Dog Update

A severed Achilles tendon is a big deal. She's going in for surgery tomorrow, and will then need to be in a cast for AT LEAST THREE MONTHS. And after that, gentle activity only, and no guarantee of a full recovery. In fact, pretty near certainty of a lame dog. We'll be seeing a lot of the dog surgeon over the next four months or so as we assess the recovery.

The tendon that was severed is on the back right leg:

-- basically the "heel" or elbow that's below and behind the number 33 on the diagram above. (The diagram, with appropriate names and labels and terminology, came from here.) The issue is if the sutures don't hold or if too much pressure is put on the leg too soon the tendons could stretch and that elbow or heel could sink down, and look more like a rabbit's back foot. We'll see.

The vet said, "This would be a career ending injury for a hunting dog." Luckily, her career as a waggly affectionate lovedog is nowhere near over.

Comments

[Dave]

Best regards to the recovering pooch. Your situation reminds me of when my older dog had to get knee surgery last year. It's tough to guide them through the recovery, but feels great when they look at you with that "wow I'm so happy that you're here" look and then give you some sloppy kisses.

[Prof. Bainbridge]

Scary. Hoping for a quick and complete recovery. Steve

[Scheherazade]

With you looking after her I'm sure she'll recover nicely!

[Matthew Homann]

Our dog Wrigley tore her ACL three years ago leaping off the back porch to chase a rabbit. The surgery was traumatic (more for us, I think, than her) but within one week, she had completely adapted to her temporary three-legged status and acted as if nothing ever happened. I'm sure your dog will be fine. Good luck with the recovery.

[Christine]

I sincerely hope your dog fully recovers. My dogs are my children and there is no expense that I wouldn't go to if it keeps them healthy and living a full life. Dogs are amazing in how well they adapt to losing full use of their body. Even if (god forbid) she doesn't regain full use of her leg, she will probably compensate and be as active and full of life as ever.

[Megan]

I just did a search for "achilles surgery dog" and found this site. My dog injured his achilles in October of 2003 while chasing a tennis ball. We've tried several non-surgical treatments--he was in a cast (well actually 7 casts and 4 cones in 6 weeks), he's been on anti-inflammatories, etc. The surgery to repair the achilles concerns us because we aren't sure if he will be painfree with it and if it will even work. Also, putting him through the surgery, etc. will be extremely hard for him (based on his trauma with just having a cast!) He's about 10 years old and I want him to have the best quality of life and I'm struggling with what to do. He still swims everyday, but when he walks, he tends to hop quite a bit and he doesn't put much weight on it. If anyone's dog has had achilles surgery or surgery to fuse the ankle joint, please let me know your experience. Thanks!

[Larry]

Does anyone know tha approximate cost of repairing a ligament or tendon in a dog's knee? I have been quoted $1,100 for the surgery. Thank you

[Lesley]

That sounds about right. We have been quoted a price of anywhere from $800 to $1500 depending on how compicated for liagment repair in our dog's knee. If we choose to get really fancy and rebuild the knee it will cost closer to $2500. No way around it knee surgery is expensive!

[Wendy]

Any news about the dog with the severed archilles tendon. My dog also severed her achilles in October 2003. She was rescued from an neglectful owner and the injury happened before I got her. She did have surgery to repair the tendon but she got no post op-care or rest. She never puts weight on her leg when standing but uses it every few steps when walking. The vets we have seen (7 in all !) think that she has nerve damage and the tendon itself is stretched. They don't think much can be done now to improve things, but we are doing physiotherapy and swimming to help build up the muscles which are wasted. She is a lovely dog and I'm glad to give her a comfortable home after what must have been years of hunger and discomfort.

[sally]

I was quoted a price of $2,700 (not including meds, follow up x-rays) for TPLO knee surgery on my 7-1/2 year old 68lb chow mix. Sounded rather high to me, and from what I understand, more expensive, mor painful with a longer recovery period then the other procedure. Any thoughts?

[Lynn]

Hi, I am so happy to have found this site this morning. My yellow lab Lacy has a torn ACL, and I am moving, she is not whinning but I know she is in pain. What meds did you give your dog before surgery? Remidyl was perscribed by our vet, but do not like the damage it can cause to her liver. How is waggly

[Monique]

My Australian Shepherd, Magick, had partial tears of both ACLs last year. We elected for TPLO repairs of both stifles (average cost in the Seattle region: $2600 per side).

Magick has recovered beautifully. The six months of rest was very difficult for this active, athletic girl but she is now back to agility, herding and hiking with the rest of our pack.

Best wishes, and I really recommend the TPLO repair. Working as a veterinary technician, we see a lot of dogs with the less expensive surgery come back lame 2-3 years later.

Good luck!
Monique

[julie]

hello my lovely girl has ruptured her flexor tendons on both front legs,she has been in plaster for 1 month,but that has not worked,i would like to kep surgery as a last resort,and see what nature and care can do for a few weeks,any body any advise?or same experience?worried

[Kim]

my 10 month old great dane tore a ligament in his knee and will probably need orthopedic surgery...anyone have any experience with this, and know of a general price range?

[christina]

my dog just had acl surgery yesterday how
should i care for him so he doesn't bust the other leg. also he is over weight what is the best diet for him.

[christina]

if anyone knows specific instuctions following acl surgery please let me know i have searched on line everywhere and can't find the best direct instructions for my three year old gsd. actually i haven't found any instructions anywhere. Help Please.

[Lisa]

Hello! We are very torn about what to do about our 10 year old cocker spaniel. Oliver needs ACL surgery on both back knees. We are scheduled to do the left this Wednesday. He needs to have a heart work up first, since the vet did discover a heart murmur. Something keeps telling us to just keep him comfortable given his age... He can walk, and climb stairs, just slower than he used to be. Does anyone have any advice about doing this surgery for him? We are mainly concerned about recovery, and will he really be better off? THANKS!

A few days ago I lost my rottie. He was my best buddy and I loved him more than I have ever loved anyone. He had a blown ligament in his right leg. We were told to pick him up the next day after surgery, about 24hrs later. A vet gave us the post op instructions. I did notice a shaved area on the back of his next and assumed it was for a I.V. my rottie seemed a little strange in his behavior. We figured it was the morphine drips that did it. The vet was not the operating vet that spoke to us.
I thought that as unusual. When we got home he could not move. using a harness we finnaly got him in the house. About 2 hrs later he started to cry and moan. He was in horrific pain. Dogs hardly ever show pain. He would not eat. We gave him small amounts of water. He would always vomit it a few seconds later. We called the Animal hospital. After pulling enough teeth the hospital finally sent a tech to my home a gave him a shot and a patch. And we were informed us we would have to pay for the visit. Later the next day his contition became worse. He had no control of his bowels and was peeing on himself. We called the animal hospital and they finnaly
decided to tske him back. He was barely hanging on to his life. We visited him a couple hrs later. His vital signs were bad, low pulse, blood pressure was low, vomiting blood in urine and stool.
We spendt an hour holding his paw, signing songs, doing all the things is if we were at home. We were than told to leave and to come back in a couple hrs. We returned and was told by the vet that he had improved, some vital signs back. The next day we returned and was given great news. More improvement still some vomiting and blood in stool and urine. Then on friday we visited him and the he was still improving.
bloodwork was a little unstable and still some bleeding. The vet said she was VERY confident the he would pull through. The vet was going out of town so she handed our rottie to a new doctor untill she returned. She called us later that evening, twice to give us good news and that now he finally stopped vomiting. Her last call to us was about 9pm friday night. We
were overjoyed. We both went to bed and then woke up around 5am sat morning. My girlfriend asked how nigel was doing. The tech on the phone asked her to hold. She heard the doctors voice speaking to this girl. the girl put linda hold. Thebn after about 5 mins the doctor spoke to my girlfriend and said and I am qouting his exact words 'your phone call has very
judicious timimg we tried to save your dog but has died!!!!!!!!!!1
Does anyone out there know how long an animal should stay for post op care. They have given us conflicting info since our first visit. How can anyone be so
inhumane to forget a morphine patch to him. Why didn't the vet speaking to us after Nigels surgery not notice that Nigel did not have a bite coller around his neck or a morphine patch with the shaved fur on the back of his neck.
How could they let a animal go home to early. I have read that this surgery requires 2 to 3 days of observation. How could the vet that did the surgery call us twice with good news, when a few hours later he would die. I don't think
my baby was being monitord. I want some type of justice can anyone help. Sorry this was so long.

[marge]

My dog gunner a 6 yr old golden retriever had acl surgery on his right back knee about 6 weeks ago. The vet told me it would be 2 to 3 mos. for his leg to fully heal. He said there was no therapy that he would start to use his leg as he felt better. I can't believe this we do therapy on us when we get injured. Does anyone know of any therapy to do for the dog. I've read that swimming is good. Marge

[knee replacement]

dogs love swimming and they are natural swimmers, it might help to supple the joints and strengthen the muscles.i hope your dog gets better very soon

[Frannie's Mom]

My 7 year old, 75lb. lab shepherd mix had ACL repair surgery 2 days ago. The entire experience from the initial vet visit with xrays to the end of the surgery has costed me about $1400. The vet had initially wanted to keep her overnight but ended up agreeing to let me take her back to our very quiet home that evening. That first night was ROUGH! She wimpered all night and I did not get much sleep. She is now hobbling around. I'm confident that she will make a full recovery.

Physical therapy - my vet's biggest concern is that she use the newly repaired leg (not for running around but it needs to be used). Once the stitches are out they recommend swimming. He also mentioned walking her through ivy or tall clover which will make her use that leg. In the paperwork it says to lift her front legs and "dance".

Right now my biggest concern is the sutures. They sent her home with the Elizabethan collar. Up until now, she has shown little interest in the wound but last night I tried to make her wear the collar and she kept waking us up walking around the room banging into things and messing around with it. I eventually took it off. Today is Saturday and I know that come Monday, I will need to keep it on her. She just seems so miserable..

[Annie]

Hi. Just heard my dog needs xrays and possible treatment for a torn ligament in her back leg.
They dont know for sure until the xrays if its torn. She lifted her leg for about a week then it got better. Then for 2wks she limped again.
She has no swelling and apart from the lifted leg it doesnt seem to bother her pain wise.
Do these things ever get better on their own?
She is my baby and my life but i just dont have the money right now for surgery. I am thinking of leaving a prof college course to go telemarketing to afford this. The vet said my dog was so nervous she couldnt feel if the leg had a problem. Does anyone know if there is anything i can do to test this myself as my dog is much more relaxed at home with me.
Can this get better sometimes by resting?
Plus is it wise to massage or do some sort of excercise to prevent muscle wastage in the meantime til i can afford the $1250 surgery and the $250 Xray prior to surgery. I am looking at all options.
My other dog has a heart condition i just paid for xrays for. Did any dog just get better through resting? Let me know

[McDougal]

This is to Frannie's Mom.

You can get free financing for 1 year through care credit for your dog's procedure. A torn CCL will not heal on its own, once torn, there is no stability in the knee. Old procedures where they use a mononfilament or wire to replace the CCL has a higher rate of failure than the newer procedures. The newer procedures are TTA and TPLO. I would opt for TTA, as a TPLO is more invasive and expensive.

I also highly recommend a glucosamine supplement for the rest of your dog's life. I prefer the liquid for my little guy. Good luck!

[McDougal]

Acutally, the above was to Annie, sorry for the confusion.

[Gillian R.]

My Lab Hershey is very, very active and big. He is going in for ACL tomorrow and I need the best advice I can find for the next few days as my husband and I both work.