TPLO or Lateral Suture (Extracapsular Repair) – Dandelion Marie

The Cruciate Injury

In May of 2013, Dandelion started limping and showing signs of discomfort. I knew instantly what it was since I had another dog (Duffus) to do the same thing back in 2002. Duffus had the ACL surgery which is what they call Traditional surgery now. I didn’t want Dande to have surgery because I am terrified of an animal being put under for anything (yes…I worry).

Hydrotherapy

I heard from a friend at work that her dog had hurt his knee and did Hydro therapy for a few weeks and never needed surgery. Yipeeeee I thought so I signed Dande up for a Hydro therapy consultation with the therapist. The therapist (Cassie) said she thought Dande was a good candidate for the therapy, but couldn’t make any promises that she wouldn’t need surgery eventually. Although the Hydro therapy would help strengthen her muscles and would help with recovery if she did need the surgery. So I signed her up.

10 sessions of walking on a treadmill with water up to her chest. No problem right??? Except Dandelion hates water!!! She did really good considering and graduated. Her Therapist was the best and really took time with Dande to help ease any pain or discomfort. We love her! Less then 2 months later Dande chased a diesel truck (she hates them) along side my chain link fence and the damage was done.

TPLO Surgery

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We headed in for another visit and saw the Surgeon this time. He said both knees were blown and thought maybe she was born with bad knees due to her parents past and breeding (which I had no clue since she found me at 5 months old and has been with me ever since). The Surgeon recommended the TPLO on the worse knee (left) first and she had surgery on April 24th 2013.

Surgery went great and she came home the next day. She was so pitiful and didn’t want to even try to put that foot on the ground. She was lifted up and down steps and a sling was used to help her out to potty. This was rough since she weighed 65 pounds. She wasn’t allowed to walk on slick floors and since I have all hardwood I ended up carrying her a lot more then normal, but I was willing to do whatever to help her feel better and walk again.

It took 12-14 wks for her to recover fully and this included another round of hated Hydro therapy. She isn’t very active and was doing so good, so the Surgeon opted to wait on the right knee. All was well until 2 wks ago and she somehow twisted the right knee the right/wrong way and here we are again with a bum knee. 🙁 She goes Monday to see her Surgeon (who is awesome! I would recommend him to anybody!!!!)

TPLO or Lateral Suture (Extracapsular Repair)

I am debating on doing the TPLO surgery again or just doing the Traditional surgery (ACL aka the fishing line). I guess we will see Monday what Dr. James recommends. Dandelion is almost 8 now and like I said is NOT very active. She prefers to sleep…walk….eat…and sleep again. She is NOT a go getter to speak. Never has been really and the Surgeon thinks it may have been due to her bad knees all her life. The TPLO surgery did great but was very invasive. The ACL/Traditional recover time is less. Tough decision …..my dogs are my kids so I want the best for them. Hopefully I will be able to update everyone after Monday on what is decided.

Update – 12/31

I promised an update after Dandelion’s trip to see Dr. James at The R.I.V.E.R on Monday Nov. 18th so here goes. As soon as Dr. James examined Dande he told us she needed surgery. Considering we already assumed this…it wasn’t a surprise. Dr. James recommended the TPLO surgery again. I hated to but decided to go with it because the ACL surgery usually tears again in most cases and I wanted Dandelion out of pain and able to be a dog again.

Although she loves being lazy…she hates being cooped up all the time and that’s pretty much what was happening since she twisted her right knee. They did surgery that day and Dandelion was home the next evening. It was amazing how well she did. At first she was hesitant to use the right leg but with a little coaxing and some nagging from me she started using it more often until finally she was using it constantly by the 2 wk. mark.

She is going for her last Hydro therapy on Sunday and gets her 8wk x-rays the following wk. I can not tell you enough how great she is doing and how awesome her Dr. his staff and her therapist are!! The people at The R.I.V.E.R are awesome and amazing. You can see their love for the animals and their jobs in their eyes!

Update – 2/8

Dandelion has graduated from her water therapy and her 8 wk x-rays looked great (she had them 4 wks ago and her Dr said she was at 90%). Dandelion is doing great! I can tell she is feeling like a new girl, and I feel that Dr. James was correct when he said he thought she had been in pain all those years with both knees being bad. She doesn’t lay around as much and actually instigates rough housing with her younger brother, Xander Bayne (who she hated after he was 4 months old and bigger then her already).

I am so glad we went thru with the surgeries and trusted her wonderful vet and therapist. We are so thankful for them! They are awesome! I am hoping to update her pictures on here soon also.

Dandelion’s new nickname is the bionic dog. I love her more then anyone can imagine and I am so glad she feels fantastic now. I recommend the TPLO surgery if it fits your needs.

44 thoughts on “TPLO or Lateral Suture (Extracapsular Repair) – Dandelion Marie

  1. I debated over the exact same thing, and ended up deciding on the TPLO. My reasoning was, I have a very bouncy dog…he jumps on EVERYTHING. I have some friends who have a dog with similar tendencies who opted for the ex-cap…unfortunately one year after they did the surgery, she was bouncing around their yard and tore through the surgical repair so badly that she had to be euthanized. I have heard many people who said they did the ex-cap and it has been fine, but I know the TPLO is a much stronger repair, and with as much as my boy likes to jump up on stuff I wanted to be sure. Whatever you choose, make sure you follow the rehab instructions to the letter….the complications from even one mistake can extend the recovery period by months.

  2. My yellow lab, Pearl, has had a TPLO and an extracapsular repair. Hands down the TPLO is the absolute best way to go. She had a perfect recovery from the TPLO, that is now her “good leg”. 2 months after the extracapsular repair (which we did to save a little money) she developed a luxating patella, which meant another surgery. So much for trying to save money. The leg she had the extracapsular repair on will never be the same. If I could, I would go back in time and just do the TPLO. The TPLO was $6000 including physical therapy (I’m in Florida), the extracapsular repair was $3500 ( no physical therapy) and the luxating patella was $3500. Trust me, go for the TPLO. Save yourself and your dog the time and heartache.

  3. My dog actually had the extracapsular repair first because I was so terrified of TPLO. Guess what? 8 months later he had to get a TPLO on that same leg because his extracapsular was still so unstable.

    He’s fine now and yes, his TPLO leg is – again – his strongest leg.

  4. My girl Angel just had the ‘traditional’ done in June and Oct.of this year.Dr.Wiren in Duncan BC put in an additional ‘rope’ in the right knee to allow the left to continue to heal with added support.Since it has only been 6 weeks we are no where near full recovery.I can only hope and pray she get to be a real dog come spring time..She will be 3 on New Years Eve and tore both during an entanglement with her friend during play while wearing a choke chain collar.that nearly cost her her life.(Google choke chains dog parks in Nanaimo) Based on her unfortunate situation she set precedent and had the by-laws changed in enclosed dog parks here in Nanaimo BC.All collars with chain attachments MUST now be removed or risk a penalty of $150.I plan on aqua therapy but at this time it is still to soon.My undersatnding was if there is a complication to the TPLO there is no other options available however if the ‘tightrope’ fails TPLO is still an option.I spoke with many who had the same surgery by the same Dr and all had satisfactory result..I hope we made the right decision but only rime will tell.She has her own FB page called Angel if you care to visit…

  5. So sorry to hear that Dandelion keeps messing her knee up! How awful. Sighh, these are the kinds of decisions that keep you up at night! I know it did for me, at least. Since she seemed to be responding well to the CM water therapy, have you thought about maybe other forms of CM for this newest injury to her leg? I used a Woundwear brace with my dog, and the nice thing (several nice things) was since my dog was wearing it most of the day, the brace kept his leg in check when he was outside or during his scheduled/recommended walks (the brace came with a “rehab” schedule, so-to-speak, which was very thorough). The brace sort of acted like my second set of eyes while the injury healed; it was my reassurance that he wasn’t rough housing when I wasn’t in the same room as him etc. Plus, I just was happy that he didn’t have to go through surgery. I had a great experience with the brace. Just thought I’d throw in my two cents about it, hopefully not making your decision making more difficult. Hope Dande gets back to her old self soon!

    1. It is so helpful to read all of the comments. We are facing this very difficult decision with our beloved “Pissett”, Taper. He is a pit bull bassett hound mix, we think – his body looks like a Bassett hound. We primarily live in the Virgin Islands but are spending the summer in Colorado. Taper has been favoring his left rear leg since Thanksgiving when he chased his stick into a retaining wall. X-rays didn’t show anything and his limping waxed and waned. Upon arriving in Colorado we took him to the vet who recommended x-rays under anesthesia, and this imaging study apparently confirmed evidence of a CCL tear (effusion noted). An orthopedic surgeon consulted and said his only option was TPLO. I am a nurse so I have been researching outcomes, prognosis, complications and other options. Taper is still quite active and is able to run after squirrels, swim after sticks, and only favors the leg slightly. The surgeon here maintains he must have TPLO and that TTA or extracapsular procedures in addition to bracing are not indicated for a strong dog like Taper. We sent video footage, copies of x-rays and medical records to our vet in St. Croix and he is now suggesting TTA. He originally told us to access TPLO here in Colorado because no one does this surgery in the Virgin Islands. Today after reviewing everything he has changed his mind. My husband and I are agonizing about the decision to proceed with TPLO next Tuesday or instead request the TTA. I do think he needs some sort of stabilization procedure but I am very disturbed by the high incidence of greater than 50% of dogs blow out the other leg while recovering from the TPLO. Ideas please?

  6. Everyone thank you for your comments. I agree with you on the TPLO surgery!! Each knee was around 2800.00. She is worth every penny!
    Jesse,
    We thought about the brace but Dandelion absolutely hates wearing anything besides her collar . She only wears it when we go for walks or to the vet. She doesn’t even like her new harness that has her name on it. I even tried to get her to wear a sock on her foot once and it lasted for 10 seconds. So she HAD to have surgery.

    1. Where did you get your TPLO done for so cheap? My psychiatric service dog, Felipe, is in need of one asap. The clinic we were referred estimated $4,600. We are willing to drive out of state. He needs help I cannot stand to see him suffer anymore. I am a student and make low income and got denied for care credit. I don’t have the best credit 🙁 please, by the grace of God I hope you (I know this was posted a long time ago) or someone sees this.

      I also have a go fund me on my Facebook page.

      With love, Felipe and Michelle.

  7. HI! Thank you for your story. I have a 2 1/2 year old pit bull, and we are going in for our consultation with the surgeon this afternoon. Abbey will have her first set of x-rays today to see how bad the situation is. I have read that TPLO is a great route to go, but the pictures I have seen with the 6 screws look really scary.

    Any suggestions for important questions I should ask the vet?

    Also, my husband and I got approved for the CareCredit. Has any one used this way to financially get through this? If so, any advice? Besides getting it paid off as quickly as possible. 🙂

    1. Brittany,
      Are you seeing an Orthopedic Surgeon or a regular vet? The reason I ask is that X-rays do not show anything really that an examination wont. The only X-rays Dande had was after the surgeries to check the bone/implant. My regular vet did not specialize in knee surgeries so I went to someone who did. I think it made all the difference in the world. Unless they have very new high tech X-ray equipment I am afraid it will be a waste of money and time. I cant tell you how much difference the TPLO surgery had made with Dandelion. She is more active now then she was at 2 yrs old. lol I did not use the Care Credit so I am dunno when it comes to that. I assume it is pretty much like a regular credit card and have known many who used it. I will say this……. the 2800.00 a knee …..was worth it. She is a very happy baby now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    2. Brittany,

      Did you pursue the TPLO for your Pit bull? I see you posted in January of this year and I am very interested in finding out outcomes for our type of dog. Your baby probably has longer legs than our boy.

      My husband looked into pet insurance and we were specifically informed that we couldn’t qualify for insurance as the diagnosis has already been made (pre-existing condition). Good luck.

      I would love to know how your baby is doing and what direction you chose.

  8. Just an update for Angel. We are now 7 months post op and things are going great. While we still limit her jumping, running and long walks she is ready to be a nut bar puppy again..lol..I have no regrets giving her the ‘honeymoon’ fund as the $4000 was well worth her have a happy healthy life again..

  9. Hello….We just picked our Shelby 5 1/2 year old Lab from having TPLO Surgery. What a scary sight with the shaving and when they said brusing I thought black and blue but it is bright red. Shelby weighs 70 lbs and we figured the TPLO to be the correct route. This Surgery cost us $3,500.00 using an Orthopedic Surgeon. We actually got an estimate at the Surgeon Consult of $3,798 – $4,747. All said and done and we were charged $3,518.00. I hear people say that was expensive (Yes it was) but I heard it also depends on where you live. I am in MA. Shelby was not very interested in food when we brought her home which scared us because we needed to give her meds but not on an empty stomach. Dr stated the surgery went very well but I am scared trying to keep her calm. I will give updates on her progress.

    1. Linda,
      My Maverick is scheduled for surgery on 7/2. I am so nervous for him. We have spent since his injury ( 4/15) trying our best with conservative measure for him to heal, but his is a BIG boy (95lbs) and we knew it was a long shot. I know it is time now to bite the bullet and have the surgery before there is more damage done to his other knee or even his back as he has developed a significant wobble to compensate for that right ACL tear. Praying for your Shelby and thank you for the updates. More than anything I am worried about the recovery. Hope to help each other on the path!

      Stacie

  10. Stacie,
    My dog injured his CCL back in March but we didn’t realize it, he was on and off with limping, and finally took him to our regular vet two weeks ago. The vet recommended an ortho vet and I took my dog yesterday for the appointment. Seriously, this vet didn’t really fully explain the procedure to me (TPLO) and I didn’t even think about conservative treatment because both vets said surgery was needed. My dog is young, and after reading about people having success with the conservative treatments we are going to give it a try. Both of my dog’s legs are affected. My biggest problem is my husband who is disregarding the recommendations for the conservative treatment and that is causing us problem. We have had a couple of arguments over it. But then again, my husband suggested we put our dog down when he found out how much these surgeries were going to cost (around $8,000 for both legs done separately) I have found a holistic vet near where we live and I think I am going to make an appointment with her to see what she could offer us in terms of conservative treatment. I am going to try to get a phone consultation with her first because my dog gets so anxious when we go to the vet that he will for sure do more injury to himself.

    1. I am going thru this now…my dog had TPLO on one leg and is going to have the other one done in a couple of weeks. please tell you husband that after surgery and the proper healing time….your dogs legs will be as good as new and she will be able to run and play again. you can apply for “care credit” on line, they will give you 12 months interest free, so you can make monthly payments. If your husband continues to disagree with proper treatment, rather than put your dog down, you can reach out to organizations and people that will be willing to take her/him and take care of it, but you won’t get your dog back.

  11. This is a great post! I learned a lot so thank you 🙂 I have a small dog who tore her acl and she is slowly but surely getting better. I decided to get her a brace from Woundwear because surgery seemed to scary for me. I am hoping her leg will heal on her own but I am not sure that why I like to keep learning about what others have done.

  12. So we are now 1.5 yrs post op and all is good with Angel and her double knee surgery with the tightrope procedure (see prior post).While I have no regrets doing it I now realize surgery is NOT always the option as was put forth to me.A friend is now going through this with her small breed dog and rest and conservative treatment appears to be working but time will tell.I found this to be an interesting read..http://tiggerpoz.com/

    1. Hello can you send me a link for your original post? We are going through knee surgeries right now for two torn CCLs. Her first was five weeks ago and her second was last Wednesday. We have a lot of questions and honestly need reassurance, advice and a lean on from someone who’s traveled this road before. Thank you very much.

      1. If you scroll up a few 2 of my posts are there..Not sure if you can personally contact me but you are welcome to if you can

  13. My golden retriever millie is due for surgery on her CCL. She goes for it next week and I am terrified for her. It is good to hear your comments.

  14. My 4-year old golden had TPLO on both knees in Iowa (our surgeon is awesome). We were very nervous especially doing both knees. (One knee was completely torn and the other 1/4 torn.) One recovery instead of two was the thought – knowing it would be hard to keep her inactive for 8 weeks. We used a towel with handles cut into it as a sling her entire first two weeks. The first week was rough. We stayed with her pretty much 24/7 even sleeping on the floor with her during the thunderstorms. The two week check-up was a relief. We stopped using the sling, but even though the doctor said once a day or so on the stairs was fine we are still carrying her up at bedtime (maybe next week). She started playing and wanting to roughhouse too. We are three-weeks post op. now. She is doing great! The hard part now is keeping her inactive. We are doing very short walks and she wants to keep going. She is not happy with the continued leash anytime she goes outside, but she is already trying to run so it is a must. Still a little slow and careful sitting down and standing up. The doctor said she would have ups and downs with using her legs, but so far everyday seems to get a little better. Counting down the weeks until her 8-week check and hoping for continued improvement each day!

    1. Thank you Peggi for your story. My dog Deca is 5 and has both acls torn. I learned the news today. I am just in the decision process now on what I am going to do. I am located in Ontario Canada. Just wondering where your from? Also if anyone had any advice or insight in this matter. My boyfriend is not being supportive and I feel lost. ( I have already tried natural treatments yet nothing has been right as of yet)

      Thank you everyone!
      Grateful
      Alicia

      1. Hi Alicia.

        I know exactly what you are going through. The surgeon told us TPLO was his recommendation, but we were very nervous about it and decided to wait and rest. That did NOT work! We ended up w/two injured knees. My husband and I really labored/debated over which surgery (each of us realizing at different times that TPLO was the best thing.) Once we made the decision, I felt so much better!

        Our regular vet said he would try the fish-line procedure. We first thought that seemed so much less invasive. But after reading a lot and mostly based on the advice of two different vets who are family friends, we decided the TPLO was best b/c Charlie weighs 65 pounds when she is watching her weight ;), is only 4 years old and we didn’t want to go through another surgery if the fish line didn’t work, and she LOVES to run. We thought this would be the strongest, long-term solution.

        As others have said, you have to find a good surgeon. It cost just under $4000 for everything for BOTH knees. First two weeks were very hard. I worried about everything. Like I said we really didn’t leave her alone much the first two weeks.

        I feel like I read tons and tons of information and found it so frustrating that I couldn’t find the clear scientific fact that would tell me yes this surgery and no that surgery. (Even our own vet had me questioning.). They are our babies and we want to do what’s best for them. I am very happy with the decision we made! We are almost to the 4 week mark and Charlie is acting like her old self. Hope this helps.

        1. Thank you Peggi,

          Yes this helps as I am hoping to get my fiancée on board. Here in Ontario the surgery is costing around 10,000 as I need both knees done. The vet also told me that the possibility of her rejecting the implant is high so possible up to 4 surgeries. I need to read up some on the surgery type as the vet sent some info over today.
          Deca is an American Bulldog/Pitbull so she is extremely muscular and I know that will help her in her healing process.

          Keep me posted on your fur baby!!! I am so glad Charlie is doing amazing! 🙂

  15. A few things I learned going through two knee surgeries with our dog:
    I should mention he is a 100 lbs exuberant pit/lab mix and his craniate ligaments were just not strong enough for his happiness….

    1) first surgery on his left knee: decided do to a TTA a few years ago, thought it was more advanced than a TPLO. Surgery went great, but he opened up the entire incision after the stitches came out WITH his cone on, not kidding…. he was able to swing his knee inside his cone (long legs) and chew on his knee after that, he opened it up 8 more times in 8 weeks. Vet had never had a case like this. On sedatives, ace, on valium, with a cone on.. we learned that he has separation anxiety and we did this to make the second knee surgery (TPLO) go better: one of us pretty much stayed with him for the first 4 weeks and his vet found a cone big enough to where he could not even get to his foot 😉
    2) Unless you have a very good reason: do not take the cone off. Re-suturing the wound is expensive and could lead to an infection – the last thing you want after major knee surgery.
    3) pick an experienced surgeon, no matter if you decide on a TTA or TPLO, pick a surgeon who does a lot of these surgeries, not somebody who does one of them per month…
    4) Follow the instructions. Do NOT let them off leash. The knee needs time to heal after surgery. Fortunately, we could convince him to chill with hugs and kisses for most of the time. He is doing great – but it did take about 10-12 weeks for him to go back to normal activity.

    1. Claudia, thank you for all the great info. I am hoping to get my fiancée on board. Here in Ontario the surgery is costing around 10,000 as I need both knees done. The vet also told me that the possibility of her rejecting the implant is high so possibly up to 4 surgeries. I need to read up some more on the surgery type as the vet sent some info over today.
      Deca is an American Bulldog/Pitbull so she is extremely muscular and I know that will help her in her healing process. She has been in this situation for over a year now…and I don’t want it to get worse.

      I can’t believe all the things your fur baby went through. One tough guy! Your story is inspirational.
      Keep me posted on the progress!

      Thank you
      Alicia

      1. Alicia,

        hang in there. I did fundraising for his first knee surgery because I simply could not afford it. Contacted multiple groups (about 20 of them!) and managed to raise 2K towards his surgery (paid directly to the vet). Onyx and Breezy on the east coast for example, and many other groups, some here in southern CA. You can also set a gofundme page, it adds up and every little bit helps – unless the cost is not a concern to you (I do not mean to presume either way, please do not misunderstand.)
        It surprises me that your vet told you that the possibility of her rejecting the implant is high so possibly up to 4 surgeries ?? – You might have a great vet – but it never hurts to get a second opinion. Try and find an orthopedic surgical veterinary specialist if you can. Natural remedies might work for some dogs, but I chose surgery for our dogs as it seemed the best option. He is now 10 weeks post op from his second knee surgery and he is completely weight bearing and pain free.
        Think good thoughts, lots of hugs and kisses for your dog and do some fundraising if it makes sense. hang in there 😉

        1. Claudia, can you tell me the names of the organizations in Southern California that helped you raise funds? Do the others you mentioned help if you live on the West Coast? Any financial advice would be helpful.

      2. Alicia,

        hang in there. I did fundraising for his first knee surgery because I simply could not afford it. Contacted multiple groups (about 20 of them!) and managed to raise 2K towards his surgery (paid directly to the vet). Onyx and Breezy on the east coast for example, and many other groups, some here in southern CA. You can also set a gofundme page, it adds up and every little bit helps – unless the cost is not a concern to you (I do not mean to presume either way, please do not misunderstand.)
        It surprises me that your vet told you that the possibility of her rejecting the implant is high so possibly up to 4 surgeries ?? – You might have a great vet – but it never hurts to get a second opinion. Try and find an orthopedic surgical veterinary specialist if you can. Natural remedies might work for some dogs, but I chose surgery for our dog as it seemed the best option. He is now 10 weeks post op from his second knee surgery and he is completely weight bearing and pain free.
        Think good thoughts, lots of hugs and kisses for your dog and do some fundraising if it makes sense. hang in there 😉

  16. Thank you Peggi for your story. My dog Deca is 5 and has both acls torn. I learned the news today. I am just in the decision process now on what I am going to do. I am located in Ontario Canada. Just wondering where your from? Also if anyone had any advice or insight in this matter. My boyfriend is not being supportive and I feel lost. ( I have already tried natural treatments yet nothing has been right as of yet)

    Thank you everyone!
    Grateful
    Alicia

  17. Oops, sorry. We are in Iowa. Hopefully, someone on this site can provide a recommendation for you in the Ontario area.

  18. My lil guy Mikey goes in for his first of two TPLO surgeries, both his acl tore and he has a displaced miniscus. So, needless to say, we are a bit nervous! We are in So Cal, having the surgery done by a highly recommended surgeon in Torrance named Dr. Leeds. I’m more concerned with the post op care, I know they will provide us instruction to follow…and we are disciplined people so we won’t let him sway away from proper care. Any tips you can give for those first 4 days post op? Ty you all for the comfort and knowing we aren’t the first and certainly not the last to live through this does help!

    Thanks,
    Kenny

    1. Proof your house, ramps, move couches backwards, put a big note on door do not bang or knock “dog has had major surgery”. Take lid off mailbox so it doesn’t slam remove little carpets or anything dog can slip on and monitor for vomitting and diarrhea. Ice the leg and do the range of motion exercises. I kept a little journal, we are 8 days in now after our second surgery. We have had complications however every dog is different. Listen to your dogs needs and lots of love will be what he needs 🙂

  19. my boy Phipps had both of his knees done, a TTA in 2011, and a TPLO in March.
    obviously his knees cannot take 100 lbs of happiness and forward motion, or ‘reckless exuberance’ as you might say…
    TPLO was done by Dr. Craig at Veterinary Surgical Specialists in Tustin. they do a lot of these surgeries and she did a great job.
    Very important in my opinion: your dog can blow the surgery if he would jump up on the couch or jump down from anything for the first few month…… so I actually blocked all couches with dining room chairs, so he could not jump up on a couch – because he hated being stuck in a crate….. second: kept him on leash for 12 weeks – because he was not allowed to run for the first 3 months, only controlled walking so many minutes per day and increasing gradually.
    He is doing absolutely great, walking and running pain free – just hang in there and follow your doctor’s instructions 😉

  20. Kenny,
    The first four days are tough! Charlie had surgery 14 weeks ago. She is doing great! We are happy we did it! My suggestion is to stay with Mikey as much as you can (we got away only for short times when the pain killers made her very sleepy) and follow the doctors instructions! We used a sling to do all the work for her the first two weeks and were diligent about confining her to a small area and stayed with her pretty much 24/7, BUT we weren’t incident free (she pulled away from me during a thunderstorm during the first week and chased after a rabbit at around 4 weeks). That greatly stressed me out during that time, but all was fine. Good luck…it is worth it.

    1. Can you tell me what kind of sling you purchased ? Our lab is having surgery in 2 weeks and there are just so many choices out there –
      And what about a brace – all athletes I know wear a brace after ACL surgery – why are dogs different –
      Thank you for any response – Jennifer

  21. Others may be able to provide better insight. We wrongly assumed our doctor’s office would provide a sling, but did not. When we got home we took an old regular size bathtowel and cut holes in each end to make handles. It really worked great because we could easily and quickly grab it and put in around her and just let her lay back down with it underneath her. Charlie did not wear a brace. I don’t think it compares to a repair an athlete would get on their ACL. I hope your lab’s surgery goes well!!

  22. Thank you for quick response – this does help – Our Vet told us a sling would not be provided but a towel would work well and you have confirmed that.
    Jennifer

    1. Hey there, so sorry you have to go through a tplo with your lil angel of a doggie! Our Mikey, whose almost 7 had his left leg done this past Friday. It’s funny that all I researched for rehab during the first week, our surgeon said not to do. Basic tips for you: follow the post op instructions exactly, do not deviate. Get good ice to help with hydration, you could do cold packs around but not on the surgical incision even though our surgical tech while conveying the post op care said it was not necessary. So much for the comparison to an athlete getting their acl repaired! The biggest is confinement! I bought like 3 corrals for that, during the first three nights we’ve opened up one to fit in some human sleeping space to love and support him. For the harnesses our surgeon did provide one they made but it wasn’t VID (very important doggie) enough so we got these:

      Gingerlead and TopDog’s Harness – https://dogkneeinjury.com/recommends-supportrx

      Are the ones we purchased, we haven’t used the one from topdog yet due to the staples. We figured we’d use it in a few weeks. He doesn’t like the harness that goes under the belly, I don’t blame him. But our guy is only 28lbs so we can support his hind or carry him. He hasn’t really used the surgical leg, however, our guy is bilateral and in 4/5 weeks will have his right leg done. He has put some weight on it under our control. So for you, be patient, expect sleep deprivation:-) I feel like I’ve been partying lol. For us it’s day by day, today he vomited twice, which is new. The surgeon said no food nor meds for 24 hrs but perhaps some rice and lean meat tomorrow and no water – only ice cubes. But again this is our own adventure so due follow your surgeons instructions. Good luck!

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