So happy to hear the worst is over and Bella is home resting and healing.

I love the idea of Linda's stroller, and would certainly use that if one of my pups ever needed to be confined or restricted, but would have to make sure they couldn't jump out.

It would be nice if she could go without the hard E-Collar, or with a softer one.

Hope her recovery continues to go well.

There was someone here on YT who made the soft cones. Anyone remember who that is?

So happy everything went well,,,,

I am happy surgery went well. Hopefully she will adjust to the crate.

I do have a stroller. I might try it a little later in Bella's recovery. Right now, she still has a leg bandaged, and it is held stiff and she needs a lot of room to sprawl out comfortably. I'll try removing the E-collar after her bandage comes off tomorrow morning. The vet taped the collar shut with a huge strip of adhesive tape :(. The collar looks very uncomfortable on her. It interferes with her eating, drinking, resting--basically everything--and I'm squeamish seeing her so uncomfortable and unhappy. I hope we can both sleep tonight.

Poor baby. Just keeping her pain free and still is important for now.

If she does need the E-collar, you might consider the Softee that many people really like: http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...ne-collar.html

I went ahead and took off Bella's E-collar and I've been keeping an eye on her. She has not tried to do anything to her bandages yet. She is MUCH happier and more comfortable without the collar. So far today, she has eaten a half cup of food and drunk about half a cup of water. She's peed 4 or 5 times on her potty pad--I just switched it out again. My biggest fear right now is that her good leg will start getting worse since she has to carry all of her weight on it. I try to keep her very calm when she is not in the crate. I let her walk a little around the kitchen, from her food and water bowls to her potty pad, and now she's back in her crate. She started whining again after I put her in (it PAINS me to hear her whine), but she laid down again, I laid my Snuggie over her back, and now she is resting quietly. I'm suffering through this along with her.

Happy to see Bella is home, when they suffer & are in pain, we also suffer with them. My last baby had surgery, had to wear that collar, she was banging into everything and it interfered with her eating and drinking, not to mention her sleeping. I left it on the first day but removed it the 2nd day, and just watched she didn't lick at her incision (she had gall bladder removed). BTW Bella is a lil beauty, even with that collar, I love her hair cut.

That's good that she can relax with the E-collar off. That had to be uncomfortable and keep her irritated. Hope she doesn't chew. Maybe she can just cuddle up and sleep more now. Sorry you have to suffer too.... but that's just the way it is when our little ones are hurting.

I'm sure Bella is so much happier without her e-collar. It's hurts so much to watch a loved one suffer, but you are one step closer to Bella getting better. I have one of Bo's softee collars. It's a great thing to have, even when cutting nails. I've never used one for Katie, and the one I have is probably a little small for her, but I really recommend it.

SO glad to hear that Bella is doing well. Wishes for a quick and uneventful recovery!

Hope the healing goes quickly and thinking about you and little Bella this morning.

Morning update!
 

Bella had a good night sleeping without her E collar, and she pooped on her potty pad in the early morning. I had to give her her daily dose of Metacam. The vet sent me home with a syringe, and the bottle of Metacam. When I looked this morning, I saw the Metacam bottle looked like a squeeze bottle of eye drops and wondered how I was going to get the Metacam into the syringe. I finally figured out that the tip of the syringe fits over the tip of the Metacam bottle and you hold the Metacam bottle upside down and draw the Metacam into the syringe--I felt rather clever after that, LOL!

I removed Bella's bandage, and she looks more comfortable without it. The leg looks stiff and she won't allow it to touch the floor when she walks, but I was expecting that. The bad news is that she started licking the incision, so I had to put the E-collar back on. I checked out the link to the soft E-collar, and will order one for the next time Bella needs surgery. The price of the soft E-collar is the same as the hard plastic one she is wearing now, so it looks like a real bargain! In the meantime, I'll call Petsmart when they open and ask them if they have soft E-collars there. I've seen pictures of ones that look like inflatable beach toys.

I'll take her E-collar off a little later when I offer her more food and water and see if she stops licking her incision, but I'm not hopeful about that.

Question for those experienced with MPL surgery: How long before Bella starts using the leg that was operated on? I'll call the vet tomorrow and ask, but I was wondering what other peoples' experience has been. Thanks for the prayers and well wishes!

Bella's E-collar is back on because she started licking her incision, but I'm hoping I can remove it at night so she sleeps comfortably. Thanks for the compliment on her hair cut! She looks even better when she's not shaved down for surgery, LOL!

When I picked Jezebel up after her surgery (she had MPL and TPLO), I asked the surgeon when she would begin to bear weight. He said that larger dogs bear weight much sooner than the little ones because they don't have much choice. The smaller ones have a much easier time getting around on three legs so they are not as quick to use the leg.

So don't read much into it that she isn't bearing weight yet and let her go at her own pace.

Thanks for the info!

Bella's new life preserver--I mean E-collar.
 

I just got back from Petsmart and traded out Bella's hard plastic E-collar for an inflatable E-collar. Bella seems a little happier with it. Photo below (check out the cat photobombing the picture):

That does look more comfortable. It looks like the neck pillows people use on airplanes, so she can relax and sleep with it.

When do they take out stitches?

Cute! I ended up making an emergency trip to Petco to buy one of those myself. I hope neither of us have to use it again.

poor lil Bella, this one is better then that BIG clumsy plastic one. I got rid of the one my Matese had to use and got a soft one, it was easier for her to get around, didn't bump into everything. Had I seen the one Bella has I would have gotten that. When no longer needed, deflate, store in drawer takes no space. Good she had a nice sleep, hope you did as well. We are like moms with infants, sleeping with ears wide open for a unusual sound coming from sick baby. I'm just happy she is home as I am sure you are. These dogs are amazing at how quickly they heal. Calling the vet on Mon. is a good idea, this way you can expect when using all 4 should be expected. Hope she has a better day today, and you as well. Been there, done that, baby not well, I am just as sick as they are.

The stitches come out a week from next Friday. Bella has already slept next to me using the neck pillow. Definitely more comfortable!

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

Bella put a *little* weight on her leg when she was eating earlier this afternoon. She can eat and drink more easily with the new inflatable collar. It's deflated a little already, but if I only have to refill it once or twice a day, that's not too bad. It's much easier to put on and take off as well.

ABSOLUTELY amazing that she put some weight on that foot, it just baffles my mind how quickly they recover over humans. I am guessing before this week is up she will be walking on that leg. They just bounce back so quickly. That collar is just perfect for her needs.

How is she doing this evening?

glad all is going well

Been off the site for a couple of days but I did remember Bella was having her surgery Friday and prayed for her every day. I'm just thrilled she's got it behind her and is on the mend! She looks fantastic in the picture and I'm so happy for you that the worry of anesthesia is over. Now just post-op and rehab and hopefully this beautiful little girl will one day be darting around just as she'd like. Love the photobomber, too!

Bella had a good night. She seemed a little uncomfortable sleeping in her regular small sleeping crate that we keep on the nightstand due to the size of her inflatable E-collar, so we put her larger x-pen on the floor next to the bed, and she slept more comfortably. She's back to her normal potty habits, though I cringe watching her balance on three legs to do it. She doesn't seem to mind, though. I tend to be a worrywart. Bella is perking up more and wants to do some of the things she used to, like chase the cat and jump up on our legs as we walk around the house. I've had to chase the playful cat off a few times, and continue to discourage her jumping. She's been eying the couch and the stairs, so we have to keep a careful eye on her when she's not in her crate so she does jump up on things. She continues to improve, but I don't want her to injure herself. I haven't needed to use the Acepromazine.

She had a great evening. She whined every time I put her in her crate, even though she was right next to us, so I took her out often, and she curled up next to me under a blanket to watch TV a few times. I was a little concerned she wasn't drinking enough water, but she drank a half cup of water just before bedtime. Needless to say, we had to take her to the potty pad in the middle of the night to pee.

It sounds like she is recovering nicely, and you are going to have a hard time holding her back while she completely heals.

It is surprising that she is even testing putting a little weight on her leg. They actually can get around very well on 3 legs.

My Tiki had a slight sprain on one back leg when she was very young, and she hopped around on 3 legs for 2 weeks before putting it down.