Day 5 – and Oops Moments…

Well, days three and four went pretty well. Cleo started walking a bit more on the surgery leg Friday (day four) when going out to pee/poop (or when she made me think she needed too)! The vet’s office called to see how she was doing and they said it was probably a good thing that she is still packing the leg somewhat. And she’s right, it’s not like we are in some kind of race here.

So, today, day five after surgery, Saturday… Cleo was walking really well, as we are walking quite slow. My dad was coming out and we were going to haul garbage. So I decided to scoop a little poop, since it hasn’t been done in some time and it’s getting hard to miss the land mines when we are out there. I figured Cleo would be fine for 15-20 minutes (not enough time to scoop it all, but to make a dent). NOPE! I heard the dog door – hoping it was one of the cats. There stood little Miss Cleo – all proud of herself. She busted out of her ex-pen – it looks like she (hopefully) pushed underneath and escaped that way! UGH! So, I got her harness and leash – she helped me scoop for about 10 minutes until Dad showed up.

I decided to lock her in the ‘Recovery Room’ so I could help load the garbage. I put the guard…thing that I had in my van (to contain dogs to the back) on the floor and my old kid gate on top of that. Granted the one is only about 18” tall. But, she got out AGAIN!! But this time – I KNOW she jumped over the one part and she had to get the kid gate from on top of the guard.

So, since I was going to haul garbage with Dad – she got to ride along, since I can’t trust her in the house. So what does she do – JUMPS into the Blazer!!! And not just on the floor board - no into the back seat. I was just getting ready to help her in and she didn’t want to wait for me I guess! I honestly don’t know if she used her bad leg or not, but I would assume so.

So three (3) oops in ONE day!!! If this would have been a traditional, she (and I) would have ruined her surgery. Hopefully she didn’t do any damage today… So much for the Benadryl helping to knock her out! This also shows me that she can’t be left alone – at all – until she is free and clear. I sure hope that she has the free and clear when she gets her staples out!!!

The first pic is her surgery area day three (I think it looks really good). Second pic is her enjoying her Kong that I filled for her before I went out to scoop the poop - that helped didn't it?

Day 2

Last night was interesting. Just like camping, only different! As in, comforts of home and a lot more room to spread out, but same sore back... thank goodness, I think there's only a little over two weeks of that.

Cleo peed and pooped right away, and is eating good. I think she's scared I'm going to starve her again! This morning, Cleo was a bit restless. Because she was, I gave her another Benadryl, finally at 9:00 she was able to sleep pretty good. Granddad stopped by, so she had her first visitor. I've rearranged my sitting arrangement, when she really wants me next to her. I open up the ex-pen and sit in front of the opening. Doesn't help my butt any, but it sure gives me elbow room! And the boys are happier when they can 'touch' me. I thought for sure Mack was going to come into the pen (over the top from the recliner) last night. So, elbow room is good...

Day 1 After Surgery

Day 1 - Cleo got to come home today at 12:30pm. She was happy to see me and get it the car to get the heck out of the vets! I think they were impressed with her new harness. Also - NO CONE! wahoo!

Dr. Smith showed me her X-rays, where she has hip dysplasia on her right side and spurs on her left patella area (knee cap). That is where he removed the spurs that he think was causing her pain. I asked him all sorts of questions and took him a print out of the Vaxamine K-9 information. I wanted to show it to him in case we want to put Cleo on it later (and maybe try to get Nikita off the prednisone). She'll have her 21 staples out on Tues, Feb 10. I think we are going to start her Adequan shots that day as well.

Cleo is on the same type of restrictions, of course, as she would have been if she actually had the traditional surgery - at least for the next two weeks. I'm to ice her surgery site, if she'll let me, for the next two days (twice per day). She'll start her supplements tonight with supper. Stopped at Walmart and spent $60 on Gluc/Chon/MSM, L-Glutamine, L-Carnitine, and Hyaluronic Acid. I'm going shopping online now to get it cheaper!! Just needed to get me by for awhile.

She was quite clingy when I first got home. And my pillow on the floor is NOT comfortable at all!! HA I gave her a Benadryl at 2:00 and she's been pretty calm and sleeping since then. Plus I covered her up. The wind is blowing 40 MPH and it blows right through my windows.

Great News!!

Cleo got to go to work with me this morning. I think that kind of made up for not feeding her (she wasn't too thrilled with THAT). Everyone loved her up, she's such a good girl. A couple people said that she walks so well! I told them that they should see her run, because she lifts it up then. I dropped Cleo off at the vets at about 8:15. She did NOT want to go back with the tech. I didn’t want her to either, but I told myself that it was for the best, just like I told her last night, when I was having second thoughts - that she wouldn't be in pain anymore, well after the initial pain!!

Well, I got the call from Dr. Smith around 4:15 pm. He said that she was just coming out of the anesthesia with some good stuff to help with the pain. He then said that her ACL wasn’t torn!!! Nor was her meniscus! He did say he thought she was walking a whole lot better than when he first saw her. He did the drawer test thing on her and her leg even popped there on the table that first day. Dr. Smith said that there might have been a small, very small tear, but nothing to worry about, and not enough to put her through the traditional surgery. He took X-rays, saw hip dysplasia (on her right I think he said) and bone spurs on her patella on the left. He got rid of those and sewed her up. At least, that is what I remember - it's all a blur. I did actually ask him if he did the left – he paused and said yes (and that I worried him there for a second)!
Dr. Smith said she won’t have to go through the strict 6 weeks confinement, but I will learn more tomorrow when I pick her up. He also mentioned getting her started on Adequan shots. I spent over four years giving BJ his insulin shots twice a day, so hopefully, these will be just as easy!

I can’t tell you how relieved I am about this. Maybe it was just the bone spurs and the HD causing her pain and the toe-tapping/3-legging it? One thing – I started her on Glucosamine/Chondrotin, Fish Oil, and some other supplements as soon as I got her. Maybe those were helping more than I thought! So, I need to stop and get more G/C, and more L-Glutamine, and Hyaluronic Acid before I pick her up. I may need to leave work a bit earlier than planned (oh darn).

And Cleo was tagged in an online game by her friend Parker. To play you open a file folder, click on the fifth folder and then on the fifth photo. Post the photo and describe it. Then tag 5 other bloggers. (But I don't know five other bloggers...so...I'm a spoilsport when it comes to tagging...) BUT - here is mine...

This is BJ - my black lab mix who was diabetic since he was 1 1/2 years old. He passed in August from complications from his diabetes. I got him when he was about 8 weeks old - he followed the Schwan Man to the house and no one claimed him. He always was a weird sleeper - and this must have been a hard day protecting those chewies!

The Recovery Room

I've finally finished rearranging (NOT cleaning - that would take FAR too long HA) Cleo's recovery room. Now I'm wondering if I will be too large of an area for her. I was planning on using it only when I'm not home and at night. The size is about 8 feet by 7 1/2 feet and has stuff stacked all around so she can't get on anything (I hope). I will probably re-evaluate where she stays once she gets back home and acts during the next two weeks.

Here are some pictures. Don't mind all the stuff - items for garage sale(s), books to read, crafts to do, etc. I call this my 'crap room'. HA And of course, the boys have to help with everything.

Cleo's new harness

Just in time! And whew - it looks like I got the right size.

Cleo with Mack and Stewie. Doesn't she look so little next to them?

That's what I'm talkin' about

She probably thought 'finally, she makes it comfortable!' HA - she had to fight a cat, and Stewie, to get to her nice new spot! Actually, I had to move the cat. Two of the three cats LOVE her bed.

You can see in the upper corner of the ex-pen my new 'chair'. Walmart didn't have any gaming chairs under $80! and I wasn't driving all over town. They had a stadium seat for about $17.00. All I want is a back to lean up against and it has arms, so I'm all set (after I get a cushion or pillow to sit on)!

Today was BEAUTIFUL weather 50*, just a breeze. Of course the dogs got all muddy from the melting, but they are tired this afternoon. I've decided I might sleep with Cleo in the spare room for at least the first two weeks, so I took advantage of the nice weather and brought in the cushions/'mattress' from the RV. I have a waterbed, so there's no moving my mattress to the floor!

Harness is on it's way

I ordered a Ruffwear WebMaster Harness for Cleo. I found one at campmor.com for $37.99 plus $6.99 shipping. I just hope I ordered the right size!! She was 29" around the biggest part of her rib cage, and the Small goes to 30" - and the Ruffwear website said to choose the smaller size if in-between for a better fit. I should get it about 4 days before her surgery. I would like to put it on her a couple times before the 26th.

I hope our weather holds throughout her surgery. At least no ice or below zero temps. HA - what am I thinking? I live in Montana! And this is my luck I'm talking about - so I just sealed the fate for ice and frigid temps. I am going to move some wood around today or tomorrow when it's 50 degrees so we can have a fire the two weeks I'm home. I have the x-pen set up right next to the woodstove, so she can be nice and toasty with her naked leg.

The Ex-Pen

Cleo is wondering just what I am doing to her. She is NOT impressed with me. I'm thinking a gaming chair, or something similar, would be nice to have when she is in 'recovery', so my back and bottom don't ache. Will need to research those as well. Maybe give it to the nieces and nephew once Cleo is all better.

Nikita's Birthday

Today is Nikita's birthday - Cleo's 'older sister'. She turns 15 today. She's a husky mix and was born in Alaska - on Adak Island. Nikita was the only one in the litter that had 2 blue eyes, and we (ex-dh and I) picked her out before her eyes were open. She spent about a month with my folks when she was 4-5 months old, and one ear dropped in that time. Nikita is just a unique dog. Her muzzle used to be nice and black. She's seen quite a few dogs come through the house and on to the Bridge. Now she has to put up with Stewie, Mack and Cleo. Cleo and Nikita get along well, it's just those darn boys that tend to irritate her!

Here's the birthday girl (she hates the camera).

I got Cleo an x-pen yesterday. They had one at Big R (local farm 'everything' store) for $70 so I decided to go ahead and get it. It's 36" tall and we tested it a bit yesterday and I think it will work well!

Cleo has a date...

A date for surgery that is! January 26th. I'm excited and scared at the same time. I've decided to do the traditional surgery and I don't think that Dr. Smith is real excited about it. I realize that if she (or I) mess up, it will probably be surgery again, but I am going into this that it will work the first time. We just have to take the first six weeks very easy.

I’ll be home the first two weeks with her. I’ve got to get her x-pen ordered. I guess there is a place here in town that might have them for a little more than online, so I want to check that out before I order. The one online is 36” tall with 8-24” sections. http://www.digitpet.com/product_group.cfm?cid=1001,2006,3014&pid=12000M I also need to convince my dad to take their kid gate off, and put it on my craft room here.

I’d really like to get a Web Master Ruff Wear Harness, but WOW they are $50!! I read about them on OrthoDogs where the dogs are called “Suitcase Dogs”. If you want to see them - http://www.ruffwear.com/Web-Master-Harness?sc=2&category=1131 My mom thinks I can make one, I would have NO idea where to even start. I don’t want to try something and have it fail – that would make me nervous! I’ll watch eBay and maybe get lucky!

And here's a picture for you to enjoy. You may be wondering where I get to sleep - somewhere in the middle... HA

Happy New Year!

Today is Cleo's one month anniversary at her new forever home (mine)! She is such a good girl. I can’t believe how well she is fitting in to our routine and with the boys. The boys can be so naughty and I think (no, I KNOW) we need to do some serious training! I’m thinking clicker training/positive reinforcement is the way to go with these two, and with Cleo as well.

Yesterday, I changed my mind on which type of surgery I want to do for Cleo. I’ve decided to have the Traditional surgery instead of the TPLO. Of course, my vet doesn’t know this yet, although I did leave a message for him to call me Monday. I just think financially, this is the way to go right now. It’s half the cost, but probably twice as fragile as the TPLO, so I (and the boys) will have to very, very careful with her. I belong to a Yahoo Group (Orthodogs) and I’ve been reading about both.

I will order the X-pen soon. My folks have a kid gate that my mom said we can use (it bolts on the wall), so that will save me $32. I was going to go to Biolife and sell my plasma for the next couple months, but I can’t for at least 1-2 weeks, so that blew my budget that I had planned out. That was another reason. I know they said I could make payments, but I’ve decided I’d rather just pay it and be done with it. I was going to sell my wedding and engagement ring (why I’ve held on to them for 10 years, I’ll never know!!) but gold isn’t worth anything right now – at least not what I’ve got anyway. My clothes don’t seem to be selling, even though I’ve had a couple bites.

I sure hope I’m making the right decision for both of us.