My Jade has this surgery a year ago, both knees same time. She stayed at the Vet's for the 1st four days, then 3 months of very detailed home therapy. My 8 year old acts like she is 3 now. She is Lab/Border Collie:Staples for first 2 weeks. Then another month of limited mobility. They will struggle the first 3 days trying to walk around. I set up her food and water in the living room right by her. Put a mattress protector over her blanket. There will be some leaks. Expect some whining the first night. Lot of swelling and redness for the first week. She gets a lot of pills for the surgery. Those I hand feed her with peanut butter.
It’s not to bad if a recovery. She had 2 torn acl’s. First recovery was pretty time consuming. Me recovering from surgery trying to get a 100lbs dog down 2 stairs to go outside. This one she could maybe go 10’ at a time then lay down in the grass. Had some 20-30 minute outings just for her to go 20’ to poop.
This second one with one good leg has been way easier. She moves pretty good on 3 legs. Now she’s starting to walk on the repaired one. She has way more energy and is more alert this time. It’s going to be a struggle to keep her slow for the next 5 weeks.
It seems like a horrible surgery and looks just as bad when they’re done. But she Acts a lot happier now then before. On this surgery I think she looked happier by day 2 then before she went in.
First 2 weeks is the incision healing, the next 4 weeks is the bone healing with the screws. Then the month and a half after that is getting the muscle and mobility back.
Hope that helps.
pics are of 10 days after this surgery and the other healed leg from 3 months ago. The shaved paw on the other side is where they put her fentanyl patch at. She had tlpo’s put in both. Expensive but worth it.
This makes me so happy for you. I lost my dog into year two of waiting (still waiting) and I lost cyber orange. Bittersweet.
