Riddle's TTA recovery thread

[Savage Destiny]

Riddle is back on track! She's had two solid poops today. So that's a big relief!

Her leg and incision continue to heal:




We had our first physical therapy session today. It was great! We did even more stuff than we did for the surgery three years ago. First up was cold laser treatment. That seemed to help her feel much better, she was walking on the leg really well when we left. Then we did electrotherapy for her muscles. Basically, it administers tiny shocks to the muscle to make it twitch, which helps retrain the muscle. It was really neat! Here's a video for anyone interested:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJTOb6xk ... ature=plcp

We also got three sets of exercises to do twice daily. We do 25-30 reps of range of motion, which is moving the knee like she's walking. Then we do 25-30 leg compressions, which is putting one hand on the knee and one on the hock, holding at a 90* angle, and squeezing together. Then we do 10 reps of three-legged stands, barely lifting her right foot so she has to stand on the "bad" leg for a second.

I'll try to get video of the exercises!

[patty]

Your baby is healing up very nicely and quickly. She is luck to have you both!

Those first few pictures were scary!

[Savage Destiny]

Whew! Sorry about the lack of updates! Our internet has been wonky and it seems like every time I get a chance for computer time, it goes out. Sigh.

Here's her incision today:


It's looking a bit red in some spots. It's not swollen or inflamed, so I'm hoping the redness goes away. I'll be keeping a close eye on it.

[PitbullLover*]

the incision looks ''beautiful'' not inflammated or anything. poor riddle, hope he feels better soon...they are so sad when they are out of surgery/sick

[Savage Destiny]

Riddle gets staples out tomorrow! Hooray! I'm slightly concerned, because she still has fluid in the knee, a small pocket. But the wound is closed, so it can't escape. I guess we'll see what the vet says tomorrow!

She did get to go on a stroller ride last night. We went to another park, and she LOVED lying in the grass and sniffing everything.

[dogs4jen]

Nice collar!

[Savage Destiny]

It's from Ella's Lead of course! Here's the rest of it:


I'm ridiculously in love with it. It's pretty much all she ever wears now!

[Savage Destiny]

Staples are OUT!



It looks GREAT! I'm so happy. She was great for the staple removal, of course. The fluid is just a small seroma, which should reabsorb into her body over time. It could take a couple weeks, apparently, but it'll be fine. Overall I'm really happy!

[GoingPostal]

Her leg looks great! I hope that seroma goes down for you, Jersey had one that got big fast and then burst, it was right after an appt so think maybe the moving around made it worse but it was gross and she was leaking fluid everywhere.

[Savage Destiny]

I hope it doesn't burst! She did have a pretty big seroma last time around, it was actually a nightmare. It kept a portion of her incision open since there was so much fluid leaking out, she couldn't have the staples out for four weeks. Thankfully that didn't happen this time around! I do think this seroma has shrunk a bit since my last post.

Had our first- well first for this surgery- underwater treadmill session yesterday. She pouted throughout, but did great like she usually does.

We went to just icing the knee now, twice a day. Her tri-leg stands were also increased to three-four seconds of holding up the "good" leg, instead of a quick lift and drop.

[Savage Destiny]

Sorry about lack of updates, there hasn't been much to update!

Yesterday at her PT session Riddle got cleared for 5 minute walks daily! Yay! The PT said that she is healing really fast and well, which is what I want to hear! We are going to see a doggie chiropractor though, since the PT noticed that Riddle's hips aren't aligned correctly, probably from all the limping and leg favoring over the last few months. So we're gonna try and get in with one ASAP!

[Savage Destiny]

A very good update today!

Riddle saw the chiropractor yesterday, and I'm so glad we went! Not just her hips were out, pretty much her whole body was out of alignment. I swear the chiro fixed almost every single vertebrae! It doesn't surprise me given all the ortho stuff she's had wrong over the last few years. I could tell she felt better afterwards, she crashed when we got home and slept really good. We're going back in 2 weeks for a recheck.

Today is the really good news! We saw her surgeon for her 4 week post-op x-ray, and it was fantastic. He couldn't believe how fast she's healing and growing bone. She's about 60% weight bearing when standing, and 75-90% when walking! Plus her range of motion is smooth, there's no patellar luxation, and she's not tender.

Best of all... he thinks she might be able to be released to exercise sooner than normal! He wants to do an 8 week post-op x-ray instead of 12, and he thinks that she might be healed enough to start ramping up her exercise then! So we're keeping our fingers crossed that she continues to heal so quickly!

[PBF lurker]

Thanks for keeping this journal.
My boy has done something to his leg and a preliminary check by a canine PT friend thinks it may be a partial tear. I'm heartbroken that my bouncy boy may have to be quiet for months.

[Savage Destiny]

Little update.

Riddle is doing 15 minute walks twice daily now! She's also doing 5 reps of cross leg stands twice a day... I pick up the right rear and front left leg so she stands on the "bad" leg and diagonal front leg for 3 seconds.

Her scar is tiny!


Enjoying her laser therapy yesterday:


And doing one of her walks on my mom's property.

[Shoshana]

I'm glad to see she is recovering so well and so quickly!