My dog, Lady has ED in both elbows and was operated on successfully a little over two years ago now. She has the occasional minor limp but nothing to write home about, and then more rarely something in her elbow really hurts her to the point of yelping in pain. The best guess is it's a little piece of gunk left over from the operation. If it was me I'd milk the pain for a couple of days, but Lady just gets on with things and after an hour or so you wouldn't think anything had happened. Dogs just get on with life, I think.
Oh dear me for both of you. in the past Mabel has cried in pain. I'm slowly beginning to get a picture of her pain since surgery (if that makes sense). This last week she has had movement in her limps I realised I hadn't seen for a long time. Today is my most hopeful day for the future yet. Although when I was out yesterday she did stairs. (He carried her down, lucky she only weighs 20kg). I burst into tears when my son told me. She never ever does stairs she has always appeared terrified. Apparently afterwards she cried for ages. A cry my son had never heard before. I expected to be at the hospital today, she's fine. Stair gate is now on order.
Juno does stairs without any problem although it's not something I've encouraged. With stairs I've always worked that Juno takes them slowly whether up or down, although she only weighs around 24kg I wouldn't want to carry her up or down now. I would avoid stairs with her at the moment as her elbows as still healing but once having the all clear it may be worth a little training just because they get too big and too heavy to keep carrying, but it amazing what the deal with. I remember one evening when Juno was recovering from surgery when she decided to have a mad bum tuck around the coffee table in the living room - I nearly died. Luckily enough she stopped as soon as I shouted but fully expected to be at the vets the next day but she was fine. I think we forget that these dogs are tough little girls even if we do want to wrap them in cotton wool . Stair gates are such a good investment as we brought ours back in following Juno's surgery to keep her in the kitchen when we needed to go out so she didn't slip on the floors. Sorting out the garage today ready to pack for our move my OH was going to throw the stairgate away until I firmly stated No, we would take that with us as it may come in useful - not sure when but you never know
you're right you never know when you may need a stair gate. Our new neighbours popped round. He said we never use our cage thingy. He meant crate . Do you want it? I said yes, well they are expensive I may need two. Not sure why but I might. . I will do some stair training when she's better. The veterinary nurse thought on Monday she is unlikely to be heavier than 25kg fully grown. It's too heavy to carting up and down stairs.
As Juno had taken an aversion to her crate, after being violently sick in it, I advertised it for sale and it was gone with 48 hours. Of course I hadn't though at all and the day I sold the crate was the date I spoke with the Orthopaedic surgeon regarding Juno's surgery and had it arranged for later that week. Luckily for me Juno is such a good girl and was no bother without her crate. I'm amazed we got through her recovery as well as we did - I have ceramic floors throughout the ground floor, no crate to keep her quiet, in fact the opposite of all the general advice. We survived without any problems so I guess it does come down to the temperament of the dog as well. Apart from bedtime, Juno didn't even wear her cone after the surgery.
She's an absolute star is Juno, I have got to the point now where I don't close the crate door and she is relaxed and calm in there. The cone came off yesterday despite the stitches coming out Monday she just wouldn't leave the wounds alone. Now it's as if they don't exist. I do think these dogs that have surgery are absolutely amazing little creatures.
He looks a lovely boy - I had a few problems to get to the photo (not sure if it's just my clunky laptop) and ended clicking on your photostream as it wouldn't load any other way. Do you know what form Quijo's ED has taken as he is a much older dog than our girls to have developed ED, as it seems more prevalent in younger dogs. The general consensus seems to be that ED will raise it's ugly little head with a dog's first 2 years but frequently the first limping episode is appearing at 5-6 months
Very little is known about Quijo's early life because it happened abroad. Since I have known him he has only been a pet. But I am sure the Norwegian Guide Dog Association (or whatever they are called) would have done their best for him. I only posted to show that a long and happy life is possible with ED. For many years he didn't seem to have any problems. Now he is just a still old boy, no different from any other old dog.
Oh, and if you had problems getting the photo it was probably me not you. I had immense problems posting it. I think Molly learnt some words that are definitely NOT in the training manual
I can honestly say, I've had some pretty horrible walks recently. One poor frustrated puppy who's daily walks never take her out of sight of the car or house. I've also met some horrible inconsiderate people. This morning what a joy. No pulling on the lead, I've changed to a harness and I met the sweetest guy with a beautiful chocolate lab. Who kindly put his dog on the lead and chatted away to me while Mabel lay in the grass by my side. Long may this continue (it was a fluke I'm sure ) as we still have many weeks of this recovery malarkey to get through. I'd also kept in very close contact with the breeder she is as devastated as I am with the situation. She has said that if I wish I can return Mabel to her. Despite my stress levels being enormous it had never occurred to me. I found it so comforting to know that her help and support is there. I've just booked a cottage in Wales next June so Mabel can visit her birth mummy and hopefully see 3 of her brothers. Excited
So good to hear of today's positive experience on the walk, I guess that's where at least I'm lucky living in rural France as we just didn't see anyone when Juno's exercise was so limited. My tip for getting through is not to count the weeks but work on each milestone visit to the vet, set of x-rays, visit to the orthopaedic consultant and count the days down to each event. By breaking up the recovery I found it easier to manage and stay positive - well relatively positive . My breeder was devastated as well when I informed her of the full extent Juno's ED together with the information from my Orthopaedic Surgeon, that said she has still mated Juno's mum with her dad and has a litter of 11 pups which are now approaching 4 weeks . Have to say I was shocked when I saw that a litter was expected but there doesn't seem to be any mechanism here for me to raise my concerns with any official canine bodies . Like you I would never have thought of getting the breeder to take Juno back - if anything the ED diagnosis has made my girl even more precious to me , if that's possible
When I read this I was amazed as word for word that is exactly precisely what I told the breeder. where I live it's perfect for dogs we are right on the very edge of the city. There are some great walks and brilliant open spaces and woods so every other person seems to have a dog. I have found a little park where 99% don't let their dogs off the lead which is good for Mabel, plus it's not particularly busy. Thanks for the advice, we have got a few milestones coming up. We can start increasing the walks from Friday, hydrotherapy on 8th August and X-Rays on 13th. I'm surprised your breeder let her bitch have another litter, some people. Someone asked me the other day if I would breed from Mabel I said no it's unethical. Their answer we would have one of her puppies she's so beautiful it wouldn't matter if they had ED, not that it would happen but I wouldn't sell to a person like that. Mabel sends Juno Labrador licks and hugs. Xx
For me it wasn't so much that she was having another litter with the bitch, which would be bad enough but with the same sire. If ED is genetically carried as most studies agree, then it is obvious that both mum and dad carry the genes. Not long to Friday for the longer walk. I added 2 minutes to one walk for the first week, and not long to hydrotherapy. Juno loved hydro . I had never considered breeding from Jumo regardless of how gorgeous she is, and yes zI'm biased but would never consider now with the ED. How could you produce puppies that may be affected. Makes my blood run cold at the thought. Juno says to remind Mabel to be a good girl when she gets a longer walk, slowly does itand soon she'll be running and having lots of fun again. Lots of licks from Juno
I planned to increase the walks by a minute I'll be brave and go for an extra 2 minutes . Mabel has given me a serious heart attack in her excitement at being allowed to step inside the woods (no one in sight) when she got home she saw my son open the front door, she bounded into the house jumped at the work surface and ran off with his sandwich he was preparing.She's back on the lead from car to front door. Distance about 12 feet.
Sorry but it brought a smile to my face imagining Mabel running off with the sandwich . I don't there's a hard and fast rule to increasing the time for walks I went with the advice from my hydrotherapist of 2mins added to one walk per week and then another 2 or 3 mins to another walk the next week. It is quite surprising how quickly the time builds up at 2 or 3 minutes a time, plus all the other milestones to count off. Try not to worry too much when she catches you unawares, the seem to survive in one piece as it is only a one-off event, but definitely use a lead from the car to the house and indoors to her bed. It's worth the extra care.
Just catching your updates - sounds like you are doing really well and coping with the challenges facing you with steady resolve. Hope all continues so well x
