Containing Post-Surgery/HELP!

sandramast · #1 10-06-2005, 02:35 PM

Cooper needs to have Surgery on his back knee (traditional method) and the Vet said he would need to be segregated from our other 3 dogs, taken outside on a leash to eliminate, no doggie doors, etc. for 6-8 weeks!!!! How on earth does someone do that? We bought a dog ramp to use with our fifth wheel but can we put that up to our bed so he can still snuggle at night time and mornings?

Besides crating (we are not too keen on crating) does anyone have any ideas? Baby play pens? Baby gates? How do you keep them from wanting to jump on their favorite chair?

What has been your experience in reality?

Any help is greatly appreciated! You have no idea........

Coopers Worried Mom

Oscar's Mom · #2 10-06-2005, 03:30 PM

Oscar has been through 2 knee surgeries and yes it is hard to keep them down. One knee was TPLO and the other was traditional repair. The traditional repair was a harder recovery. He wouldn't even use the leg for weeks. We don't have any other pets though so I don't know about that part.

As for keeping him down we pretty much stayed with him as much as we could. That meant when we were home one of us was sitting by him all the time. This way if he did act like he was going to get up we could stop him. We did this for about 2 weeks. After that we allowed him to slowly walk around a little bit. We honestly didn't confine him as much as we were told. We did do leash potty breaks for 6 weeks though. He got new chew toys and bones. We moved his bed by the window so he could look outside. He loved that. He was whiney but we got through it......twice.

If you have any other questions just let me know.

Myra

sandramast · #3 10-06-2005, 03:38 PM

Thank you for you advice and good wishes. I sort of knew that what the Vet wanted and what is truely practical in "the real world" are two different things. HOWEVER, I certainy don't want Cooper reversing his surgery and needing to go back in again...not sure we could swing double the cost.

Did Oscar go up or down any inclines (ramps) during recovery?

Oscar's Mom · #4 10-07-2005, 08:21 AM

No, Oscar did not use a ramp. Out to our backyard is only one step and the rest of where we kept him was one level.
You will be surprised at how well they can move with 3 legs. Oscar got pretty fast.
The hardest part is about 4 weeks or so after surgery and he felt good and couldn't understand why he couldn't just get up and walk around.
There are a couple pictures in my gallery of Oscar after his TPLO surgery. I don't have ones of the traditional posted but it looked about the same only the incision was longer.

Take it day by day and you'll make it through. Good luck.

Myra

Muttluvr · #5 10-07-2005, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandramast

What has been your experience in reality?

Apollo had TPLO surgery on his knee in January. For the first 8 weeks post-op I put the mattress in the spare bedroom on the ground and Apollo and I slept there while my bf and Foster slept in the normal bedroom (my bf wasn't too impressed, but... oh well!). During the day I tried to crate him, but after the surgery he developed SA and the entire time I was at work he would sit and pant and drool. Since that wasn't working at all I moved him into the computer room and put a folded wire crate on the couch so he couldn't get up on it. He liked to stand at the window and bark at people so I shuttered it so he couldn't see out.

I bought a ramp for the SUV, but only used it once. I hated it! Even to this day I just lift him in and out of the car.

When we went back to the regular bed, I bought a ramp for him to use to get on and off of it.

I also recommend the group that nanabear listed. That group was a lifesaver for me at times.