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Would you put dog through another operation if he wasn't in pain

9 replies

namechangedjustforthis · 16/09/2013 11:23

My dog who's 3 has for the past year only used 3 legs. The problem is his knee pops out the socket, he wasn't insured but I worked every hour possible to pay for it to be fixed £1500 (I'm a single mum with 4 children) and he had to be crated all the time except for toileting for 6 weeks, he was miserable, he's used to spending all the time with us and even sleeps with me or the kids. The operation didn't work, and the next option is to near enough rebuild the leg (£3500!) the vet said I've to remember he's not in any pain it's just a mechanical fault so no rush for operation ,anyway she also told me he's almost guaranteed to get atheritis in that leg due to the ops. Now I'm not sure wether to put him through the operation or not.. What if it doesn't work again? It will put him through so much pain (when he's not in pain now) and will have to be crated again for a long time, and yet another op on it will make it more likely he will suffer in his old age with the atheritis. Would you leave him to be happy on 3 legs? It's not about the money although I was gutted when the last operation didn't work and I just don't know what is the right thing to do for him, and there's no guarantees the next one will work either. But is it right to just leave him? Xx

OP posts:
tabulahrasa · 16/09/2013 11:31

Chances are that he'll get arthritis at some point no matter what you do, so I'd ignore that bit really. You're also going to get more wear on his good legs because he's compensating for his bad leg.

Crate rest...you do realize he doesn't need to be crated? Just confined. My puppy spent his crate rest in a space the size of his crate made out of furniture beside the couch (and us obviously) or sat next to me on the lead when everyone else was out.

I don't think there is a black and white this is wrong this is right answer, but, he's a young dog and I'd be thinking long term his quality of life will be better if he has full use of all his legs.

topbannana · 16/09/2013 12:04

Has amputation been mentioned?
I say this as the past owner of a cat and a dog with a leg removed. Both recovered quickly from the op, adapted amazingly to their new tripod status and generally just got on with life. My greyhound bitch did develop arthritis as a result of extra strain on her remaining legs but it sounds like your boy will get that anyway :(

cathpip · 16/09/2013 12:34

My dog had a luxating patella repair (where the knee pops out of socket), but by the sounds of it not as bad as your dog. My dog was back grouse beating after 10 months, and even the vet has to check his records as he cannot tell which leg it was!:). As for arthritis most dogs will get a degree of arthritis as they get older and there are so many types of medication available nowadays. (My old lab was on arthritis meds for 8 years). If I were in your situation (regardless of the vets bills) I would be questioning the need for this op, as you say he is happy on three legs, I would also be asking about amputation, assuming that the recovery would probably be less. My fear for you is if this op does not work you may well be looking at amputation anyway. My dog took 3 months of rehabilitation, being crated/confined and then another 2 months of gently increasing his walking, and I am incredibly grateful that I have a fully functioning dog and when we are up on the moor, the game keepers cannot believe how good he is considering the surgery that was done. I must admit even I would think twice about putting my dog through another of those ops.

namechangedjustforthis · 16/09/2013 14:28

Cathpip that's the exact same as my dogs first op, the person who mentioned not having to crate, but confined the vet said that' my dog had to be properly crated as he can be excitable and would jump on sofa etc so would have done damage, we've always let him on sofa so he wouldn't know not too, and if anyone comes in he wants cuddles. It broke my heart caging him as it was almost like I took him for an operation that hurt him then locked him away but I did it for what I thought would be his own good, but I honestly cried so much when I realised it was for nothing. I asked the vet about amputation seeing as dogs can be perfectly happy on three legs and knowing his leg will still be bad when he's older, but she said no straight away.. I think because he's not in pain, if I had a guarantee it would work this time I would be less apprehensive but she said because his legs are so bowed (he's a staffy) there's more chance of it not working.. It's so hard to know what to do, and what the right thing for him is, he's so happy as he is and manages fine only using the three legs xx

OP posts:
idirdog · 16/09/2013 14:50

What is the operation they are planning to do?

I have just finished crate rest with one of my dogs. We got him a buggy and took him everywhere with us (he is a 30 kilo lab!)- he had the time of his life Smile

tabulahrasa · 16/09/2013 14:54

"he vet said that' my dog had to be properly crated as he can be excitable and would jump on sofa etc so would have done damage"

Mine was a 6 month rottie puppy...excitable is on the milder side of things he is called on a daily basis, lol.

The thing is though with an op like this that's not an emergency, you can train for it. Yes it's massively important to keep them still afterwards, but there are ways to manage that, especially with advanced warning and time to put things in place now.

Mine might end up having another elbow surgery and I'm currently putting it off as I'm deciding whether it's sound enough to get away with leaving it - so I do completely understand why you're not rushing to do it.

topbannana · 16/09/2013 17:32

I think the vet outright dismissing amputation may be a little questionable Hmm
You say that you scrimped and saved to pay the original £1500 and the next one will be £3500. If you genuinely will struggle to pay it then you should be able to consider amputation as an option. I would want to know:

  1. the likelihood of this op succeeding
  2. what happens if it doesn't succeed ie- will he be in a worse situation than he is now
  3. what will happen in the future if you don't go ahead ie- will he get worse, will amputation be advised later on
  4. exactly why the vet is so against amputation

    Personally an uninsured dog in need of a £3500 operation is a no go for me unless I am given some rock solid success rates and a guarantee (as much as is possible anyway) that the situation will not be worsened by it.
cathpip · 16/09/2013 17:47

Then op its £3500 that IMO is not worth spending, ESP as he is happy on 3 legs. Seriously if I were paying that amount I would want the operation to work and would not be happy with a vet telling me that because he has bowed legs there is more chance of it not working. May I suggest that you seek another opinion at a different surgery. I would play the waiting game and in the meantime put some money away in case it's needed, your dog will soon let you know when he is not happy.

namechangedjustforthis · 16/09/2013 21:43

Thanks to every one of you who replied, I'm going to make another appointment with vet and ask for the referral ( the vet did the first op themselves but next one has to be at a specialist vet hospital, then will ask the questions suggested, it is so much money and that was the minimum figure :-O it could go more than that if anything happens during the operation. See if I was insured I'd still be unsure wether to go ahead or not, I hadn't thought of the point topbannana made regarding will he be in a worse situation if the next op fails, I can only think he's bound to be, will also ask the name of the operation exactly so I can post it here then maybe some of you more experienced with this will be better able to advise xx

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