We are officially one month out from Caswell’s TPLO surgery…. and now I know why there are no day-by-day updates post-op for this procedure. This is a tough one… many tears were shed in the first few days. Caswell was an even more challenging case due to her sensitive stomach. She stayed in the hospital longer than planned due to her gas and diarrhea as they wanted to make sure she did not bloat and to also keep her hydrated with an IV.
Wrapping her tail helped with cleanup but for the first few days it was a constant laundry and wipes battle as well as keeping her separation anxiety in check. She did NOT want to be alone and would barrel through any blockade or gate we put up to protect her from stairs or slick floors. Her second morning home she thought it was a great idea to venture up a flight of stairs at 6:00 am to greet me….. After an early morning call to the vet, he said to ice her knee and keep an eye on swelling but that she should be A-Okay.
She began touching her toe to the ground the moment we brought her home. Over time she gradually started putting more and more weight on it. I have noticed that she is more tentative with it when she first stands up. At 4 weeks, she is now confidently putting weight on the leg and has a little more spunk that I am trying to keep in check. I am grateful she’s feeling better but I know there is still a long way to go. Her post-op x-rays are September 30th and I am hoping and praying for a great report.
I have been using a GingerLead sling from day one (even prior to the surgery to get her used to it) and I would 100% recommend one for any sort of hind-end surgery. It is easy to use and it helps take some of the weight off of her leg when she is trying to stand up or using entry/exit stairs. I am hoping it is taking the pressure off of her left “good” leg as I have been told after having one TPLO there is a 30-50% chance the other knee will need it too.
I spoke about Embrace Pet Insurance in my last post but just to detail the importance of having pet insurance, here is the cost of a TPLO surgery from a board certified orthopedic surgeon.
Total Cost: $3,565.49 (pay up front)
Embraced: $2,852.39 (reimbursed)
Left Over: $713.10 !!!
If you have a dog who is in need of this surgery, don’t hesitate to reach out to me for any questions or if you want some encouragement!
