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Lucy's Patella Surgery Tomorrow

Dublin

Well-known member
Im starting to worry about Lucy's impending surgery tomorrow.

One question I woul have for anyone who's gone through it before is will she be home tomorrow or is it an overnight stay usualy?
Ive taken a few days off so I'll be at home 24/7 to look after/keep an eye on her.

I know she'll be fine but she's my little girlie!
 
If you have a look in the Cavalier Health Library (here) there is some very useful information and links regarding this problem. I do not have personal experience of surgery so I can't answer your question. I am sure someone here will know. I am sure everything will be fine and taking time of work to take care of her will make all the difference. Sending Lucy and you lots of hugs :hug:
 
Sorry no advice, but I will certainly be thinking of Lucy (and you) tomorrow, sending my best wishes and loads of :hug:
 
When my Peaches had this op, she actually stopped in for 4 days as we lived a long way from the orthopaedic surgeon.

I would be surprised to have them home the same day - did the vet not discuss this with you?

You need to have a pen or similar ready - Lucy will not be allowed to jump and needs to be confined. Potty breaks on lead only for a few weeks - NO walks, no playing. You really need to give the knee time to heal, otherwise there is no point in doing the surgery.

Stuffed Kongs, nylabones, chewies - anything to keep her occupied without her moving about will really help. I guess those intelligence games by Nina Ottosson from the Company of Animals would actually be quite helpful!
 
Hi Nikki,

It's not my vet doing the surgery as we're having to go to the external vet Dogs Trust uses as we have no orthopedic equiptment at DT. They havent really told me much to be honest, I only know what ive read from people on here & other sites.

I have her crate up as well as baby gates as she's too quick to run up stares etc & ive bought her new 'special' chew toys that she'll get a new one each day to keep her interested as well as the usual kongs & raw hide chews.

I know its going to be a fairly long recovery & she will have to be confined which is going to be hard on her & the rest of us as she just wants to be with us all the time.
 
Wow that's a bit frustrating not to know! I would guess she probably won't be home the same day. Quite a few people have had the surgery so hopefully you will get some more responses. There are some good threads in the health and diet forum -- I know Cathy T for example posted a lot on managing a dog post-surgery. Searching for patella surgery or similar should bring up lots of discussions.
 
My sweet Bella had both knees done last July. I bought an Xpen to keep her in so that she wouldn't have to be crated the whole time. I also found it difficult to get her out of the crate the first 4-5 days when she had such trouble getting up on her own. I used a long towel under her hips when I took her out to potty to help keep pressure off her knees. I would lift up on the towel as she walked, it made a world of difference for her. Otherwise she would just sit down due to the pain. I have heard of some surgeons not giving post op pain med. I would DEMAND that they give you some. It is a painfull recovery the first week. But Bella was wanting to run and jump after that! Of course they cant do either! My surgeon also recommended a E collar to keep her from licking her incisions, but she never messed with them, so we didnt need it! He also put her on a supplement for arthritis, and Glucosomine and Omega.
I wish you the best of luck with your baby! Its hard seeing our little ones in pain, but its so worth it in the long run. Please let us know how it goes!
 
Thanks guys!

Lucy is at the vets now & im home with Cass & Sparky worrying my head off about her!

I talked to the surgeon this morning when I left Lucy & he said in 90% of these surgeries the dog goes home the same day, he said the only reason he would keep her overnight is if she needs any extra pain relief by injection. ive to ring him at 2pm to see how everything went & whether she will be home tonight or not.

Ive been for a long walk with Cass & Sparky which was horrible without Lucy & I know it's going to be the first of a hell of a lot of lucy-less walks so I'll just have to put up with that!

Fingers crossed I have some info soon
 
Any news yet? I hope everything went ok and I hope Lucy will be home tonight.
I will ask you for advise as Ebony will have to have the same operation in autumn.
 
Lucy is home!

Poor little mite is feeling very sorry for her, her leg is totaly bald & shes a little spaced out from the morphene so she's very quiet - which is good really!

I have a nice comfy duvet in her crate so shes a comfortable as I can make her, im going to sleep downstairs tonight next to her crate so she knows im there is shes not feeling great.

I actually watched a patella surgery on you tube this afternoon so I totaly understood what Fintan was telling me about Lucy's surgery this evening, although her's was a little differant to the one I watched as with Lucy they put the piece of bone they removed back after making the groove in the knee larger.

She has to go back to he vets on friday for a check up.

Just so glad to have her home.
 
I have a nice comfy duvet in her crate so shes a comfortable as I can make her, im going to sleep downstairs tonight next to her crate so she knows im there is shes not feeling great.

I did that with Riley after her SM decompression surgery. And I wanted to know if she was just scared or in pain. It's kind of like Brian said in another post, cavaliers get into your heart and soul and we will do anything for them. I'm glad Lucy is home. I hope her recovery goes smoothly.
 
So pleased to hear that the op went well - Fintan is an excellent vet as Karlin will no doubt have told you!!

I hope you and Lucy had a good night - she will be very sore, this is a major surgery and needs very careful management.

We used a towel looped under Peaches belly to help her to go out - obviously on the lead and no jumping about at all.
 
Last night was fine, Lucy slept right through & didnt seem to be in any pain thankfully.

Sparky did get sick though - not sure what thats about, maybe he's worrying about Lucy?!

This morning Lucy seems to have forgotten she has had major surgery! I took her for a wee in the garden, I had to let her off the lead as she won't wee while on the lead, but i made sure Cass & Sparky were in the kitchen as im sure Lucy would have wanted to play with them. She had her breakfast & then another tiny wander in the garden as she's very clean in her crate. Shes now sulking in the crate after almost an hour of wining to get out as Sparky is on my lap! She has some nice chew toys, a stuffed Kong & raw hide chew - none of which she has touched as she's sulking! Im hoping the sulk will turn into a nap!
 
Glad she is out and back and doing well! :flwr: Poor thing -- but hopefully she will be so much better and happier once her knees have healed and she can run and play normally. :) An xpen is a great option as they can move about a bit more but not too much -- and dogs tend not to feel so confined as in a crate.
 
Thanks Karlin,

It's just one knee she got done. Where can I get an xpen?

Im very surprised (but glad) that shes not in more pain than she seems to be in. She's on metacam tablets (never seen those before!) but even before she had that 1/2 a tablet this morning she didnt appear to be in much pain.

She's having a nap now - but she's not impressed that she cant come up on the spfa poor thing, I feel so guilty but I know in a month or so she will be a whole new dog - & hopefully not a bald one!:eek:
 
DTI have them -- I find it has been one of my most useful purchases for the dogs. You can use two joined panels as a quick barrier for a doorway. You can attach three or more to a crate to make a pen that comes off the crate. You can block off a large entryway with a few panels braced on one side. I keep a couple of panels tucked in besides my dishwasher and pull them out to block the kitchen off or the stairs if I need to separate the dogs or keep them one place while I wash the floor, etc. And of course it makes a full pen too. I know Thelly is a big fan of them too!
 
I also used two x-pens hooked to Riley's crate when she was recovering from her SM decompression surgery for the exact reason Karlin said - it gives them more room to move around without getting into trouble (running, jumping, etc). Glad to hear she had a good night.
 
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