Physical therapy after TPLO

[emillinium]

hi,
Chase is 2 weeks post opp now and is doing great, she walks on all legs and doesen't even favor the surgery leg. I am giving her lots of supplements and great food so she is very healthy. So she is VERY sick of the X-Pen. I would like to hear some of your experiences on starting walks etc. Streathing the leg ect.what you did with your dog and what worked or didn't work for that matter. Any thoughts, ideas would be greatly apprecieated. When I am gone and at night shes in the pen but when I'm home I leash her to me.
Thanks

[Anne]

The specialist who did the TPLO on my dog was very strict. He insisted on 6 weeks in the crate with only onlead toilet breaks. Then we were allowed 1 x 5 minute walk per day, increasing to 2 x 5 minute walks the following week.
My dog was weight bearing on the leg after a couple of days but I stuck with the routine. Total crate time with walking increasing by 5 minutes per week was 12 weeks. At this stage we were able to walk for 30 minutes. Xrays showed total bone healing and she was no longer crated.

There needs to be time given for the bone to heal and it has not healed at 2 weeks post op. I think at two weeks I would not be walking your dog at all, not even onlead attached to me. Humans with broken legs walk on crutches, dogs don't have this aid to assist them.

The ortho told me that the surgery is done the same way and successful recovery depends on the quality of the aftercare.

We did hydrotherapy in a heated pool 3 times per week after 8 weeks. This centre is run by a physiotherapist so we had professional assistance to make sure we didn't push the dog too quickly.

All the best with your dog and trust she recovers quickly.

[flyballmom]

Glad to hear Chase is doing so well!! I know that Dr. Frey closely follows Slocums recovery protocol. However, 2 years ago he was becoming much more progessive with his allowance of earlier activity. The plate that holds the bone in place CAN take straight line walking, stretching etc. Before proceeding I'd talk to Dr. Frey, you'd have to have an OK from him before any reputable PT facility would touch Chase, anyways. Do a search for David Levine's homepage, then follow the link to facilities providing animal PT. I saw one place in San Jose that looked interesting. (Sol Companion is closed.)

[Mavides]

My vet actually told me that as long as Legend was confined to the house, he should be fine...guess that could be true for MOST Rotties...but Legend was very active and I ex-pen'd him most of the time anyway (because to him, confined to the house means running through the house, up on the bed, up on the couch, etc.) - my main problem was getting the incision to heal...because he didn't want to rest (even in the ex-pen he was standing up a lot), it filled with blood and was a big hassle to heal for the first few weeks. Once the incision was healed, I started taking him with me in the car again and although we didn't go on actual walks, I lessened up on his restriction quite a bit. The bone healed up perfectly (x-ray at 8 weeks showed improvement, x-ray at 12 weeks showed it was completely healed), but I think it took a bit longer due to Legend's lack of rest.

I went to a top surgeon for the surgery (one that learned directly from Dr. Slocum and now teaches the procedure to others), and was very surprised that he didn't recommend crating 24 hours a day for a while after the surgery...but I guess each doctor makes their own personal recommendations based on the individual dog/owner and the Dr.'s past experiences. Despite our little setbacks, Legend's surgery was in December 2004...he was back in the obedience ring in March 2005, the conformation ring in April 2005, and the Schutzhund field in May 2005....he had a 100% recovery and nobody has even been able to tell which leg he had done!!

Good luck with your recovery time - it's a pain, I know....and the time goes by so slowly - but talk to your vet and follow his recommendations...better to take it slow in the beginning and get through the whole process sooner.

[SABELLESMOM]

I would prefer to err on the side of caution. Especially it it were either of MY girls. In the first place, the surgery is very expensive. And with a large dog, I would always choose the more complicated TPLO over the traditional ACL. Our Cocker did well with the standard ACL surg. but the size makes a difference.

My understanding is NOTHING that might cause a sideways slip or lurch, or shift in weight, etc for 6 weeks. In our house, that would mean confinement and and bathroom breaks. When your vet OK's short walks, fine. I think keeping muscles used to at least that much is wise. But I have houligans! And nitwits, galore! They'd reinjure far too quickly and I'd be devastated.

[emillinium]

thanks for the thoughts, do you have any ideas on what I can do to make her time in the X pen eaiser. She is so board now she wines and yelps alot. :(
Also she wants to streach her leg, If I leash her to me while working at the computer she wants to roll on her back and put her legs straight out or lay with her legs going straight back, is this ok? or a no no?

[laurlitt]

Is there a physical therapist (dog one) that you can meet with. They would be the best place to start.

There is a group on NO SPAMMING called orthodogs that is very active and I bet you can get a lot of good advice there...

[emillinium]

Originally Posted by laurlitt

Is there a physical therapist (dog one) that you can meet with. They would be the best place to start.

There is a group on NO SPAMMING called orthodogs that is very active and I bet you can get a lot of good advice there...

after 2,800 for the surgery I don't have any money for that, I will do it myself