Thank you all for your support and help! The vet said she will be in "heavy duty casts" for at least the first two weeks and essentially on bed rest other than to potty for 4-6 weeks. The vet said the first two weeks she will be doped on drugs and not too interested in anything, but it will be hard to keep her quiet the last two weeks. My vet does offer day care so if I have to be out all day I will for sure take her there so she can be properly cared for. I will add that soft blanket to my list! Thanks!

Poor little Gracie. I'm so sorry to hear about her knees.:( You're such a good mommy tho to be planning her recovery so nicely. I hope you both have a great and quick recovery and that little sister is a good girl.;)

samie's surgery
 

here are some of the after surgery pics

a lady at work gave me a spare playpen she had for me to borrow. It was her suggestion. After i got it home i used it for one day. I had to go out and get my baby a nice and clean one. Her's was so dirty and beat up i could not use it. I never told her - I just kept it for about 4 wks and then gave it back. I got one at walmart for 25.00 -just in case you notice the dirty playpen in the pics. ha ha...

her front paw was shaved for her iv's. so much hair was shaved off :-(

a nice and cozy,fluffy "baby blanket" is what i went and got her.

OMG, poor baby! Thanks for sharing the pics. I'm a nurse and I'm just a wreck over this! Gracie will be going to the groomer for her routine appt. about a week before surgery. Her hair is getting kind of long. I thought about having her clipped shorter so she won't tangle. Now that I see they shave them so much, I'm thinking that might not be such a bad idea? What do you think?

Hi, I wish you much luck with Gracies surgery. I am told my Jazzie needs this surgery as well. I can't bring myself to yet. I had a hard enough time getting the nerve to getting her spayed. I will keep Gracie in my prayers. I know someone whose baby had a similar surgery and she used a puppy stroller, she kept the pup confined but close to her at all times, able to move her from room to room and keeping the pup from using the back legs. Something you may want to consider for your baby Gracie. You're in my prayers for a safe surgery and speedy recovery.

Im so sorry to hear this, Its going to be so hard for her and for you too. please becareful when tieing the leash to the head board, that she dont try and jump off an d hang herself. Most people I have talked to that their dogs had this type of surgery and even broken legs have used a playpen. I will be praying for her.

a shorter hair cut is ideal. The long hair gets in the way honestly. We had a 3 pound yorkie come in with a broken leg who had floor length hair. After surgery she had a cast on for two months. let me tell you, that hair was GROSS after two weeks. she smelled of urine and it was all tangles. You cannot give a bath for at least 2 weeks (i'd wait longer) so be prepared with baby wipes and dry shampoo. Since your pup is getting both legs done, they will both be totally shaved from hock (ankel) to the top of the hip bone.

Poor Gracie, my thoughts and prayers are with her !

My girls both are kept shorter. It was very hard for me to cut them short- a puppy cut is how i keep them. i groom both of my girls and it's a lot of work. I never could find anyone good or that i could trust. I have my license to cut hair and worked in a salon for years -so i figured i could handle them. They sit so nicely (because of being used to going to the groomers I'm sure) I just make sure i am not cutting both dogs at the same time. It is quite a lot of work. And one week we do ears and privates and then another week we do pads of feet and then we do full body with a bath a different day. it's a lot of work but I have no choice. My little samie has trachea problems so she can't go to the groomers. In fact last week she had a bath and it scared me becasue she literally turns blue. She is so excited after a bath when she is all wet that she gets like a maniac and I have to hold her down and immediately start drying her. She gets so excited her little tongue will turn a little greyish at first and then dark blue. (from lack of oxygen) it scares me soooooo bad! So she only gets a bath every other month or so-sometimes longer. And by keeping them trimmed short- she dries faster and they seem just so much happier without the full coat. I have more pics i will have to post when I have more time. My little samie is so cute with shorter hair. I used to do the pony tails and different holiday bows. but not anymore. :-( i miss it too.

I would definitely give gracie a little bit of a shorter cut and yes- that was a good reminder to take her to the groomers right before surgery. Because after surgery you wont want to get her wet for a good month.

oh gosh all these stories are making me even more nervous . . .I will continue to pray for GM. Please give her warm hugs from me and my babies:(

Thank you everyone! I am expending my nervous energy trying to anticipate Gracie's every need. My boss was really nice about letting me work from home during her post-op period. He really likes her. Because of Gracie, he is loosing the battle at his house. His kids want a dog and he now thinks they will have one before summer! I'm sure I will be back on here looking for support in the weeks and months ahead. I just don't know what I would do if something happened to Gracie as a result of the decision I made to give her the surgery. I so much want her life to be long and pain free.

We call Samie's leg her "miracle leg"
She does so well on it now. I am still extra careful. she has steps to get up and down from the couch and bed. No jumping. I am good at keeping the pads of her feet always trimmed and between the pads where the hair gets long. Otherwise my wood floors are like an iceskating rink. We have rugs everywhere in the house. :-) Gracie is going to do great! I know exactly how you are feeling right now. I hated that day once it got here but the vet was great and called me during the surgery. Ask them if they can do that for you. Plus they do pre-surgery blood work and if the slightest thing is off they will not do the surgery. They will monitor her the whole time. BP, vitals... and she will do great I just know it. :-)

Potty trips outside was probably the worst of it because i had to carry her and then set her down. She did not spend much time looking for that perfect place to do her business, so that helped.

I will be following this thread and praying for you and your sweet Gracie.
I will post more pics when i get a chance. I have one of Samie after about 3 wks out of the surgery. Her hair was growing back and she was doing great! In the one pic i posted Samie is very drousy from her pain meds.

Conner is having LP surgery on January 21st. I took a week off work for his recovery. After that, my sister will watch him. Good luck to you. I am really nervous about Conner.