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09-21-2008, 03:06 AM | #1 |
Donating YT Addict Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: IOWA
Posts: 345
| Post Knee Surgery Question Hi Everyone: My little boy, Cooper just had his knee operated on and today his bandages were removed. He is now trying to get at his staples and has to wear his head cone, but of course he hates it and acts moody and sullen with it on. Any suggestions on what to do/give to him so he'll leave his leg alone and maybe not have to wear his cone as much? |
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09-21-2008, 06:03 AM | #2 |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Chicago Suburbs
Posts: 3,306
| They didn't even have a cone that fit Sam so we had to get creative. I put PJ's with legs on her and watched her VERY closely. We basically didn't leave her alone at all. She mostly slept but when she was awake we had to make sure she didn't lick the staples. You can ask the vet for a mild sedative. We had to do that in week 3 when she was feeling better but still couldn't run around. No matter what we tried we couldn't keep her from running/jumping. She didn't want to be in her crate so she would SCREAM and jump up and almost do flip flops IN her crate and was constantly standing on her back legs trying to claw her way out. Benadryl works too. We only had to do that for a few days. It gets better, I promise
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09-21-2008, 06:44 AM | #3 |
Donating YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Sequim, Wa
Posts: 4,541
| Ask your vet about cast protectors. They are a long sock-like thing designed to fit over casts so the dog can go outside in the grass to potty. Another option would be to make some sort of a cover using some fabric and Velcro, or you could pick up some Koban (its like an ace wrap but made of a rubbery product that sticks to itself) from your vet or from the drug store and wrap that around to protect the incision. Chat with your vet, they have lots of good ideas for situations like this.
__________________ Gracie loves Bailey. Holly loves Tucker. Proud member of the YT Gracie Girls. |
09-21-2008, 09:10 AM | #4 |
Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Madison, MS US
Posts: 10
| My Abby had knee surgery last Wed. We too are struggling with the head cone. She hates it. She whines and appears to be miserable. I have tried to cover the incision but she bites at it and we end up putting the cone back on. Trying to keep her quiet and not jumping around is tough too. The vet said we have 12 days before stitches are out. That seems like a lifetime at this point. The suggestions in this post are very helpful and I pray anyone with other helpful ideas will let us know. |
09-21-2008, 06:04 PM | #5 |
Donating YT Addict Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: IOWA
Posts: 345
| Well thanks for the suggestions, I ended up taking Cooper to the emergency vet though. While sleeping, he managed to pull the cone off his head and gnaw at the staples. My baby had twelve and three needed to be replaced. He was given an antibiotic and came home to rest, eat, drink and finally showed some interest in going outside to potty tonight, which he hadn't done since yesterday morning. My husband thinks I made a mistake having the surgery done in the first place, so you can imagine how fun he was to be around today. He refers to this as "cosmetic surgery" for dogs, which is about the most ignorant quote ever. Of course, he didn't bother to research this at all.
__________________ We Will Alway's Love You - You are our angel - Carlee 5/7/05 - 5/7/07 Cooper Is My Shining Star! |
09-21-2008, 08:26 PM | #6 |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Chicago Suburbs
Posts: 3,306
| You know, now that I think about it the one staple that Sammy wouldn't leave alone was like twisted and digging into her skin. Once the staples came off she was fine and she mostly left the stitches alone. Maybe now that he replaced them he will be better. Did they say how long the staples needed to be in? Sam's were supposed to be on 2 weeks covered by bandages, but the bandages started slipping off after about 8-9 days and I took her to my regular vet and they removed her bandages AND her staples because they said she was healed enough for them to come off. The VERY worst days were after the bandages came off because she had to figure out how to walk again. She did great walking with the bandages on. It took her like 2-3 days and then she was OK again.
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09-22-2008, 07:18 AM | #7 |
Donating YT Addict Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: IOWA
Posts: 345
| Hi Erin, Cooper gets his staples out next Monday, which will make it 2 weeks after surgery. He's so much better now and I feel some what confident that I shouldn't have any more trouble with him (fingers crossed). I have a question for you though. Were you told to work therapy on your dogs leg? My vet wants me to bend Coops knee back and forth serveral times a day but he's still real leary about anyone touching his leg at all and I'm afraid he'll nip at me if I try.
__________________ We Will Alway's Love You - You are our angel - Carlee 5/7/05 - 5/7/07 Cooper Is My Shining Star! |
09-22-2008, 07:24 AM | #8 | |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Chicago Suburbs
Posts: 3,306
| Quote:
Give him a few days. Seriously it gets better dramatically from this point on. He will probably feel fine in another few days.
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09-22-2008, 09:35 AM | #9 | |
Slave to My Rug-Rats Donating Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Long Island
Posts: 7,247
| Quote:
YES - I had to do the leg bend therapy for Roxy, so please try to do what the Dr. has told you to do. I am sure the surgery was costly, but it was important, so try to do everything you are suppose to do, it can only help little Cooper. Once the recovery period is over and your boy is allowed his freedom again, trust me, you will see the difference in him, and you WILL be happy that you made him better P.S. Tell hubby you are going to dislocate his knee, and let him be like that for a few weeks, and then let him tell you if he thinks it is important for him to get his knee fixed (hahahahahaha) | |
09-22-2008, 10:25 AM | #10 |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Chicago Suburbs
Posts: 3,306
| I just thought of something... I used a sling carrier to carry Sammy around A LOT, even around the house. It was so much better than her constantly trying to get out of her crate and screaming because she didn't want to be in there. Also, we have a stroller and I took her out in the stroller a lot too. As long as we were moving she was fine. She also has a car seat in the car that she likes so I took her everywhere with me and she could just hang out in the car while I went to the bank, post office, etc. (it was April so weather was fine) and that way she got to get "out" without moving around too much. If you PM me your address I'll send you some Bully Sticks. Those will help too
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09-22-2008, 11:33 AM | #11 |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Land O' Lakes, FL
Posts: 735
| In lieu of a cone, perhaps this would work: On another board I frequent, one of the women used a cervical collar on her dog, you know, those neck thingies you use when you have whiplash. Of course, that would be too big for one of our Yorkies, but what about a sanitary napkin? It would be soft, inexpensive, and easily replaced. Just tape it in position (around the pad). It should work well ... |
09-23-2008, 08:37 PM | #12 |
Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Ohio
Posts: 11
| Blow up -collar They also make those blow up e-collars now. The xxx-small ones are pretty cute. More comfortable and more of a visual field for the dog. |
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