Cruciate Ligament Rupture

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erin
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Joined: Sun Sep 02, 2012 2:58 pm

Cruciate Ligament Rupture

Post by erin »

Molly (7 yo Lab) has been diagnosed with cruciate rupture. She's awaiting surgery which will happen on Thursday.
Has anyone been through it? I'm very nervous and emotional about the surgery and the recovery time afterwards - I don't quite know what to do with myself :(
I'm on my own and fear that I won't be able to look after her properly after the surgery...
At the moment she's resting and we only take toilet trips but even those can prove too long (I think) because we haven't got a garden and she just won't go anywhere near the house. We have to walk quite few houses down the road for her to do toilets. I've got a harness and we walk really slowly but every step she takes worries me. How am I suppose to cope after the surgery? :(
If anyone has got experience with this and would like to share, I'd much appreciate it.
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Nettle
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Re: Cruciate Ligament Rupture

Post by Nettle »

Yes, I've been there. The dogs tend to cope better than the owners!

It's a long haul, but take it one day at a time. Read our 'exercise the mind' thread for things your dog can do without moving much. It comes right in the end, but your dog will never be 100% sound, so be prepared for that. Dogs don't worry about it; we are all a bit gimpy as we get older anyway.

My vet uses minimum painkillers, just to take the edge off during the first post-surgery days because it's not good for the dog to think it's okay and try to run or jump.

It's very very imprtant to keep her weight down - so difficult with a lab and even more when you can't walk her, so invest in some kongs and other devices that slow down eating.

She will love a massage whenever you can give her some. Obviously avoid the injured area, but her back and neck will feel as good as can be after a massage.

Now is the time to work on anything like grooming or nail-clipping, if she is unsure of that. Some clicker-training would keep her mind occupied too. And some great things to chew. Chewing releases endorphins and is very comforting to dogs. Us too.

Research some hydrotherapy places you can get to where she can do wading and swimming once she starts to get better.

((((((((((HUG))))))))))))) because I know you feel awful just now, but honestly, she'll be fine.
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog

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erin
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Re: Cruciate Ligament Rupture

Post by erin »

Thank you, Nettle! It does look like she's coping far better than I am but what can I do, she's evertything I've got and I'm not just saying that :)

She's raw fed, do you think I should stop that? It feels like ages when she squats to do her poos and maybe it hurts her? That bone-poo that just takes that little longer to come out... I don't know and this is the one question I'm shy to ask the vet - he'll tell me right off!

I cut her food right down - is there any risk that she won't get what she needs nutritionally wise and I'll then create other issues? I feed her a consistent bone-meat-offal ratio and she seems to be doing well on it, I just cut down on her portions, which were a bit big anyway. She's not happy, though and gives me the puppy eyes once she's finished her meals :)
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Nettle
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Re: Cruciate Ligament Rupture

Post by Nettle »

No need to change the raw food because it's the best nutrition you can give her. I'd suggest you increase the green veg a lot, and drop the bone back a little. Add some olive oil or animal fat to soften the poo but go carefully as you don't want an explosion :o
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog

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erin
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Re: Cruciate Ligament Rupture

Post by erin »

It's been 12 weeks since surgery. It wasn't easy at all, lots of tears and few sleepless nights :) Her leg looks OK now, so the Xray say. She walks fine on the leg and the vet is happy with her recovery. BUT.
BUT. A couple of weeks after surgery she started limping on her other back leg. We went back to the vets and sure enough her other leg's cruciate ligaments showed to be damaged. So that was 10 weeks ago. Ever since we seem to get nowhere. I can't exercise her properly so the leg that's been operated on doesn't get enough exercise. If we do a bit much - that is more than 5 minutes walk - she's lame for two, three days :( If we don't do any exercise her operated on leg it's not getting as good as it should. Her back legs' muscles seem to waste away, and so is my sanity.
We have started some form of hydrotherapy - treadmill in a basin of water. That went well, she did 12 minutes and didn't show any lameness afterwards, if anything the next day she seemed a bit more energized. I was pleased. Then, the day before our second session she slipped and fell and hurt her leg. The one that's already painful and weak. So we cancelled hydrotherapy for now and we were back to no walks other than down the road, couple of minutes for toilets. Today she seemed better. I took her to the park for a mooch about. Not much walking, more sniffing and weeing/marking. She's now in pain :( , with standing up difficulties and limping when she moves about. Not that she does much moving about.
I'm crying as I'm typing this because I feel I'm letting her down completely. I can't afford another surgery at the moment. I had to pay for the first one as the insurance wouldn't cover any illnesses related to her back legs. I got insurance after she hurt her ankle few years ago...
I don't know if I want to ask anything really... Maybe, is there something else I could do for her? She's on medication, of course, Rymadil and ocasionally Tramadol, she's on glucosamine supplements and on a raw diet. Is there anything else that could help her? Any other supplements or anything at all? Is that treadmill-in-water a good idea or would swimming be better?
I don't know. I feel lonely and I feel no one understands... I'm exhausted with worry and stress :(
JudyN
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Re: Cruciate Ligament Rupture

Post by JudyN »

I have no practical advice for you at all - I hope others do - but just want to send you a ((((((((huge hug)))))))) I can only imagine how horrible it must be for you :(
Jasper, lurcher, born December 2009
erin
Posts: 53
Joined: Sun Sep 02, 2012 2:58 pm

Re: Cruciate Ligament Rupture

Post by erin »

Thanks, Judy! It means a lot!
It does feel lonely when for the most real people around me she is "just a dog". And to me she's my family.. My good one :)

Anyway, here she is giving it her all on the treadmill. It was a proud moment :)

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JudyN
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Re: Cruciate Ligament Rupture

Post by JudyN »

Aw, bless her! At least with human family members you can explain things to them, and they can read books, watch telly, knit, or whatever keeps them entertained. I think it's worse when it's your dog who is suffering!
Jasper, lurcher, born December 2009
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Nettle
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Re: Cruciate Ligament Rupture

Post by Nettle »

It has only been a few weeks, and this injury takes months to come right, or as right as it is going to. I spent three months sleeping on the floor with my dog, and for more months the ten-minute walks six times a day seemed to take the whole day, but even five minutes of outside sniffing is GOOD.

Massage and passively exercise all her legs within their normal planes of movement - intensive physio really helps.

She is a lab. so work on entertainment that helps her use her amazing nose.

Give yourself a break, and give her time.

Healing wise try turmeric capsules, one a day in the morning. Are you giving her homeopathic Rhus tox, Ruta graveolens and Arnica mix? It has truly amazing results. Go easy on the painkillers as long-term they are not kind to the body. A little pain keeps a dog from overdoing things. Agony of course is something that needs help, but a little pain is everyday fact for many of us.


I know you want it better now, and you are in a lonely place, but it DOES improve over a realistsic timescale. I'm thinking you have not yet had a bad injury yourself - I have, umpteen times, and it takes a lot more time than we think.

Go and make her a cardboard box full of different smells, and have yourself a bar of chocolate!
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog

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erin
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Re: Cruciate Ligament Rupture

Post by erin »

Thank you very much Nettle, you're very kind!

I took a deep breath and feel better now... I am now looking for the homeopathic products - hopefully they'll make a difference. Nettle, I found turmeric capsules for humans, they ok to give to Molly? I see they are sold in different dosage, which one should I get? Molly weighs around 35 kg at the moment..
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Nettle
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Re: Cruciate Ligament Rupture

Post by Nettle »

Yes, human ones are fine and the dose is one a day :) Takes a while IME to show results.
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog

SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
erin
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Joined: Sun Sep 02, 2012 2:58 pm

Re: Cruciate Ligament Rupture

Post by erin »

I have been looking on line to buy the homeopathic mix but I could only find the individual products and I ordered them. I got:
- Dorwest Herbs Rhus Tox for Dogs and Cats 6c (Pack of 2);
- Weleda Ruta Grav 30C - Pack of 125 Tablets;
- Dorwest Herbs Arnica for Dogs and Cats 15c (Pack of 2);
And the turmeric capsules: Organic Turmeric (120 x 500mg Veg Capsules).

Would this work, Nettle?
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Nettle
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Re: Cruciate Ligament Rupture

Post by Nettle »

You have PM :wink:
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog

SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
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