Well depending on how you look at this we are and are not lucky. Lucky to have a diagnosis, but not lucky in that Casey has to have another surgery for a tear in his CCL on the left leg. I guess we knew it was a matter of time anyway.
So after a months of rest nothing changed and my guy was still limping. In fact he got so bored with the confinement he began to behave really badly and we have had to gate him in one room when we are not home to control his acting out. Since he has IBD we need to keep him out of stuff that he may eat that will aggravate this condition. When I reported in to the ortho on the no change in the limp after 2 weeks rest he again suspected a tear that may not be detectable through radio graphs and the drawer sign. He has seen these cases, but said for the behavior issues to let up on the restrictions and in which we may also see maybe the knee tear more and get confirmation of the tear at a later visit. So this pretty much happened. The increase of movement increased the limp, but he was happier! What a trade off huh!
We went back today and without sedation (thankfully) the ortho felt effusion in the knee and diagnosed a partial tear. We decided for now since we are in the dead of a horrible winter that we will wait until early Spring to do surgery. In the mean time we will make him comfortable and try to be careful with him, but also let him be a dog as well. so let up on the confinement a bit, but no running or anything crazy, but stairs to go to bed and leash walks are okay.
I was relieved to have a diagnosis since the not knowing was mind boggling and so scary. On orthodogs.com there are so many cases where the not knowing has become something awful and this really is so fixable and he is healthy!
Good new was Casey lost 4 lbs in 4 weeks! So he is at a good weight of 99lbs and we will try to maintain this. Let's hope the knee hangs on with a partial tear until Fall and not become a full tear before then which would require more immediate surgery. Casey is on some great supplements and we now use a ramp for the car and we just are so much more educated this time that I think he will be fine in the interim.
I will be sure to update soon and of course will do so regularly during his next recovery too.
Happy Holidays to you all.
Melissa & Casey :)
