State of the Mollydog

[bunn]

 The back leg which was operated on, and is now thought to be rejecting the metal implant, is not improving: in fact, if anything it is worse.  There are big swollen bruised areas either side of the joint as well as across below the scar now, all filled with liquid.   I've been giving her gentle short walks, but after a few minutes on her feet the leg will already be shaking badly and it's clearly painful.   

What I'm not entirely sure of yet is whether another operation to remove the metalwork will have an outcome good enough to be worth the further pain, endless bandage changes etc.  If it really didn't heal and had to be amputated, I'm not sure how well she'd cope, given that one front leg can barely bend and is badly arthritic already. 

I'm going to give her a week of complete rest (which will not delight her) and see what it looks like after that.  

Comments

[the-marquis.livejournal.com]

Oh crap that doesn't sound good ...

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Doesn't does it :-( She's only 10 and apart from the legs, healthy as can be.

[tovaglia.livejournal.com]

filled with liquid eek.

What sort of liquid? not pus, I hope? If pus, you'll need to take the metalwork out, I'd imagine.

Poor Mollydog. Can you give her some good strong painkillers to tide her over while you see how it goes?

[bunn.livejournal.com]

No, pretty sure not pus (or I'd be at the vet now!) she's had the one on the back of the leg for a while, and has also had other similar swellings (but smaller) the vet has seen them and she's managed to pop previous ones, and they just bled. The leg isn't hot and I don't think it looks infected. The lumps go down when she's lying down, and come up when she runs about, so not too abcess-like. I'm supposed to wiggle her toes to get the fluid moving back to where it's supposed to be.

She's on fairly serious painkillers for her front leg already: they didn't seem to think that side of things could be upped much. :-( I do have some antibiotics from the last trip but one I could give her (she wasn't able to have them due to unrelated tummy trouble...)

Rude Craig reckoned that it might stabilise when I saw him on 10th, but I think maybe I've not really made her rest for as long as I should have to get a really good shot at it. If a week upside down in a beanbag doesn't improve things, then it should at least get her skin in slightly better nick for the op, as every time she walks on the leg and it swells, the skin gets more stretched and baggy :-(

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Oh goodness, all the best.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Thanks. The more I think about it the more I am wondering if I should just ring up and book the new op to remove the metalwork tomorrow :-(

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Sounds to me like you don't have anything to lose.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

I took another look at it this morning, and you are right. It's worse again even though she's done nothing overnight but sleep.

I'm waiting to hear back now whether they want to see her again before the op or just book her in for it straight away.

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

I shall be keeping my fingers crossed for her.

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

I think you're right. Hope it all went well today.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

She's booked in to be X-rayed on Weds next week, and if the X Ray confirms that the problem looks like it is with the pin, they'll go straight on to operate that day.

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

At least that does give you a bit more time to see how it goes.

[firin.livejournal.com]

Thinking of you and poor Mollydog.

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

Oh, poor Mollydog! Offers lots of *pats*

[thecatsamuel.livejournal.com]

Poor Mollydog - I hope Rude Craig can sort her out.

[puddleshark.livejournal.com]

Poor Mollydog. I hope that more time does the trick.

My last dog, Sam, had to go back in for a second op to have an implant removed after cruciate repairs, and the thought of another operation and yet more post op care was enough to make me despair whether I was doing the right thing for him. But he came through fine and had many good years afterwards.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

That's good to hear, thanks!

I've decided to go ahead and get the metalwork removed, as the leg looks worse again this morning, even though she didn't get a morning walk (much to her indignation).

Really what's worrying me is her age : she'll be 11 in September. I know greyhounds do occasionally make it to 15, but 12ish seems more usual. It took a good 4 months to get over the last op and Rude Craig the Vet seems to think it might take even longer this time as it's all such a mess of scars, so most of the rest of her life could be trying to heal up. :-/

But I don't think there is much option, I can't carry on hoping it will get better when it clearly is getting worse, and better deal with it now than have it get infected or something.