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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

Anyone's ddog had cruciate surgery?

28 replies

Howdidthathappen1 · 11/12/2019 20:54

So had the op today and didn't really know what to expect after but omg dog has not stopped crying since I got her home at 12pm. Like literally not for a second. She's a proper drama queen anyway but I just don't know if this is normal or I should be worried enough for out of hours vet.
Not sure if it's pain or the change in her routine of the slaves jumping up and down to let her in and out the door all night. Nothing is comforting her!
I think I'm just posting for some reassurance- or not - that recovery will not be this bad for the next 8-12 weeks?

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fivedogstofeed · 11/12/2019 22:24

Ddog had both cruciates done within six weeks of each other. When he came home he was very sad and we had to take turns to sit with him. Dd slept downstairs with him the first night.
By the next day he thought he was fine!

Wolfiefan · 11/12/2019 22:27

Could also be due to the GA? I’ve heard of dogs whining after one. Is she better after pain relief? If you cuddle up with her?

ViciousChicken · 11/12/2019 22:28

Yes ours has had both done (2 years apart). She's always out of sorts after an anaesthetic (has had several over the years) - whimpering and looking very confused so yours may need more reassurance tonight. The first few weeks are tough, we had to crate her to stop her trying to jump, but they do get used to it. Good luck.

Original poster

Howdidthathappen1 · 12/12/2019 09:16

Oh my Lord I gave up trying to reassure at 3am and went to bed with earplugs feeling like the worst dog owner.
I'm off to buy one of those inflatable collars to see if that least reduces so of the distress of the cone.

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Wolfiefan · 12/12/2019 09:34

Any better this morning? If not I would want a vet to check all was ok. Hope it settles soon.

Booboostwo · 12/12/2019 11:54

My JRT had both legs done, one year apart. Both times he stayed at the vets for 24 hours because they wanted to monitor him and give him IV painkillers if he needed them, so to me it's a bit weird you got sent home on the same day.

How is she this morning? What pain relief have you been given for her? Maybe she needs something stronger? The cone of shame could also be the problem, many dogs are scared of them.

Original poster

Howdidthathappen1 · 12/12/2019 12:22

It was blantantly the cone that was the issue as since putting on the inflatable collar on her this morning she has slept like a log for the first time since yesterday morning. I'm sitting waiting for her to wake just to check she can reach the stitches - I'll be gutted if she can as she was so unbelievably scared and distressed by the cone

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Wolfiefan · 12/12/2019 12:41

Oh bless. Mine hated the cone. A suit that covers stitches? Pool noodles can be made into collars for bigger dogs! Mine didn’t mind the comfy cone. She was terrified of the plastic one. Hope she heals quickly.

Lonecatwithkitten · 12/12/2019 12:45

How is she this morning? What pain relief is she on?
All of mine ( I do them regularly) stay at least 8 hours post surgery, but the vast majority 24 hours to endure their pain is well under control before they go home. I then send them home on at least a couple of types of pain relief that we step away over 5 days.

Original poster

Howdidthathappen1 · 12/12/2019 13:13

She's now calm thanks lonecatwthkitten. Shes been sent home on tramadol and antibiotics. Sent home 2 hrs after the op!? If this blow up collar works we may be ok.

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han01uk · 12/12/2019 13:23

Goodness 2 hours post op is pretty mean! My cocker had both hers done within 2 years of each other. Crate rest,very very slow build up to walking but yes it is a pretty long and tedious recovery. Unfortunately she then had to have both plates removed from each leg as they were causing her pain a couple of years down the line....apart from arthritis now she is ok. Hopefully your recovery is more straightforward and your doggy is ok!

sillysmiles · 12/12/2019 15:30

Mine had both legs done at the same time. The no movement is really strict. Our guy burst one of his surgical pins during the night about 7 days post surgery.

Booboostwo · 12/12/2019 16:34

The no movement was really tough for my boy as well. He’s a JRT so I got him a dog rucksack and carried him around on walks for a change of scenery, I think he quite liked that. I also had him sitting on the sofa with me for as long as possible (obviously I did not let him jump on and off. He’s a bit of a couch potato so he was quite settled.

Original poster

Howdidthathappen1 · 12/12/2019 17:02

Unfortunately mine's 30kg of muscled up cross breed - funny looking thing- bit like a greyhound on steroids with a staff face🤣🤣. Not crate trained and we don't own one so next 2 weeks gonna be fun!!
She's well known at the vet - not coz we go v often but she needs sedation just to get in the door - side door as she creates such a fuss and she literally makes it clear she wants to kill the poor vet and all the nurses. V embarrassing

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Booboostwo · 12/12/2019 18:56

Carrying him is not going to work then! 😂

I feel you owe us a photo now.

TheoriginalLEM · 12/12/2019 18:59

What type of surgery did she have?

To send her home two hours post surgery is brutal

Original poster

Howdidthathappen1 · 12/12/2019 19:34

She had cruciate ligament. In fairness she gets so stressed at the vet it probably wasn't doing her any good. The howling could be heard from outside when I picked her up.

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BrokenWing · 12/12/2019 20:18

Our 32kg lab, hasn't had cruciate, but has had knee surgery. He was inconsolable first day/night home and constantly cried but after that was ok.

Also hated the cone so we took it off whenever we were around and only put on at night, he was really good and kept away from the staples/wound. We have tried the comfy cone and inflatable collars before, the first he somehow managed to bend in and chew to pieces, the second he managed to bend around,I wouldn't use again for him.

Good luck with the recovery, they are loooong weeks.

TheoriginalLEM · 12/12/2019 20:37

I meant which type of cruciate surgery as there are a few options. Did the vets talk about these with you? This is an incredibly painful surgery so I'm quite surprised she was sent home so soon.

I am glad she is feeling better though

Original poster

Howdidthathappen1 · 12/12/2019 20:59

I've no idea what surgery she had - they didn't mention there were options!!
She's come home with 2 weeks worth of 3 x per day tramadol and anti biotics. She's not pooed yet and I know constipation can be a side effect of tramadol so I'm keeping an eye.
She seems ok now she has the inflatable collar on - 2 of them as I've doubled up to ensure she can't reach her leg. Back in a week for a quick check then again in 2 weeks then full check under sedation in 8 weeks.

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feliciabirthgiver · 12/12/2019 21:09

Our lab had TPLO surgery earlier this year and is 100% recovered. The first 24 hours are awful
mostly due to the GA and the first two weeks are hard going but it does get easier. My biggest advice is just to take it really slowly, research recovery programmes and expect it to take 12 weeks to build back up to exercise. After the first week ice/heat and massage also really helped, we also never used the cone and after stitches healed with no probs we could relax a little more. Thinking of you and your gorgeous dog.

Booboostwo · 12/12/2019 21:49

Oh she is gorgeous! But she is clearly holding a grudge!

The wound should be healed in a week, so hopefully that’s not too long for her with the new collar.

I don’t mean to be an arsehole, but do you leave her unattended in all that space? The advice I was given was to keep mine in a much smaller area for the first six weeks, then one room, then slow walks on lead, gradually increasing distance, finally off lead at 12 weeks from surgery. It’s a huge hassle but my boy made a full recovery both times so it was worth it to see him running around again.

Flurgle · 12/12/2019 21:54

Ours had tplo. Awful to begin with - the GA makes him cry for hours- but trying to keep him from jumping around was the worst. We had mattresses on the floor and we had to take turns to sleep downstairs. I was worried he’d ruin it (It was impossible to keep him as still as they wanted) but seems to be ok touch wood.
He will need the other one doing at some point, deep joy.

sillysmiles · 12/12/2019 22:35

If she isn't inclined to jump normally - we turned 2 clothes horse on their side (collapsed) and used them to make an enclosure about 1m x 1m.
If she jumps then thats no use. But as contained as possible is best.
For going out to pee/poo we used a towel under his back end so he wasn't putting weight on his legs.

Original poster

Howdidthathappen1 · 13/12/2019 07:42

Oh now I'm panicing!! All they told me was 2 x 10 mins slow walks round garden for you letting for 2 weeks then 3 x 10 mins for next 4 weeks and build slowly from there. nothing about actually not moving in the house.

She is a jumper so penning her in anywhere not going to happen and she is such a stress head she would injure herself trying to get out. The vet knows what she is like - perhaps that's why the tramadol for 2 weeks as that's definitely helping to keep her in her bed!

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