The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[Elke]

I'm sorry to hear about your dog, I know how hard things like this can be, my husband is well was a Vet Tech, his dream is to be a Vet. Know that your gilr will be taken good care of.

[DogMa]

The recovery is torture. I kept Maggie sedated the first few days just so she'd sit quietly without getting upset at being confined. I wish I lived closer; I have a plastic crate for when she can't move around at all, then a metal crate for when she's allowed to stand up some, and then two ex pens I can keep expanding when she can move around a little and then later have a whole room. (The post-op's gotten easier since the first time, though. I think with the second surgery, Maggie was able to have a whole room right away, as long as there was nothing for her to climb on.)

She'll be good as new when she's all recovered, though. And she'll be able to walk enough to potty and stuff (on a leash, so she's controlled) right after the surgery, which was wonderful.

But I hear ya on the expense. I think Maggie's knees cost $10,000 all together. I got help from relatives, though, thankfully.

[alpha femme]

i feel horrible.
i gave lillers her pain meds and she got a little sleepy, so i cuddled her until she was out. i didn't put her in her crate because she looked comfortable.
so, since it was 11pm, i thought i could slip out to the gym.
i came back to a hysterical, anxious dog running to me on 3 legs.
poor puppy....
she is quite fast for having only been doing the 3-legged thing for a few hours. apparently, the rule is that we cannot be seperated until she feels better.

i guess i'm going to have to ask for some doggie valium for the first few days after surgery-- the dog will not slow down. maybe the vet could spread some of that my way, cause when i get next month's visa bill, i will probably stroke out.

[DogMa]

It's so hard. I made her crate as comfy as I could, but she always looked so forlorn when I put her in there. Especially when her younger brother was still free to roam, something I think neither one of them ever understood.

And of course, we can't even talk about the E-collar. Maggie's good about not chewing on her bandages, so she didn't have to wear hers very often. And never when I was around and could keep an eye on her. Talk about indignity!

[alpha femme]

i think my anxiety kept me from checking myself a the gym last night. i can barely move my arms today. serves me right, i suppose. now i feel some of cecelia dog's pain. it didn't seem like a lot; it was actually pretty mellow.
eh, i guess it happens.

[Prancer]

Alex is there any way your vet would let you make payments to them? My parents have several dogs and have had them to the vet for very many reasons (one had cancer, two had parvo etc....) they make payments of what they can afford and the vet is ok with it.

[alpha femme]

no, the vets out here are pretty much pay now people. in addition, lillly has to go to a specialist, so it's going to have to be all plastic, all the way.

i figure i'll pop her into some fishnets and send her out to the dog park when her leg is healed.

[BerkshireGrl]

i figure i'll pop her into some fishnets and send her out to the dog park when her leg is healed.

... and maybe a satin collar with a red bow?

[DogMa]

Too bad you don't live near our resident vet.

[alpha femme]

i figure i'll pop her into some fishnets and send her out to the dog park when her leg is healed.

... and maybe a satin collar with a red bow?

and freshly trimmed whiskers.

[TheShadow]

Okay now, we are talking about a REAL dog now, right?? Just checkin', cuz I wouldn't want to fall for that one again! Seriously though, I feel your puppy's pain. We have had 2 dogs tear their ACL and have to get it surgically repaired. Ours was not nearly that costly though. Maybe we had a different surgery, because it was only about $1000. Barney's leg is good as new now, but his scar will always be visible because he has very short hair and his leg is white. You probably will have to have her on puppy valium for at least a week after and then they are only supposed to walk outside on leash for 6 weeks! We were only able to keep Barn down for about 2-3 weeks before he started running around like a fool again. Good luck with the surgery and I hope she's feeling better soon.

[alpha femme]

puparella goes under the knife this afternoon.
it hurts MY feelers that she hurts.... when the surgeon first tried to examine her knee, she growled at him and tucked her face into my shirt so i could protect her. i felt horrible. and then they watched in amazement as she tried to run on 3 legs, jump onto stuff, and was generally a menace.
she'll be on puppy sedation for a few weeks, and she'll have to have her leg wrapped longer than most dogs to keep it stable during her crazy moments.
i love her.
she is my baby.
she has to be healthy so that we can grow old together. after all, chicks come and go, but the pup is always there for me. that's why i call her "my best girl."
the place that she is at apparently understand the extreme anxiety people who are really attached feel when seperated from their puppies, because they gave me list of numbers so i can check on her 24hrs a day. that made me feel better.
when i said goodbye her little doped-up puppy eyes kept trying to focus on me, and i realized for the millionth time what a gentle, sweet (even if she bites people she doesn't like), little person she is. and she relies on me for everything that matters to her....

[DogMa]

Ha. Yeah, the first time Mags had her surgery, I sat in the giant cage with her till they took her in, and then I sat in the recovery room with her while she woke up from the anesthesia.

The second time, they didn't have that kind of set-up, so I just pestered them with phone calls every hour all day and night.

And Shadow, it sounds like Barney had the traditional surgery, which is less expensive. TPLO's different. They basically put a metal plate in the knee. It's used on working dogs and very active dogs because it has a quicker recovery time, they recover full use of their knee and the problem can't recur because there's metal in the knee instead of tissue that can tear again. Surgeons have to be specially trained to do it, so those who aren't tend not to recommend it or even mention it.

[kmr]

Alex,
I know exactly how you feel and I've been there several times with several of my "babies". I have 3 cats and 2 dogs. 2 Siamese (sisters), 1 Persian, 1 Chow Chow, and 1 Chow/Akita mix. I love them all soooooooo much and even though I have my sons (who are the world to me), my pets are still and always will be my babies too! I am an avid animal lover. Wishing you all the best with your "baby's" recovery. Keep us updated.

[alpha femme]

yeah, the surgeon was pretty upfront and told me that there are hundreds of different ways of operating on the c.l. but the tplo look like it's by far the best option for my nut. that choice certainly made visa happy.