Don't laugh, but I've decided to medicate myself right along with my beloved Riggins. After watching him whimper, whine, swell, bruise, and pant, I'm taking a Pepcid for my belly when I give Tramadol and Benadryl to him! We're a mess!!!
Yesterday was a much better day than I anticipated. Riggins allowed me to put warm compresses along the suture line while putting cold compresses around his very swollen ankle. He is also getting a bit more restless and wants to walk around the yard when taken out for potty breaks. The vet told us this was OK as long as he's on a leash.
Still we have decided to let him go out the back door, but - if he wants to cruise the yard - he has to come back in via the garage to lessen the distance. He seems fine with this route and - after one round of this - followed the same path this morning.
Some key things I've noticed are:
Appetite
This has probably been the most heart-breaking aspect. For a lab who lives for food, there is nothing more depressing than handing him kibble or a bowl of rice, cottage cheese, and chicken and seeing him either take some and spit it out or just turn his head. He did finally eat some of the rice mixture last night, and he ate some this morning as well as some of his dry kibble.
Riggins thirst is being satisfied, and he does drink water whenever it is offered. That has been the saving grace, as I know he's not going to dehydrate.
Bruising and Swelling
The vet told us that Riggins would bruise a reddish/purple bruise and to expect swelling of the ankle. It's the extent of the bruising that is shocking. It starts at the top of his leg and goes to the ankle. It's on the inside of the leg, so you can't really see it until he stands up to go outside. At that point, I cringe; as I cannot imagine the pain that he must have or the overall trauma to the leg.
The swelling is the most worrisome to me. I am considering measuring the normal ankle and the swollen ankle to make sure it doesn't continue to swell. I have applied cold compresses to it but am not seeing any reduction. Then again..It doesn't seem to be getting worse.
Overall Mood
Riggins is and always will be the smartest dog I've ever met. He understands that he isn't to lick the suture line, so I've been able to tell him once and leave it at that. He also likes to have the fleece blanket over his naked half, so that's prevented unnecessary licking.
I've also told him that he's to remain on the rug in the family room because the hardwoods could be dangerous. He's found himself a spot and rotates on that spot depending on where we are and what he wants to see.
Riggins will also wag his tail depending on what he wants. "Do you want water?" (no wag)...."Do you want me to pet you?" (no wag)....Do you want a potty break? (no wag)....Do you want me to sit with you? (wag, wag, wag)....I sit with him, and he takes in a deep sigh and snoozes.
In fact, yesterday I curled up next to him on the floor; and he snuggled into me. The next thing I knew...I was waking up to see the "completed" room on the HGTV show I was watching after having just seen the "before" room on the same show.
All and all, we're getting by. We know it's a long road, and we are blessed to have many friends who have called and emailed to check on him. The vet is close by, and I know folks would help me if I needed to get him loaded and taken to the vet. I just pray that he continues to heal and doesn't have any complications.
Until next time...Happy Valentine's Day!
Showing posts with label recovery from tplo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recovery from tplo. Show all posts
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Riggins is Home - Night #1
Riggins came home yesterday afternoon after his TPLO surgery on Thursday.
We met with the surgeon who performed the surgery and were able to see "pre" and "post" surgery x-rays. It seemed a bit surreal to be seeing the first x-rays and then the second with a stainless steel plate and six screws into the bone. We could also see where the bone had been cut, rotated, and screwed back into the tibia.
The drive home was excrutiating, as Riggins laid in the back of the Jeep and cried and moaned. I swear he was not only in pain but also giving me the "what for" for dropping him off at the house of torture. He continued to cry and moan until I said, "I hear you. I know you're ticked. Now lay down and rest." With that, he stopped the crying and moaning and laid down. (Have I mentioned that he's human?)
The evening was much like I expected...Riggins whines constantly and wants the reassurance that we are here with him. We set up a puppy pen in the family room so that he could be with us but confined. He is none too happy about this because he detests being separated from us - even if only by a wire gate. The good news is that the vet said he does not have to be in all the time. If we are out with him and have good voice command, he can lay at our feet, etc.
We do need to assist Riggins when he walks on the hardwoods or stone floors or when going outside. The vet gave us a sling which we wrap around his back half and lug the 96 pound lug like an awkward stack of firewood. His movement is pretty fast, and he slightly weight-bears on the affected leg. The vet assured us that all of this is fine. He just doesn't want Riggins to take off running on us or to jump.
Anyway, Riggins was mainly thirsty last night and drank many, many bowls of water. He rejected food and (gasp!) even peanut butter until about 9 PM. I was grateful that he finally took some food since he had to take his painkillers and Benadryl at 9 PM. And, of course, Fred won him over with a little bit of cheese!
There was not much rest for the weary last night. We put the puppy pen in our bedroom so that his routine would be relatively similar to every other night. He froze when it came to walk into the bedroom on the wood floor, so Fred picked him up and carried him in. Riggins then cried and whined throughout the night. Fred opted to sleep in the spare BR (no need for 2 exhausted people in the house), so I had to find him at 1 AM when Riggins needed to go out. I wasn't sure how Riggins would do without both of us helping him, but - by 6 AM - I had it down pat.
I also spent about 30 minutes in the puppy pen with him at 3 AM. He woke up crying and moaning really badly. His pain meds weren't due for another hour, so I crawled in there with him and was able to keep him somewhat calm until he got his next dose.
This morning...Water (check); potty break (check); food (won't eat it...will try later); pill schedule written down (check); e-collar off (check); e-collar back on (check - tried to lick incision minute I went to get coffee); coffee (check, check, check).
We met with the surgeon who performed the surgery and were able to see "pre" and "post" surgery x-rays. It seemed a bit surreal to be seeing the first x-rays and then the second with a stainless steel plate and six screws into the bone. We could also see where the bone had been cut, rotated, and screwed back into the tibia.
The drive home was excrutiating, as Riggins laid in the back of the Jeep and cried and moaned. I swear he was not only in pain but also giving me the "what for" for dropping him off at the house of torture. He continued to cry and moan until I said, "I hear you. I know you're ticked. Now lay down and rest." With that, he stopped the crying and moaning and laid down. (Have I mentioned that he's human?)
The evening was much like I expected...Riggins whines constantly and wants the reassurance that we are here with him. We set up a puppy pen in the family room so that he could be with us but confined. He is none too happy about this because he detests being separated from us - even if only by a wire gate. The good news is that the vet said he does not have to be in all the time. If we are out with him and have good voice command, he can lay at our feet, etc.
We do need to assist Riggins when he walks on the hardwoods or stone floors or when going outside. The vet gave us a sling which we wrap around his back half and lug the 96 pound lug like an awkward stack of firewood. His movement is pretty fast, and he slightly weight-bears on the affected leg. The vet assured us that all of this is fine. He just doesn't want Riggins to take off running on us or to jump.
Anyway, Riggins was mainly thirsty last night and drank many, many bowls of water. He rejected food and (gasp!) even peanut butter until about 9 PM. I was grateful that he finally took some food since he had to take his painkillers and Benadryl at 9 PM. And, of course, Fred won him over with a little bit of cheese!
There was not much rest for the weary last night. We put the puppy pen in our bedroom so that his routine would be relatively similar to every other night. He froze when it came to walk into the bedroom on the wood floor, so Fred picked him up and carried him in. Riggins then cried and whined throughout the night. Fred opted to sleep in the spare BR (no need for 2 exhausted people in the house), so I had to find him at 1 AM when Riggins needed to go out. I wasn't sure how Riggins would do without both of us helping him, but - by 6 AM - I had it down pat.
I also spent about 30 minutes in the puppy pen with him at 3 AM. He woke up crying and moaning really badly. His pain meds weren't due for another hour, so I crawled in there with him and was able to keep him somewhat calm until he got his next dose.
This morning...Water (check); potty break (check); food (won't eat it...will try later); pill schedule written down (check); e-collar off (check); e-collar back on (check - tried to lick incision minute I went to get coffee); coffee (check, check, check).
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