# Not what I expected to see...



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

So today I took Reagan to the vet to get X-rays for possible HD. She's always slow to get up from laying down, hesitant to jump on the bed or in the truck, and this past weekend I noticed her bunny hopping. The vet examined her and said her hip and thigh muscles seemed underdeveloped, which can indicate HD sometimes. I dropped her off for the X-rays, expecting an HD diagnosis. Instead, the vet found something else on the X-ray:









Apparently she was injured at some point before I adopted her, and an FHO must have been performed. The vet said there's also a fracture in her pelvis, so he guesses she was hit by a car. The leg is in a weird position because there is so much scar tissue they couldn't straighten it, even with her sedated. The vet said she has almost no range of motion in that leg. He doesn't think there's anything we can do to help, but sent it to an orthopedic specialist for another opinion. Definitely not what I was expecting to see.


----------



## JoanMcM (Dec 5, 2013)

Wow. That is interesting.

Is that a picture of her in your avatar? She looks like a pretty pup.


----------



## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

wow, I would definitely get an Ortho's opinion. Looks like the femoral head was broken right apart. Poor girl, she must be very stoic.


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

JoanMcM said:


> Wow. That is interesting.
> 
> Is that a picture of her in your avatar? She looks like a pretty pup.


Yes that's her in my avatar! I may be biased, but I think she's beautiful.


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

onyx'girl said:


> wow, I would definitely get an Ortho's opinion. Looks like the femoral head was broken right apart. Poor girl, she must be very stoic.


Hopefully we'll be hearing back from the ortho early next week! I have digital copies of the X-rays as well so I may send them to some other orthopedic vets and a canine rehab facility near me. The vet is guessing the head was surgically removed, but I agree with you that it looks broken apart. She was a stray before animal control found her and I adopted her, so it's very possible that it just broke and nothing was done. I feel so bad for her. I had no idea something like this was going on this whole time.


----------



## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

Wth! Poor girl, it does look broken up, I too doubt anything was ever done.


----------



## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

Poor thing. 

But that does not look like an FHO that was done by a professional. I wonder if it was just shattered? Who knows. 

But in the end, it matters not how it happened or when. It matters that you love her and are going to make sure she has what is needed from now on!!!


----------



## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Wow, that does not look like the result of a surgical procedure to me! 

What are you giving her for joint support?


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

gsdsar said:


> Poor thing.
> 
> But that does not look like an FHO that was done by a professional. I wonder if it was just shattered? Who knows.
> 
> But in the end, it matters not how it happened or when. It matters that you love her and are going to make sure she has what is needed from now on!!!


I agree. Since she was a stray, I wonder if she was hit by a car at some point and shattered the joint. In the x-ray you can see some small pieces around the joint that look like maybe bone fragments. I feel so bad that I've had her since May and had no idea. She walks, plays, runs, and doesn't seem to show any issues except for when she first stands up and when she jumps, which I why I thought it might be HD and decided to do X-rays. I think if I ever adopt another dog in the future, I'll do x-rays soon after adoption just to make sure everything is ok. I'm hoping the orthopedic vet will have some suggestions for how to help her!


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

BowWowMeow said:


> Wow, that does not look like the result of a surgical procedure to me!
> 
> What are you giving her for joint support?


As of right now, I have just been giving her glucosamine msm. If anyone has any suggestions for things that might help her, I would love to hear them!


----------



## Debanneball (Aug 28, 2014)

Wow, such a life she has had in a short span. However, she now has her forever home, where she is loved, and will get the best treatment possible. There is joint support food you can get from the vet, however, it may put extra weight on your pup. Good luck.


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

Debanneball said:


> Wow, such a life she has had in a short span. However, she now has her forever home, where she is loved, and will get the best treatment possible. There is joint support food you can get from the vet, however, it may put extra weight on your pup. Good luck.


I am trying to look into every possible thing that could help her. After I hear back from the orthopedic vet, I'm going to schedule a consultation with a canine rehab vet that's near me to see if that can help. I may ask my vet about the joint support food, but I worry that extra weight may make the joint issue worse since she really doesn't have a joint on that side.


----------



## Debanneball (Aug 28, 2014)

My last shepherd, Stella, had bad hips, I kept her lean, gave her cosequine, tried the joint support food, watched the weight... She didn't start to bunny hop until she was close to 11 years, she passed away just before 12 years..

PS, I did my best to never let her run...


----------



## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

Sorry for the image size - this was taken of my dog a few years after her FHO - she does very well. It was taken while she was unsedated and not necessarily cooperating well) but for reference for you. Unbelievable your girl has been walking around like that and still has good behavior. Amazing. 

There is a good likelihood that the ortho vet will recommend a THR. I am very happy with the FHO - I have no worries that something in her will get infected (which I would perseverate on). 

I use Springtime Inc products - Ruth on this thread actually sent the first bottle to me for Ilsa and they all get them. Ilsa gets 3 tabs a day, plus fish oil of some kind. She'll be 10 this year. 

Good luck, keep us posted!


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

JeanKBBMMMAAN said:


> Sorry for the image size - this was taken of my dog a few years after her FHO - she does very well. It was taken while she was unsedated and not necessarily cooperating well) but for reference for you. Unbelievable your girl has been walking around like that and still has good behavior. Amazing.
> 
> There is a good likelihood that the ortho vet will recommend a THR. I am very happy with the FHO - I have no worries that something in her will get infected (which I would perseverate on).
> 
> ...


Thanks for the info! That x-ray looks very different from Reagan's, so I'm thinking the vet was mistaken about her having an FHO. I really think some sort of trauma happened and it was never taken care of. 

I'm honestly still in shock that Reagan's hip looks like that. You would never know by looking at her. Her favorite things in the world are playing fetch and rough-housing with her two fur-siblings. She has never even limped. The only symptoms have been her getting up slowly and stretching a lot after laying down, and being hesitant to jump up. These just became noticeable in the last month or so, so I'm thinking the cold weather may be a factor. I may get her a heated bed and see if that helps ease her discomfort. My vet didn't even suggest pain medicine. He basically said there's nothing we can do. I feel like there has to be something that can help. I'm not going to give up.

Can a THR be done with a messed up hip like that? I thought with a THR they just remove the head and neck, but she already has more bone than that missing. I just wonder if they would be able to do one. Or maybe they could actually do an FHO and just go in and clean up the joint? I don't know. I hope the ortho has some ideas for my poor girl. 

Thanks for the supplement recommendations! I'll look into them for sure.


----------



## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

That is an amazing x-ray (the original from the start of the post)


----------



## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

I am going to email this to a couple of people in rescue and at my vet office, and tell them her story, because it's so unreal. I am not saying I don't believe you! Just that your dog has gotten used to this level of pain as her normal, and has gone on from there apparently! I can't stop saying amazing. Especially when MRL put the picture below my dog's picture...ouch. Thank you for rescuing - they are like a box of chocolates, but you got a good one despite her injury! 

Oh - duh, editing - some other thoughts. 

1. Supplements - I do like the Springtime - they have a different kinds, and you know, send them a picture of that xray and say hey, what do you think.  http://www.springtimeinc.com/comfort-guide-for-dogs Another very good one is Dasuquin with the MSM and you can find that online for various prices. Is the evidence there? I don't know. 

2. A good bed, and less jumping will probably help her. She probably won't lay on the good bed.  But at least she'll have it. To help her get up and in to the front of the truck, you can use a Ruffwear harness - they look very cool, people will comment on her even more and it's like hoisting a piece of luggage - the only thing I will caution is the first few times she will be using more of her power, you will also overestimate and you will want to make sure the passenger window is up because she will fly! www.ruffwear.com various prices again to shop around. 

3. PT at a good rehab vet - watch the packages - you can't tell with the packages what is working and what isn't. Like my GSD (not the xray dog) got the laser and underwater treadmill. She hates exercises so liked laying there with the laser, didn't like the treadmill, I saw great improvement - not sure why, and what I would do with her if we had to go again. So I would like to do one modality at a time now, evaluate, try something else. 

4. Adequan - such a good thing for dogs and may be something to either start now, or have in mind for the future. 

There's a lot of things you could throw your money at, I like to try to find the information that shows it works before doing so. 

Definitely keep us updated!


----------



## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

I'm not good at looking at xrays but even I can say that is a seriously messed up hip and leg. ouch!!! 

Depending upon what your ortho vets suggest, I'd consider accupuncture & chiropractic (the chiro will help with the alignment of the rest of the body - not so much with that hip/leg I think). I would also seek an wholistic vet for alternative herbs and such to help with her comfort.

The damage seems so extreme that I would have thought a good vet would have seen something wrong with that "group of body parts" from a physical exam that you should have been given/gotten at the get-go. 

She's lovely and I hope you can find something to make her even more comfortable.


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

JeanKBBMMMAAN said:


> I am going to email this to a couple of people in rescue and at my vet office, and tell them her story, because it's so unreal. I am not saying I don't believe you! Just that your dog has gotten used to this level of pain as her normal, and has gone on from there apparently! I can't stop saying amazing. Especially when MRL put the picture below my dog's picture...ouch.


Yeah, feel free to share! Her story is definitely unreal to me too. We've had her since May and had no idea something was even wrong with her. Let me know if anyone you send it to has any advice/opinions! I'm trying to get as much advice as I can so I can help her.


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

middleofnowhere said:


> I'm not good at looking at xrays but even I can say that is a seriously messed up hip and leg. ouch!!!
> 
> Depending upon what your ortho vets suggest, I'd consider accupuncture & chiropractic (the chiro will help with the alignment of the rest of the body - not so much with that hip/leg I think). I would also seek an wholistic vet for alternative herbs and such to help with her comfort.
> 
> ...


Thanks for your suggestions! 

And I don't blame my vet for not being able to tell by a physical exam that something was wrong. I'm around her every day and couldn't tell. She was at the shelter two different times before I adopted her and was seen by vets both times without them realizing. I took her for an exam as soon as I adopted her and that vet didn't notice. And she has seen three different vets at the practice I go to, but none of them could tell. The way I see it, if none of the vets she has seen could tell, it must be really hard to notice. 

Thanks for the well-wishes!


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

JeanKBBMMMAAN said:


> Oh - duh, editing - some other thoughts.
> 
> 1. Supplements - I do like the Springtime - they have a different kinds, and you know, send them a picture of that xray and say hey, what do you think.  Comfort Guide for Dogs | Springtime Inc. Another very good one is Dasuquin with the MSM and you can find that online for various prices. Is the evidence there? I don't know.
> 
> ...


I'll send an email about the supplements! I'm doing a lot of research on supplements right now to see what might help. 

She has a dog bed, but of course she never ever lays on it. She's a diva and prefers my bed.  I'm going to try to build her some steps to get up onto my bed. Hopefully she'll actually use them! I've been lifting her into the backseat whenever we have to go anywhere in the truck, but I think for now I'll just stick to driving my car whenever she needs to go somewhere to avoid her jumping. 

That's great advice about trying one modality at a time! Reagan loves exercise and running since she's only 2, so hopefully that will give us some good options for therapy. 

I really appreciate all your advice!


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

I could really use some advice. I sent Reagan's X-ray to a friend of mine who is a vet. She was shocked at the x-rays, but said she would do one of two things.

1. FHO: go in and grind down the bone to smooth it out and make it less painful. This is risky though due to her weight and would be a tougher recovery.

2. Amputation: this would be the easier recovery and less risky. 

I just can't imagine amputating her leg when she seems to act just fine. I wish I had a way of talking to her and seeing if she is in pain, because I have no idea. What would you do in this situation? Obviously I'm still waiting to hear back from the orthopedic vet, but these are just some things to think about.


----------



## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Wait, get other opinions from ortho's. I wouldn't amputate unless it is the only option.
Many dogs go through FHO's on both hips and recover well. The only thing about Reagans situation is the bowing of that bone....but she obviously lives with it well.


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

onyx'girl said:


> Wait, get other opinions from ortho's. I wouldn't amputate unless it is the only option.
> Many dogs go through FHO's on both hips and recover well. The only thing about Reagans situation is the bowing of that bone....but she obviously lives with it well.


I'm definitely waiting! I just hadn't even considered amputation until that vet suggested it. She said FHO's are usually more successful with dogs who weigh less, plus all the scar tissue that's already there can play a factor. I live pretty close to UGA's vet school, so I may try to get a consult there.


----------



## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

for getting into and out of vehicles, consider a dog ramp. They work really well.


----------



## DutchKarin (Nov 23, 2013)

I wonder if you can't send this to a good nearby vet school. Seems like this would be a very interesting case and who knows, maybe they would help you out. A couple of times I have consulted with UC Davis Vet Hospital faculty and they actually email me back and discuss with me. 

Thank you for sharing the photos... sobering to say the least.

She is very lucky/blessed to have you!!!!!


----------



## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

at least that other hip looks great. Compensating though may have some wear and tear happening. I agree with trying the vet school....though they generally don't do things pro-bono


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

Do any of you guys think there is a possibility of this being osteosarcoma or some other type of bone cancer? I just wonder because she hasn't really shown any symptoms until the last month or so.


----------



## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

I am not a Dr. So my word is nothing. But it does not in any way look like bone cancer, osteo or chondro.


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

gsdsar said:


> I am not a Dr. So my word is nothing. But it does not in any way look like bone cancer, osteo or chondro.


Thanks! I've sent the x-rays to 2 vets I know, and one said trauma (recommended FHO or amputation) and the other said it could be osteosarcoma. I'm really hoping the second vet is wrong. 

It's just so hard to believe that a couple days ago I was worried about her maybe having HD and needing some pain medication or supplements, and now we're looking at some major possible problems. I really hope I hear back from the orthopedic vet Monday. All this waiting gives my mind too much time to come up with worst case scenarios.


----------



## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

Poor baby! As often as I've wished rescued dogs could talk and tell me their stories, sometimes I think hearing them would be heartbreaking. What a trooper she is. She's so very lucky to be getting good care now.


----------



## Debanneball (Aug 28, 2014)

When I took Stella in the car, I put a cooler behind the passenger seat, then a memory foam topper across it and the seat so she had a nice play to lay. She could easily step into the car behind the driver seat...


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

Thanks for all the support and advice everyone! I'll be sure to update when I hear back from the orthopedic vet.

I was thinking this morning about her injury, and I started to wonder if this could be part of the reason for her anxiety around new dogs. Maybe if she is hurting or can't function as well, it might make her nervous around dogs that she doesn't know. Just a thought I had, not sure if there's any truth to it or not.


----------



## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Here is Rafi's supplement regime:

1/2 tsp Ester C x 2
2 Springtime Omega 3-6-9 fish oil
1.5 scoops Springtime Longevity x 2
.5 scoop In Clover Connectin x 2
1 gel cap Curcumin
3 eggshell liners 

He also gets Only Natural Pet Get Up and Go if he is getting extra exercise or stiff. I often give him joint support treats too. 

This has made such a big difference in his quality of life!


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

BowWowMeow said:


> Here is Rafi's supplement regime:
> 
> 1/2 tsp Ester C x 2
> 2 Springtime Omega 3-6-9 fish oil
> ...


Thank you! I'm doing a lot of research on supplements right now, so I appreciate hearing what has worked for other people. I'm thinking definitely some fish oil and Ester C, along with possibly some others.


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

Just out of curiosity, how would you guys rate her right hip? I'm hoping it is really great since she's using it so much more than the left.


----------



## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

I don't know about the other hip but the FHO can work on heavier dogs if done by a vet who does them a lot/is good at it. My vet did one on a 108# dog and she's done really well with it.


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

Update: I heard back from the orthopedic vet today. He thinks based on the look of the joint, she was injured as a puppy and blood supply to the head of the femur was cut off, causing the bone to die and dissolve. He said the head of the femur dying off like that is more common in puppies before they are done growing. He gave us two options:

1. THR: my personal vet worries about the long period of crate rest afterwards since Reagan is very active and seems to not care about being in pain. Plus, she has some crate anxiety when crated for long periods of time. 

2. FHO: Probably the best choice given the situation. However, my vet and the orthopedic vet are both concerned about the muscle atrophy that has already occurred in that leg. They think she won't regain as much function after the surgery because the muscles in that leg have already deteriorated so much from her using that leg less. If the surgery could have taken place right after the injury, this wouldn't be an issue. They aren't worried about her weight since she is lean and only 65 pounds. 

It's looking like we'll probably go with the FHO, but I am worried about her recovery due to her lack of muscle. Also, my apartment is on the second floor, so I'm pretty worried about her having to deal with steps frequently after surgery. Any advice is appreciated!


----------



## Mary Jane (Mar 3, 2006)

I am so happy for Reagan that she found you-it's clear how deeply you two have bonded. I have no expertise here at all, but I wonder if it's worth visiting a physical therapist to ask about the possibility of building up any muscle to hold that hip in place after the FHO. I am not suggesting to doubt the orthopedist, it's just PT people work at restoration of function. Anyway, I really hope she gets treatment that will help.


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

Mary Jane said:


> I am so happy for Reagan that she found you-it's clear how deeply you two have bonded. I have no expertise here at all, but I wonder if it's worth visiting a physical therapist to ask about the possibility of building up any muscle to hold that hip in place after the FHO. I am not suggesting to doubt the orthopedist, it's just PT people work at restoration of function. Anyway, I really hope she gets treatment that will help.



Thank you! And yes, we have definitely developed a deep bond. I love her so much and can't wait to hopefully stop this pain that she has been in for who knows how long. 

I agree with you about checking with a physical therapist (I'll actually be starting my doctorate in physical therapy in May, so I appreciate the field's importance  ), but I worry that any physical therapy before surgery to try and build muscle would be really painful for her with the way the joint is now. I plan on calling a canine rehab place near me before surgery to get their opinion! We will definitely be going there after surgery.


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

Reagan's FHO surgery has been scheduled for next Wednesday. I'm nervous, but I'm looking forward to her hopefully being pain free. If anyone has tips or suggestions for post-FHO recovery, I would love to read them!


----------



## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

there's a yahoo group for that. I visited when we did TTA on the late barker the younger. Don't have the link for you but it's out there.

Wishing Reagan an easy surgery and quick recovery.


----------



## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Good luck and thanks for taking such wonderful care of your pup!


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

middleofnowhere said:


> there's a yahoo group for that. I visited when we did TTA on the late barker the younger. Don't have the link for you but it's out there.
> 
> Wishing Reagan an easy surgery and quick recovery.


Thank you! I searched for the yahoo group and found it, but the admin emailed me and suggested their Facebook group instead since more people visit it. I've posted on there and am already getting some great advice!


----------



## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I would much rather deal with fb pages than yahoo groups....I think yahoo group pages are frustrating, and most of them are going the way of fb for immediate response time, and ease of reading threads.
I hope you find good support and advice regardless! Prayers for Reagan to have a smooth procedure and easy recovery.


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

I just dropped Reagan off at the vet this morning for her surgery. They said they'll call me and let me know how it went when they're done. I also asked them to xray her front left shoulder when they do post-op X-rays just to make sure that one wasn't injured when the back leg was. Hopefully everything goes well! I can't wait to get her home tomorrow.


----------



## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Thoughts for you today....Prayers that the procedure and recovery go smoothly.


----------



## McWeagle (Apr 23, 2014)

I'll be thinking of both of you today! Good luck with the surgery and the recovery. She's a lucky dog to have found you.


----------



## Debanneball (Aug 28, 2014)

All the best Ann... Good luck to Reagan! Prayers.....


----------



## MyHans-someBoy (Feb 23, 2013)

Best of luck on Reagan's surgery! It should bring a lot of relief for her.
Let us know how she's doing. 
Thinking of you both today...


----------



## kelbonc (Aug 25, 2014)

Thinking of Regan and best wishes for a positive outcome from her surgery today. 



annap24;6428234 If anyone has tips or suggestions for post-FHO recovery said:


> After the post op healing process hydrotherapy can be very beneficial to build back muscle tone. You could ask you Vet about this therapy and hopefully you have a facility that offers hydrotherapy near your location.


----------



## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

Hoping for a quick recovery!!!


----------



## DutchKarin (Nov 23, 2013)

Sending good thoughts to both of you. You are a saint in my book.


----------



## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

Checking back in for an update!


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

Thanks so much everyone for all the support! Sorry I didn't update sooner. It's been a hectic day. I talked to the surgeon this afternoon and he said the surgery went great! He said she already has a much better range of motion and her post op X-rays look great (including the front left shoulder that I got him to check just in case). He cleaned out the joint to make sure there are no more bone fragments or anything. He thinks her recovery will go really smoothly since she's already used to not having a joint on that leg. I can't wait to pick up my girl tomorrow!


----------



## GypsyGhost (Dec 29, 2014)

So glad to hear that the surgery went so well! Best wishes for a speedy recovery!


----------



## MyHans-someBoy (Feb 23, 2013)

Wonderful...just what I wanted to hear!!!


----------



## McWeagle (Apr 23, 2014)

Yay! So glad everything went well!


----------



## Debanneball (Aug 28, 2014)

That is the best news of the day!


----------



## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

very good news! Get some sleep tonight, because tomorrow you'll be playing nurse.


----------



## kelbonc (Aug 25, 2014)

Wonderful news!! So glad everything went well.


----------



## VTGirlT (May 23, 2013)

Wow! so great to hear the surgery went well! 
So glad this got a turn in the right direction for you both! 
Keep us updated on recovery when you can


----------



## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Wow, I just caught this. She was destined for you i guess. Hoping for a good recovery - Canine PT is wonderful if you can get in. There is a lot they can do in water with underwater treadmills etc.


----------



## KentuckyFenway (Jul 27, 2014)

Hope she's doing well! Remember that the most important part of an FHO is the rehab. Live and breathe it. Do exactly what the vet says and don't stop after a few weeks because she seems to be doing ok. I hope she makes an awesome recovery. I went through this with one of my guys last year so I know what you're going through. I came home one day and she was limping... x-rays told us she had severe HD and her hip had come out of socket randomly. Mine is a smaller dog so she was really easy to rehab at 17 lbs.


----------



## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

Thanks for the good news update.


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

Thanks everyone for the support! I just talked to the vet again and he said she's doing great. When a tech took her out to the bathroom this morning, he said she was already using the leg! I'm picking her up around 5 today. I'm currently trying to take the legs off my bed so it will be on the floor and she can get on and off without jumping.


----------



## Debanneball (Aug 28, 2014)

Good luck today! When my dogs had surgery or were sick, I slept on the floor with them...so uncomfortable..


----------



## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Please keep the story and posts going. New x-rays etc. Your story will be an inspiration to those with far less of a battle than you have/are facing.


----------



## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

I'm am happy today finds her doing well!


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

She's home! We had a little incident leaving the vet though. She wears a martingale collar because she backs out when she gets scared, but there's a normal clip on it too for tags. The tech hooked her to the normal clip when he brought her out, and she backed out of the collar when we got to the parking lot. A car was pulling in right as she got out and I was so terrified. But the car stopped and I grabbed Reagan and fixed the collar so all is well. 

So far she's doing good! She puts weight on the leg when walking. The only time she has lifted it is when she was pooping. She handled the stairs up to my apartment better than I expected. I supported her belly, but she was trying to use the leg. She drank a lot of water when we got back, which makes me happy. Here are some pictures!

Full body








She's happy I put the mattress on the ground. 















Post-op X-rays








Sleeping peacefully and cuddling with her Galileo


----------



## McWeagle (Apr 23, 2014)

I love the third pic! You can tell she missed you sooo much!


----------



## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Hope she takes it easy and recovers well. She surely is a stoic pup!


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

onyx'girl said:


> Hope she takes it easy and recovers well. She surely is a stoic pup!


Getting her to take it easy will definitely be the hardest part! I think since she's so used to being in pain that the post-op pain isn't bothering her that much. She isn't wanting to do a lot though, which I'm glad about. She's been relaxing on the mattress since I picked her up other than getting up to get water and then eat dinner.


----------



## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I can not recommend swimming as part of the rehab after the stitches are out enough. It has helped us tremendously She looks good and after a while she will feel great!


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

llombardo said:


> I can not recommend swimming as part of the rehab after the stitches are out enough. It has helped us tremendously She looks good and after a while she will feel great!


Thanks for the advice! Are you talking about doing the underwater treadmill at a rehab facility?


----------



## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

annap24 said:


> Thanks for the advice! Are you talking about doing the underwater treadmill at a rehab facility?


I found a place that is focused on rehab for this kind of stuff. The water is clean and 92 degrees. They even dry him really good afterwards. Upside he hasn't shedded since he started swimming


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

llombardo said:


> I found a place that is focused on rehab for this kind of stuff. The water is clean and 92 degrees. They even dry him really good afterwards. Upside he hasn't shedded since he started swimming



That is awesome! I found a rehab place near me that offers the underwater treadmill, but it's $100 per session which is a little too high for my budget right now since I just spent almost all of my emergency fund on the actual surgery. I'm trying to find some other options as far as swimming goes!


----------



## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

annap24 said:


> That is awesome! I found a rehab place near me that offers the underwater treadmill, but it's $100 per session which is a little too high for my budget right now since I just spent almost all of my emergency fund on the actual surgery. I'm trying to find some other options as far as swimming goes!


I pay $60 for a half hour, we go twice a week. There is a ledge inside the pool that he walks back and forth on. I think that has helped tremendously. Just like a person walking in a pool. I'm going to swim him until March and he will have his second FHO then resume swimming. I really wanted to just buy a pool this summer but I might have to wait. Hopefully he keeps building muscle.

Not the greatest picture but you can see the ledge.


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

llombardo said:


> I pay $60 for a half hour, we go twice a week. There is a ledge inside the pool that he walks back and forth on. I think that has helped tremendously. Just like a person walking in a pool. I'm going to swim him until March and he will have his second FHO then resume swimming. I really wanted to just buy a pool this summer but I might have to wait. Hopefully he keeps building muscle.
> 
> Not the greatest picture but you can see the ledge.


He looks like he's enjoying himself! Did you help out with his swimming or was it a vet that assisted him? I've had some people say they just took their dog swimming after an FHO on their own (about 2-3 months post-op) and others have said a dog should never swim after an FHO without a rehab specialist there to make sure they're doing it right, so I'm not sure what I should do. 

She's doing pretty well so far! She woke up a couple of times during the night whining. Ive been giving her Tramadol as directed, so I'm not sure if she's in pain or if she's whining because the medicine makes her feel weird. Also, her shaved area is cool to the touch, except for right around the incision where it is a little warmer. I expected her to not be able to insulate as well without fur, but I wasn't expecting her skin to actually be cool to the touch. I'm not sure if that's normal or not.


----------



## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Did the vet who did the procedure give you any info on PT and aftercare? You'd think they'd have a pamphlet with places to go for it. It sure is expensive going to water therapy.


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

onyx'girl said:


> Did the vet who did the procedure give you any info on PT and aftercare? You'd think they'd have a pamphlet with places to go for it. It sure is expensive going to water therapy.


They gave me an at-home PT guide with week by week instructions for rehab exercises and told me if I followed it, she would most likely recover well without additional therapy. They told me the only place they know of near here is the canine rehab place with the underwater treadmill. They also have a lot of other types of therapy. I called them to set up a consult and they said it would be $100 for the consult, then they offer rehab through packages only and the packages start at $800 for eight 30 minute sessions. I would love to do it if I could, but I just don't think I can manage it right now. That's almost the same price as the surgery because it was only $950.


----------



## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

I'm glad she's home and looking good. That's some radical haircut! 

For swimming/walking in water work -- In three months, the weather will be lots warmer. You can get a metal stock tank for about $200 or maybe on Craigslist for less -- that might work for an in-your yard pool. I'm not sure what to do about getting the dog in the pool. Maybe a couple of those heavy steps used for mounting horses? Unfortunately those aren't cheap. Dog ramp might be a better idea.


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

middleofnowhere said:


> I'm glad she's home and looking good. That's some radical haircut!
> 
> For swimming/walking in water work -- In three months, the weather will be lots warmer. You can get a metal stock tank for about $200 or maybe on Craigslist for less -- that might work for an in-your yard pool. I'm not sure what to do about getting the dog in the pool. Maybe a couple of those heavy steps used for mounting horses? Unfortunately those aren't cheap. Dog ramp might be a better idea.



That's a great idea to get a stock tank! I didn't think of that. Also, a dog boarding/daycare place near me has an indoor pool that you can rent out. It's $25 for 30 minutes of swim time. Once she's more comfortable on the leg, I may try that to get a better range of motion. 

I think you edited your post, but here's a better comparison of the pre-op vs post-op X-rays. They took off the rough parts of the bone, but most of the surgery was cleaning out the joint/debridement because there was a great deal of scar tissue and some bone fragments. Her pelvis still looks rough, but there's not much they could do for it. Now that the bone isn't rubbing up against it, hopefully the joint will be pain free!


----------



## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

annap24 said:


> They gave me an at-home PT guide with week by week instructions for rehab exercises and told me if I followed it, she would most likely recover well without additional therapy. They told me the only place they know of near here is the canine rehab place with the underwater treadmill. They also have a lot of other types of therapy. I called them to set up a consult and they said it would be $100 for the consult, then they offer rehab through packages only and the packages start at $800 for eight 30 minute sessions. I would love to do it if I could, but I just don't think I can manage it right now. That's almost the same price as the surgery because it was only $950.


$950 for the surgery? Geez, I paid right around $2000 for the first one, plus another $1500 for the ER and speciality vet

I would be real hesitant letting them to just go swimming on their own until I knew they were strong enough to do so. I do not go into the water with mine. Are you doing any cold or warm therapy? That was pretty important in the beginning. My vet did several cold laser therapies on mine before he left the office.


----------



## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I've looked at the stock tanks, I don't think they are long enough. Another option would be a rectangular kids pool that is high enough to cause resistance while walking. I think that is what I'm going to do for this summer at least.


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

llombardo said:


> $950 for the surgery? Geez, I paid right around $2000 for the first one, plus another $1500 for the ER and speciality vet
> 
> I would be real hesitant letting them to just go swimming on their own until I knew they were strong enough to do so. I do not go into the water with mine. Are you doing any cold or warm therapy? That was pretty important in the beginning. My vet did several cold laser therapies on mine before he left the office.


Yeah, I was pretty surprised it was so cheap! I guess prices are just lower in my area, so I'm lucky. 

I wasn't planning on doing swimming for at least a few months, probably around summertime once she's closer to being back to normal. The home rehab guide the vet gave me has me doing ice packs 3-4 times a day and moist heat before her rehab starting in a few days. No moist heat for the first few days until the swelling is completely gone. Is that what you mean?


----------



## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

annap24 said:


> Yeah, I was pretty surprised it was so cheap! I guess prices are just lower in my area, so I'm lucky.
> 
> I wasn't planning on doing swimming for at least a few months, probably around summertime once she's closer to being back to normal. The home rehab guide the vet gave me has me doing ice packs 3-4 times a day and moist heat before her rehab starting in a few days. No moist heat for the first few days until the swelling is completely gone. Is that what you mean?


Yes about the ice packs and moist heat. Swimming can be started as soon as the stitches come out. It helps build muscle. In my case its building muscle for the next surgery. The rehab part is really about building muscle and making sure that there is a good range of motion, it doesn't matter how, as long as you get there


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

llombardo said:


> Yes about the ice packs and moist heat. Swimming can be started as soon as the stitches come out. It helps build muscle. In my case its building muscle for the next surgery. The rehab part is really about building muscle and making sure that there is a good range of motion, it doesn't matter how, as long as you get there


Thank you so much! Luckily Reagan's stitches are all internal so nothing has to be taken out. I was thinking of waiting a couple months at least before trying to swim her. 

I really appreciate you saying that about "it doesn't matter how", because a lot of people I've talked to have said the underwater treadmill is basically a necessity if you want the dog to have a good recovery. It makes me feel so guilty that I can't afford it at the moment because I want Reagan to have the best recovery possible. I feel a little better since you said that.  I plan on doing everything in my power to make sure her rehab goes as great as it can.


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

Also, here's a video of her walking this morning if anyone is interested! Sorry it's dark, I only had my lamp on.


----------



## Debanneball (Aug 28, 2014)

Wow, so so glad Reagan is doing so well! The video, she does great! Now, if that were me, I'd be crawling..... Reagan's a champ!


----------



## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

Debanneball said:


> Wow, so so glad Reagan is doing so well! The video, she does great! Now, if that were me, I'd be crawling..... Reagan's a champ!


Hec, I'd be I bed demanding a morphine drip!!! If you looked up Stoic in the dictionary, this dog's picture is next to it!


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

Lilie said:


> Hec, I'd be I bed demanding a morphine drip!!! If you looked up Stoic in the dictionary, this dog's picture is next to it!


She is a fighter, that's for sure! She's been through more in her short three year life than most dogs ever go through, but she's still happy all the time. She's taking full advantage of the fact that I feel sorry for her and is insisting on constant cuddles, not that I mind.


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

We've had our first setback.  Reagan whined and panted most of last night, but I assumed it was the anesthesia wearing off. She did it again this morning, then this afternoon she hid under the kitchen table and was trembling, whining and kept backing towards the corner of the room. She even growled a little. I realized all of this starts within an hour of her getting a dose of tramadol. I called the e-vet because she's due for another dose in an hour. He told me dogs rarely have any side effects with tramadol and it may be something else, but to try not giving it to her tonight and see if she acts normally. He thinks she may just be in pain, but I don't think this is pain. I think she's scared something is going to get her. Poor thing. 

I'll be calling my regular vet in the morning if she does well tonight to see about getting her medicine switched. I'm praying she isn't in pain tonight without the tramadol. I just hate seeing her terrified like this.


----------



## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I took mine off the Rimadyl and Tramadol within a couple days, then went to as needed for a couple days. Up the ice packs and do them longer. I started using tumeric, that actually helped quite a bit. I hate seeing them in pain. I would keep Her completely immobile except for the short walks several times a day. You don't want her to over do it. No jumping or anything. How high is the bed? Can she walk on to it?

I used this set up to stop him from moving and doing damage


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

llombardo said:


> I took mine off the Rimadyl and Tramadol within a couple days, then went to as needed for a couple days. Up the ice packs and do them longer. I started using tumeric, that actually helped quite a bit. I hate seeing them in pain. I would keep Her completely immobile except for the short walks several times a day. You don't want her to over do it. No jumping or anything. How high is the bed? Can she walk on to it?
> 
> I used this set up to stop him from moving and doing damage


She's on Meloxicam and Tramadol right now. I thought about taking her off the tramadol completely, but she's so stoic that I worry she would be in pain without me knowing. I'll try using the ice packs more!

That is a great set up! I keep her in my bedroom most of the time. I took her outside earlier to pee and when I came back in, I let her stay in the living room with me for a few minutes. She was just laying at my feet whining, then suddenly got up and went to hide under the kitchen table. I've been trying to keep her as immobile as possible. When we're in my room she lays on the mattress next to me most of the time, except for every so often when she starts trying to pace. She HATES being crated or confined by gates, x-pen, etc. despite my best counter-conditioning attempts, so one room is the best I can do for now. 

And I moved my mattress onto the floor so she just walks right onto it.


----------



## Aviorwolf (Apr 10, 2013)

The Tramadol is pretty unlikely to cause many side effects. Meloxicam would be more prone to do that, however. My dog is on two Tramadol per day for arthritis and has been ok with it, but when we tried Rimadyl several years ago she literally went psycho.
With your vet's approval, you could maybe try stopping the Meloxicam for a day or two and see if it makes any difference. Symptoms you're describing could be pain, but of course so many other things, too. Hope she feels much better soon!


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

Aviorwolf said:


> The Tramadol is pretty unlikely to cause many side effects. Meloxicam would be more prone to do that, however. My dog is on two Tramadol per day for arthritis and has been ok with it, but when we tried Rimadyl several years ago she literally went psycho.
> With your vet's approval, you could maybe try stopping the Meloxicam for a day or two and see if it makes any difference. Symptoms you're describing could be pain, but of course so many other things, too. Hope she feels much better soon!


The e-vet said side effects with tramadol are rare, but suggested we skip last night's dose and see how she acted. She didn't whine or pace at all last night and slept peacefully for the first time since I brought her home. I didn't give her any this morning either and she has been fine all day. The vet said since it stopped when we stopped the tramadol, it is probably the cause. She still got her Meloxicam last night with no side effects. I guess she's just a weird dog...


----------



## Aviorwolf (Apr 10, 2013)

Glad she had a good night! Yes, every dog (and human) is different, so you never know. And you'll probably never know if it was the Tramadol, or if she is just recovering normally and would have been fine with or without the Tramadol. Anyway, the main thing is she's feeling better!


----------



## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

Glad you got that one figured out! Just looking at those xrays -- oh my! She's so lucky she found you.


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

I'm so glad she's feeling better. She's acting much more like her normal self today. She even stretched out both of her back legs today, which surprised me. I don't think she's ever stretched the left one before. Apparently she's not in a lot of pain without the tramadol. She's sleeping with the incision side towards the ground. It makes me cringe, but she seems comfortable.

It looks like now the hard part will be keeping her from being too active at first. She has so much more energy today!


----------



## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

annap24 said:


> I'm so glad she's feeling better. She's acting much more like her normal self today. She even stretched out both of her back legs today, which surprised me. I don't think she's ever stretched the left one before. Apparently she's not in a lot of pain without the tramadol. She's sleeping with the incision side towards the ground. It makes me cringe, but she seems comfortable.
> 
> It looks like now the hard part will be keeping her from being too active at first. She has so much more energy today!


Exactly how I felt and what I observed. I was to worried about the drugs affecting his organs and mine did fine without them to.


----------



## kelbonc (Aug 25, 2014)

Glad to hear she spent a good night and is feeling better today. You must be so relieved to see her act more like her normal self and start to regain her energy. Best wishes for the rest of her recovery.


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

llombardo said:


> Exactly how I felt and what I observed. I was to worried about the drugs affecting his organs and mine did fine without them to.


Did you have to do anything special to keep your boy from over-exerting himself? Reagan is calm about 50% of the time, but the other 50% she wants to be up and moving. Every time I take her outside, she tries to pull me towards our fenced in area where I usually take her to run. She's started signaling that she needs to go out way more frequently than usual, but when I take her out she doesn't have to go. I think she just wants to be doing something, but I can't keep taking her out so frequently because we have to go up and down a flight of stairs every time which isn't good for her this early on.

I've tried giving her a PB kong, but she would rather throw it around and try to pounce on it than lay down and get the peanut butter out. 

She is doing remarkably well and bears weight on the leg all the time, even when we use the stairs. I just don't want her to over-do it, but I'm not sure how to keep her still.


----------



## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

annap24 said:


> Did you have to do anything special to keep your boy from over-exerting himself? Reagan is calm about 50% of the time, but the other 50% she wants to be up and moving. Every time I take her outside, she tries to pull me towards our fenced in area where I usually take her to run. She's started signaling that she needs to go out way more frequently than usual, but when I take her out she doesn't have to go. I think she just wants to be doing something, but I can't keep taking her out so frequently because we have to go up and down a flight of stairs every time which isn't good for her this early on.
> 
> I've tried giving her a PB kong, but she would rather throw it around and try to pounce on it than lay down and get the peanut butter out.
> 
> She is doing remarkably well and bears weight on the leg all the time, even when we use the stairs. I just don't want her to over-do it, but I'm not sure how to keep her still.



It was hard. I ended up with two ex-pens. I put one outside and he moved it while he was in it. I had him in the house in the pen and I was outside, when I turned around there he was with my shoe next to him as he pooped. He ate part of one of the ex-pen, it was pure torture for him. Once he had the stitches out(2weeks) he started swimming and I gave him more freedom. I held my breath because I was terrified he was going to do damage, but he always settled down nicely when he had enough. It was hard and I have to do it all over again with the other leg, I'm looking so forward to that.


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

llombardo said:


> It was hard. I ended up with two ex-pens. I put one outside and he moved it while he was in it. I had him in the house in the pen and I was outside, when I turned around there he was with my shoe next to him as he pooped. He ate part of one of the ex-pen, it was pure torture for him. Once he had the stitches out(2weeks) he started swimming and I gave him more freedom. I held my breath because I was terrified he was going to do damage, but he always settled down nicely when he had enough. It was hard and I have to do it all over again with the other leg, I'm looking so forward to that.


I worry about putting Reagan in an ex-pen because she has jumped them in the past, and I definitely don't want her jumping this soon after surgery. I guess I'll just have to keep her confined to one room and hope for the best. The vet told me after 2 weeks I could loosen up and let her do more of what she wants. I just wasn't expecting her to bounce back so quickly. From what I've read, most dogs don't even toe touch for the first few days, and Reagan is already weight-bearing even when she trots. 

I'm so glad we only have to do this once! Best of luck to you on round two!


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

Here's a few picture updates today. 

The incision Thursday night vs today:








Enjoying the breeze:








Standing more normally:


----------



## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Looking great...


----------



## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

Very nice!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## annap24 (Jul 22, 2014)

Today has gone pretty well! Reagan is doing better about taking it easy. Her incision looks better. I managed to get a video of her dreaming today and thought I would share. I think she's dreaming about when she can go running again.  But she's using mostly the bad leg in the dream!


----------

