Cruciates

[gunnergundog]

Let us know what the specialists think. Have you been on any of the USA cruciate facebook groups? They seemed to have a few more options surgery wise than we did in the UK when I looked into it 3-4 years ago. Maybe worth investigating so that you can quiz your guys re options that they may not choose to offer up front in the first place.

 

[fiwen30]

Let us know what the specialists think. Have you been on any of the USA cruciate facebook groups? They seemed to have a few more options surgery wise than we did in the UK when I looked into it 3-4 years ago. Maybe worth investigating so that you can quiz your guys re options that they may not choose to offer up front in the first place.

I’m part of a couple of cruciate groups, but the members seems to be from all over. TPLO is the one that crops up most, wherever I’ve looked though.

We’re just home from the big hospital - we had our initial consultation with the surgeon first thing, who confirmed his history, reconfirmed that the left cruciate was ruptured, and thinks there’s ‘something’ going on in his right. Not a full cruciate rupture, but likely some kind of damage, and his knee cap moves a little more than it should, although it’s not a complete dislocation.

He stayed in for sedation and to have more X-rays taken of both legs. We spoke to the nurse when collecting him, and she says it’s very likely that he’ll need the combination of TPLO & closing wedge surgeries, and that the specialist wants to consult with a couple of people first. We’re expecting a call early next week to confirm what the plan of action will be, and when to book the operation. He also said they don’t often see dogs with such steep tibia angles. They have done this combination of surgeries before, but maybe only a handful of times in the past few years, as opposed to the handful of TPLO’s that they do each week - it’s very uncommon to have to do this type of combination. It comes with a slight increase in everything - complication risk, recovery rate, recovery success, etc. - but not huge. It’s basically cutting the tibia into 3 pieces, as opposed to 2 pieces, and so there’s obviously more risk and difficulty involved - ‘complicated’!

I’ve been very impressed at how thorough everyone has been, no one has been pushing or rushing options, it’s all been very careful and considered.

We’ve been quoted £3.2k as the very top price - this will include today’s consult & X-rays, bloods, surgery, hardware, meds, follow up consult, and post op X-rays. Not exactly a comfortable amount, but one we can just about afford. I’d expected a combination surgery to easily push £4k, so that’s something at least.

He’s home and resting, and able to take his pain meds today, thankfully - he didn’t get any on Tuesday, and was worse for it yesterday. Have been keeping in touch with our vet physio & hydro clinic, and will just have to see what the surgeon says on Monday! ?

 

[Clodagh]

Good ish news I suppose. (In that at least the expenditure may be slightly less than you thought.) Still an ouch to the wallet though.

 

[fiwen30]

Good ish news I suppose. (In that at least the expenditure may be slightly less than you thought.) Still an ouch to the wallet though.

It is a pretty solid ’ouch’, but I’m thankful that we have the cash ready for it. I’m due a small inheritance in May, and my partner is due to cash out some stocks this month, and either of these windfalls should cover the surgery on his second leg - whenever that may be.

Of course, we hadn’t expected to spend these savings & windfalls on vet bills - they had been earmarked for far more fun things! - but I recognise how lucky we are to be able to front any sort of surgery. Partner will just have to wait a bit longer to get a motorbike, I and our cats will have to wait to get a new cat-proof fence for the back garden, and it’s not like we can take any of the trips we would like to right now!

I won’t feel comfortable for a while till we’re able to build that financial safety net back up again, but that’s just life all over, isn’t it!

 

[oldie48]

One of our BTs ruptured his cruciate playing in the snow. He had the suture op done first but sadly that broke down when he had a completely mad moment when hounds came past unannounced. He went from almost recovered to completely ruptured in a moment. He then had the bigger op, can't remember exactly which one but it was a great success except he was so difficult to keep calm that I lived on the edge for weeks! Good luck with your dog, I hope it all goes well and he makes a complete recovery. My biggest regret was not following up with hydro treatment, I was working and it was difficult to get him to the nearest place but I do think it's worth it.

 

[fiwen30]

One of our BTs ruptured his cruciate playing in the snow. He had the suture op done first but sadly that broke down when he had a completely mad moment when hounds came past unannounced. He went from almost recovered to completely ruptured in a moment. He then had the bigger op, can't remember exactly which one but it was a great success except he was so difficult to keep calm that I lived on the edge for weeks! Good luck with your dog, I hope it all goes well and he makes a complete recovery. My biggest regret was not following up with hydro treatment, I was working and it was difficult to get him to the nearest place but I do think it's worth it.

Glad you got him through in the end! Did he need/is he expecting to have the second leg done as well? I’m thankful that our hydro clinic is just around the corner from the specialist hospital (which also has it’s own rehab & hydro suite), and they’re both about 30 minutes away. The hydro clinic has been discussing his post-op rehab plan with us, so luckily we’ve got some good support in place.

Edit to add: it will be harder once we’re both back at work, though. Currently partner is off as he’s clinically extremely vulnerable, and I’m furloughed as my shop is closed till early March. We’re not expecting another lockdown extension, and so the sooner we have the surgery, the longer we’ll have at home to help post op.

 

[oldie48]

Glad you got him through in the end! Did he need/is he expecting to have the second leg done as well? I’m thankful that our hydro clinic is just around the corner from the specialist hospital (which also has it’s own rehab & hydro suite), and they’re both about 30 minutes away. The hydro clinic has been discussing his post-op rehab plan with us, so luckily we’ve got some good support in place.

Edit to add: it will be harder once we’re both back at work, though. Currently partner is off as he’s clinically extremely vulnerable, and I’m furloughed as my shop is closed till early March. We’re not expecting another lockdown extension, and so the sooner we have the surgery, the longer we’ll have at home to help post op.

No he didn't need the other one done, he was just unlucky that it was an accident rather than a wear and tear issue. He was also quite a young dog. He lived to a good age but did get arthritis in his back legs and it was this that eventually finished him as he started to lose his back end. This is why I regret not doing the hydro as I think I could have managed his recovery a bit better although him did seem to make a complete recovery. I think you will need to think about how to manage him when you are both back at work. Mine was a BT so fairly small and I made a playpen for him so he couldn't rush around but I did pop him in a crate if I went out but it's something to think about.

 

[fiwen30]

No he didn't need the other one done, he was just unlucky that it was an accident rather than a wear and tear issue. He was also quite a young dog. He lived to a good age but did get arthritis in his back legs and it was this that eventually finished him as he started to lose his back end. This is why I regret not doing the hydro as I think I could have managed his recovery a bit better although him did seem to make a complete recovery. I think you will need to think about how to manage him when you are both back at work. Mine was a BT so fairly small and I made a playpen for him so he couldn't rush around but I did pop him in a crate if I went out but it's something to think about.

We’ve got a double height pen set up in the living room, around his bed and bowls. He’s not been closed in it yet, but spends most of his time in there and is content. It’ll hopefully be around 3 weeks post-op before we start going back to work, and we usually work alternate shifts & days, so there should always be someone at home with him. Might have to look into a large crate from the few hours where our shifts overlap, but will cross that bridge when we come to it!

 

[fiwen30]

Our surgeon has consulted a few different people, and think he should be able to perform a standard TPLO on Rogan ‘with a bit of acrobatics’. He’s booked in for Monday morning, and we’ll collect him on Tuesday. This is the preferred option, rather than the combination surgery, since it’s fewer cuts to the bone, and hopefully a simpler procedure/recovery.

We’ve been practicing spending quiet time in his recovery area, with the gate closed, and he settles well. It helps that it stops the kitten from poking at him and stealing his bed!

 

[splashgirl45]

good luck for monday and the recovery

 

[Moobli]

Best of luck. I hope it all goes well.

 

[JennBags]

Just caught up on this, hope all goes well on Monday. Collie x JRT...??? Whoevee thought of that one?! I

 

[fiwen30]

Thank you everyone - it’s over, and it went well!

They were able to do the standard TPLO as planned, and the surgeon is happy with the post op X-rays. Somehow, they were able to take the tibia angle from 42 degrees to 5 degrees! Absolute wizardry, and such a relief. His left cruciate was about 80% damaged, X-rays and examination of his right show that it’s currently in a good state, but time will tell if/when it will also need surgery.

He as still coming round from the anaesthetic at 12pm, but I can call for an update later, and we should be able to collect him tomorrow morning. Our vet physio will pop round and go over his initial couple of weeks post-op, and then we’ve got a great support team of professionals for his recovery & rehab.

 

[Clodagh]

That is brilliant news.

 

[splashgirl45]

Good news, what a relief

 

[fiwen30]

We brought him home this afternoon, where he’s let me ice the leg a little, had his pain meds, ate his dinner in several sittings, slept an awful lot, and did an enormous pee. No poops yet, and he’s wobbly and wary of his surgical leg. He hates his cone, it worries him, but he’s tolerating a doughnut ring when supervised. We’ve a long road ahead!

 

[JennBags]

We brought him home this afternoon, where he’s let me ice the leg a little, had his pain meds, ate his dinner in several sittings, slept an awful lot, and did an enormous pee. No poops yet, and he’s wobbly and wary of his surgical leg. He hates his cone, it worries him, but he’s tolerating a doughnut ring when supervised. We’ve a long road ahead!

Bless him, yes you really do have a long road ahead. I know I, and others, said it earlier, but the best thing you can do is keep him crated as much as possible and don't feel sorry for him and let him out too early. Good luck!

 

[gunnergundog]

Good to hear he's overcome the first hurdle! Now the slog starts.....best of luck!

 

[Mary T]

My jack cross collie had a damaged cruciate ligament, it was treated with anti-inflammatories rather than surgery though. But he is 14