surgery and what I most watched out for was running on uneven ground or one full of varmit holes. Also jumping up onto beds and such. Jumping down is not the worry, it's the jumping up on things that need to be watched. I also tried to massage around the surgery area 3-5 times a week to try and help the scar tissue.

 

[Jo Ellen]

I'm glad to hear she's doing so well, that's wonderful. And the indoor swimming is a godsend, you're so fortunate!

It takes awhile to feel comfortable with the running again, I do remember that! I think you will find that she will run a little bit, you'll hold your breath, everything will be fine and then it will happen again and slowly you'll get more comfortable with it with a little practice.

With Daisy's 2nd surgery, what did it for me was when the labradoodle down the road wound up in our back yard. It was still wintertime, the yard was icy and slippery, she'd never met this dog before and he came running up and everything just happened in an instant. The owner called his dog, his dog took off running at breakneck speed, and away went Daisy after him. Man did she run!! My heart was in my throat, I could only watch and pray her leg held up.

And it did. I knew we were good after that. It was a whole lot of therapy in a few short seconds LOL

You'll get there

 

[mikhal]

About how many weeks after surgery would you say that you let (but it sounds like she let her self) Daisy run?

 

[BeauShel]

bumping up

 

[Jo Ellen]

Oh it was many weeks before she ran. She was always on leash outside for the first couple of months.

Let's see...she had her surgery in October....when she took off running, it was towards the end of winter...it must have been around 5 months or so after her surgery. I wasn't ready but she was

 

[mikhal]

Since we're at the end of our 3rd month... we'll wait a little bit more before running.

Does anyone have any other tips besides taking short walks and 30 minute swims?

Thanks!

Mikhal

 

[mikhal]

Also, for those that have had doggie ACL surgery, do you still play fetch with the frisbee?
The surgeon hinted that Sara's frisbee catching days maybe over.
But that's the one activity she LOVES.

Perhaps it's bad because of the running + jumping involved.
Any experience with post repaired-ACL frisbee?

Or even, any activities that you once did but will no longer?

Thanks!

Mikhal

 

[BeauShel]

I would not be using the frisbee, the jumping could hurt the leg again. Maybe fetching with a ball. If you have some water near you then I would play fetch in the water.