Guest iaksma Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 In April of this year, Connor, our 8-year-old grey, ruptured his Achilles and we opted for repair. It has been a long, slow healing process. On Friday we heard him slip on the hardwoods and yelp, but nobody saw his fall. He completely ruptured the Achilles again. In talking with the surgeon, we had 3 options: 1. repair again with a high risk of repeat tear; 2. fuse the joint with a small possibility of hardware failure and a longer recovery; or 3. amputate with a shorter recovery. We opted for amputation as we already have a grey who is a tripod (although she came to us as a tripod and already healed) and we know how well they can do on 3 legs. Connor underwent surgery Monday evening and we picked him up last night. His stump was really swollen when we picked him up and we were warned he'd be more black and blue the next day. He was somewhat swollen in his remaining rear leg last night and today he's also swollen in his right front leg. Not to mention the oozing from his surgical wound. What is the typical recovery period for these guys after amputation? I've been reading up on postoperative bleeding in greyhounds as the surgeon mentioned it as a rare possibility, however, since he's undergone another surgery without a hitch, I'm kind of doubtful. How much swelling did you see in your grey with amputation? Any tips on what to look for or do to help would be much appreciated. Thanks! Jill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJNg Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 I would strongly recommend starting him on Amicar (aminocaproic acid) asap. You've probably come across this if you've been reading about post-op bleeding in greyhounds. An amputation is a much more invasive surgery than the original Achilles tendon repair, so this is a real concern. The typical dose for Amicar is 500 mg given 3 times daily for 5 days. If your vet needs more information, they can contact Dr. Couto's greyhound program at OSU. Here's a link to their consultation service, which includes a phone number that your vet can call. Quote Jennifer & Willow (Wilma Waggle), Wiki (Wiki Hard Ten), Carter (Let's Get It On), Ollie (whippet), Gracie (whippet x), & Terra (whippet) + Just Saying + Just Alice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest iaksma Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 YES! In fact, the vet and I talked about that today and had to run and get it from a compounding pharmacy. I really hope this turns things around for him. Thanks for that info! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJNg Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Great! Sending good thoughts for a quick recovery. Quote Jennifer & Willow (Wilma Waggle), Wiki (Wiki Hard Ten), Carter (Let's Get It On), Ollie (whippet), Gracie (whippet x), & Terra (whippet) + Just Saying + Just Alice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.