# Treatment options for a 9 year old with 2 bad knees



## tsranga (Jul 9, 2020)

We went through a challenging TPLO recovery on his right leg two years ago where he actually fractured his right leg during recovery and developed a bacterial infection, which prolonged his recovery. That leg keeps giving way on longer hikes, but he's learned to compensate. The ortho checked it out and said that everything looks great at the surgical site with good musculature, but he didn't have an explanation for why it gives way. 

Last week, it appears that he has probably injured his left knee - he still puts it down while walking, but I can see that he's putting more weight on his right leg, and he's obviously struggling to stabilize both legs and with his spondylosis, he struggles to walk more than 10 min. However, it doesn't stop him from wanting to play and try do his usual stuff and I have to constantly watch him and restrict his activities so that he doesn't make things worse.

I am hesitant to go back to the ortho due to my bad experience with the first surgery, and given his advancing age, which hasn't in any way calmed his hyperactive personality, I am looking for suggestions and other experiences that would help me make the right decision. 

Also, if any of you tried rehab either off-site or at home with a vet tech, as we have a long overdue overseas travel coming up in a couple of months, after almost 3 years, and boarding him in this state or when he's recovering will not be possible.


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## Saphire (Apr 1, 2005)

For me I’d have to assess what the dog’s quality of life is. I could still have my boy with me but it would have been the wrong choice. ❤


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

It sounds like those hikes are coming to be too much for him. The first thing I would do is get him a vet chiropractic adjustment because all that compensating and stabilizing will cause his whole structure to shift out of balance, uncomfortably. That causes unnecessary muscle pain in other places (esp. in the back).

Can you consult with a different ortho? Or maybe go to a vet school where you can consult with faculty? 

The vet school will have ortho and PT, as well as a full team approach. They also tend to offer cutting-edge procedures, before they're available elsewhere. I wouldn't be making any decisions without knowing exactly what was wrong and whether it was fixable. Maybe he could have a few good years left with less hiking and PT? Or a stabilizing surgery? I don't know, but I think I'd want to have expert eyes on the situation to help me figure out options.

There are vet techs and vet students who sometimes do medical-needs boarding. It's also possible the vet school might do a salvage surgery and then board for PT if he's a good patient -- they could perhaps handle his recovery while you're gone.

But...the hard is going to be deciding whether to go on the trip....I have a dog with lung cancer right now, and another old one who's having seizures -- so I get it. We canceled all summer travel unless the dogs can go with us. We just don't have enough months left, and every week of time we have right now is too precious. 
Long ago, I had a beloved dog pass away in boarding once while I was overseas, and I'm not ever risking doing that again -- there is literally no trip experience that is worth the years of heartache that comes from not having closure. It sounds like yours is healthy but for the knee problems, so you may not have that worry....but I'd look into "cancel for any reason" trip insurance if you didn't buy it when booking....just in case.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Rough situation with a dog with a drive that doesn't match his physique. My old Whippet was like that. He would ignore his pain to be able to just run for the heck of it. He then had to pay the price by being crippled for a few days. Once in a while I just let him because he needed to run. Until he couldn't from pain. All my best for your dog.


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