Roxy - LP Surgery - UPDATE

[yorkiemalt]

How is she doing TLC?

I'm thinking about you two....

[Connie]

I'm also wondering about little Roxy. Is she home? How's she doing and also...how are YOU doing????

[TLC]

Hi Guys, Yes we are home...

Roxy is doing well. Within 10 minutes of getting home on Friday night, TJ pooped - GREAT - NO ENIMA!!! Roxy was very happy to be home. I mostly carried her around. She slept in the spare room with me and TJ slept with Daddy. I covered the bed in wee wee pads, she finally peed at 12 am. Saturday was a little tough, b/c she was getting heavy, so I set up the x-pen in the kitchen, I put a 'big' washable wee wee pad down, blankets, food, water. At first she was scared, but then got better. She only want to eat green beans, and I gave her a teaspoon of activa (so I could put the pain meds in for her to eat). I had to take that patch off - OMG - it took forever to get off. Then I brushed ALL the mats out and her "shave is not too bad either. Neither of them are really eatting too much, just a little here and there. Roxy finally pooped this morning and nothing again for TJ now since Friday night. Roxy's left leg seems great. Her right one though she is not 100% comfortable with. That leg is the one were her knee cap wanted to face the wrong way. The insision (sp?) is still alittle red and puffy as compared to the other one, but today it does look a little better. I keep flexing her legs, b/c she doesn't really walk. She will stand when I place her standing in the x-pen, but she is very shaky when she walks. She is very anxieous and I think she thinks she is fine, but when she tries to walk it must hurt and then she just plops down. I don't think that is really good to be doing that, so i am trying to watch her and not let her just fall. She has tried to 'bite' that area too, so I have to keep telling her no and push her head away from that leg. I am going to try walking her a Little using a scarf for support. I'll write again tommorow, I hope she starts to get a little more better tommorow! Thanks again!

[yorkiemalt]

Glad to hear she's doing well...

Hugs to Roxy....

[Connie]

Ahhhh...poor little Roxy! I hope she is a lot better by tomorrow! Made me feel sad to read your post, because it sounds like such a struggle for her! Bot...I guess each day will show improvement and you just take it one day at a time! I hope you're doing okay and able to get some rest too!!! Thinking of you!

[TLC]

So here I am back at work. The 2 monster are at home. Roxy is confined to her x-pen and TJ is free downstairs. I put Roxy's x-pen in the foyer b/c TJ likes to hang out on the couch all day looking out the window. Roxy is pretty much doing well, but she is NOT EATTING. I give her a spoon of activa in the morning so I can put her meds in (Metacam). She will eat that. This morning I put some Nutrical in there too. She wasn't so thrilled about that, but I was able to make her eat it. She will not eat her wet or dry food, NO MATTER how much I 'doctor' it up!!! She will eat romaine lettuce (the center part, no leafs) and she will eat the chicken jerky (from costco). That's it. I put Pedilite in her water and gave her a Merrick Curly Q and she was happy to chew on that. She sleeps a lot. She only pees maybe 2-3 times a day, and poops 1-2 times. I read about the Metacam and it can cause 'loss of appetite'. I don't know what to do. She feels so skinny now! I hate to do it, but from reading on YT, it seems that LOTS of dogs LOVE Cesaers. I think I will buy a can and just mix a tiny bit in her food and maybe she will eat that. Her food now is Merrick, Natural Balance Lamb roll, Hills Prescpt. t/d. She won't even eat it if I put cottage cheese, fresh chicken, chicken broth, parm. cheese, etc...
I spoke with the Dr. last night, (of course, I was so wrap up in asking other things, I didn't mention about the food, stupid me...) But I told her how Roxy walks a little and then drops down and whips around to bite at her back leg. She does it more with the right leg and that's the leg that the knee cap wanted to face the wrong way. The Dr. hopes that she just needs to walk more and that she just feels uncomfortable b/c she tighten the muscle a lot. She wants me to start to give her some walking room and time. She said to put her harness on and bring her outside and place her on the grass and see how she does. The Dr. feels that being outside is very exciting for dogs and it might 'jump' start Roxy to uses her legs and being more comfortable. So we will try that and see how she does over the next week. And of course, there is always the possibility that that leg is luxating again...HOPEFULLY that is not the case.
My concern today is that Roxy hasn't really ate anything substantail. Sunday was the only day I can really say that she 'kinda' ate well...
Any thoughts???

[Connie]

Hi Nicole. I don't know what to say about her not eating. What is the medication she is on...what is it for. Is it for pain? She's got to eat and I have no clue about how to get them to eat if they don't want to. Have you tried hand feeding her...sometimes I have to do that to get Maddie to eat. Just offer her a kibble from my hand to get her interested. Sounds like you've tried most everything that would normally look very good to a dog, so I just don't have any advice on that. Let us know...I'll be praying that she gets her appetite back. Poor little sweetie!

[IluvLucy]

Poor baby. I'm so glad she's home. That's got to make her feel some better. Lucy hurt her right back leg a couple of months ago jumping off a chair. I took her to the vet for x-rays and it wasn't broken, but she wouldn't put it down at all. I was so afraid the vet had missed something that I was going to take her back.

My son suggested filling the bathtub up with warm water ( deep enough to make her swim) while supporting under her belly with my hand. It worked and she was full speed in about 3 days.

I don't know if you can do this with your baby because of stitches, but you might ask the vet if swimming would be good after the stitches come out.


Kim & Lucy

[TLC]

Thanks everyone. My main concern today is getting her to eat! I'll let you know how that goes tonight.

Roxy has 'imbeded' stiches, that will disolve on their own. I can't get her wet for a while. But mabye in another week or two, I will ask the Dr. if I can do that with her, in the bathtub! Thanks.

[yorkiemalt]

Perhaps when you do take her outside for some fresh air and exercise it might "spark" her appetite!

I know, myself, if I'm not feeling well or I'm in pain I am not the LEAST big hungry.

Here's hoping the "great outdoors" cheers her up and gives her an appetite!

I'm also glad the Dr. suggested exercise - it was always my understanding that that was the "key" to a successful recovery. The knee is a major joint and needs to move.

[TLC]

Oh I hope so. I am going to leave work today at 3pm. I went to Target at lunch break and bought 2 cans of Cesars (YUK!!!) and a bag of 'beggin strips' bacn/cheese flavor (YUK again!)
I don't mean to offend anyone, I just prefer not to feed Roxy and TJ anything with by-products....but...I really need to get her to eat, of course, I am only going to mix a tiny bit of Cesar in with her normal Merrick food and then if I must I will crumble the beggin strips ontop as well. I hope she gets going just from being outside! I'll write later.

[yorkiemalt]

Good Luck!

Let me know how she makes out.......

Remember the first 2 weeks are the toughest! You already have the first week behind you!

Hugs to Roxy....

[Connie]

Did Roxy eat? I sure hope so!

[TLC]

Hi Connie, Yes she did eat this morning, I was happy with the amount that she ate. I am going to try and walk her a little bit after work today as well. Thanks for thinking of us! We are on the road to recovery!!!