Springer just had cruciate ligament replaced, not a happy camper!

alexlyons

My 10 year old springer spaniel just had her cruciate ligament replaced yesterday. She was out of it all day and this morning seems to be wrecked still, she can't exactly move so she's just lying inside. The anesthetic has worn off and now she's getting at the wound. had to get her a collar and I tell you something, I'm her least favourite person at the minute!

no real questions other than any tips?



Always makes me think of this!

andreac

Please make sure you stick the vets instructions. Complete rest is an asbol must to aid the recovery with this type of injury.

It takes most dogs at least 6 months to heal properly so a lost of rest and restricted exercise is an absolute must.

A crate might be a good idea to help keep her quiet too.

iguana

I second the crate idea. Line it with vetbed or some old pillows/quilt and put her toys in there so it feels like a cozy space for her.

Maybe get her some puzzles to help with her boredom, she will be very bored and frustrated to not get her walks. Take a look through these, obviously things like the ball would encourage her to move too much but the slide/chew games would be good. http://home-garden.shop.ebay.co.uk/Pet-Supplies-/1281/i.html?_nkw=dog+puzzle&_catref=1&_dmpt=UK_Toys_Jigsaws_RL&_fln=1&_trksid=p3286.c0.m282 If she doesn't have a kong it would be worth getting her one. The great thing about them is that you can fill them with such a variety of foods. And even freeze them so they can cool her down if there are ever any warm days.

And watch her diet while she is recuperating. If she gets overweight it could have impact on her recovery.

alexlyons

ye have no intention of going against what the vet says! have to cut her food by 20% so she doesn't get overweight.

Will probably end up using the crate idea when she starts getting a bit more energy and wants to move. At the minute she is just lying there with no desire to move so I don't think there is any need for it at the minute. it'd only add to her discomfort being boxed in, even if she can't move now. getting vetbed soon as well, and the toys idea is good, although again, I don't think she has any interest with no energy at the minute! but will definitely get her a few new toys soon. she has a habit of destroying them within days!

iguana

You could be surprised by how quickly she rebounds. When my Toby had his leg amputated he was released to us two days after the operation. He was incredibly dopey and just lying there for the first night so we left him out of his crate so he wouldn't feel too cut off. That night my husband carried him upstairs so he could sleep in our room and the minute he put him down Toby leaped up on our bed and started hopping around on it in excitement as being up in our room is a big treat for him. By the next morning he had to be confined to the crate as he was trying to run all over the house and kept trying to sneak into the garden.

This is a pic of him taken 20 minutes before he was jumping on the bed.

alexlyons

Wow! toby seems great! shame about his leg though. I reckon Rosie will want to be up and at it pretty soon, although we can't let her When that happens I'll do as you did and confine her to the crate. She seems really depressed though, such a shame she's loving all the extra attention she gets! She's pretty smart and I reckon, as she did before, she'll put on that she's in a bad way and lap up the attention as much as she can! She's a great dog, it's such a shame to see her like this

kalie

My lab had the same op a few years ago (after falling out the back step chasing an imaginary cat). It will take a while before your dogs back to its usual self, its a big op. With mine one day she was fine, walking around a bit and the next she wouldn't move and that went on for few weeks.
I was told by someone to give her Rescue Remedy http://www.bachflower.com/. 4 drops in a small bowl of milk. It worked wonders, she was alot calmer and slept better after.
Make sure theres no big steps for her to go down if she needs to go out, build a little ramp if there is.
Try to keep her cozy in a quiet part of the house so she can rest up

There was also a powder i used to help heal up the scar quicker which ment she wasn't trying to bite it off herself. I'll try to find out what it was.

alexlyons

that powder would be great. I'd love to get the collar off her. She's in a serious amount of pain. she's on pain killers but I don't think they're enough tbh. It's not fair to see her like this I want to sleep beside her so she knows I'm there for her

iguana

Ginger is a good natural pain killer and anti-inflammatory. We used to feed Toby pieces of crystallised ginger after his operation.

Mrs Garth Brooks

Ah the poor girl. Hope she gets better soon.

chamaid

Guys, just stick to the meds that were given after the surgery. Do NOT put any powder or ointment on the wound. This can penetrate through the wound and cause post op issues. Any problems with joint surgery after surgery is always a nightmare. Stick to the plan. Any queries just PM me