King Riggins Holding Court

It's now been a week since Riggins had TPLO surgery. Before I give the official update, a little history lesson....

Riggins is named for the great fullback John Riggins who played for the Washington Redskins and was named MVP of Super Bowl XVII.

In case you haven't a clue about football, Riggins was and is the legend of the Washington Redskins. His on-field play and off-field antics endeared him to many and granted him many nicknames...Riggo, the Diesel, Honorary Hog. However, after winning Super Bowl XVII in which he ran the famous TD run on a 4th and 1 play, Riggins announced, "Reagan may be President. But tonight I am king."

So...Keep this in mind as I give you the latest news on ol' Riggo.

In my last post, I mentioned that Riggins' leg was quite bruised and swollen. It seemed to continue to swell until Monday. I grew quite concerned because the bottom of the leg was as big as the top of his leg. There was also a great deal of heat coming from the leg, but the suture line remained clean and showed no signs of infection.

On Tuesday, when I checked his leg, I could push my finger into the swollen places and leave a fingerprint. It was time to call the vet.

The surgeon who performed the procedure stated that it was not unusual for a dog to have swelling and bruising; however, the "hardness" of the swollen areas around the ankle were cause for concern. While it sounded contrary to reason, the vet advised the use of hot compresses several times per day.

Hot compresses to the rescue. Within a few treatments, the swelling began to dissipate. While it is definitely still swollen, it's not painful to look at!

On Wednesday, Riggins was very agitated. He was panting and circling over and over to find a spot to rest. Worry set in that he was experiencing more pain than the pain medication was able to overcome. At a loss, I began to wonder what to do next; and a dear friend said that he would let me know what I needed to know...Was he getting better? Or worse?

Riggins refused to eat unless I hand-fed him. He refused to make eye contact and would nibble one piece at a time. I was getting more concerned.

After dinner, we slowly made our way outside with the sling assisting his every step. He did his business and limped his way back toward the house. As we passed by the beach entry to the pool, Riggins turned a hard left and walked into the pool despite my shrieking, "NOOOOOO!!!!!" He laid down in the pool with his bottom up in the air and his right leg poised to the side. After a long drink of water, he got out of the pool, shot me a glance, and shook off.

Riggins then gingerly stepped over the grass and plopped himself down for a little R&R in the sun. I cajoled, begged, and ordered Riggins to get up and come in the house. Nope...He wasn't budging. I stood there beside him and waited for him to move along.

And then it hit me. He was feeling much better. I was the lady-in-waiting.

King Riggins was holding court.