Legg Perthes Disease

[dianethomas]

Zacchie is finally starting to act like himself. He is still not using the leg, and I figured out he had a really bad muscle spasm in it. After working the muscle gently, he can stretch it out properly. So I've been doing sort of physical therapy with him. He swam a bit yesterday, and I tried binding up the other leg to force him to use the bad one, but it's too soon. We'll give him a bit longer before we resort to those measures. He has lost quite a bit of muscle mass in his bad leg, so it might be a while before he can use it normally. He goes to get his stitches out on Friday morning.


So, how's Sookie?

[Javathon]

Awesome to hear about Zacchie. I take it they removed the stitches since you were able to do some swimming. I really like your idea of bandaging the good leg, I'll have to call my vet and ask him what he thinks about it.

Our vet didn't want to remove the stitches last week when we went in. We're going again next week and hopefully he'll remove the stitches then.

[Laurn7f]

Mya had the FHO surgery in February (the removal of the joint) and she is doing great. From what I hear, more complications can occur with the hip replacement surgery as there are pins and stuff placed in and the body can reject them.

Mya is about 95%, basically doesn't use the leg 100% because she's a princess and has been limping for so long it's a habit. But there is NO pain and she is running around wrestling with her friends like she used it...even though my heart skips a beat everytime she starts to run fast!!

PM me if you have any questions!

[Laurn7f]

Originally Posted by dianethomas

Well, I wish I could say that Zacchie is his usual bubbly self already, but he's not. He seems to be having a lot of pain, but some of it is probably because he's hasn't pooped since the surgery. Dr. Tim gave us a stool softener today, and I'll give it to him before bed.
He's quite panicked when I put the collar on him, so I've stopped trying.
He also isn't eating his food yet. I've been feeding him cooked chicken and rice and scrambled egg this morning, just to get him to eat. Doc says the pain meds affect their eating, and it's okay.

Mya took awhile to get back to normal too. She wasn't pooping BEFORE the surgery so she had to have an enema, sigh...but afterward she would go when she had to...so keep an eye on it and if he still hasn't gone, go in for an enema.

Anyway...he will start eating soon enough...they are just nervous-it is a pretty invasive surgery. I just gave Mya a lot of love and attention. I put a heating pad under a blanket on her bed to try and ease the pain.

I hope he starts livening up! Don't worry he will eventually!!

[dianethomas]

Originally Posted by Javathon

I really like your idea of bandaging the good leg, I'll have to call my vet and ask him what he thinks about it.

Our vet didn't want to remove the stitches last week when we went in. We're going again next week and hopefully he'll remove the stitches then.

Wow! I'm surprised Sookie didn't get her stitches out.

Actually, binding the leg was something I read about online. I said something to Doc about it, and he said that he's heard of doing that, and also a couple of other things that are spoken of with hushed whispers. No one likes to think of doing anything that might cause a dog pain, but if it helps in the long-run, they said I might try attaching an old fashioned bottle cap to the bottom of his good foot. Then he won't want to put it down. It wouldn't hurt him if he held it up, and he'd have to stand on his right foot, building up the muscle.
Not sure I'm brave enought to try that one.

[Laurn7f]

I forgot to mention what i paid...

I would expect to pay between 1200-1800...Total I paid about $4000, but Mya had to go back in for a 2nd surgery as the bone splintered...but before that, it was about $2500 (including xrays, meds etc)...She was only 8 months old, so I didn't even have to talk myself into whether or not it was worth it.

[debwally]

my 9-month-old bella will be having this surgery on the 15th and we are so nervous! she's a yorkie-poo--cute, loving, adorable and STUBBORN as all get out! so many of the things we thought were just her little quirks now make sense after this diagnosis. she's our first yorkie and she's nothing like our late shi tzu, maxie, who we lost in december. maxie was so much calmer and easier to train--i think she spoiled us

we just had no idea she was in any pain until she started favoring the OTHER leg. we took her to the vet that day and he found her kneecap was out of place. on a hunch, he x-rayed her hips and found the necrosis in the opposite hip. apparently, she'd been favoring the bad hip so much she dislocated her knee.

we wanted to do the surgery this week, but we live near a major fireworks area and we didn't want her to have to deal with that on top of recuperation. the vet's away next week, so we have to wait. she's doing ok on carprofen, but it's clear she's uncomfortable, so we are hoping like crazy that the surgery works out.

all of you have made me feel a lot better and more optimistic. thanks so much!

deb

[dianethomas]

Originally Posted by debwally

my 9-month-old bella will be having this surgery on the 15th and we are so nervous! she's a yorkie-poo--cute, loving, adorable and STUBBORN as all get out! so many of the things we thought were just her little quirks now make sense after this diagnosis. she's our first yorkie and she's nothing like our late shi tzu, maxie, who we lost in december. maxie was so much calmer and easier to train--i think she spoiled us

we just had no idea she was in any pain until she started favoring the OTHER leg. we took her to the vet that day and he found her kneecap was out of place. on a hunch, he x-rayed her hips and found the necrosis in the opposite hip. apparently, she'd been favoring the bad hip so much she dislocated her knee.

we wanted to do the surgery this week, but we live near a major fireworks area and we didn't want her to have to deal with that on top of recuperation. the vet's away next week, so we have to wait. she's doing ok on carprofen, but it's clear she's uncomfortable, so we are hoping like crazy that the surgery works out.

all of you have made me feel a lot better and more optimistic. thanks so much!

deb

Hi Deb!
Welcome to YT!
I'm so sorry to hear about Bella, but I'm sure you'll be thankful she has the surgery. Zacchie is finally off pain meds and is starting to walk on his leg.
He is back to his unstoppable self again, with the exception that he takes little breaks now.
He is eating fine, and doing his business like usual, so we're very happy.

[debwally]

thanks for the quick reply, diane! and i'm very glad to have found YT!

our vet made the recovery time seem pretty short, but it looks like zacchie took about 2 weeks to bounce back.

how much hour-to-hour care did it take? we'll be home 24-7 for 4 days after bella's surgery, but after that it'll be our 79-year-old mom who will be with her most of the days.

now, bella's a holy terror--the day after she was spayed she was running and JUMPING and we had to double her sedation to keep her fairly calm for another day--so i guess we're just expecting her to really bounce back after this surgery.

are we being unrealistic?

[Larlee783]

Deb--my Sophie sounds a lot like your baby--the day after she was spayed, it was back to her normal self. Sophie had surgery back in May on her right hip for Legg Perthes, and I had her back home 2 days later, and she was totally normal--walking, following me everywhere, she even jumped off the couch at one point (which she hadn't done in ages), and nearly gave me a heart attack. She did fantastic, and continues to do well, even though her left side will require surgery in about a month. So no, I wouldn't say you're being unrealistic about a short recovery time for Bella. My vet was very pleased with how well she did, and he said that the smaller they are, they generally do better. So good luck to you and Bella!! I'm sure she will do very well. Keep us posted!
Lara

[debwally]

thanks, lara!

i'm glad sophie is doing so well! it really helps to know we;re not the only ones with this problem! until last week we'd never even heard of it. i will let you know how bella makes out!

deb

[CYN]

Hey everyone! I was wondering what were the septums
of the legg Perthes Disease? I have a 14 week old male and i have noticed that his little legs pop constantly. i dont know if maybe that is an early sign of it or not.
Cyn

[Javathon]

Originally Posted by CYN

Hey everyone! I was wondering what were the septums
of the legg Perthes Disease? I have a 14 week old male and i have noticed that his little legs pop constantly. i dont know if maybe that is an early sign of it or not.
Cyn

Well, for me the first sign was when Sookie didn't want to put her leg down. Thinking back she was always raising her leg left unto her right every time she ran. Another thing is that she never stood up on her hind legs.

Update:
Sookie is going to the vet tomorrow to have her stitches removed.

[manina]

So happy all yr furbaby r doing well ! will keep u all in our prayer for a speed recovercy. Debby, so happy to hear the breeder help u just have to love those breeder in YT
good luck !

barn@ulater!
maina, miley , max

[Laurn7f]

Originally Posted by CYN

Hey everyone! I was wondering what were the septums
of the legg Perthes Disease? I have a 14 week old male and i have noticed that his little legs pop constantly. i dont know if maybe that is an early sign of it or not.
Cyn

This sounds more like Luxating Patella to me....Legg Perthes is the hip bone grinding, for one reason or another, which causes discomfort-hence dogs carrying the leg when they walk...it causes fragility in the hip bone allowing for easier fracture, not dislocation (popping out of place).

Try feeling around and seeing if it is his knee that is popping out if you move it around. If so, that's Luxating Patella and I would have the vet evaluate him to determine the severity of it.