Hi All,

Well I have just got back in from having taking Izzy to the Vets.............she has got to have TPLO surgery on her stifle joint :( . She had an arthroscopy (keyhole surgery) just over 6 weeks ago but went lame again 3 weeks ago, the surgeon said at the time, he thought that the cruciate ligament would go completely :( So we are off to see the Specialist on Thursday.

I don't know whether I should be disappointed that she has got to have further surgery or relieved that at last, having spent 13 weeks in a crate we may finally start to see an end in sight.

All these painkillers.....she may be in danger of becoming an addict

Denise

My bitch had TPLO last Ocotober. It was the best thing I did, she is now back to her old self.

I hope she is okay, it is a shame that she is having to go through another op but at least this time you know it will sort it once and for all.

Hi Paula,

It's good to hear your bitch is fit and well again, Izzy is still very young which worries more, she still has some growing to do, .............at the minute it's going out instead of up :D

Hi Lori,

Milo was 7.5 months old when he had the surgery wasn't he? Or did you wait until he was just a little older? Izzy is 10.5 months now.

>Poor Izzy, she must be sick of resting. 

................she is being soooo good, she just lays very quietly in her crate, don't know we've got her really, I think I'm sick of it on her behalf really :)

Did you have to crate him afterwards?

Denise

Milo was 7 months when he injured his cruciate but I waited until 10 months for the surgery. The vet wanted to give it a chance to heal as it didn't seem that bad in the beginning. He would have been too young for TPLO anyway. I was even concerned about doing it at 10 months but I found a surgeon who has developed a new technique for young dogs (uses a screw in the growth plate instead of cutting the bone). He has done a lot of work regarding age and breed and their affect on TPLO. He assured my that my 10 month Golden would be fine. So far he's been right.

Hi Lori,

I remember you putting up a link which I added to my favourites at the time, I've been looking at it again today, so it was the TPLO and not the new technique of a screw that Milo had? (just making sure I'm reading you right ;) ) and Izzy is the same age as Milo had his done, :)

Yes TPLO, he was too old to have the other procedure (TPLP). The surgeon was in the US too so would have been impossible for us anyway. Here's the link to their page on TPLO, I though it was helpful. The guy was really nice; took the time to answer my questions even though I lived overseas. I offered to pay a consultant fee but he wouldn't hear of it. Izzy is the same age as Milo was when he had the surgery - 10 months. He did well. Hydrotherapy was a godsend and he was back to running around farily soon but he would limp when he played too hard. It took 6 months before that went away. He limps slightly once in a blue moon now and does have a little arthritis in that joint but he's run down flying pigeons and deer so he does well for a 40 Kg gimp. :-D Labs must grow about the same rate as Goldens and he's not lopsided either! though he does mince ;-)

My boy had TPLO Feb of last year and it took until August for him to really go at it without limping. But now he hares around after everything and he went off the pain meds in April of last year. They gave him an ulcer; point though is he hasn't needed them for a year. Poor Izzy, she must be sick of resting. :-(

Hi

My girl Izzy has had TPLO on both of her back legs, the first one she was 6 months old and we crated her (not all the time but if we felt she was getting a bit over excited) and she was able to put weight on it straight away, she was given complete rest for 4 weeks and then 5 minute walks 3 times a day with it increasing an extra 5 minutes per walk each week to build up the muscle. We did this for a total of 12 weeks including the resting period then her other back leg was done and we repeated the regime. To be honest we were amazed and so was the vet at her recovery after each operation and by the time the 4 weeks resting period was over she walked completely without a limp.

Its now been over 2 years since she had it done and we have noticed no problems what so ever, the vet reckoned it was a developmental problem in her back knees as they were both as bad.

Poor Izzy :rolleyes: I am sure though that they know what thye are doing and I am sure with this OP and lots of TLC from you she will be fine :)

Lucy
xx