Bella's MPL (luxating patella) surgery

[MauiGirl]

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.

[yorkiemini]

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

[bailie]

So happy everything went well,,,,

[Patti]

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

[pstinard]

Originally Posted by MauiGirl

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.

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.

[MauiGirl]

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

[pstinard]

Originally Posted by MauiGirl

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.

[matese]

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.

[MauiGirl]

Originally Posted by pstinard

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.

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.

[lisaly]

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.

[Marhcarter]

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

[Lisa and Pic]

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

[pstinard]

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!

[pstinard]

Originally Posted by matese

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.

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!

[OwnedByJezebel]

Originally Posted by pstinard

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!

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.