State of the Mollydog
May. 19th, 2010 07:14 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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.
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.
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Date: 2010-05-20 09:52 am (UTC)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.
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Date: 2010-05-20 10:15 am (UTC)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.