Run Of Bad Luck For Occy

[j]

You may remember Occy recently had problems with a ruptured disc in his neck, and was crated for the last 6 or so weeks. Well, last week he was allowed out again.

Over the weekend, something has happened, and he has done his cruciate ligament in his rear right leg

He also has a luxating patella in the same leg. I actually asked them about that back in 2003 and they checked his legs then, but it wasn't there then. I haven't noticed anything untoward

The vet thinks it may just have been because of a stumble (his front leg still buckles a bit if he tries to turn quickly) or it may have just been when he was playing with Max.

So, back into the crate for 4 weeks. Because he is so little, she thinks it is worth trying the confinement before going the surgery route.

He is going to go to Mum and Dads. They are home all day, so will be able to take him out when he needs it, and there won't be the problem of Max trying to play with him when they do take him out.

Poor little bugger.

Edited May 23, 2008 by j

[kamuzz]

Poor little bugger.

Let's hope the crate time works for him and no surgery is necessary.

[persephone]

Poor occy... I think he needs to be put on some stuff to help his connective tissue strengthen up!

[BittyMooPeeb]

Poor Occy. Hopefully some crate rest will do the trick

[j]

He's just had 6 weeks in the crate. He's put on half a kilo (it's really noticeable on him - vet said its a combination of the steroids and lack of exercise)

Persephone, what sort of stuff do you mean?

I'm kind of hoping that mum and dad will offer to keep him there for longer. I can see that as long as he and Max play, there is always going to be the risk of something happening again. It isn't fair on either of them to keep rousing on them when all they are doing is what they should be doing - playing. If Occy stays at mum and dads for a longer period of time, he will get a chance to really heal.

I'll let them make that suggestion though, so that they think it is their idea.

[puggy_puggy]

Poor boy.

I would also suggest some type of supplement for him. Sounds like he is lacking in something.

What is he being fed?

[j]

He gets a mixture of Mince, bones (chicken carcasses, lamb flaps, beef bones), left over vegies, Natures own semi dry food, pigs ears and dried liver for treats.

The ruptured disc is actually an old (years old) injury, but he recently did something that inflamed it (probably rumbling with Max, or banged into something when he was running). That was the first episode of confinement. He has only been out again for the last week, and the vet thinks the cruciate ligament was more than likely a result of stumbling.

Has anyone had a little dog with cruciate ligament damage that they have managed just by confinement?

He is back to the vets in two weeks for a re-assessment to see if we should go the surgery route.

[j]

Well, we went back to the vet last night.

His leg hasn't improved, so he is booked in to have the cruciate ligament and the patella done next thursday (22nd May)

Mum and Dad are going to continue looking after him during his convalesence period. Dad is very chuffed having him there, and tells me in great detail how when he takes him out early in the morning he only goes to one bush, pees for ages with a contented look on his face, then goes and sits in front of the door because it is too cold to be out yet.

Then, when he takes him out last thing at night, he has a circuit of bushes he goes and pees on. When he has finished, he comes and sits at Dads feet, waiting to be picked up and carried inside.

Dad's very intrigued that he hasn't varied the routine once since he got there. In the morning, he goes to the door. At night he goes back to Dad.

Fingers crossed for my boy. He's been a real trooper, and hasn't complained at all about anything that has been done so far.

[shekhina]

Oh no!

Hopefully the operation goes well!

[~*Shell*~]

Good luck! Hope Occy gets a run of good luck now!

[redkidsmum]

Well, we went back to the vet last night.

His leg hasn't improved, so he is booked in to have the cruciate ligament and the patella done next thursday (22nd May)

Mum and Dad are going to continue looking after him during his convalesence period. Dad is very chuffed having him there, and tells me in great detail how when he takes him out early in the morning he only goes to one bush, pees for ages with a contented look on his face, then goes and sits in front of the door because it is too cold to be out yet.

Then, when he takes him out last thing at night, he has a circuit of bushes he goes and pees on. When he has finished, he comes and sits at Dads feet, waiting to be picked up and carried inside.

Dad's very intrigued that he hasn't varied the routine once since he got there. In the morning, he goes to the door. At night he goes back to Dad.

Fingers crossed for my boy. He's been a real trooper, and hasn't complained at all about anything that has been done so far.

Will be very interested to know how he comes through after his operation.My 12 mth old Toy poodle had the same operation several months ago but poor boy is very ,very, lame on that leg now.He is his own worse enemy though. as he loves to run Has been on Glucosomine and weekly cartrogen injections,don't quite know where to go next. He also has a luxating patella on his other knee,so far it's not worrying him.

[j]

Well, we went back to the vet last night.

His leg hasn't improved, so he is booked in to have the cruciate ligament and the patella done next thursday (22nd May)

Mum and Dad are going to continue looking after him during his convalesence period. Dad is very chuffed having him there, and tells me in great detail how when he takes him out early in the morning he only goes to one bush, pees for ages with a contented look on his face, then goes and sits in front of the door because it is too cold to be out yet.

Then, when he takes him out last thing at night, he has a circuit of bushes he goes and pees on. When he has finished, he comes and sits at Dads feet, waiting to be picked up and carried inside.

Dad's very intrigued that he hasn't varied the routine once since he got there. In the morning, he goes to the door. At night he goes back to Dad.

Fingers crossed for my boy. He's been a real trooper, and hasn't complained at all about anything that has been done so far.

Will be very interested to know how he comes through after his operation.My 12 mth old Toy poodle had the same operation several months ago but poor boy is very ,very, lame on that leg now.He is his own worse enemy though. as he loves to run Has been on Glucosomine and weekly cartrogen injections,don't quite know where to go next. He also has a luxating patella on his other knee,so far it's not worrying him.

I'll let you know how he is managing. He will be staying at my folks for a while after the op, so that he can't get up to any mischief with our other dog Max. Hopefully it will be a success. He still tries to beg whenever we go to visit him, and stand on his back legs and dance, even though he can't put one leg on the ground

He will be having weekly injections for a month or so after the op as well.

[j]

Occy has had his surgery.

The vet was very pleased with the way it went and thinks that he should have quite a good result.

He has been fantastic so far, no whinging or chewing. It is going to be a real hassle to not let him move around on it too much though. They say to take him out for toileting on a lead, but if he even saw his lead he would go nutso. He loves his lead, and jumps around like a mad thing, so I have just been carrying him out and putting him down. I have to put Max inside, then take Occy outside, and try to stop him from doing a pee lap at a million miles an hour.

Fingers crossed that this will be successful for him. He's such a little trooper.

He had put on 1/2 kilo at Mums , but under very strict orders from me, she has reluctantly stopped giving him all the little tidbits, and he has almost lost it all again. He was a real little butter ball. When you only just weigh 5 kilos to start with, 1/2 kilo makes a big difference.

[springdog]

I hope all goes well for Occy and he recovers fully. I do love it when the vet says keep them quiet, easier said than done Good thing he is not a Springer. Quiet this does not happen with them :D (only when thay are asleep)

[j]

One week on. He went back to the vet today. They took all his bandaging off, as he started chewing at his stitches today. He got a bit stroppy when they pulled the strapping off though, as a bit of it missed the cotton underneath, and the adhesive was straight onto his fur. Think pulling bandaid off a hairy spot, and that's how he was.

He immediately started chewing and licking at his leg, so he has an E collar on to stop him from doing that. He had his first cartrophen injection today.

Back again in a week for another check up and cartrophen injection. Vet is very happy with his progress so far ;)

[dogbesotted]

that is great news....

[Mooper]

Fingers crossed for a speedy recovery for the little trooper.

[Kelly_Louise]

Here's hoping Occy makes a full recovery. I understand exactly how hard it is to keep their weight off when everyone feels sorry for them and wants to give them a 'treat' for being so brave. Just gotta be tough!!

Just out of curiosity, which cruciate surgery did Occy have? I have heard of some new techniques and wondered if anyone had tried them. We were asked to try a new surgery on Chloe but at her age I thought it would be traumatic enough without being a 'test subject'... I couldn't take the risk with her.

[j]

Here's hoping Occy makes a full recovery. I understand exactly how hard it is to keep their weight off when everyone feels sorry for them and wants to give them a 'treat' for being so brave. Just gotta be tough!!

Just out of curiosity, which cruciate surgery did Occy have? I have heard of some new techniques and wondered if anyone had tried them. We were asked to try a new surgery on Chloe but at her age I thought it would be traumatic enough without being a 'test subject'... I couldn't take the risk with her.

Ummm, I didn't know there were different types. The way I understand what was explained to me, the groove under the knee cap was made deeper, so that the knee cap sits in it a bit tighter without slipping out, and the ligaments were "tacked/stitched" down? I think she said that a piece of the ligament is cut, and used for something else, but I must admit that it was all getting a bit technical, and I zoned out a bit. Bad mother I know, but the thing I wanted to hear "yes, it has a good success rate" distracted me.