Denna's got a limp...

[Bailey's Mom]

Poor DeanasMom, it's hard to be away when your girl needs you. Moms make any illness better just by being there. I hope that she makes a full recovery and that you can avoid the operation. Blessings on all three of you!

 

[DennasMom]

I'm back home - took Denna to her therapy visit (treadmill/laser/acupuncture) on Friday. The techs all said she was more relaxed with me versus DH... which makes sense to me, as I'm the one who's done all the training classes, is home all day (except when not), and cuddles with her at night...

BUT... she did try some of her new tricks when on the treadmill... losing focus and drifting off the tread. I think she's BORED with the treadmill. I put a video of her visit up on her facebook page (link, below).

I'm going to drop her formal therapy visits to one/week and get her out for some free-form swimming. We're only a few miles from Lake Washington, and there are some parks close that allow for minimal walking to get to the water, so we won't over-do it before we get in the water.

She is doing well... hard to gauge progress, but I think it's there, and we're definitely not going backwards, which is good!

I just read the booklet by "RehabDeb", which tells me I need to get Denna back on her pain meds, since she does still limp some. We have meloxicam and tramadol, available (meloxicam from the current vet episode and tramadol left over from previous issues), and I can probably get my regular vet to agree to either. Any suggestions on which way to go?

I am giving her Turmeric/Golden Paste, so don't want to double-up on the blood thinner aspect. When not on meloxicam, there's no noticeable swelling. When on meloxicam, the limp pretty much disappears - which is what RehabDeb wants to see, as that helps with using the muscles and rehabbing the joint.

She was on meloxicam for 6 weeks, Feb/Mar, then I took her off it due to not wanting any long-term side-effects... but now I'm reading "long-term" is more than a year of use... so, I feel OK putting her back on it for a while. Unless anyone else has info they can share? Thanks!!

 

[Smokeycat]

From what I remember from Kryten's first surgery Meloxicam is an anti inflamitory where as Tramadol is a pain killer. I choose to go with Meloxicam because Tramadol caused aggression (and EXTREME stubbornness) in Kryten. He spent about 4 months taking both the brand name and the generic version Rumicam. He had no side effects at the time. When I gave it to him before his second surgery it caused vomiting (every pain meds tried did).
I don't know if it would apply to Denna's situation but he now receives Cartrophen injections monthly to help keep arthritis symptoms at bay. I think Adequan is what is used in the USA. That is the only medication he receives regularly in addition to coconut oil (about 4 tbsp daily) and a digestive/joint supplement.

 

[DennasMom]

Thanks Smokeycat. I think we're getting to the point where the daily pain is minimal - Denna almost forgot to limp this morning, and that's after a workout weekend with lots of walking at the beach (where she did get pain meds, Fri and Sat night). I think we'll be shifting more to the arthritis preventative versus a pain med. I've heard both Cartropehn or Adequan recommended from other groups, too. Good to know you're having some luck with it.

 

[DennasMom]

We had another great beach weekend with lots of walking and swimming. Denna definitely enjoys swimming in free waters versus the stinky treadmill (with the humid chlorine/bromine air, I don't really like breathing it in, either).
Came home from camping on Sunday night (5/21).
Monday night... "SQUIRREL" happened, and we're back to limping a lot again.

Another week of slow walks and the limp is improving again, but I can tell she re-injured it. I'm just glad she didn't tear it completely... I think we'd be scheduling surgery if she does that.

I ordered a Posh Knee brace for her... hopefully we'll have that next week. That should let us get her more active without fear of re-injuring the knee. The brace is supposed to keep the knee stable and allow the scar tissue to keep developing, even during activity. We'll see!

 

[Brinks]

Sorry to hear Denna is having such a long recovery. You're such a good parent with all that you're doing- hang in there!

 

[Boxergirl]

I had a boxer friend that used one of those braces for her boy. She was pleased with it. I sure hope it helps Denna.

 

[DennasMom]

These dang CCL tears are slow healer... have to not move it enough for scar tissue to build up, but move it enough to keep it able to move, and can't not move it when going out to potty, either...
So... it's a process, for sure.

Surgery has a similar recovery process (although expected to be of shorter duration), plus the added risks associated with surgeries and bone-cuts and implanted hardware... so... I'm ok avoiding that for now, and taking the slower road.

Good to hear others with good results using the brace, Boxergirl. I'll let you all know how it goes!

 

[DennasMom]

We now have a knee brace... one from Posh Brace. Still trying to figure out if we have it fit correctly.

Here are some videos that we sent off to Posh for them to see how we're doing.
Any thoughts from the gang here would be welcome! Thanks!

Walking with the Brace:

Trying to sit with the Brace:

 

[DennasMom]

Whew! We made it through June... Denna survived being, basically, home alone for 10 days while the DH and I went to Puerto Rico for a family vacation (I highly recommend vacationing on Puerto Rico, it was beautiful!!). She had some neighbors looking after her, and they were supposed to spend the night with her... but I'm not sure they did. I peeked in on our nanny cams a few times - she was alone 90% of the times I checked - and in a few of those, I saw her howling her loneliness to the ceiling.

Home from vacation in mid-June, I then went on two back-to-back biz trips, so another 2 weeks being home alone during the day (but with DH there in the evenings to keep her company... and her favorite dog-walker for a mid-day break).

Now, finally, we're all home, and ready to get back to healing that CCL tear!
All that R&R has really HELPED it, though. She's doing much better now than one month ago. I plan to get her out for some short, slow walks, and really gauge her progress, but I'd put her at 80% today. 8 months post-injury... we'll still be taking it easy for another 4 month, minimum... here's hoping progress continues!

Hope you all had Happy Independence Days!

 

[Bailey's Mom]

Oh, your poor pup, howling her heart out. It breaks my heart. But, it's past, you are home and love and care abounds.

Blessings upon your girl...hoping much healing in the days to come.

 

[DennasMom]

Just an update - another month of rehab for the knee, and it's doing really well. Denna still limps, but it's very slight, and only if she's moving faster than a walk. After a walk it does seem to get sore if I let her trot too much (still need to keep her SLOW on walks). She also went camping with us in early August and swam 4 days in a row, for a few hours each day - and had a GREAT time. I think the more she moves (especially swimming), the better the knee does... as long as there's no twisting movement in the exercises we do. We did have one little setback in July... playing tug, I spun her around too fast and the knee 'let go' (think, falling off your heels)... we stopped play immediately, and the next day the knee seemed to be no worse than before.

I'd put her at 90% right now... 100% will be when we can go on a 3 mile walk (with some trotting) and not see a limp. We've got a ways to go before that happens. From what NYDDB suggested... we're 9 months into an 18 month process. So, I'm still patient! Denna's mental health is fine, too, since we still get out for walks and adventures, just normally short ones (except when swimming is involved).

 

[Hector]

Oh my! I'm dealing with a limp too on the front leg. Am thinking it is a sprain / tissue injury thing. I think I will have to be patient also. It's hard, very hard. Hoping Denna will be healed up soon. I started giving Hector canna companion. It's expensive. Not sure it works, but it keeps him calm and sleeping more which is what I need him to do.

 

[DennasMom]

Ah, Dang, Hector! Limps are no fun.

I gave Denna some CBD drops from "Treatibles", but I can't tell if they do anything for her, either. She's really good at ignoring aches & pains, and she's such a professional napper, it's hard to tell when she's more calm than normal. LOL.

What I've found works most noticeable so far, is Turmeric Golden Paste. When she missed her GP for a few days, the limp/stiffness was definitely worse. It's an anti-inflammatory, aid blood circulation (and is an anticoagulant), and arthritis preventative (supposedly), so hopefully it delays the development of OA in that knee.

I hope Hector feels better soon!

 

[Hector]

Ah, Dang, Hector! Limps are no fun.

I gave Denna some CBD drops from "Treatibles", but I can't tell if they do anything for her, either. She's really good at ignoring aches & pains, and she's such a professional napper, it's hard to tell when she's more calm than normal. LOL.

What I've found works most noticeable so far, is Turmeric Golden Paste. When she missed her GP for a few days, the limp/stiffness was definitely worse. It's an anti-inflammatory, aid blood circulation (and is an anticoagulant), and arthritis preventative (supposedly), so hopefully it delays the development of OA in that knee.

I hope Hector feels better soon!

Thanks DM! Are you using hemp oil or cbd oil? Cbd oil cannot be legally sold through pet sites and such. You have to go to a pot shop and get cbd oil and my friend told me to get rso oil which contains the least amounts of thc. 100 lb dog only needs a drop half the size of a grain of rice and an oz costs $1200. Don't use the treatsy pet stuff and go get the real stuff if you decide to use it. I haven't used cbd oil yet but I can get it easily around here as there are like 2 in every town lol.

 

[DennasMom]

It says CBD... no THC included... hemp based.
https://www.treatibles.com/collections/shop/products/treatibles-dropper-bottles-90mg

I don't think I'm ready to drop $1200 on a bottle of pot oil...

 

[Hector]

It says CBD... no THC included... hemp based.
https://www.treatibles.com/collections/shop/products/treatibles-dropper-bottles-90mg

I don't think I'm ready to drop $1200 on a bottle of pot oil...

Hemp based and cbd are two different things. If a 100lb dog only requires a drop half the size of a grain of rice, an oz will last you forever. Of course you wouldn't be dropping 1200 right off the bat lol... You buy a small sample to try.

 

[DennasMom]

Just another update, now 1 year post initial injury.
I posted a new video of Denna walking around on Halloween. The limp is doing better... this week it's been really good. Per some info from Hector, we added SamE to her daily pill consumption, and I think that's really helped! The Hubby is taking that now, too. HA!

We also were off GLM for a few months and tried some other glucosamine/chondroitin supplements. I think we'll go back to just GLM and inClover's Connectin. That seems to be what's worked for her best this year. We need to finish the bottle of ActiFlex (horse version, pina colada flavor - ICK)... I don't see any difference with it, and since we put GLM back on the menu, with the SamE, things are doing much better.

Anyway - here's the latest video:
(I'm trying to show you her trot, where the limp is more visible, but she wasn't cooperating)

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1464211093656071

 

[Hector]

Just another update, now 1 year post initial injury.
I posted a new video of Denna walking around on Halloween. The limp is doing better... this week it's been really good. Per some info from Hector, we added SamE to her daily pill consumption, and I think that's really helped! The Hubby is taking that now, too. HA!

We also were off GLM for a few months and tried some other glucosamine/chondroitin supplements. I think we'll go back to just GLM and inClover's Connectin. That seems to be what's worked for her best this year. We need to finish the bottle of ActiFlex (horse version, pina colada flavor - ICK)... I don't see any difference with it, and since we put GLM back on the menu, with the SamE, things are doing much better.

Anyway - here's the latest video:
(I'm trying to show you her trot, where the limp is more visible, but she wasn't cooperating)

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1464211093656071

Is it her right leg that had the problem? She looks like she's lost weight also! Glad she is doing better, but the leg twists a bit when walking is that normal or..?

 

[DennasMom]

Hi Hector - awesome that you have to ask! but... scary that you picked the wrong one.

It's actually the left rear knee (darker side) that has the CCL tear... but I've been noticing the right leg is showing signs that she's over-working it lately... when she walks she stomps short on the right leg more as she glides the left one up. It's hard to describe - but I see more ground-impact on the right side vs the left. I've been told it's common that "the other knee will go within the year"... but I was hoping we were keeping things low key enough not to over-do the good knee.

The leg twists seem to be normal for her? She's always walked... uh, how does my Dad put it.... "like a full figured woman". LOL

I was just reviewing some videos from a year ago for comparisons - the limp was really hard to see back in January... putting her on meloxicam really made it a lot worse. That and the squirrel that she chased off a few months later didn't help, either. So it was probably a very small tear that progressed over the year, but I think we're back on track now.

Here's the video I took the day we went in to the vet for the original diagnoses... the limp is hard to see, but as a doggie-mom who knows her, it was nagging at me.
Can you see the same leg twist when she's walking in this one?

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1465900843487096