3DogNite

I have a question/update on Rascal's post surgery recovery: He is happy and not in any pain that I can tell,, that's a good thing. However, the incision site is still bleeding. Surgery was yesterday, tendon release under the toes on his right back foot. Dr. said everything went very well! this morning i woke up to bloody "foot" prints, the incision site had bleed thru the bandages. I thought, ok, it's under his toes, and he is walking on his foot, therefore, it could be irritated, and bleed. off to the vet for verification and re-wrap. Rascal did pull a stitch, Dr. fixed it, and re-wraped the leg. now, less than 9hrs later, blood is starting to seep thru the bandages again. The tech said to come back in if the bleeding came thru the bandages for re-wraping..... and of course it is now 9pm and all Rascal is going to do is sleep all night long. I will wait until morning,, but I am wondering,, is bleeding a bad thing? of course it's not GUSHING blood, I just wonder if I should leave it,, let it clot. Aren't we disturbing it every time we open the wrap to look at it, check the stitches and re-wrap it? so,, Do i wait,, do i go in for another check in the morning? I also am fighting the urge to re-wrap it myself... I posted earlier the admission to thinking "i can bandage just as well, if not better than the tech can".... Thanks for your advise, about this time all my close advisor's are in bed,, sorry lot we are, 9:30pm and the pillow is calling my name!

one more update,, at least for today

another update , post 1

update post 1,, Thanks for all the prayers,, They really do work!!!

3pm, another quick update Rascal pulled a stitch out, that's why the bleeding thru the bandages. quick vet visit (2 hours!) and 2 new wraps, and we are home again, safe and sound. Let's hope these hold, and everything heals fine from here on out!!! Everyone loves him at the vet office, they know him by name and he waggs his tail, but still looks at me like ,, oh, mom, don't leave me here! Goofy boy! *********************************************** 10:30am Rascal's incision site is bleeding thru the bandages. I'm not toooooo worried since the site is under the toes, and he is walking on the foot,, however, being the mom who "thinks" she can bandage wounds better than the techs can , I called the vet and he wants to re-bandage, and try to stop the bleeding. Rascal does not have cloting issues, so I think it's just the irritation of walking, stitches etc.. Rascal is SUCH A GOOD BOY! He lets me help him, manover him, re-settle him (if I think he looks uncomfortable) I'm not a control freak, just ,, well,, ok maybe I am alittle and he just looks at me with love in his big brown eye,, "whatever you want mom, i'm good!" I love my big black dog! more later ********************************************** UPDATE: 8/14/07 Thanks for all of your prayers and good thoughts! Got home late yesterday, and was pretty surprised to see him in full leg wraps again. I thought surgery on the foot area would have a foot bandage,, well these suckers go all the way up to his knees! aside from that, the operation went well! and the vet thinks the tendon release will give Rascal so much better mobility. The incsision site is under the toes, that skin is so thin and such a tight little area. I hope it heals well!!! He also took out a couple of little growths that he thought looked "suspiscious" , they are going in for analsys. Rascal got his teeth cleaned (for a 9yr old, his teeth are greyt! ) Rascal slept well all night after figuring out the right way to lay in the big oversized bean bag, his favorite place to sleep! and he is walking around all on his own. **************************************************************************************************I am getting Rascal ready for surgery today. He is begging for some breakfast (they all are, but I don't want to feed the others with rascal standing there watching, so the everyone must wait until I get back). This is a, cross-your-fingers, and hope it works, kind of surgery. Last year he ruptured both Achilles tendons and had 2 reconstruction surgeries, and weeks of both back legs in hard casts, and then long and painful rehabilitation. He is a champ and came thru a happy, spoiled boy!!! He never regained full use of his right foot, The tendons healed too short and tight, so the toes are all scrunched up and starting to deform from trying to walk on it funny. Today, the surgeon will cut the tendons under his foot going to the toes, to release them from the tight control they are in now. We hope that this will let his foot fall flat when he walks. His toes could splay out some (a lot) although this "should" be better than what he is currently living with. Rascal is almost a tri-pod, when he is not wearing his thera-paw. He will not put the foot on any hard surface. Thanks for thinking of us today! Rascal is my 9 1/2yr black boy, who is a smiler and a charmer! Nothing keeps him down or from wagging his tail, he is my perpetually HAPPY boy!!!

Thanks for your information! Rascal did go through about 4 months of physical therapy, in the water tank, walking , not swimming. and had lots of massages and ROM stretching etc. I also did the stretches on my own with him for the next several months. I don't know what DMSO is.?? I will try everything before going ahead with the the drastic surgery. He also gets all the supplements I can think of... At least this isn't an Emergency thing. I can take the wait/do more stretching and see approach. That will give my pocket book time to refill too.

Bumb , just in case someone has any information and didn't see this yesterday Thanks!

My boy Rascal had achillies tendon reconstruction last year at this time, in both back legs. They have healed wonderfully! His Left leg/foot is perfect. His Right foot has some problems, and this is the reason I am posting. The tendons going to Rascals toes are VERY tight. To the point that Rascal very rarely uses that foot. He wears a thera-paw 24/7 just so that he will use that foot. The toes are hiked up and basically he is putting his weight on the toe-nails!!! Here is the weird part: The vet said today, that he could CUT the tendon from the underside of the toes to release the toes from this very constricted position. He said that the toes could end up splaying out more than normal, but that he should be much more happy, pain free, and thera-paw free for the rest of his life. Rascal is 9 yrs young, and I fully expect his to live another 5 yrs! I'd hate to think that he is in pain for the remainder of his life with scrunched up toes!!! So,, has anyone heard of, or seen anything like this?? Deliberatly cutting the tendons? The vet said that his walking would be normal, the placement of the foot while walking would be normal, and that he could be sort of "Flat-Footed". It just seems very strange to think about Cutting the tendons and leaving them that way. I just spent $$$ repairing the achillies tendons (instead of PTS), and now I am thinking about deliberatly cutting the tendons under his toes! Both Rascal and I thank you for your insite!

Alan is so brave!! and you are too! Congratulations on persevering thru this time with him! Many of us have had this kind of challenge, know exactly where you are on the roller coster of recovery, and you are to be comended!! Don't give up, and stay positive with him Always!!! my boy spent several weeks walking in the "tank" for his recoperation from double achillies tendon reconstruction. and he had the same pitiful look on his face the first time he tried to walk in the water. It took my boy a couple of times before he really got the hang of it, Alan will too!!! Keep up the good work and I will keep up the prayers for speedy recovery!

I'm so glad the operation went well!!!

I went thru this last summer with my Rascal. Only he tore BOTH back legs at the same time.. The achillies tendon can be repaired, I interviewed several vets to find the right one who KNEW they could do the surgery. It was a long recovery, and truthfully, we are still working with him to use his right leg which was the really bad one. Rascal is a happy dog and has minimal pain now. I am very glad we did the surgery! Good luck to you and Beau over the next several days and weeks. PM me if you have any specific questions that I can try to help you with!

I have had some experience in changing casts on my boy Rascal. He had both back legs in casts for almost 8 weeks. I eventually got very proficient in changing the casts on my own, after watching and working with the vet techs. My boy had cast sores as well, they all went away and were kept to a minimum with Frequent cast changings to keep the material dry and antibiotics. Also, try using a towel under the dogs belly, giving support, or completely holding the dogs legs as you walk with him down & up the stairs. I didn't see this posted earilier, but this was the only way we got thru the months of casts and rehab with my boy. I have 2 flights of stairs and it's the only way get outside. Good luck! btw, it only cost $25 per leg for re-casting. that is until I learned how to do it on my own! then I just spent the $ on the materials..

for the last 8 years all my dogs went in annually for wellnes/dental visits. Now they are all getting older and have had to go more frequently. 13 yr old, congestive heart failure, several "growths" removed, big dentals, he is has been about 5 x year 12 yr old,, very healty,,still only once/twice a year 9 yr old, had serious accident/surgerys etc,, he has been to the vet a lot. he is at 8-12 x year I think we are doing pretty well so far! on a side note,, i'd go everyday if needed to keep them healthy and happy! I love my doggies!!!!

I just want to share this quote by Helen Keller: "What we once enjoyed and deeply loved we can never lose, for all that we love deeply becomes a part of us." I found it on a nice card that I am sending to a good friend who recently lost a grey. I thought it was very appropriate, and hope you all find some peace wth these words too.