[doganjo]

My lovely little baby, Freckles, is back home, glaring at me from her cage!  In response to your post in the bus crash thread, Jackie, she won't limp.  She has had a TPLO operation, these websites explain about the operation,  what is and is not normal after such an operation.
http://www.michvet.com/library/surgery_tplo.asp
http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/tplo-normal.html

Her daughter is a full time working bitch and she was here after her post operative examination, 12 weeks after surgery.  Not a limp in sight and she was racing round my paddock with the others.  They DO limp if the traditional operation is performed, where a manmade fibre is inserted to join the bones together.  Over time it disintegrates while the bones recalcify and the joint stabilises to some extent but can often revert to looseness, and is prone to osteo arthritis.

I also have a friend whose Large Munsterlander had a TPLO operation in March one year, and won Limit Dog at Crufts the next.
I cannot praise East Neuk Vet pracice highly enough and have every confidence that Freckles will be fine.  She has 2 tickets but at 8 is unlilly to get her thir, although I still show her at open level with success.  The one regret I have is that she will miss SKC where I believe she might have been in with a chance of that 3rd!  Ah well, such is life!

[Jackie]

Thanks Annie it shows how things move on eh?

 Last time we had that it was over 20 years ago and Im really pleased to see that the dogs dont limp now. 

Although the show you want is on hold untill next year (with a favourable judge) at least you know that her show career isnt over as it would have been years ago.

Good luck when she is back out. 

[Rosemary]

Our collie, Tess, had TPLO on both legs and she's fine. First one seemed to get better more quickly than teh second, but she's completely sound now. Worth every penny of the 5k!!

[doganjo]

Freckles's huge compression bandage is now off, so hopefully that will encourage her to use her leg again.  Dressing was changed and the wound looks clean.  She's on antibiotics and metacam, and a steriod cream for her skin.  Photos attached of before and after the bandage.  She didn't jump onto the consrvatory d=sofa - I lifted her on and tied her on so she couldn't jump down.  No sense in wasting £2K is there?

[CameronS]

at least you made it to the Vets 

glad she is ok

[doganjo]

Was grateful for your help, Cameron - it was a dreadful journey there and back, snow, wind, rain, 2 foot deep floods on a number of roads, plus not a clue where I was going.  So if a road was closed I had to rely completely on the satnav taking me another way.  At one point it told me to turn right and I found myself almost on the beach  - and teh way home was worse as I had to leave Freckles there.
Collecting her yesterday was a doddle - beautiful sunny day, I knew the way, no floods, no closed roads, just potholes to avoid on way back to save bumping her about.  I've never seen the roads so pitted!

[Jackie]

AW bless! She looks really fed up.

[doganjo]

We have progress.  She let her self out of her cage today so I have taken her through to the conservatory again and esconced her on the settee.  She actually put the foot down on the deck today too - no weight put on it, but rested on the ground.

[jameslindsay]

Hopefully will be running about again soon Annie.

[doganjo]

No, James, she's on strict lead walking for 4 months from last Thursday.  And then running on a flexi (mainly so I can catch and stop her doing too much) for another 3 or 4 months.  Her rehab is a long preiod of time but at 8 years a Brittany is still young.

[jameslindsay]

Crikey, that's a long time to keep her from running around. For the first time today Gynty has come out for 2 decent walks with the others this morning which is great news. I am sure Freckles will enjoy the pampering.

[doganjo]

Effectively it's because they break/cut the bone and screw a plate onto them to hold them together,so same as a broken limb, building up muscle tone.  So road walking for us both.  Might help Olaf get back on track though

[doganjo]

Naughty Freckles has been pulling her bandage off when my back was turned so a trip to see Ian was in order for enough supplies to keep her going till the stirches come out next Monday.
Video below- she is learning to walk again.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMipTFgVDtA

[Jackie]

Shes doing very well Annie.    I expected to see her more lame than that.


I see why you have called her Freckles. 

[doganjo]

Thanks,Jackie. She's actually back to about the same before her op.  Using the limb but not putting a lot of weight on it yet.  But slowly slowly etc, early days.  One of teh main mworries was infection but so far the wound looks very clean, a lot smaller than I anticipated, and the swelling is considerably reduced.  It's still going to be a long time till she's free again.
Yes, she was born almost completely half white and half brown, with those freckles on her face, so it was one of those instant moments when the lightning strikes and we knew her name as she popped out of the sack.  Whether we were going to keep her or not, somehow we'd have persuaded whoever had her to call her that!