Pool Time

I took Noëlle for her first appointment with the physical therapist this morning. I was armed with bacon and a muzzle, which both ended up being a good idea. The therapist was wonderful - patient and kind and very helpful answering all my questions and helping me figure out what I need to be doing now, as well as what to prepare for the post op phase (how to set up the house, etc.). She said Noëlle's muscle tone is very good and she hasn't lost much due to the decreased activity which is excellent news. We managed to do some stim work and get her in the hydrotherapy pool with the tredmill but she wasn't too pleased about that. There was more water out of the pool and on us than in it by time we finished but I think it's a huge step forward that we were even able to get her in at all. The PT suggested a small injection of a calming drug when we come next time which I think is a good idea. Overall I'm very pleased with how it went. I didn't get any photos during the session but I did capture her "I'm angry and not going to look at you" mood in the car on the way home. Ha.

I've decided to do the surgery at the same hospital as she's already going there for the therapy sessions and I feel more educated on the technique they will use for the repair which is a TTA (Tibial Tuberosity Advancement). From my research it's also a strong option for a dog her size. Beyond that I feel better about having it done at a hospital where we can access 24/7 care if the need arise. I've put a picture below to show what they will place inside the leg to help stabilise the kee. In the procedure the front part of the tibia is cut and separated from the rest of the tibia. A special orthopedic spacer is screwed into the space between the two sections of bone to slide the front part of the lower knee forward and up. This moves the patellar ligament (the thick fibrous band that runs on the front of the knee from the top to the bottom of the joint) into better alignment, thereby removing some of the abnormal sliding movement. A bone plate is then attached to hold the front section of the tibia in the proper position. By changing the alignment of the patellar ligament, the forces that cause the femur to slip backward when the CCL is torn instead move straight down the tibia, resulting in less shearing force or instability.

We are scheduled for surgery on the 21st so just eleven days to go. I need to start getting her used to the support harness now and begin nightly heat/massage sessions. We also have to cut walks to 20-30 minutes maximum with rest breaks and she needs to start spending more time in her crate resting. It's all a bit overwhelming and nervewracking but I know we're in good hands and preparing the best we can. Day by day we go and I'm grateful we can do this so that one day soon she can return to regular activity.