FML. Riddle, of course.

[SmoothSavage]

*bangs head on wall*

It's looking very possible that Riddle has torn the ACL in her left knee, since obviously she can't have a mismatched set.

She started limping 2 weeks ago. I don't know why- I was with her all day, and nothing weird happened. But she got up off the couch and was suddenly non-weight bearing on the left hind. We saw her physical therapist the next day, who wasn't sure, she said it could be a partially torn ACL or just a sprain. We decided to put her on bed rest for 10 days and see how it went. She stopped limping over the course of a week, and I decided to wait an extra few days after the 10 to reintroduce exercise, since hydrotherapy would be a gentle way to do that.

Well, hydrotherapy tonight, it's been 14 days, and damn if she isn't lame on the left hind again. sad Limping, barely weight bearing, after hydrotherapy is just blowing me away.

So I'll be calling to schedule x-rays as soon as possible with the ortho specialist.

On the up side, I was discussing my despair with the PT tonight about possible surgery. We talked about a fairly new therapy for torn ligaments called "platelet rich plasma". It's apparently been working great with people, and the ortho specialist has used it with great success on some dogs here in town. So if it is an ACL tear, it's possible that we can avoid surgery. It still won't be cheap, but as far as I'm concerned the less invasive the better.

Keep your fingers crossed for us. sad  

[Vanilla eXee]

sad poor girl. Maybe she's going through one of those rebellious teenager type phases with the self injury and all. Good luck! Let us know about the platelet therapy if you try it, that could be a useful tool since I imagine the recovery time is less than with surgery?  

[Shearaha]

Oh Savage, I'm so sorry. Of course Riddle would somehow manage to get herself hurt again, but on the bright side I've heard really good things about the Platlet Enriched Plasma, as long as it's not a full tear.

Fingers crossed and Happy thoughts!  

[Gabrielle_AnimalLuver]

It's all my fault, obviously, cause Cowboy is limping on his left now.

No I actuallu thought of you we have this wonderful tiny pibble who came back to my clinic for an ACL tear on his other knee. They said it's fairly common when one goes the other one eventually does. I was like, omg, good thing that didn't happen to Riddle. gonk

I'm sorry  

[SmoothSavage]

Actually Gaby, I was thinking about you and Cowboy and about telling you to be watching his left hind carefully. rofl These dogs.

We were always told that she'd have a high chance of tearing it, but after 2.5 years I was kinda thinking we'd gotten away with it. Apparently not. But... maybe it's not the ACL. We can only wait until the x-rays. Unfortunately the ortho specialist is booked for 2 weeks. I suppose we'll manage until then. sad We're building a ramp tonight for the couch, as it seems like lifting her up and down at this point is just silly, with two bad knees and a bum elbow.  

[Gabrielle_AnimalLuver]

Savage Destiny

Actually Gaby, I was thinking about you and Cowboy and about telling you to be watching his left hind carefully. rofl These dogs.

We were always told that she'd have a high chance of tearing it, but after 2.5 years I was kinda thinking we'd gotten away with it. Apparently not. But... maybe it's not the ACL. We can only wait until the x-rays. Unfortunately the ortho specialist is booked for 2 weeks. I suppose we'll manage until then. sad We're building a ramp tonight for the couch, as it seems like lifting her up and down at this point is just silly, with two bad knees and a bum elbow.

Poor Riddle man, she's still a young dog, and I know what that feels like. It's been close to a month now Cowboy's arthritis "flare up" has been causing him to limp. I've recently upped his omega 3, which is causing him to put on even more weight and me to go through the $20 bottle a lot faster, I didn't wana jinx it but his limp is less obvious finally. Had to give up on hydro for now though cause I just don't have the funds. I'm really hoping when I start my internship I'll get some kind of discount, though, if I do, I dunno when I can take him since I'll be working every day, but at least I could afford the adequan.  

[SmoothSavage]

Riddle goes in for her x-rays tomorrow to find out what's going on.

I think I'm going to have a nervous breakdown. burning_eyes  

[Gabrielle_AnimalLuver]

sad good luck  

[SmoothSavage]

Well, the x-rays today showed that she has in fact torn her left ACL. Which sucks. It doesn't look like a full tear, at least for now.

We decided to go for the surgery. I've been thinking a lot about the PRP, but what it comes down to is that yes, it could repair the ligament, but she can and probably will tear it again. I do not want to go through this a third time, so... surgery it is. The TTA again, since that's been phenomenal for her right knee.

It's going to take us a few months to save up for the surgery. We decided that until then, Riddle can go hog wild and do whatever she wants. Run off leash, climb, all the things she hasn't been allowed to do. Whatever damage she does to the knee is going to be fixed anyway. I know it will make her elbow bother her, but it will have plenty of time for recovery post-surgery. So at least she'll be happy for a while.

That's about it for now. Just wanted to keep you guys updated.  

[Gabrielle_AnimalLuver]

Well, she'll have a fun lil vacation until then. confused  

[SmoothSavage]

Except for the part where fifteen minutes into her first hike today she took off after a rabbit and now can't walk at all. I think she may have completely torn the ligament. Even with her pain meds she's super uncomfortable lying down and can barely walk to go potty. I have her wearing a Ruffwear harness so I can help her walk, but this sucks.  

[Gabrielle_AnimalLuver]

OMG! This dog can not catch a freaking break! Would your vet (seeing as they know you pretty well and you've already spent a fortune on the dog) allow you to get the surgery done now and pay in installments?  

[SmoothSavage]

It's just not an option, its clinic policy. sad I don't want to ask for too much, he already charged me roughly $200 less than he should have for her appointment today because he didn't charge me for x-rays, only an exam. There's only so much he can do before the clinic notices.

I have a slim hope that she just tore the ligament a little more than it already was, and she'll be less sore in a couple days. Mostly I just want to sit down and cry.  

[Akiska]

That super sucks. I'm sorry Savage.