Her first surgery was February 5th..

I've mentioned this throughout the blog but never had a chance to post the pictures.

This blog is about Koda's second surgery. I wish i had kept one for her first, but it hadn't occured to me at the time. I read several other blogs as I progressed through her first surgery and they were such a help to me, that i decided to create one for her second in hopes of helping others.

Now that Princess Gimpy is fully recovered from two knee surgeries and doing great, I need to post some pics so i can show you what went wrong with her first surgery.

The pictures below are fairly graphic. They were taken about 7-10 days after her surgery and it sent me out to the emergency vet in tears. I LOOKED SO BAD.. the emergency vet scared the crap out of me saying she'd probably need to redo her surgery and this was a case of a poor job done by the vet.. when i was able to take her into my regular vet (not the surgeon) she said it wasn't bad, it was fluid building up and if we drained it, it would just build up again, so she stapled the wound shut and sent me home.

One week after the swelling started, it was MUCH better.. it happens.. but it really scared me half to death.

These before and after pictures were taken exactly one week apart.. the before pics were taken the night i brought her to the emergency vet.

Week 16 Day 4 - Camping

We're back from our camping trip and had a blast. Two of the four dogs left limping and to my surprise, Miss bionic knees wasn't one of them! Her brother was but that's because of some raw pads, not joint issues. Some rest should do him some good.

They swam so much, I can't imagine anything better for Koda and I was thrilled to swim WITH them! That's a first for me!

And now they look something exactly like this...
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Week 16 Day 2 - This should be interesting..

16 weeks.. the funny thing about 16 weeks is some vets consider it the finish line.. mine was 13 weeks.. either way.. we're finished.. so.. yay!

This weekend is our first camping trip! 3 girls (some of my friends from work) 4 dogs and 3 tents.. real camping.. this is going to be so amazing.. all the swimming and running her biotic knees can handle!

I'm a bit nervous.. Koda has some fear issues with other dogs.. but i'm not going to think about that right now.. if i start to get nervous, so we'll she.. we'll think positive and we'll deal with it when we have to.

Pics to come!

Week 15 Day 4 - Testing out her new wheels

Took the pups out to the school for Koda's first ever run since she came to me last October. Her two new knees got to run for about half an hour.. i'll now check to make sure there's no limping or regression for a couple of days before doing that again... man did she love it, though..

Week 15 Day 1 - Vet Visit

I have to type this fast, i have two faces looking at me to go outside..

Took koda to the vet who was very happy with what she saw.. walking great, no pain, no sign of any concern.

She does have some limited movement so i'm going to have to stretch out that ligament myself everyday by manipulating her leg and knee to get things a little more mobile. She is a bit careful when sitting, which is how you can tell she does have some mobility issues, but walking and running is more a straight up and down thing, so that's not going to help much.. it has to be stretched to really fix it.

So that's our project.. me stretching out her legs and knees for the next few weeks.. that being said, she has the go ahead to resume normal activity and start an obedience class.

YAY!!!

Week 14 Day 6 - Life's a beach

Last night I took both dogs, by myself, to the beach. Why would i do that? Tucker, being 7, was pretty easy to handle.. Koda, the complete opposite. I had forgotten what a pain in the butt puppies are! Okay, she's 2, but still.. pulling.. not listening.. GET ME TO THE WATER NOW!!!

Ugh

Anyway.. once we got there, everyone had their harness and floaty rope attached, it actually went great. The water was warm, the training dummy was ready and both dogs were raring to go.

I went in to my knees and threw that dummy for an hour. Seriously.. tucker is a relentless retriever but superb at bringing it back and releasing it which makes the game enjoyable for me.. koda is a MUCH faster swimmer than tuck.. but tucker always got a head start.. i don't think Koda won a single race =)

So.. her first water adventure after 2 knee surgeries? Perfection. No a single limp.. this morning i looked for stiffness when she woke up.. pfft.. she sprinted to her food dish.

I have often wished she could talk so i could really know if she has any pain, the severety and what it is in comparisson to before surgery.. i /think/ i remember her previous owner saying she'd limp after short walks at after water exercise. She doesn't limp at all now.. so i hope that's her talking to me =)

Week 14 Day 2

Hmm.. i think i mentioned Koda having a vet appt this week, but it's next week at 15 weeks post-op.

She's had an excellent few days.. she's been left free in the house since Tuesday and aside from one "incident" with the shampoo bottle and a plastic bag, she's done great! Although now all doors must be closed before i leave..

She has also moved to sleeping on her bed in my bedroom at night.. and done perfectly. Tuck sleeps on my bed, but it's so high, i don't think her jumping up and down on that every day is a good idea.. i'm not sure. For now, she's great on her bed.

Video of Miss thang coming soon... i was going to take her to the beach this weekend, but they closed it because of bacteria.. ew.. so soon =)

Week 13 Day 5

I'm not sure if my eyes were decieving me or not, but i could swear koda's bull-legged walk had all but disappeared.

It wasn't that long ago i watched her and though.. well.. maybe she'll always walk like that.. and then yesterday when she was walking across the deck, i didn't see one.. not at all.

There's still some swelling in her legs.. it can takes months for that to go down.. months and months and months.. so it can make her gawky walk more pronounced, but yesterday she looked REALLY good!

I need to video her walking. That's going to be interesting to explain.. "excuse me, why are you filming your dog's butt?"

Yeah.. like my neighbours don't already think i'm insane?

She still looks a bit weird when she poops though.. not as ginger as she used to be, but it can take some shuffling around to find the perfect squat.. i'm wondering if that's getting used to a new bone placement? Something?

I'm not sure..

I've been putting off leaving her out of her crate during the day.. i'm so nervous! I know tuck likes to sleep whhile i'm gone, but will they play when i'm not there? What if she hurts herself because i'm not there to tell her to calm her furry butt down? She can get into a butt tuck in .3 seconds when playing with my other dog .. if i'mnot there to stop her...

Gah.. plus i don't know if she has seperation anxiety issues.. destruction problems.. i really don't know. I've started to leave her in the house whil i go run errands and so far so good.. so i left her in the crate this morning that we both know she can get open with her nose.. i figure i'll leave the decision up to her. We'll see how many wiggly butts greet me at the door when i get home from work. =)

Week 13 - Day 1

YAY! WEEK THIRTEEN!!

This is the week that signals the official end to Koda's recovery! The date we've been looking forward to for quite some time!

My gir's all ready to go!

Her last vet appt is next week because the vet is at a conference this week, but man, what a relief!

It's been such a long, arduous time these past six months..

She came to me broken.. discarded by her previous owner who was going to put her down.. she was only 15 months old!

I don't think i knew what i was getting into.. i'm sure i didn't

the anxiety of surgery, the long trips back and forth to the vet (4 trips, 10 hours each) the leash restrictions to potty, the crate restrictions, the meds the panic when she did something she shouldn't, yelling at my other dog when he tried to engage her in play..

and then we did it all over again.. but we're done! And the happy, bouncy Lab who snuggles in for the evening with me, was worth every second!

I'm going to take a video this weekend and post it - a girl with two brand new knees =)

Week 12 Day 5

That's almost a cuddle!

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Week 12 Day 2 - morning bitey face on the couch.

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Week 12 Day 1 - holy crap, week 12!

Well look at this! Twelve weeks in! Only one more week until she's official! I need to call and make a vet appt for her, but if the stretched out position she was sleeping in yesterday was any indication, she has full mobility back.. Or a good portion of it, anyway.

I'll probably continue to be careful with her beyond the 13 weeks.. But I don't know if I'll ever watch her run w/o worrying.

12 weeks is good!
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Week 11 Day 4

Double Trouble

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Week 11 Day 2

My girl being bad.. SOON koda! I let her scamp around for the video, but she's not allowed to butt tuck yet.. poor tucker.. more interested in the chipmunk he saw earlier to participate.

Week 11 Day 1

Wow! Week 11! The end is near and what a difference! Daily walks..crate restrictions lifted while I'm at home.. The only thing missing is running and swimming..we start that next week..slowly..

Woo!

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Happy Birthday, Koda!

2 years old!

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Week 10 - Day 1

*sigh*

Ten weeks.. finally... things really do get easier from here. Now Koda can be out of her crate while i get ready in the morning and she gets more crate freedom at night too. I allow surpervised games of bitey face, and allow the to progress to more exuberent matches as the days pass..

We're up to about 30-45 minute walks now and there hasn't been a limp in sight.. it's been a slow steady pace for us. Ten weeks.. double digits.. 3 more weeks to the end.. man, what a relief!

I think it's worth noting here.. i'll have to put it somewhere more obvious in this blog eventually, that our regime has been what was recommended by my vet for Koda's recovery.

I've done a lot of research and the one thing i know, is there are as many recovery processes out there as there are vets.

A lot of people have their dogs out on walks after 2 weeks.. i was told to wait for 6.. but there are some who don't step foot out of the crate until 12 weeks and then spent the next four working their way up to running.

So.. that being said.. DO WHAT YOUR VET TELLS YOU TO DO.. because in the end, he knows what's best for his surgical patients...

Oh.. and speaking of walks.. i've been walking both dogs at once because doing it tandem was driving me crazy.. koda is /almost/ 2 years old and given that she's been crated since October, it's like walking a hurricane.. so it's been a challenge.

A friend of mine suggested the easy walk dog harness and we gave it a shot last night.. zomg! so much better!

http://www.buygentleleader.com/View.aspx?page=dogs/products/behavior/easywalk/productdescription

Youtube has some helpful tips on how to properly fit it.. which does take some time.. i'm pretty sure i still need to make adjustments.. but once that's done, it really easy a great tool, much better than coming home with sore arm muscles from the bulldozer on leash.

I think next week I'm going to take her to the beach.. no free retrieving, but i'd like to get those legs in water to use the resistance and see how she does.. I think if she can handle a half an hour in the water w/o incident, then we'll be on the right track...

I wonder if i could do that with two dogs... probably not.

Week 9 Day 6

Some girls from work are planning a weekend camping trip and the original date was August 15 weekend. By that time Koda will be just over 13 weeks post-op and it's just too soon to throw that kind of activity at her, for 2 full days, so we've moved it to September 5th. She'll be just over 16 weeks post-op and i'll feel much better about it.

One of my friends has a Great Dane (Thor the sweetheart) and the other has a husky mix, Mac the ridiculously well-behaved.

I can't wait to find out what sharing a tent with my two dogs is going to be like =)

I'm so excited! I finally get to plan outings with my dogs!

Week 9 Day 5 - Pretty Girl

Week 9 Day 4 - bitey face

Tucker eating her entire head

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Week 9 Day 1!

Yay, week 9! Not as good as 10, but better than 8!

I was re-reading my post-op instructions yesterday and laughed at the fact that i was supposed to be walking her 4 times a day.

I can get her out twice, but who on earth has time to walk a dog 4 times per day? I don't! So i think letting her loose a few more times during the day in the house is a good compromise. Sometimes, you need to jig these things to work for you, right?

I also let her have a small game of bitey face with tucker last night.. i supervised closely to make sure nobody got out of hand. Actually, the only dog that ever gets out of hand is Koda.. my bad girl!

I watched the land shark around each other for a few minutes, and then koda crawled up on the couch and went to sleep.

Do you know that i've been yelling at these dogs for weeks to not play bitey face? WEEKS.. because it's the first thing they try and do when koda is sans crate.. and when i finally let them have a bit of fun, she actually self-regulates herself and stops the game when she's tired or had enough.

My dogs are smarter than me. =(

Actually, i'm hoping this will help them bond better. Me yelling at them to stop playing probably wasn't helping their relationship much.. tucker seems to need more convincing to accept koda than vice-versa, but these games and our walks with both dogs at the same time will hopefully help.

I am looking forward to getting koda in the water, but curious about how i expect to do that.

I can't take one to the beach and not the other.. it would be like taking one kid for ice cream.. could you imagine the chaos and hurt feelings?

But apparently swim time is supposed to be gradual as well.. deeper into the water each time until they're fully comfortable swimming.

Whoever wrote that never had a Labrador. Who in their right mind can take a lab to the beach and keep them in shallow water? She'd rip my arm clean off my shoulder! And then swim away with it!

Now add tuck, who as calm as he is, CANNOT contain his excitement around water.. he loves it and will bounce around like a crazy dog for retrieving games.

Anyway.. all those are down the road a couple of weeks.. so for now.. small steps forward will all help future steps, right?

So.. week 9.. onward!

Week 8 Day 5 - C'mere so i can spank you

As the weeks pass, the challenges change. When Koda came to me at 15 months of age, she had 2 blown knees and had spent at least the 3 months before that in pain.

Once the first leg was done, she was still even tempered since she still had pain in the second leg.. but now the second leg is healing and we're getting closer to where both legs will feel better for her than they have in a really long time.

Now her lack of obedience and pent-up energy is as much of a hurdle for us as surgeries were in the beginning.

Keeping her calm. That's a tough one. Add to that her strange food aggression issues with my other dog and her leash issues and suddenly i'm presented with new obstacles I didn't face the first time around.

Food aggression has been dealt with keeping her crated at meal time. Seems to do the trick.. but i'm hoping to FIX the problem, not contain it, since it would be really nice not to have to worry about her in public if there was another dog around with a cookie.

Last night I gave her and tuck a denta stick.. koda had hers in her crate, tuck in the same room. Everything was fine until they were both done and i let Princess Gimpy out of her crate.. she immediately when sniffing around where tuck had eaten his, looking for crumbs, and when tuck passed by the area teeth and growls broke out, first from koda, then fromt Tuck.

I aas actually happy to see tucker stand up for himself.. he usually just ignores her tantrums.. but still, that girl has some issues that are going to need dealing with. Luckily she is not food aggressive with me.. i can stick my hand in her mouth and pull out a bone and she's fine.. tucker is a whole other story.

I ordered a book called Mine! A Practical Guide to Resource Guarding in Dogs by Jean Donaldson which gets some favourable reviews.

She also needs some beginner obedience classes as soon as her leg is healed.

She is the super great dog most of the time and i love her to pieces..i really hope we can fix this problem. I was so mad at her last night and into this morning.. she probably knew that but had no idea why.. i feel bad for being angry with her, but threatning tuck really upsets me.. he's so tolerant of her but becoming even more distant these days.. i'm assuming he's pretty fed up with her bossiness.

He does love to play bitey face with her, though.

Anyway.. i'm feeling a little down about this whole thing today.. maybe today will be a better day. Until i can get some direction on how to fix this.. no more treats.

I want to squeeze her!

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Week 8 Day 1 - Progress and cresting the hill

Week EIGHT! That's good! We're coasting past maitenance mode and shooting into rehab.. well, we have been for a couple of weeks but the first two are very slow-going. Koda is up to being able to walk around the entire block now.. it's only about 10-15 minutes, but it's great!

You're supposed to walk slowly and then gradually increase speed to a trot, but i don't know if anyone has tried to walk a 2-year-old lab after having spent the better half of 6 months in a crate.. but a slow walk isn't an option.

Not allowing her to run is what i consider a success these days.

What i did for the first 2 weeks of rehab instead of taking her outside to walk was allow her out of the crate to roam the house for a while..She will walk around the house without running or trotting, so it was the best option for us to get that knee working w/o over-doing it. There's just no way i could have taken her outside to walk and had her go at a leisurely pace.

Not really conventional i suppose, but it worked.

So.. for the next few weeks we keep going and gradually bring up her distance .. by about 11-12 weeks she'll be on controlled runs and on 13 weeks we'll lift her restrictions.

Theoretically..

i'll probably wait a couple of weeks longer to allow her to go wild.. but it does look like she'll be able to go swimming before the fall.. and that's going to be awesome!

Oh.. i've been taking her and Tuck out for walks together.. she's not exactly the tornado tuck was to walk as a pup, but my left arm is probably longer than my right one is, now.

Did i mention i'm loooking forward to some obedience classes as well?

Week 7 Day 6 - Sibling Rivalry

As things start to progress, new problems arise. Koda is allowed on the couch with me, but she must settle quickly and remain calm. The minute she starts getting restless she has to go back in her crate.. i can't have her jumping all over the place with that leg.. although the advantage with surgery 2 is her other leg is strong enough to take the brunt of her weight.. not a luxery we had the last time around.

Well it seems a new problem has popped up i wasn't anticipating.

Jealousy.

Koda loves tucker.. LOVES him.. but tuck seems pretty distant with her.. he likes to play bitey face with her, but that about sums up his use for her.. I tend to think it may be exascerbated by the fact that when she tries to engage him in play, i am stern with both of them to NOT do that.. repeatedly.. so the only thing tuck knows is when he goes near her, he gets yelled at. I'm sure that's not helping, but i don't have much choice at this point.

They tend to get pretty grumpy with each other when it comes to the couch, and i have to say, i think it's Koda that has the bigger issue. Tuck gets pissy and leaves if she's hogging the couch.. but if she is on the couch and tuck tries to get on.. GRRRRRR.. my sweet girl.. grrrrr'ing at her brother.

So basically we've had to rejig the couch policy.. i've explained to both of them that I'M the master of the couch, not them.. but since tucker has always had privs and Princess Gimpy is new to the family.. she must wait her turn.

She's not much on waiting.

So.. we'll see how this goes.. tuck gets jealous when i pet her, she gets jealous when i pet him.. i swear, it's like having kids.. that shed..

It'll be interesting to see how things go when they can actually play together.. i tend to think it will actually help the situation to tire them out and they won't care as much about who's paw is touching whom and where.

Honestly.. DON'T MAKE ME TURN THIS COUCH AROUND!

Week 7 Day 4

Today is my last day of vacation, so back to work tomorrow. Probably good for koda since she's crated during the day and i don't cheat and let her sunbathe on the deck.

Although she's been much better these past few days.

My parents came over last night and she was in mid butt tuck when i had to catch her and stop her from going lab-crazy.. i put her in her crate to calm down for half an hour and then she was fine to socialize with us outside and relaxed enough to lay down and behave.

I said something to the fact that she's doing excellent, mood wise, for a lab that's been couped up for the better part of 6 months. I couldn't imagine tucker at 2 years old having spent 6 months in a crate what kind of whirling dervish he'd have been. Koda is so much more relaxed than he was.. thank god!

I have another week off in 4 weeks. That'll put us around the 11th week, entering into 12. She'll be at a whole new level by then and nearing the end of her rehab.

So many things to look forward to, but i'm trying really hard not to wish the present away..it's summer!

Week 7 Day 3

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Week 7 Day 2

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Week 6 Day 7

What crate?

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Week 6 Day 7 - I guess it's technically wednesday

First off.. Happy Canada Day!! #*#

Now.. back to koda..

I sit here wondering how many dogs that have cruciate surgery are confined as long as koda is.. i mean.. if i had two kids and a bunch of other crap going on in my life, would i be as diligent and so tuned into what's going on with her?

I mean, i'm a HUGE dog person.. obviously.. only serious dog people start blogs about their dog's surgery, right? So that's obvious.. but what about people who get dogs because they like them and they're cool and they sort of melt into the family and routine and just become there.. like.. you yell at your kids because they didn't feed the dog again and so you feed it and walk away exasperated but not because the dog didn't eat, but because the kid is irresponsible and you're going to have a talk with him.

You know what i mean?

Anyway.. my point is.. what happens with these dogs? Do they get the full 13 week attention they need to be nursed back to health? Do people give up after a couple of weeks and say screw it.. i don't have time for this and continue on with a casual observance rather than a hawk eye?

I can't picture some of my friends who own dogs, but aren't crazy, blog-writing dog people and wonder.. what would they do?

I don't know why i think of this.. maybe because i'm nearing the end of my rope of patience.. sure, i can make it.. i can go on and on and on with this if i had to.. but 6 months now.. i'm pretty much ready to have my dog back.. not that i ever had her any other way.. she came here broken .. but she got to be out of the crate for a whole 2 weeks before she had her second surgery.. it was nice.

She's doing well today.. i think my instinct to put her back in the crate 24/7 was a good one.. i still can't explain why.. i just know she needs some downtime.. lounging on the deck was for me.. not her.. and that's not fair.

Not long now.. not long now.. this too shall pass.

Week 6 Day 5

Something's bothering me about Koda's leg today. It's just a feeling I have. So no more lounging on the deck. I'm going to put her back on strict crate rest. I've had people over the last few days and had her out to socialize because she needs it.

Maybe it's too much too soon and it makes me nervous, but I can't shake the feeling that she needs more rest right now. So that's what I'm going to do with her.

Better safe than sorry. And she settles much more comfortably in her crate, anyway.

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Someone snuck herself up on the couch

I'm not naming names...

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Week 6 Day 4 - here comes the rain again

Koda had a fun day yesterday.. it was sunny and hot so she got to spend some time out on the deck with Tucker and I. My dad came over to help with some yard work so she got to goose him hello, then my friend ann came over and she goosed her hello, too.

I doubt this is something i'm ever going to be able to break her of. I have gotten used to it, but it's not something the average visitor appreciates. The problem is if i step in before it's about to happen, my hand gets dangerously close to the offending area.. i think that's even less comfortable for everyone involved.

Anyway.. it was pretty hot so she had to go inside and rest in her crate. I'm so thankful i put in central air last year. It has come in so handy with her recovery given i keep that ortho bed in her crate to keep her comfortable.. i bet that thing is crazy hot when it's hot inside.

Tuck doesn't touch his dog bed in the summer, but loves it in the winter.. so i'm sure that's why.

I'm on vacation this week, but it's going to rain all week.. i'm sure she's not going to be fond of being crated while i'm home. She doesn't normally mind, but i've been giving her an hour here and there of out-of-crate time when i'm home, as long as she doesn't get bouncy and want to play.

She tried to entice tuck into a rousing game of bitey-face this morning, so she went back into the crate.. but then went right to sleep. I have to say, having her used to the crate has been an invaluable tool throughout this entire process. Keeping her quiety w/o it would have proven to be hugely difficult at this stage of the game.


Oh.. and i think now's a good time to point out.. we're officially HALF WAY THROUGH her second and final surgery.

13 weeks is the day she can go back to normal activity.. so that makes us halfway.. and if you put both surgeries together.. 3/4 of the way done the entire ordeal.

I try not to look too forward to the end, because that falls close to september and i don't want september to come.. i want to enjoy every second of summer! We had such a brutal winter, i don't even want to think about fall!

So.. all is well as we continue our daily short walks. We're working on not being an asshole when walking on a leash.. and we're currently at pain in the ass.. so that's good.. when she's fully recovered, she'll be able to take obedience classes and i'm lookng forward to those. They did tuck a world of good when he was a douchebag puppy. =)

I've been leaving her out of her crate for sporadic moments throughout the day to see if she'll be able to be left during the day at some point. Tuck, although a hugely bad puppy, could be left at around 9 months.. i get the feeling koda would have eaten my entire house if she'd had that same right.. but she's going to be 2 next month and i'm hoping she'll be ready.

I left her once for 10 minutes when she first got here and she chewed my baseboards.

Now i'll leave her for 5-15 minute periods and she's done okay.. we'll see how that works out.

My biggest concern is tuck.. he's not a fan of having her invade his personal space, so if i'm not around to stop her, she made drive him mad. My poor boy.. such a rough life he has.

Okay... this has nothing to do with her injury.. which is what this blog is for.. but in case you hadn't noticed.. since week 2, there hasn't been much to report.. so unless you want nothing but dead air.. "maintenance mode" is going to be full of me babbling.

Sorry =)

Week 6 Day 2

Our walk yesterday went well.. no limping.. a bit of leash fighting.. but overall, as good as it gets. Of course it wasn't very long.. but she got some out-of-crate time which is always a welcome change for her.

Now that the walks start, i distinctly remember from last time her fondness for the crate deminishes.

She's rarin' to go, that one..

I'm off this coming week.. finally.. but it looks like it's going to rain for most of it. Neither of my dogs care, they'll walk in any weather, so we'll be out there, every day.. walkies!

Man, i'm so excited to walk them together.. i've never done it.. i hope it's possible =)

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WEEK SIX!!

Another milestone is upon us!

Today is the first day koda can go on a short walk! If her last walk was any indication, technically, she'll be walking me.

I find this funny because when her owner handed her off to me that day, she reassured me that she walks so nice on a leash.

Maybe if she was tranquilized, but i have yet to see it.

Now the problem with this, my usual training techniques are hard to implement on post-surgical dog. And at the same time, it's so important that she not pull and walk calmly.

Yeah right.

I bought a martingale for her, we'll see how that works.

My ultimate goal is to have her and tuck walking in a manner that isn't a danger to my health.

A girl can dream, right?

The evening after the post below

I'm not even sure if that post made any sense.. i was trying to bang it out in between my boss asking me a bunch of questions and the phone ringing. If it ended up being coherent.. it's a miracle.

Now.. remember that part where i said oh, she can be on the deck no problem.. she doesn't play on there...

Why do my dogs insist on making me a liar?

It's my fault really.. she sometimes gets this squirly look on her face that says.. i'm about to go crazy! lookout! but i can normally get her to control it and calm down.

I wasn't paying attention, and by the time i saw the butt tuck start, it was too late.. that sweet face turned into monster dog, ran around the table, got her foot caught in the mosquito netting attached to the gazebo and put a huge hole in it.

*sigh*

my sanctuary has a blemish.

NO PLAYING ON THE DECK!

I sent that furry butt straight back to the crate where she proceeding to give me those puppy dog eyes.

Momma? I didn't mean it...

Week 5 Day 6 -

People who don't have dogs think i'm insane.

Some with also think that.

Well, we're having a bit of a heat wave up here in northeastern ontario.. something we never had all year last year.. so nobody's complaining too loudly.

I left the AC on in the house for the dogs while i'm at work.

Normally i probably wouldn't have.. there are cool floor surfaces they can lay on and with all the blinds closed i can usually keep the house cool enough for someone who's sedentary.. but with Princess Gimpy forced into a crate w/o a cool surface.. and even worse that her ortho bed is foam wrapped in sheepskin ish..

Plus it's one thing less for me to worry about.

She's doing great, btw.. i can bring her out for some reprive time on the deck with me which is nice.. her and tuck don't play on the deck so she gets to stretch her legs a bit out there.

We start our walks on thursday.

She looks like she's 100% back to normal.. no limps, no pain, nothing.. she looks great. Remember self.. she looks perfect, but she's not.. you'll get there!

I'm changing her name to kodaroo

She sits on the base of her tail. Reminds me of a kangaroo! =)

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Week 5 - Day 2

Dawww

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Week 5

A lunch break for everyone

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Week 5!

So.. we made it to week 5! Oddly it seems longer than that.. this was about the time last time that she got much more antsy in her crate.. i think shortly thereafter she destroyed her ortho bed in protest.

Not much to report.. i took her off the benedryl yesterday.. so far so good, but we'll see how it goes after i mow the lawn =) I'm really hoping it was related to the intubation because i already have a dog with allergies, i was hoping to avoid that this time around. Oh well, it could certainly be worse.

One more week and we start our short walks. I'm looking forward to that.. she would be too if she knew =)

It's tough these days.. she's so happy to have some respite from that crate that it's hard for me to put her back in there. I miss my girl! But it's for her own good. I know that. And i know that despite how great she looks and how great that leg looks.. one mistep too early in the game can send us into a tailspin.. so..back in the crate she goes.

Two surgeries back to back like this is starting to take its toll, i have to admit.. it's already been 5 months of this.. i think we're all a bit weary.

Week 4 Day 7

So.. we finally have that cough kicked.. i think the benedryl did the trick. I suppose if it were because of her intubation then that's just a coincidence.. but if it were allergies, we're on the right track.

I'm going to take her off the 'dryl this week and that should give me a good idea of the culprit. Whatever it was, thanks to the advice of a few awesome people, i saved myself and koda the expense and stress of tests that, as of now, were not necessary.

On another note, summer is finally making an appearance here in Northern Ontario.. i'm grateful i have centrral air since koda won't have the ability to find a cool surface to lay on. Not that tucker ever does, but he /could/. I would imagine heat + crate would not be fun for her.. the crate floor is metal so i have to put a blanket or bed in there to keep her comfortable, but it would make things that much more hot for her.

My dad is putting a gate on the back deck today, which means in a few weeks, i'll be able to take her outside to relax without worry about her running around in the yard. I'm looking forward to that.

Tomorrow's the beginning of week 5.. one more week until we start out short walks! Yay!

Week 4 Day 6

Cute when sleeping

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My two dogs

Week 4 Day 5 - I'm a good girl!

Check out that sit =)

She's a delicate flower

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Week 4 Day 3 - props to my girl

Today's been a hectic day.. lots of yard work to do so i've been in and out of the house a lot. Mostly out. If i'm outside, I'll usually take tucker with me as long as what i'm doing couldn't impale him in some way.. so he stays in when i'm mowing the lawn or weed whacking..

Koda has been SO GOOD. She just stays in her crate and sleeps. She doesn't complain.. unlike SOME dogs i know *eyes tuck* who gets quite agitated when i'm outside and he's not. Must think he's missing out on something, because he has very little desire to stay outside if i'm not out there.

So i'm so proud of my girl.. she's so well behaved in that crate of hers.. only 1.5 weeks until she can go on short walks! I think we're both looking forward to that!

Week 4

WEEK FOUR!!! How awesome is week four? I love week four.. week four is when they have a good amount of pep.. they feel better.. the pain level, i'm assuming, is manageable and the best part.. you're almost 1/3 of the way finished this process.

Week four feels like you're getting somewhere!

And THAT, is the best part of Week four.

We're still in maintenance mode.. our routine is set and there's not much straying from it. crated 24/7 still, but she seems to take her sweet time finding the perfect spot to poop. I suppose if that was my only freedom during the day, i wouldn't be in a hurry either.. but whem mommy is already late for work and she's sniffing every blade of grass... well... mommy needs more coffee.

Anyway.. i'm now unsure if Koda's cough was related to her surgery at all now.. turns out, it /may/ be an allergy and if it is, you can go ahead and disregard all my lamenting on this blog. Although it is good to note that it is possible for a dog to get Kennel Cough or have throat problems because of intubation and it would sound similar to what koda has.. More investigation required.

Week 3 Day 7 - Wait! Don't say it!

Hmmmm. I think there's been less coughing tonight...

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Week 3 Day 7 - Her cough

The sound isn't the best given this was taken with my blackberry.. but it's a good general idea..

We started Benedryl yesterday to rule out pesky allergy.. i'd hate to put her through that testing (her and my visa) and have it be something OTC could fix.

Week 3 Day 6 - bideo

She moves! Just a quickie video at the vets taken with the blackberry.. the dog barking in the background is a beautiful fox red lab.. scared to death of being at the vet.. but boy was he beautiful.

I've never seen a lab react that negatively to being there.. my two LOVE it.. endless attention and all the cookies they can scarf down? What's not to like?

Fun at the vet

Makes for a sleepy puppy.

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Week 3 Day 5 - why am I so stupid?

Back from the vet. We scheduled koda for an xray on wednesday. Vet isn't sure why the antibiotics didn't work so we're checking for viral and fungal infection.

And then halfway home it hit me! It can't be blockage, can it? She's crated.. I'd know if she ate something..OH SHIT!!! Remember my post about her destuffing her bed? I bet she swallowed some of the foam! Gah! The office is closed..don't know that this'll mean, but I'm afraid to find out.

Sigh

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Week 3 Day 5

Koda has a vet appt tonight at 6:30. The coughing, hacking hasn't really stopped since she finished her last round of anti-biotics. It only really happens when she's excited.. mostly for a meal or when she's out of her crate and going outside to pee.

Sometimes, however.. nothing is going on and she'll start.. or she'll start breathing really heavy, in and out, through her nose. She can't stop.. she does it really quickly for 30 seconds at a time.. she woke from a dead sleep once doing that.. it's weird. She doesn't seem scared and when she's done, she settles right away.. but it can't be comfortable for her.

So.. off we go again.. we're close enough to her 4 week post-op to have a good look at her leg tonight too.. hopefully i'll get some positive feedback.

Week 3 day 4 - progress

I let Koda out of her crate to transfer to the crate in my room at bedtime. I was cleaning up a bit first and Koda sat to wait for me. That's when I noticed her first ever tight sit. Both legs in by her side..sitting in a big girl sit!

Since she came to me, koda has always sat with her legs straight out in front of her..kind of like a puppy sit, but more pronounced.

What a great motivator to keep going! She's off the metacam now too, with no signs of limping! We're getting there! The crate restrictions really do work! I know a lot of people try to keep their dogs calm and crate restrictions is hard on people to enforce, but it's so worth it for me because I KNOW she can't accidentally hurt herself.

Anyway...onward!

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Week 3 - two cute for words.

And the slow but steady destruction of an ortho bed.

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Week 3 - Are we there yet?

So.. we've reached week three.. my girl is in fine form and bored to tears, i suspect. I got her metacam down to 1/3 the dosage she was originally taking and no limp, yet. Yay!

I did some searching from her previous surgery and i found that I can actually start taking her on short walks in as little as 3 weeks. Crated longer, though. I think some quick strolls down the street will do wonders for her spirit though.

You know.. you research this stuff like crazy before your dog has the surgery. You read about what to do, what can go wrong, all the things you need to buy and expect, but there are a few things that get left out.. how much you miss your dog!

Sure she's still a foot away from me when we watch tv.. but koda is the happy, bouncy, super snuggly dog with absolutely no regard for personal space. If you don't want to cuddle? Too bad, you're doing it!

She's such a happy wiggle butt.. something i get to see for the brief moments that occur between the crate and the front door on her pee breaks. I miss her.. she's right there, and i still miss her.

I keep reminding myself that it's going to be worth it, and I know it will be.. i just can't wait to have my girl back and zonked out on the couch, taking up all the room and leaving me with little =)

One thing that's important to remember, with a high energy dog.. they LOOK good so early on.. it's so tempting to relax the rules a bit.. but the rules are there for a reason.. and we all know what master manupulators dogs are.. DON'T DO IT!

If koda had her way, she'd be bouncing around the place like nothing happened.

There's still 2-3 months of restrictions on her.. at 3 weeks she's seems so good.. it's not easy to force bouncy dogs to behave for that long!

Anyway.. we've been very fortunate to have little problems this time around.. i'll have to post the pictures of her first surgery and the swelling in her leg that sent me to the emerg vet and caused a whole bruhaha between 3 vets and an anxious dog mum.

=)

Day 20 - me n' mu brudder...I boss him around.

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Day 20 - as per usual, I spoke too soon

I wonder if koda reads this blog. After making a big deal out of her lack of vomitting on her ortho bed this time around..guess which sound I woke to this morning? Yeah.. There ya go.
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Day 18 - incision

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Day 18 - It's only a matter of days before this cushion gets it, woman.

Last time koda had her surgery, around the 6 week mark she destroyed her ortho bed. A clear sign she was feeling better.

http://www.kelli.ca/pics/dogs/koda/DSC02619.JPG

Well, she's already got the corners torn with some errant fluffs floating about when i come home from work. I expect a total massacre any day now. When this happens, and it will, she'll go back to her blanket and no more luxurious, orthopedic egg crate cushion covered in sheepskin.

Although now that i think of it.. she hasn't barfed on the bed once. She Christened her last one on day 2.. 3.. 5.. 8.. and 12 - 24.

It's a little tougher to update this blog now that we're in the stage I like to call "maintenance mode". There's not much to koda's life except eating, peeing and crating. She's still in there 24/7 except for pee breaks.. and she'll continue to be in there for the next 5ish weeks.. so yeah.. boring for everyone, i guess.

I need to get a decent pic of her incision.. i don't think i've done that since her stitches came out and i wanted to get a shot of the bottom piece that wasn't as healed as the top.. it all seems to be good now though..

Her cough is still hanging around.. especially in the morning when she gets excited for her food.. but she has 3 more pills to take, so i'll give it the entire week before worrying.

I've started cutting down on the metacam. It was last week that i stopped it completely and she went back to limping.. so this week i'll start giving her less and less and see if that helps her transition off of it. That stuff must be really good if it can make the difference between limp and none whatsoever.

So that's it.. nothing really telling, but it's a case of no news is good news. I'll get some pics of her incision up later today.

Hopefully.

Day 15 - Poop! Hurry up!

That was me standing outside at 8:05am this morning because i slept in, had to be at work in 25 minutes and hadn't even been in the shower yet.

And Koda likes to sniff around for a while before choosing the perfect spot to dump.

There was noticeably less limp in her this morning, so i guess the metacam is doing the trick. I think i'll leave her on it a week and see how that goes.. maybe reduce the dosage instead of yanking her off of it.

She was bouncy this morning and rubbing up against me like the family cat.

My dogs are the only things that can make me smile before my first cup of coffee.

Day 14 - was it something I said?

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Day 14 - Owwwwww!

So.. We're back on the metacam. Vet figures koda's left leg healed enough to make her right one more uncomfortable..with the first surgery, they were both bad enough there was no limping.

Oh..and she's on meds for Kennel Cough now. Not sure if it's KC or an infection from the trach..either way she needs antibiotics. At least it's an easy fix.
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Day 14 - This does not happen with MY doctor!

Called the vet.. we have an appt for 3pm. Woot!

Day 14 - Oh, were you getting comfortable? Let me fix that for you...

Koda awoke this morning with a limp. She has never regressed before so it surprised me. Especially since she hasn't had a limp since a few days after surgery.

I wonder if she may have slept on it wrong..since technically she has laid on that side since she came home. I always wondered how comfortable that would be.

I guess we'll have to be super careful with her .. that bouncy girl is going to have to relax. That's going to be hard!

Also the cough persists. I wonder if it's kennel cough? It's only when she whines for her food..or whatever it is she's whining about. The vet opens at 9am.. so i'll have to make a real appt for her.

Day 13 - Bouncy paws with an attitude!

Princess Gimpy is quite full of herself these past few days.. obviously feeling good and not afraid to show it. "Keep them quiet" are words I laugh at when referring to my Labs. I mean, come on! The second I let koder out of her crate she's all vinegar and bounce.. bounce bounce bounce.

Stop that! You quit being happy right now, bad girl!

Ridiculous, right?

Anyway.. things are going well.. that weird cough I was talking about 2 days ago persists.. but only when she whines.. which is usually in relation to meal time and i'm not going fast enough to her liking.. which means the speed of light.

It's disturbing.. but on the plus side, has reduced her whine-fest a bit.. it's hard to whine and wheeze at the same time.. though obviously not impossible.

I need to call the vet tomorrow to set up a followup check.. i'll have to ask them then what this could be.

Day 11 - look! I'm naked!

No more stitches! No more cone! First milestone passed!

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Day 11 - at the vets

Of course there's been no coughing since she's been in the truck. I wonder if she's playijng me!

Oh..and I put her in a wait, opened the back hatch and Miss Thang LEAPED in the back before I fully turned around. I swear she is MUCH more active much earlier this time around. Either that, or I have a short memory.

Well...in we go!

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Day 11 - That's a new one.

Koda goes crazy at meal time. This morning and again at dinner when she got excited she started coughing. The sound a dog makes when there's something stuck in their throat? What the hell is this?

Well...we're off to the vet shortly. I hope she knows.

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Day 10 - In stitches

Why does that mean funny? It's so not.

Looks good, eh?

Hmm.. now that i look at it on a screen bigger than my blackberry, that bottom part doesn't look great.. tomorrow she goes to the vet to get the stitches out.. we'll see what the vet says.

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Day 9 - wheels up

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Day 9 - Gross! Don't do that again.

I suppose that's a better subject for yesterday, Day 8. When i came home from work and fed Princess Gimpy she was so anxious because i was inside/outside throughout the next couple of hours helping with the deck, that she barfed up her entire dinner in her crate.

Not a good thing since she probably barfed up her meds at the same time. And then she was probably hungry for the rest of the night.

But, she had her breakfast this morning and seems fine now. Maybe it's anxiety, but it could be the metacam she's on.. i did this a few times last surgery and the vet took her off the metacam after she had her stitches out.

Speaking of which.. monday = no more stitches!

As i've mentioned before, that's a HUGE milestone.. not having to worry about a dog licking their stitches out will be a huge weight off my shoulders.. then it's just a matter of waiting for the leg to heal.. sure, there's some therapy hot/cold stuff but that's about it.. she's crated, she wines, we move on.

So far the leg and stitches are holding up.. this time last surgery she was bleeding all over her covers and sending me into a panic tailspin.

*fingers crossed*

Day 7 - Seems so much better than 6, doesn't it?

One week later and we're doing well.. this morning's poop was MUCH better.. dare i say normal? I do!

More construction today and tomorrow.. so she'll be somewhat stressed but i see this as an opportunity for her to learn and become okay with more situations that make her anxious.

That's my theory..

Man.. i've never been more excited for a Monday in my life.. i can't tell you the amount of stress that leaves once those stitches are out.. it's huge!

Fingers crossed, because the last time i got too comfortable, her leg swelled up the size of a softball and i had to rush her to the emergency vet in a panic.

=)

Day 6 - it's a good day.

Koda and I had a pretty good day. She even tolerated the construction noise well but growled at my mom. She's a bear in that crate but a different girl outside of it.

She's calm and relaxed tonight.

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Day 6 - Is it only Day 6?

This morning was better.. we had a rough one last night trying to figure out how to get koda in and our of the front door safely. I knew i had a problem when tuck nearly fell off the edge of the stairs coming in.. so now there's an elaborate dance we have to go through to get both of them out and back in w/o sending my heart into convulsions.

When i got home from work yesterday my dad was there tearing down my old deck. I say deck but that's not a great description.. more like a small porch w/o walls. An ugly one.

So of course the dogs were barky and excited .. but after awhile with me there they calmed down enough to nap.. even with the saw going .. i hope they'll remember this today when they start building the new deck.. i worry..

She didn't poop last night.. but she did this morning.. light in colour and loose.

Now i know some of you are.. yeah, thanks for that.. but i figure this blog may live on long after koda has recovered and SOMEONE out there is going to wonder what post op day 6 poop looks like!

So there you go..

Otherwise the stitches are holding up.. and so far so good.

I think i'll go visit her at lunch. I used to go at lunch in the beginning of her first surgery recovery.. the problem is she'd get so excited and worked up, i think i ended up doing more damage than just letting her rest all day.. so i tend not to visit her if i can't stay home. But she may need some reassurance with all the work going on outside her house.

Day 5 - I'm already losing my mind.

I maintain that the first 2 weeks are the worst. Add a deck build to the mix and I'm ready to scream.

Koda is full-on uncomfortable and making sure I know it. Because my back door can't be used I have to take her out the front and it's really tricky with no landing to get her in position with her sling.

Sigh

Once the cone is off both of our mood improves. She can't get comfortable in her crate. But taking it off isn't an option.

So..for now we muddle through. She gets her stitches off Monday. I can survive until then. I hope.
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Day 5 - I'm whiny

And mom ain't falling for it.

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Day 6 - more on poop

My poor girl..

This morning I took Koda out to potty and she sniffed and sniffed so i brought her back in and began my morning routine.

By the time i was almost ready to go, she was panting so hard in her crate i became concerned.

I took her out of the crate and she went straight to the door.. by the time i got there she had a small poop on the mat.. so i rushed herout and had some pretty big deposits out there.. poor thing..

I'm not sure what that was about.. if she's having a reaction to her meds, her food or if it was anxiety over the fact that i was leaving for the first time.. but now i'm a tad nervous about the construction that's taking place outside my house today.. she's not going to be a happy camper.

I'll go home at lunch and check up on her.

*sigh*

Day 5 - Wounded

Here's today's shot.

It's such a beautiful day out today. Koda's going to miss most of those. So I have to keep reminding myself of the greater good. One summer lost, 10 gained.

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Day 4 - that face!

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Day 4 - The Wounded

So this was taken a few minutes ago. Looks good! Her bruising is already better and damn is she didn't saunter across the kitchen floor without so much as a limp.

What I learned from her last surgery, it can go downhill quickly, so I'll stay positive, but alert.

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Day 4 - oh poop

Yay! She pooped! Not having kids my excitement for this was a surprise. She poops and we're both relieved!

She had a great night last night. Didn't wake up or complain and she walks right into her crate after every potty break. No coaxing.

She has some bruising around the incision but it's mild. I'll get some pics of that soon. So far, so good.

She's been putting weight on that leg since Day 1, apparently. The vet was quite surprised and pleased.. as it stands now.. her limp is very mild. She did this last time too and but i thought it was because both of her legs sucked and she'd have pain putting weight on either leg..

poor tuck wants so much to play.. i almost throttled him for bouncing around her this morning, but he doesn't understand.. a few days ago she was playing bitey face with him and now mommy gets mad when he goes anywhere near her.. he's so confused and i feel bad for him. Plus Koda got here in late October.. 3 months later she's in for surgery.. 3 months later she's in again.. this girl is going to think i'm the devil.. in 3 months from now, she'll probably start hiding under the bed =)

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Shhhhh

It took me a while to realize...she's asleep! Hmmm built in pillow.

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Day Three - We're Home!!

Safe and sound. Long trip, she slept for an hour. Hopefully she'll settle down now and sleep. Barking at Tucker means she's in pain.

I'm hoping the inflatable cone works and is more comfy for her.

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We're in Parry Sound!

Another 1.5 hours or so!

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How long will this last?

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Day 3 - I'm coning home!

We''re in the truck and heading home! Vet said her left leg is great and will continue to improve over time.

The little monster pulled her bandage off last. But vet said she was so good and he's pleased with her results on both legs.

More to come when we get home.

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Trish

Trish is driving. How many people out there would road trip 10 hours in one day only to end up back at home?

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Day Three - 7am

Trish is on her way here and then we'll get going. I can't wait to see koder!!

7am and I'm awake! On a Saturday! Of a long weekend!
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Day 2 - The day we celebrate urine.

Just called to check on my girl.. she went out for a pee this morning and balanced herself into a perfect tripod that only a lady could pull of with grace and dignity.

She's doing great!

I'm less apprehensive about this recovery and more excited to do it and be done with it, quite frankly. She was such a good girl the last round.. 8 weeks in a crate except for pee breaks? She was an angel.. i hope she does that again, because it really made things quite easy to deal with.

Tomorrow morning me and my friend Trish will make the treck back to pick her up and bring her home. Last time we sedated her so she'd sleep on the way home.. she didn't sleep for one single second.. but she was so sedated she was totally out of it.. add a cone to that mix and it was the most pathetic looking face ever. I wanted to squish her the whole way home!

Good squish, not bad squish.

So, I guess baring any medical emergencies.. i'll update tomorrow when I pick her up.. I can't wait to see her.. it was so quiet last night w/o hours of bitey face at my feet. (Really, there's an entire house here.. must you do that at my feet?)

Tucker

Someone wants to say hi..
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I'm Home!

Just talked to the tech, surgery went well. She was in some pain when she woke up but her meds kicked in and she's sleeping right now. I'll get an update in the morning.

It's good to be home. I wish she was here, though...it feels like something's missing.

Oh..the reason I leave her there is the first 72 hours are the most critical for the ligaments. You have to be so careful not to let her damage it..and with such a long drive, this gives her some time to heal a bit before travel.
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Getting There

I'm back in Parry Sound for a rest. It's another 1.5 hours home. Tuck must be waiting!
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We're Here!

Just dropped my girl off. I feel so bad leaving hwe so far from home. She's in good hands and I know Ma will keep her safe.

Now begins the long trip home.
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Parry Sound - Day One

So, we're almost half way now. The highway is finally a divided 4 laner which is much better than the 2 lane death trap to here.

Koda is well and a willing Co-pilot, but her sense of direction is worse than mine. Thankful for the GPS!

I guess our next stop will be at the vet! Hopefully I don't panic when it's time to find my exit onto the toll hwy!

Talk soon!
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This is early for us! Day One

And we're off! It's raining today. That's fine with me. Right no all I want is coffee. Off to Tim Hortons!

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Eve picture

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The Eve

I'm a bit nervous about the drive, but I had no trouble last time so I don't expect any tomorrow. I'm looking forward to getting some real input on koda's left leg as well. She's so full of herself this past week, I'm taking that as a good sign. She's napping on a dog bed now. Oblivious and content. I'll test a picture upload shortly.
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