Midnight - Gigi is supposed to be wearing a collar to prevent her from chewing out the staples from her leg. This means she whines through the night because the collar is so uncomfortable. I can’t stand it. So we worked out a deal – she’ll make a lotta noise when she changes position and I’ll wake up and check to make sure she’s not chewing. She’s sleeping much better. I’m a zombie. So today will begin “collar training day.”
8 a.m. - POURING rain. She’s not concerned. Nope. I can wait. Days. I remember back to the first days of rescue when she’d go 3 times in 15 minutes. Always after a walk. Always after she was back in the house. She’s come such a long way!
I moved Gigi’s bed with bolster pillows into the great room so we could spend the day with me being a little more productive while she remained under supervision. Things were fine until I turned my back to wash a dish…she made a beeline for the bedroom and her usual spot, however, her bed was gone and only the bare wood floor was there. Could have been a disaster had she slipped while trying to walk or lie down, but apparently the only damage is to my heart…
2 pm - Went to the vet for another laser treatment – swelling is down in the knee but her ankle looks like she need “support hose”. They assure me this is fairly normal and do their laser thing. Going back on Wednesday for more.
She’s loving the rides to and from the vet. I’m not looking forward to telling her she has to stay home tomorrow as I leave for work. No doubt she’ll give her nurses, Ken and Pirate, a rough time.
There’s progress evident daily. It won’t be long before she doesn’t buy my requests to stay put or stay calm. She’s already starting to pull on the lead. I bought a halter for her so I can control the head. We are still walking in tandem – I control the head and Ken supports her hind end in the sling. Kinda looks like a Chinese Dragon as we wend our way from the house to “The Potty Palace” – down the drive a bit to the first pasture gate, then up the mountain trail. Or not. The incline is too much for her, so she settles for the first briar patch on the right… Mom dutifully goes along and into said briar patch…apparently there’s a fine line between a good mother and a chump.
6 pm Gigi has been asleep for 3 hours now. In the collar. Those trips to the vet really take the stuffin’ out of her.
8 pm - Still snoring away. Had to wake her up for meds. Let's hope she doesn't wake up about 3 a.m and want a belly rub. I may not be in the mood.
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I am sooooo glad I found your blog! Our pup has a 'stretched' ACL which is slowly responding to limited exercise, no running and no playing fetch. But its extremely frustrating for her(and us), as she is a young Yellow Lab, and a very exuberant girl.
ReplyDeleteI have read all your posts and am saving all your instructions if we do end up having to have the surgery.
Jane
Thanks for writing this blog. We need more of this kind of thing in the bouvier community. Very helpful to others.
ReplyDeleteWell done with the blog and all the best for Gigi's recovery. Sounds like it is all so different now, our last dog has his leg in a cast after his op. How do they do it now? They transferred part of the ligament from his thigh to his cruciate back then as he was a large dog and the method used on smaller dogs wouldn't hold. Keep up the good work with the blog and Gigi's recover.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for posting this blog. It is always so helpful when people are able to take the time and make the effort to share the health problems that impact our Bouvs. Like Vanessa's Bouv, our nearly 13 year old Sofie had her ACL repaired 7 years or so years ago by transferring part of a ligament. Luckily, it has held, as has the other one. Of course, we have been very careful with her. She has a bit of a limp, but that has happened only in the past year and a half.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the great work, and hope Gigi continues to have an uneventful recovery!