Dutch Shepherd Forum

My previous Rimadyl question was not for Cino but my mutt Abigail. She has a torn ligament that we are looking at repairing with the "tightrope" procedure. For her age and activity level it is the procedure they are recommending...

Yesterday I took her in for some blood work - both pre-op and to make sure the Rimadyl was not causing liver damage.

My primary vet just called me to discuss a problem with one of her values. The one in particular has gone from "let's watch it" to "i'm concerned about this" (last fall) to "I think we have a problem" tonight. That in conjunction with some other issues she is having (incontinence, excessive drinking, weight gain and a general "getting old fast") they are thinking it is Cushing's Disease.

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I have been looking around the internet since talking to the vet. But, I'm wondering if anyone on the forum has had experience with it and how you handled it.

Thanks,
eric

I'm so sorry to hear this, Eric. No experience, just sympathy...

I have seen it handled and managed very successfully. I have not had personal experience with my dogs, but can't begin to count the number of dogs that I have seen work through it. It is costly to diagnose, treat and manage. But in the end, I have seen dogs live for a very, very long time with few complications once the meds are dosed correctly.

I am sorry Eric! its never easy to hear that your kid is sick. But I am glad its something so treatable.

I don't know anything about it, but I am sorry to hear about it and my thoughts are with you and your pup.

Sorry to hear this--at least it's treatable--best of luck.

I am going soon to pick her up. The vet's office has had her all day for tests to confirm if it is cushings. If it is, they do not want to do the Tightrope procedure until it is under control.

Sorry Eric

Good news: the test for Cushing's Disease came back negative.
Bad news: the vet is still concerned about why this one liver enzyme is elevated

In the end we moved forward with Abigail's surgery. It was done yesterday and I brought her home today.

She has been spending too much time licking the wound so the vet wants her to wear the e-collar.

I am amazed how well she is moving around after this surgery. If I had the similar surgery done I know that I would be layed up for days and feeling miserable.

At ten years old she is still a fairly active dog. I can see it in her eyes that she is frustrated with the collar and her back left leg not being 'right.'

Poor pup. It hurts just looking at the pics. Hope she's getting well soon and the collar comes off.

Awww, I hope its a speedy recovery

For now the collar is off. She has figured out if she leaves it alone I'm happy and if she messes with it the collar goes back on. Also, earlier I put on the dogtra collar and have used the vibrate on low.

I tried to get her to chill out with me on the couch and she didn't want any of that. Immediately went back to her favorite spot on the floor.

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when I fed her earlier this evening she wouldn't eat. I wasn't really watching that closely. When I realized all her food was still in the bowl I brought it to her. she stood, but the cone flat on the floor and still could not get to the food! ...again, a moment that I wish I had my camera. Took the collar off and let her eat!

You will surely be "in the dog house" after leaving her at the vet, putting that torture device on her neck, and then tempting her with food she couldn't eat. She must be thinking that her human has lost its mind. I hope she recovers quickly and will forgive you. Give her a hug and a pat for us.

Pictures of that would have been priceless. Now that she can eat , she should start to health fast and be her old self again. Here's wishing for a speedy recovery, Miss Abigail!!!

icvanstra wrote:Also, earlier I put on the dogtra collar and have used the vibrate on low.

I don't know of any dogtra models that have a variable level of vibration stimulus?

Please kiss my niece for me. It's rough for a short period of time...but it goes by pretty fast. Pretty soon she will be good as new. Be grateful - when I went through it, it was with a spinning malinois who I couldn't keep still to save his life. Of course, it was his pivot leg that he threw out.

Christie M wrote: I don't know of any dogtra models that have a variable level of vibration stimulus?

Okay...that may be. I have the "dial" set to low so maybe the vibration is not adjusted that way... I thought it was.

A quick tap on the vibration was enough to remind her that licking was bad ... see next post...

Day 5 update -

Abbie's surgery was five days ago and counting

If I had knee surgery five days ago there is NO WAY IN HADES that I would be moving around as much as her!!! I am amazed at what this ten year old dog wants to do.

Tonight was her longest walk yet. I decided that it was her decision to go farther... The city blocks around here are pretty much a square - 1/10 of a mile each side. When we got to the end of the block going north she was still pulling so we turned the corner to the west..by then we were just as far getting home so we went around the block.

Seems strange that I'm excited about walking around a small city block - about 2/5ths of a mile.

When we had finished a full 360 she was still wanting to go farther! Brought her inside, fed the dogs, and she is crashed next to me. She may have wanted more, but looking at her crashed on the floor ... I think she really was done for tonight.

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she is still wanting to futz with her incision but NOT nearly as much as a new spot on her front right leg. She has had a similar spot on her front left leg for several years which the vet has continually said "it's okay, but let's keep an eye on it." Right on the outside of the joint. A very deep purple in color.

So the cone of shame is her friend for now unless she will stay right next to me and I can stop her from licking the incision... Being right next to me is not her style - always has been a very independent dog. ...not in the way our DS friends are independent though - very different.

icvanstra wrote:She has had a similar spot on her front left leg for several years which the vet has continually said "it's okay, but let's keep an eye on it." Right on the outside of the joint. A very deep purple in color.

I'm so glad that she is on the up and up. Why didn't they go ahead and remove that spot while she was under?

I asked about that and getting her teeth cleaned.

The vet's response was that they do not want to do anything that could increase the risk of infection when doing the Tight Rope procedure. The material that is used to 'replace' the ligament is a braided material and when an infection sets in it is very difficult to get rid of.