6 Week Post Op X-ray - UPDATED

Well Miss Maddie has been cleared for Phase 2 of her recovery. The x-ray looked good, but healing was a little slow, so for phase 2 we will walk her for 5 - 7 days at  1/4 to 1/2 mile before increasing the length, rather than increasing at 3-5 days. The surgeon and our vet is happy with the results so far.

It has been VERY hot upper 90s to 102 degrees so we have yet to walk her outside. We will start soon and walk her at a slow pace to the end of the block and back. If she shows no signs of pain or limping after doing this for 5 - 7 days we can walk farther, gradually increasing the length up to the 16 week post op date. Then she should be fully healed and muscles developed, etc. and she will be free to do stairs and go out in the back yard without a leash and have free reign of the house again. She will be soooo happy!!

UPDATE: I decided to add a photo or two.

Here is Miss Maddie lying with here left rear leg (surgery knee) behind here. Undercoat seems to have grown in and she is now working on the outer layer. They shaved her rear end curls off on one side too! I noticed some are coming in gray, but I told here she could just sit on them!

Why I love my dad by Maddie M.

I love my dad (and mom too)  because he gives me lots of head rubs and belly rubs, he calls me a good girl, gives me milkbones (although I notice since my surgery I only get half a bone) he is just a nice human. Now the big reason I love my dad is that he forgets to close the baby gate that keeps me in the family room!! Sunday I made it into the kitchen (up 6 steps) and this morning I made it into the master bedroom (up another 6 steps). Boy was mom surprised when she came out of the bathroom to see me greeting her. I gave her my best wiggley butt greeting and tried to stay non-chalant so she'd think this was the new norm, but noooo. She said, as she grabbed my collar, "Why Maddie what are you doing up here?"

She got me safely downstairs despite my trying to run down them like a shot, and watched me walk around to see if I had a limp again. I did not, and did not cry as I went down so we hope all is well.

I wonder what nice thing dad will do next???

I made it into the Kitchen!!

Yesterday while dad was not looking and had left the gate open, I went up stairs (6 steps) into the kitchen!!!! If it was not for those darned wooden steps and kitchen floor I could have been more sneaky, but dad heard me and got me back safe and sound into the family room.

Mom is sometimes a messy cook and I find all kinds of goodies along the baseboards. I was so close to checking things out!

Yesterday for some unknown reason they decided to move my crate closer to the fireplace and more out of the traffic zone. That is ok, but it is sitting on one of my favorite places to sleep (out in the open). I heard them mention that dad's mom was coming for a visit and this would allow more room for (ALL of ) us to get around and for her to sit in the lazyboy. I like it when we have company, more people to forget to close the gates!!

Note from mom: Maddie's little trip up and down the stairs does not seem to have hurt her any. She walks and sits like she did before. Not much news here on the recovery front, just waiting for the 6 week x-ray to see how much healing there is so far. June 21 is the 6 week mark so I hope to have a good report then.

Good News at 3 Weeks post op

Yesterday was 3 weeks post op and Maddie has been doing GREAT. She has resigned herself to being cooped up and only out on leash for potty breaks - but we still keep our guard up!!

Last night I noticed when she sat her left knee did not splay out like it did pre-surgery and a bit post surgery. That seems to be very good news indeed. So I tried to get her picture, but she started to lay down just as I took it! Darn dog! But you can still see how straight her left leg is.

Happy days to you all!

What did I do??

Would someone please get me paroled???

20 days post op and still in the crate while we are not in the room with her. She really is taking it quite well now and does not bark at night, except once in a while she gives a bark or two at the wee hours!

She is doing quite well, walks on her leg without a limp except when first getting up, so we are very happy we had the surgery done.

Two Weeks Post Op

Well we successfully got Maddie in and out of the car using the sling to support her instead of her leg. All the staples were taken out and the vet said her incision looked great, she was doing great too. She tried to run down the hall and the vet tech had to us the sling as a brake for her return back to us.

We were told we could taper off the Tramadol based on how she reacts, but suggested we continue the Rimadyl until the 6 week x-ray which will show how well the bone is healing.

So now we are on Maddie watch to keep her from jumping up on things and she still can't use stairs. She remains on strict confinement because the bone needs to heal. She of course thinks nothing is wrong and wants to go out on her own, etc. She will be much happier without the need for the e-collar, but she still will have to be confined to the family room and the large crate when we are not in the room with her.

She remains a very happy dog and did not mind going back to the vet. She just loves people no matter what!

That is about all for now.

Not a Sound was Heard

Last night I decided to give mom and dad a break and not bark and whine and wake them up. Amazing what a better disposition they have in the am! They are not much on mornings, but I LOVE them! I am bouncy and full of energy and excitement, but they won't let me jump around or run any! I just do not understand, but being a lab, I forgive them and am still a happy girl.

Mom tells me my staples continue to look good, some hair is growing back and soon the e-collar will be put in the closet! But I fear I still will be confined to the family room when they are home and the crate when they are gone or are asleep. Oh well, I know they love me and they keep feeding me, so life is good!

Here is a lovely flower that is in our back yard, that I thought you might enjoy seeing.

At least mom thinks it is lovely, it is just a bunch of gray to me. My favorite stuff in the yard is the grass! Mom calls me Bessie the Cow sometimes, but the stuff is so tasty I don't care!

Remember bark less and wag more!!