Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and beginning April 20th, 2021 (Eastern Time) the Yahoo Answers website will be in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.
Trending News
TPLO Surgery / Infection / Recovery?
My poor lab / rottie cross has had a bad time of it. He is 5 in Jan. He had TPLO last year on his left leg - all went well - however he developed an infection exactly 3 weeks afterwards and was promptly put on a drip and had numerous antibiotics - 3 different types.
He had TPLO on his right leg 3 weeks ago - it was all going well. We once again did all the right things, took it in turns to sleep in the lounge with him, restrict his movements, keep him entertained, washed his bedding daily - he has another infection - again, exactly 3 weeks after surgery !!!
My boy (Oscar) was the runt of the litter, but i saw him as the most gorgeous baby I have ever seen. We got him from Battersea and was told that his mother had kennel cough and to watch Oscar closely as he was very small (1.95 kilo) and you could see his ribs. After a week he had his injection and developed kennel cough (it can be in their system for up to 10 days before developing)- after going to the vets about 15 x about it as it seemed to be quiet severe to me, it turned out he had bronchial pneumonia and worms in his tummy - He was kept in the surgery for 3 weeks in an incubator and the vet told us that if i hadn't been insistent then he would have likely not survived that weekend (i took him in late Friday night). I am not knocking Battersea - they do a fantastic job, by the way.
Anyway, the reason i give you this history is so you can see that Oscar has been through it in his short life and as such the vet seems to think that he gets the infections after TPLO because he has a weak immune system.
My question is. Oscar is on about 10 antibiotics a day (3 different ones) as well as Metacam - given at 48mg as per his weight - he is 48 kilo's now - he likes his food :-).
He was sick last night, i called the vets (emergency vet at 2 am) and he said to go through his sick and if there are no tablets in his sick, don't worry about it......I did that but today my happy bubbly boy is quiet depressed, his leg is hot, he doesn't want to play, just cuddle and when he moves around he moans. The vet seems to think I should wait another day or so before bringing him in, however after previous experiences I trust my instinct more - do you think i should insist he goes into the vet surgery and goes on a drip (like he did before).
I would just like somebodies opinion please - i am a nightmare mum as you can see - all the receptionists at the surgery know me instantly now and call Oscar's name without checking the diary - as i seem to be living there and have been for years now (i have another dog - who has a very strange skin complaint - she is from Battersea too).
I forgot, Oscar keeps staring at me too - he always does that with me because he knows that I respond to it - we have an amazing connection- so he is obviously trying to tell me something
should i just be patient - i would just like a second opinion or hear from anybody that has been through something similar?
Thank you
3 Answers
- 9 years agoFavorite Answer
No you shouldnt wait, trust your own instincts. you know your dog and if he isnt right then you should get him checked out. His leg being hot could be a sign of infection and if the vet is right and he has a weaken immune system then the sooner you get him seen the better it will be for him.
Also youll only be awake all night worrying about him. Your gut instincts have been right before so dont ignore them now.
If it was my dog then I would take him to the vet even if its for peace of mind.
I hope hes ok soon!! xx
Source(s): 11 years experience working and also a mum of 2 furkids - Anonymous5 years ago
It's hard to say who messed up here, but it sounds like somebody sure did. About the nursing home business... hospitals will no longer keep any patients that don't actually need a medical procedure. They just can't afford to be a rehab hospital. Further, most nursing homes are no longer what they were meant to be. This kind of nursing takes a lot of time and a huge amount of money. The truth is that your mom needs a 24-hour private nurse to tend to her. I doubt that you can get this or even afford it. I know you love your mom, but the truth is she is fading and will probably never come back. There are many Seniors who opt out for forced feeding and a respirator when they can no longer care for themselves. You need to do an evaluation of what you think your mom would want in these circumstances. Also, does your mom even have mental ability to make decisions now? Sad to say, but you may be better off to take her home and call the Hospice nurses. Take her off forced food and respiration and just let her go. No, It would take a miracle for her to get any better. It's hard to say whether the surgery was just botched, or whether the patient just didn't respond. But you now must deal with the situation AS IT IS, not what you wish it was. Just love your mom while you have her, then let her go. She might be living between two worlds right now and would want to go on to the next one.
- ItamarLv 49 years ago
If I were in your position I would be searching for some alternatives, a way to improve your dog´s immune system. There are several herbal therapies that may improve the immune system. Most of them are not accepted by conventional veterinarians (but 10 antibiotics?) so I would recommend you search out a holistic veterinary practitioner in your area, someone who works with herbal therapy. I really think it is Oscar´s best chance of recovering.
The article below discusses some of the options available in lameness therapy but you really need to consult someone who can evaluate your dog in person.