Need advise on Snickers Recovery
 

Hello Everyone! Snickers is a 3lb, 4month old & my first yorkie ever. If I had known how loveable this little babies were, I'd have gotten one long ago!

Unfortunately, Snickers broke both bones in his front leg jumping off the couch a little over a week ago. Last Wednesday, he had to see an othropedic surgeon & have a bone plate put in to fix his leg. I can't even explain how guilty this whole situation made me feel.

Now that I'm past the scare of the surgery & anest. I need some advise for his recovery. The vet told me that he needs to be confined to a cage at all times, except when he's eating, using the potty, or being held. The problem is that Snickers already feels better & crys in the cage. Before the surgery, he was real cuddly, but now that he hasn't gotten his play time, he trys to jump off my lap.

My question to anyone who has gone through this is how long did you keep your baby confined? I still have him in his cage, because I know it's best for now, but is 6 weeks??? I'm afraid he's going to go nuts.

Thanks for any advice! This is all new to me:)

Jamie

I woulld confine him for the full recovery perod that your vet said. You can llet him out when you are there to supervise him. would be concerned about him rebreakng that bone.

Chachi,

Thank you. I have been so far, I try to remind myself that people to are sometimes bed ridden after surgery. I just hope he understands & it doesn't affect his personality.

Jamie

Years ago I had a cocker mix break a leg and she didn't understand why she had to be confined. Beleive me You need to or the bone will rebreak or not heal right. My cocker that I have now got hit by a car and broke her back leg in 3 different places because she wouldn't stay down she had to have surgery 3 x's to fix it. He'll be ok you just have to do what the vet says. He knows best.

I am so sorry to here about your Snickers. I know how hard it is to see your baby hurt. You shouldn't feel guilty, dogs have a mind of their own. I had a Maltese that broke her leg at 3 months old. I felt bad leaving her in the cage. So we did a lot of sitting on our butts holding her. She got very spoiled.

I have never been thru that experience before but I think I would do a lot of holding on my lap too. It would certainly tear at my heart also. hang in there. hope it goes fast for ya. :getwellso

Thanks everyone! Yes, I have been doing a lot of holding snickers. I;ve been hooking him to a short leash & putting my sofa cushions on the floor & laying with him. The leash has been necessary, as he feels better & without it, he won't take time to cuddle & just wants to run & play.

With his e-collar, he has a hard time chewing on his chew toys...Last night I held a greeny for him for an hour so he could knaw away.


My daughter is now 10, but I don't remember spoiling her half as bad as Snickers:) But then again, she didn't have any broken bones as an infant!

Jamie

Hi Jaime,

How are you doing??? I hope all is going well... I know exactly what you are goin thru... My Jazzy fell off my bed a few weeks ago and we ended up having to have LP surgery w/pins put in her back leg... Her surgery was this past Tuesday, her soft cast came off Friday, and she is really wanting to get around more than she is supposed to.... Jazz is 10 months old and full of energy to... She has exposed stitches now so I have to constantly watch her for chewing and licking...at least the stitches come out this week... I have spent the last few nights sleeping on the floor with her & she has loved that.. We do alot of hanging out on the floor, easy playing and watching TV together... She is so funny, she likes to watch animal planet... I guess we just have to hang in there with them... "Im with you sister"... When I put her in her little cage, she barks and whines too... I have started to move the cage into areas where she can see me as I am doing my thing, that seems to help her be quieter.... I know this is hard on everyone... I wish you lol... hugs from us.... Jazzy & Chel

I did not have to confine Clemmie when she broke her leg..took 5 months to heal...but she was an adult. I had a small male (2 1/2 pounds) break his leg and I put him in a puppy pouch, (strapped on) and carried him around the house for a few hours..not practical, but he was so tiny I was worried.

My Remmy had major surgery for bladder stones and was to be confined for 4 weeks. Not climbing stairs, jumping on anything ect. The doctor gave me sedatives to give him to keep him still. maybe your doctor can give you something that will make him want to sleep so he will not want to be up running around.

Lola went through the same thing about three months ago. She broke her leg for the second time and we opted for the orthopedic surgery. She now has 5 screws and a plate in her front leg. It was so difficult to keep her cooped up all of the time. She would go nuts and bark all day when she was confined. We finally put up baby gates so that she would be confined in one room. Not exactly what the dr ordered, but it worked for us. She had her first x-ray at 8 weeks and they said everything was healing fine. She has another x-ray on July 18th and we are hoping that she will be fully healed and that everything is still alligned. I don't know how others do it, I guess this is a sign of why you should crate train your dog. We never did and I think that is why it was so dificult to confine Lola. Good luck with your dog. I hope everything heals great.

Hello Everyone,

Thanks for all your input & sorry I haven't responded. I've been moving (yuck) & haven't had access to my computer.

Snickers went to have his stitches removed Wednesday & seems to be healing well. He is going absolutely nuts being locked up & of course with moving I haven't been able to give him much lap time for the past week, which makes me feel bad but then again the doctor ordered cage life:)

Being in a cage so much has taught him to bark, or maybe its the age, but he sure likes to do it now. He's becoming a chubby bunny too because treats are a good way to entertain him:)

Jamie

That is GREAT news!!! Go Snickers Go!! :D What a tough little guy. I am sure that you are just stretched emotionally & physically moving and all with Snickers the last few weeks... It is a wonderful thing when you take them back to the doctor and you hear "good news" on their recovery. Im sure he will loose his little "spare tire" once he get active again... I am dealing with the same confinement issues with Jazz. I brought her back yesterday for a checkup and removal of stitches for her LP surgery. Unfortuneately I did not get the best news. They were able to luxate her knee, but it does go back... so... even more strict confinement that she doesnt understand :confused: and we start Physical Therapy on her next week, twice a day, 2 times a week. The clinic has a tank area with a tread mill in. They fill up the tank with an appropriate amount of water for the pets size, put a life vest on them, and use water therapy to walk the animals on the tread mill and do all the therapy including range of motion exercises to help strengthen the ligaments and muscles... HOPEFULLY this will stop the luxation in her knee and we don't have to go through another surgery....

Stay well, good luck with your move & give Snickers hugs & kisses!!! I am so happy he is doing well!!! Chel

Hello Chel,

I'm sorry to hear your baby's recovery is moving slowly. The therapy sounds neat, maybe she'll actually enjoy it! I asked my ortho surgeon about taking Snickers in the pool with me for therapy & he said that would be great in small increments.

So she has to be caged all the time too, huh? Yeah, no fun for the young ones. It's been a little easier without that umbrella collar! I just keep counting the days!

Jamie