My Wonderful Companion

My Wonderful Companion

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Jaspers meds - Feb 26th

Jasper is on Baytril to prevent bone infection.  Its $75.  He will have been on it for 2 weeks.
I also give him one Acepromazine a day.  Its a tranquilizer and one if very mild for a dog Jasper's size  It just keeps him from going crazy and being a tame dog.  I don't want him reinjuring himself by being too aggressive.

Jasper and physical therapy

This is what my vet said to do, but I have heard very knowledge people say this is way to aggressive a process.  We are not pushing Jasper.  If he doesn't do much more than he is now thats fine.  As long as the leg is flexible and he is using it mostly but babying it, we are ok.


week 1 - massage 5 -10 mins 3-4 times daily
               passive range exercises (bend and straighten the leg - you need a pro to show you how)
               short controlled leash walks 5 mins 3-4 times a day (potty trips)
week 2 - after the stitches come out, you can do cold therapy if its swollen or moist heat pack therapy if its not swollen
               I found it helpful to do the passive range exercises at this point before exercise
               massage 10 mins 3-4 times day
               passive range exercise 15 reps, 3-4 times a day
               short leash walks 3-4 times a day for 5-10 mins
week 3   moist heat pack
              massage 10 mins 2-3 times a day
              if his is using leg well, you can discontinue the passive range motion exercise
              slow controlled leash walk 15 mins 3-4 times a day
              sit-stand exercise
              stop icing
week 4   all the same stuff, but add figure 8s
week 5-8   same stuff but add curb work and slight incline work
week 9-12  same stuff

Vet recommened professional therapy places with water treadmills and swimming.  I can't afford that and Jasper has never been swimming.  He would love it.  Freak out and injure himself.                

Jasper's progress on Feb 26th - video (as promised)

Jasper is a little too out of control here. I had a hard time with the video camera and walking him.  He isn't a well trained leash walking dog.  Which is my big concern about any surgery for him.  But he is walking on all four legs most of the time.  He babies the surgery leg.  He only walks 4 or 5 times a day for 10 mins.  He needs lots of massages or the muscles tighten up.

I used a very diluted DMSO spray too.  I read the DMSO was safe for dogs and sports athletes use it all the time.  I found it very helpful for stiff aching joints after my shoulder surgery.

Jasper - and carpet

We have hard wood floors through out the house.  That is super bad.  We had to buy rugs to cover almost every square inch.  Which I got on Ebay for a fantastic price.  $200 total for a 16 x 18 ft rug.  I know the quality is ok.  Not the same as some other rugs I have, but the price can't be beat and I have pets so its fine!
I got a 8 x 11 rugs for $55.01 total! 
Hoping makes Jasper slide easier and this is horrible!  He slide once and I immediately bought rugs. 
Now everywhere he walks has a floor covering.
Vendor is drago007

Jasper's pen - the gate

Here is the video of the gate.  I had to turn the pen upside down.
Jasper loves the Martha Stewart mat we bought.  He is always lying on it.  We also cut up a outdoor cushion for a bed.  A hard floor was too hard on him and any other covers risked getting his leg caught or tangled.  The vet said they like mats so we tried to use them.  When he really started to balance on the 4th leg, we added a couple of small pillows.

Feb 26th - more info

We bought the 48 in crate for a really great price on Ebay, but we haven't used it.  However, if there is an emergency and we need to go anyway.  Its nice to know we have the crate to keep Jasper in.  The pen is perfect for the house, but too large for company's homes.
The pen I bought for the outside is pretty much useless since outside time is when they want him leash walked for exercise of the leg.  A pen isn't helpful in the yard.
The harness wasn't helpful either.  The vet's office said they use a towel, but Jasper only needed support 1 day and we just grabbed him around the waist.
I'll see if I can find my video cam and get Jasper in action.

Feb 26th Jasper update - 23 days after surgery

Ok.  Jasper had the surgery Feb 3rd, Thursday.  On Monday Feb 7th he tore open his stitches because I left his hoodie off.  So Tuesday he was put under and the stitches were redone.  Another 24 hrs at the vets with antibiotics.  They put a giant wrap around the leg because they didn't trust me.  But I really think this caused more problems than helped.  Jasper held his leg ackwardly.  It fell down and we cut it off.
On the 17th the dr saw Jasper.  He was hoping and not using his leg.  She felt this was horrible.  Jasper had a skin infection that they weren't sure if it was a bone infection.  She put him on antibiotics.
On the 24th the dr saw Jasper again.  He was walking on all 4 legs and the infection wasn't swollen at all.  For some reason, she insisted he still had a bone infection and wanted to reoperate on Jaspers leg.
Jasper is walking on all 4 legs and there is no swelling and no temperature.  We said no surgery.  The vet that is monitoring Jaspers process is not the surgery dr and according to the paper work of progress he is right where he is supposed to be.
Jasper is really strong and determined.  I am worried he will blow out the surgery just in the leash walks.  It would have helped if he was better leash trained when this started.
I love love love the pen was bought on Ebay.  I have pictures of it on the supplies post.  Not the crate.  The pen.  We modified it when he was first out of surgery to be really small and increased it to its full size when he needed to be a little more active.  Its 36 inches tall.  We had to turn it upside down because we didn't want him to step up to get into it.  I will try to get a picture of that for you.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Day 4 - redoing the stitches

Jasper is in the vet hospital.  I didn't make him wear the hoodie.  I thought I could watch him.  I sat in a recliner and watched him all the time.  But at some point I must have turned away and he quickly chewed the stitches.  They tore on the outside and inside.  They dr had to go in and flush the wound and restitch every thing.  They required 24 hrs of iv antibiotics and there is a higher chance of bone infection now.
Never ever let your dog be without his plastic hoodie until the dr says its ok.
Also, they are wrapping the leg every 3 days now.  It takes a professional to wrap it so that it doesn't cut off circulation to the leg, but it will protect the surgery better.
You don't have to say bad things about me.  I feel like crap.  He was so unhappy with the hoodie.  I thought I could just sit with him and it would be ok.
It wasn't.
There is an ice storm today and I get Jasper this afternoon.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Tightrope Day 3 - the daily issues with tightrope

We keep this pen in the bedroom in case Jasper gets routy, needs to go potty, or has any problems during the night.  He is happier when he is with us.  One of the other dogs will sleep beside the pen at night and keep Jasper company.  It makes him feel better.  I bought 2 because I didnt want to be moving pens all the time and I have to keep a constant hold on Jasper when he is out of his pen, so it would have been almost impossible for me by myself to move the pen all the time.
Jasper is an indoor dog.  This surgery would be really hard to control with an outdoor dog.  Mainly keeping them calm, no jumping, no lunging, no running.  Also, there is a 75% CHANCE of blowing out the ACL in the other leg.  Jasper hopped around with 3 legs for 3 weeks before his surgery.  We are hoping this activity built up his other leg.  He is a little more weight baring than normal too.  So this might ease the other leg's stress.
The little dog is Andy.  He keeps Jasper company.

Tightrope recovery Day 3 continued

The pens are practical because as Jasper progresses that can easily be expanded in size to give him more room.  It will expand to 8 ft x 8 ft and will go down to 2 ft x 4 ft.
The crate is necessary for trips and when he is routy.
The Martha Stewart anti-fatigue mat?  Well, I keep the soft bath rug over the top of it and he loves it.  Its his place of choice when lying down.  If the bath rug isn't over it, he starts destroying the vinyl mat.
I am hoping this blog will help people in the future make the decision on what to do with their dog that has a severed ACL.
Oh, by the way Jasper's original injury only tore the ACL.  If it had been diagnosised correctly in the beginnning and treated with conservative management, it might have saved us $1800.  We went to 4 vets before we got an accurate diagnosis.  The first vet wanted to operate on his foot!  For $2000!  Right that moment!  The problem was his knee.
The 2nd vet started him on anti-inflammatories, but didn't suggest conservative management.  The 3rd vet said it was ACL, and wanted to send him to San Antonio to a specialist for a TPLO for $3500.  I don't have $3500.
The 4th vet was a surgeon and she suggested Tightrope.  So here we are.  I don't want to tell you the total price after all these vets and all these meds.
My suggestion is.  Immediately after an injury, see a good vet with surgical skills, because the others admitted not being qualified to diagnosis the problem.  This will insure you are treating the right condition.  But whatever your vet says.  Put your dog in a small kennel.  Don't let the pet jump or run for 8 to 12 weeks.  Antiinflammatories are good.  But leash walk him for any trips outside the kennel.  Kennel - play yard 2 ft x 4 ft.  The dog is walking.  He seems happy.  He is running all over the place.  That doesn't mean anything.  His ACL can still be torn and your dog will run like crazy over his acre wide yard.  Trust me.  Mine did.
 

Jasper Day 3 after Tightrope surgery



So you could get an idea of his progress.  We watch his eyes so we can tell a lot about his pain level.  We have an excel spreadsheet to track meds.  There are 4 meds at all different times of day.  This is a must.  We noticed that with Jasper 8 hrs is too long.  His meds run out after 7 hrs.  He whimpers hysterically and is in pain if we wait 8 hrs.
The instructions say Jasper should toe touch but not weight bare until week 3.  He was weight baring after the 2nd day, but it was very brief moments.  I hope that isn't a problem.  We see the vet today for a checkup and to remove the bandages.
The vet said it was important he pee'd and poo'd regularly.  He was a little slow on the peeing, but we kept the water going and it finally happened.
The floor in the vets office is cement and slick.  I hope we don't have a problem.  He isn't supposed to slide around when he walks.  Mats, rugs, and carpet are all good. 
We bought two kennels, a 48" dog crate, a Martha Stewart anti-fatigue mat (Home Depot), an extra large outdoor rug mat.  Love them all.  Never used the harness that people told us we would need.  Must be for dogs that didnt stand as quickly as Jasper.

48" Pet Folding Dog Cat Crate Cage Kennel w/ABS Tray LC  - valuemassage is the dealer $59.88 total with shipping!  On Ebay!

According to the vet, most people can't keep their dog from bolting, jumping, and contained for 12 weeks.  But TPLO has same limitations as the Tightrope.  We bought the pens so that he wouldn't be stuck in a crate for 12 weeks and it would give us a chance to have a normal life.

Pet Dog Cat Play Exercise Pen Playpen w/Carry Case 4S  $50.99 total!

We had to change the size to 2 ft x 4 ft for a long long time.  It was really easy and just took me a few seconds.  The doctor didn't want him having this much room.  But he loves the openness to the house and the family.  The only problem was that Jasper would ram the pen and try to escape, so I put a few broomsticks in the corners to secure it better.  This also deterred him from jumping up, which he did try to do once.
He also tried to jump up on me when we were walking.  I quickly tapped him on the head and yelled NO!  He hasn't done that again.

Jasper's tightrope surgery - the first days

On January 3rd at 9 am, Jasper had tightrope surgery with Dr. Justin Harper.  He spent the night with antibiotics.  The surgery cost $200 more than they quoted me.  He was sent home with 4 medications.  Tramadol, Zubrin, Cephalexin, and Acepromazine.  First advice, the acepromazine is a tranquilizer because Jasper is a big hyper dog, who likes to jump.  Jumping and running are the biggest no-no's for tightrope surgery.  For 12 weeks the dog needs baby-sitted.  Not many can devote this much attention to a dog.
The tranquilizer was too strong and Jasper couldn't walk.  He almost injured himself, trying to walk.  We cut back after the first dose.  Two pills were enough to calm him doesnt 20 mg total.  Originally it was 20-40 mg prescribed.
Keep on hand can dog food, lunch meat, anything that dogs love because by day 3 his appetite is really bad.  He ate well on day 1 and 2.  He wouldn't drink on day 1 and 2 but ate lots of ice chips.  One day 3 he wouldn't eat but drank water and wouldn't touch ice chips.  I finally got him to eat can dog food.
We found very quickly to take him to got potty before giving him meds.  This way he wasn't droggy and had good stamina for the very slow leash walk to the back yard.
We ordered a physical therapy guide http://www.topdoghealth.com/  'Cruciate (extracapsular Cranial Cruciate Ligament Repair) for $19.95 plus shipping.  The vet recommended it.
Another thing the vet didn't tell us, was physical therapy is in addition to the quoted surgery cost.  Beware.
He is supposed to start passive range motion exercises this week.  10 slow repetitions 3 times a day.  Then slow leash walks 5 to 10 mins 3 times a day.  Thats kind of 'potty' trips that he has done since Friday.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Tightrope Decisions Decisions

You know the thing about any surgery is bad things happen.  I know a 12 year old in Amarillo that died during a tonsil surgery.  Bad things happen.  The success rate for tightrope and tplo are both really close.  The percent of complications are lower on tightrope.  60 % chance of blowing the other knee?  Well my dog has been 3 legged since Sept.  So the other knee is pretty strong now.  I think that might be an advantage to waiting.  You build up the other leg.  Maybe I am wrong.  We will find out.
I have a great big Indian blanket that I am going to put on the floor in the house, so he can walk easier.
I would love professional physical therapy, but I don't see that anywhere as an option.  We could use one of those in the neighborhood.

Tightrope surgery supplies

I have betadine, I have two play pens that can be adjusted to 3 x 3 ft at drs request, I have one crate 48in long, 29 in wide.  1 large mobility harness also purchased on ebay for $14 total.
I have an outdoor cushion for his crate.