8 weeks - PT begins

After the x-rays, I 'graduated' her from the confinement in the bedroom. She is now penned in the dining room where she can see outside as well as Cooper, our other dog. It's not wide enough for her to run. I set up a web cam and did a test-run over the weekend. She didn't run or try to mess with the x-pen. We'll do this for 4 more weeks or so before I let her completely loose in the house while we are gone.




I added incline on the treadmill. She really need to work on that muscle. We'll continue with the other exercises as well.

7.5 weeks post-op xrays

Jazzy had her 7.5 weeks post-op x-rays today. Pictures show that her bone has healed completely! Again, my OS is VERY liberal. He told me stairs, jumping on bed and some running were okay 2 weeks post-op, which I didn't follow. Today, he said that she could start swimming, running (straight) and go back to work within 2 weeks as long as I re-introduce them gradually. I told him that I would wait for at least 2 months before doing all that. I asked him about her chances of getting meniscus damage and other CCL injury. He said that since Jazzy's tear was partial, the risk is lower. Since she hadn't been running for the last 9 months, she lost tremendous amount of muscle in my opinion. I can feel it and see it. You can see that in one of the x-rays too.

It's a good day...time to go get some doggie cake to celerbrate.

More exercises

Sit/Stand

Weight shifting/bearing on stand

VPI SUCKS!!!

I've had VPI insurance on both of my dogs for years, never used it because I wanted to save it for bigger treatments like her CCL surgery.

I submitted a claim for Jazzy's surgery and out of $4600, they reimbursed only $300. On the benefit schedules, it says the allowance for CCL surgery is $1200+. I've heard insurance companies try to screw with you but didn't think this bad. I called them but they are having a 'meeting' and that I can only leave a message. I wonder if it's a norm and that unless you argue with them, you would only get the smallest money back. I've read something like that about other pet insurance companies but VPI was recommended by several people.

ETA: I finally got through with VPI on the phone. Turned out they made a 'mistake' and put it down as Hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy' instead of TPLO/CCL. yeah they are very similar condition, aren't they? Right... anyway, they will process the claim again.

Please let it be nothing...

I felt a small mass under her chin so I took her to the vet on Saturday. My friend's mastiff had a tiny mass, smaller than hers, earlier this year and She had to go through chemo. I have been more paranoid since. The vet said a mass like hers is usually benign. I asked him if he could do do biopsy or whatever they do to an unknown growth like that. He said her mass does not contain enough fluid like a lot of masses found on dogs therefore he wouldn't be able to do that. He said they would have to surgically remove it then send it to the lab. I wanted to do that right away but considering what she's gone though in the last 9 months (too much anesthesia), he recommended that we give her a little break and wait and see. I just can't take any chance. I'm going to have to do more research before I settle for the decision. Please please let it be nothing...


The white dots on the mass are her hair. I shave around it so I could see it better.

5/6/09 - Exercises

My vet told me to do stairs 2 weeks post op to encourage her to flex the leg. We tried that but regular stairs are too high and she wouldn't use each leg to go up. I really didn't feel comfortable adding stairs so soon either.

Another trainer who teaches agility (very into back leg awareness) suggested that I let her walk over PVC pipes or flat ladder on the ground instead. Here I'm using my legs as the ladder. This is how she eats half of her dinner each night. I use luring to slow her movements. I tongue click the second she lifts the leg up. I think this helps to reinforce the use of the leg, weight bearing, and strenghten the muscle. I do this after a short walk, for about 60 seconds, followed by icing.

Shifting weight on sit

I leg her lick half tube of canned food (EVO) while I have her do a clean sit then shift the weight slightly towards the right side. I make sure her right paw and hip doesn't stick out. I tried the other weight bearing exercises but she didn't enjoy them. I'd rather do something fun for her.

30 days post-op - treadmill videos

Angle view/Speed at 2.7

Side view/Speed at 3.0

you can see her right leg extending slightly less than the left leg (use the plugs as a marker)
She walked for 7 minutes. I saw her leg lagging for a second so I stopped there.

*sorry about my fingers. Too lazy to edit them out.

Just for a comparison, here's one with speed at 2.0
(I learned that some dogs are just too uncomfortable at slower speeds on treadmill. I think that's why she walked funny two weeks ago)

Top view/Speed at 2.7

The surgery leg still pointing out

And I gotta post her cute little butt