Broken leg by doggy parlor!

[Kerneels]

Our baby is a 4 month old boy and a real busy guy!

We took him in to the doggy parlor for a bath and cut today and 2 hours after we dropped him we recieved a call from the parlor telling us there has been an accident! Kerneels fell of the table and broke his back leg! (At least that is their version of what happened)

I rushed him to the vet and after they took xrays we found that his left tibia and fibula was broken. According to the vet he was most probably caught by his leg while falling which snapped his leg right off! You can imagine how mad we were about this!

He just came out of surgery and everything went well. The vet fitted a DCP plate and screws and we are hoping for a complete recovery.

My question is: Is there any advise on how we should handle him during his recovery period? He is used to sleeping in bed with us and is always jumping on the couches and coffee table. He also has an older brother and they can play, run and wrestle like mad! How do we keep him confined for the next 3 weeks as me and my wife both work during the day? We are scared he wont understand why he can't sleep in the bed and why we keep him in a play pen during the day?

I appreciate your comments.

[yorkietalkjilly]

For sure he'll need to be confined to his crate or a little enclosed stroller with a caregiver & you'll need to lift him up and down from furniture until the doctor clears him to use a doggie ramp.

Poor baby!!! I'm so sorry this was permitted to happen. Professionals should have prevented it.

[pstinard]

This is the second grooming incident reported on Yorkietalk this week... I'll just add to what Jeanie wrote by telling you to keep the sleeping crate by your bed at night for his comfort and security, and so you can hear if he is in pain or needs your attention. And yes, he will definitely have to be confined to an x-pen during the day when you are not there, although it's preferable if someone can be present at all times, especially during the first few critical days of recovery. Be sure he takes his pain killers when he is supposed to, and if he tries to be too active for his own good, you might consider asking the vet for a sedative. I asked for a sedative following my Bella's MPL surgery, but didn't need to use it. I don't believe in sedating a dog unless it's part of the routine care procedure or unless it's absolutely necessary for the dog's safety and well-being.

[ladyjane]

Yes, he needs to be prevented from running and jumping. At night, you could put a carrier on the bed for him and keep him in it. I have done that and it does help them settle down.

Good luck. Do hope the grooming place paid his surgery bill.

[yorkietalkjilly]

With a fracture fixation, his future range of motion and use of the leg can sometimes depend upon how well he's looked after during his initial post-op period so if you can't find an adequate, caring person to watch him, perhaps the vet hospital can board him and watch him at first. He should never be left alone in a crate or pen after this type of surgery while you are at work until the vet clears him to spend time all alone.

[Buster Brown]

What a horrible experience for you and your poor boy. I hope the groomer is stepping up and paying for all the bills. When Buster had his LP surgery I got an xpen and put his crate and pee pads inside. The stroller is also a great idea as he can be wheeled from room to room and at night maybe he could sleep in the stroller near your bed as long as he can be made secure in it. Mine has a cover that zips up. It is extremely important that he does not jump or play until his restriction time is over. It was so hard to confine Buster but he healed without issues. Do you have someone who could just check on him during the day? Sending prayers and best wishes for a successful and speedy recovery.

[Cherie6446]

You might consider putting a harness on him and tying a leash to the headboard on your bed. Make sure that the lease is not long enough for him to get near the edge of the bed. This way he can continue to sleep with you in safety. This worked for several of my yorkies when they had surgery. Worked like a charm. I would sue the groomer. Poor baby!

[Kerneels]

Thank you for all the comments. We will be taking some time off to spend with Kerneels after the surgery. Luckily my wife is an attorney and on quite a rampage - the groomer WILL pay! We miss him so much, he has never slept a night alone in his life. His brother is very depressed and missing him. Luckily we can pick our baby up tomorrow. We are considering a playpen for babies to keep him confined??? We love your ideas on how to keep him in the bed. We were thinking of puting our matrass on the ground for the fisrt week. We dont want him feeling left out or unloved. He wont understand.

[pstinard]

Originally Posted by Kerneels

Thank you for all the comments. We will be taking some time off to spend with Kerneels after the surgery. Luckily my wife is an attorney and on quite a rampage - the groomer WILL pay! We miss him so much, he has never slept a night alone in his life. His brother is very depressed and missing him. Luckily we can pick our baby up tomorrow. We are considering a playpen for babies to keep him confined??? We love your ideas on how to keep him in the bed. We were thinking of puting our matrass on the ground for the fisrt week. We dont want him feeling left out or unloved. He wont understand.

If you google "x-pen" you will find wire pens that might be more appropriate than a baby playpen. An x-pen might be easier to keep clean, and is specially made for dogs. You can put in blankets or a dog bed for a sleeping area, and also put in food and water bowls, and maybe a potty pad if necessary.

[Kerneels]

His leg...

[xmasbaby75]

OMG that is just horrible! Makes me sick. That poor baby! After reading about incidents like this, I am so glad I groom mine at home. It seems you can't trust anyone anymore.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Oh, I'm so glad you are going to be with your baby post-op and will see to it that he's well cared for and not alone and in pain or having post-op complications or something! Oh, that leg x-ray is awful! That poor, sweet little thing! No little dog should have to undergo such a terrible fall and so much pain! I'm so sickened that this happened to your little Kerneels! Glad you are pursuing the groomer for full payment of the medical costs. Hopefully that will teach them to always securely hold onto a dog up on the grooming table. This almost happened to my Tibbe once when I had him up on the counter, turned to get the scissors or something and he heard a loud noise and bolted off into the air, heading for the floor! Thankfully, I caught him and never again have left him un-secured up on anything high.

When I first got Tibbe & I knew even though he was 9 mos. old, he wasn't yet housebroken, I just used a little hard airline pet carrier with a wire-cage front and actually put it on a chair next to my bed and eventually put it in the bed beside me until I felt he was safe not to pee on the bed. He enjoyed not having to spend his time in his new home down on the floor or off in a crate in another room yet was safe and clean in his carrier. You could use something like that for nights - they are very small and compact and the front is open except for the wire-cage door which your dog can see completely through and you can put your fingers through.

[Twocute]

Okay, we are crazy but we slept on the floor with the dog when she couldn't sleep in the bed.

[Buster Brown]

Originally Posted by Kerneels

His leg...

OMG how horrible what a severe break!

[MarkFromSea]

Ouch!