Dreading this

[Acadia]

Can I just vent and have a pity party? Ugh. I am worried 3 months of this is going to put me over the edge! (and probably her). I feel like if something goes wrong with the healing process and it needs a re-do, or we have to do this on her other leg next year, i wont be able to take it. (If u havent seen my other posts, cadie went in to fix a luxating patella but needed her twisted femur broken and reset as that was the cause AND a TPLO that was unexpected, due to damage)so many stressors have occurred in my life the past couple of years-losses- that i barely have the stamina for this. I'm a crying hot mess right now and wish someone could take care of her for me, or rather that i had a partner in all of this.Cadie has been home 28 hrs and this is sooo hard! Trying to figure out the peeing thing is the hardest because the rugs I've bought have ended up getting wet a bit, then she gets stinky. I use the sling. I have the Help EM Up harness, but that just seems so tricky to be putting on and off, but I will need it eventually because of her stubbornness against moving where I need her to go and not where SHE wants to go I can't bring her out to the yard for this, so it has to be either in her deck space or her inside house space. I have all wood floors everywhere and she is so fast at trying to get where she wants and i try to keep her on the rugs, (yes ok, get bigger mats)then she won't go back in to her space and I literally have to tug and almost drag her there. Still trying to figure out the best way to place her water and food so the cone isn't in the way. I will be glad when the two weeks of cone is over! I am so stressed out trying to do all this by myself. She hasn't eaten much. I fed her by hand this morning. Trying to get pills in her. The abnormal 90 degree heat doesn't help so I bought my first ever a/c to make her comfortable. And I had help this evening and I'm still a worrying stress case. I could deal with a few weeks, even a month, but the whole entire summer season, at best, is where my pity party comes in big time.
Ugh, I know as far as troubles people can have, this isn't all this big of a deal, but it feels gigantic at the moment, just tiring and depressing. I really don't know how you all have done this, especially with repeated procedures, like Zuzu . God bless you!!

 

[DAWNMERIE]

We are here for you ((HUGS)) Do you have a harness/sling? Do you have booties? A crate or pen? Many others who have gone through this I'm sure will chime in with other suggestions and things to help ease the stress of the whole thing...YOU are strong enough and you will get through it.

 

[Acadia]

We are here for you ((HUGS)) Do you have a harness/sling? Do you have booties? A crate or pen? Many others who have gone through this I'm sure will chime in with other suggestions and things to help ease the stress of the whole thing...YOU are strong enough and you will get through it.

Oh thanks Dawn, it sure feels too big right now, but maybe we will get into a routine. I guess I've decided that she is going to stay put, indoors, for a few days and not get to be outside. But I'm such a softie so I will have to work to stay firm. I do have a sling and harness. I have booties but she would not accept them before and she won't walk in them. I have penned in an area of a bedroom downstairs and that will have to be our hangout spot for the summer. If only it had more light and a view.

 

[Carlina]

Take a deep breath the process is long and slow but worth all of the extra care. My girl Emma had one leg done and then the second, it did not take and we had to have a redo. I took it one day at a time, I put a ramp on the front steps do she could go to the washroom on the front lawn. Use a towel under to carry the back end. I used an exercise pen to keep her in and brought her food and water to her. If you think of the whole process you can go crazy just one day at a time. I limited her movements for three months and then built up movements slowly. We also did water therapy and that helped alot. Any questions just pm me

 

[lmfoltyn]

Acadia is such a beautiful girl...this has to be just the hardest thing to deal with...but crating, pee pads, short cut on the tummy and rear end and booties for slippery floors will help. A routine will definetly help and that will come with time...my thoughts are with you!!

 

[ElvisTheNewf]

Elvis' TPLO recovery was a million times harder on us than him. We did booties, crate, cone, strict rest, and built a ramp off our porch so he didn't have to do the three steps. It sucked. We hated it and felt so guilty, but we had to. Not following the doctors orders and recommendations wasn't an option. We knew it was for the best, even though we hated it.

See what I keep typing? WE. Not Elvis. He loved the attention, has always liked his crate, and we made him get used to the booties before his surgery. Sure, he balked the first time we put them on, but he got over it. We got over his dislike of them. We owed it to do the best we could for him to help his recover. We don't want to do it again!

This is a crappy season for you right now, but it will pass. It will. Vent away and ask for advice and tips. Not taking pills? Try cheese or peanut butter. Hot house? Fans, fans, fans. Keep the shades pulled to keep the sunbeams out.

No,Cadie doesn't understand all this. She will give you the most pitiful looks ever and, if you're like me, you'll feel like a terrible dog mom. It's not fair she needed this. But it's done. Your job now is to get her better, and she will. Every day, she'll get a little stronger and one day this will be a distant memory. Your stories will help the next person. I promise.

 

[Acadia]

Take a deep breath the process is long and slow but worth all of the extra care. My girl Emma had one leg done and then the second, it did not take and we had to have a redo. I took it one day at a time, I put a ramp on the front steps do she could go to the washroom on the front lawn. Use a towel under to carry the back end. I used an exercise pen to keep her in and brought her food and water to her. If you think of the whole process you can go crazy just one day at a time. I limited her movements for three months and then built up movements slowly. We also did water therapy and that helped alot. Any questions just pm me

Thank you Carlina. I was thinking this morning that maybe this will teach me to live more in the present and not projecting into the future. One day at a time...

 

[Acadia]

Acadia is such a beautiful girl...this has to be just the hardest thing to deal with...but crating, pee pads, short cut on the tummy and rear end and booties for slippery floors will help. A routine will definetly help and that will come with time...my thoughts are with you!!

Thank you!

 

[Acadia]

Thank you Maggie so much. That cone just makes her look so pitiful and uncomfortable, and she keeps bonking it on the pen walls. It comes off in 12 more days - That will be the first celebratory milestone in this ordeal!

 

[YorkvilleNewfie]

Vent away, Suzanne. I think many of us can sympathize. I felt the same with Mila's TPLO. It was June, Mila was 14 months, Rowan wasn't even walking yet and even though I had a partner (my hubby), he was almost zero help to me. I was totally overwhelmed and nervous and guilt-ridden and I felt utterly alone. But it only felt that way for a little while. After a couple of weeks, she and I really came into stride together and suddenly what felt so foreign and difficult simply became our new normal. I think you just need some time, for you and Cadie to figure this out together. And you will! Until then, unload on us. Let us take some of that burden, however small.

 

[Acadia]

Vent away, Suzanne. I think many of us can sympathize. I felt the same with Mila's TPLO. It was June, Mila was 14 months, Rowan wasn't even walking yet and even though I had a partner (my hubby), he was almost zero help to me. I was totally overwhelmed and nervous and guilt-ridden and I felt utterly alone. But it only felt that way for a little while. After a couple of weeks, she and I really came into stride together and suddenly what felt so foreign and difficult simply became our new normal. I think you just need some time, for you and Cadie to figure this out together. And you will! Until then, unload on us. Let us take some of that burden, however small.

Oh my lord Kristen! Yes, this and a toddler -that would have put me over the edge! Thank you for your words of sympathy and encouragement - it helps!

 

[Jager's Mom]

Suzanne,
Sending hugs to you. My hubby and I dealt with 2 TPLO's with Bear... Thank doG for my hubby... I don't know how I would have done it alone. If it helps, the first few days were the most difficult.

Back in the day my wiener dog went paralyzed (he had the surgery)... he was so difficult to take care of... I called my Mom crying... but it did get easier. Then he became diabetic...and I called my Mom crying again...2 shots/day... but again, I got thru it. I remember feeling the same way you did with each problem... Hang in there and know that you can always come to NN to vent...

 

[victoria1140]

Leave the harness on her.it makes it so much easier.Max had his on for two weeks non stop to help us.l hated the sling couldnt get used to it and it hurt my back so the ruffwear harness was a godsend.

Pills and liver pate or moulded cheese worked well.

Get human incontinent pads so if she has an accident so easy to wash.

I felt like the biggest s**t in the world when Max had his first surgery as he got stressed and whined a lot so we sedated him a lot during the first week for his and my sanity.l also.slept downstairs for nearly four months with him.he wouldnt go toilet on a lead so we bought human incontinent sheets and put a puppy pad in the middle. Also we couldnt crate Max as he hates crates with a passion so we segregated areas off in the house and he was happier but we kept an eagle eye on him.Also we had to do daily massage and joint exercises which were a struggle.

So please dont keep the stress in ,let it out as it does get better.Max is now 6 months on and is a normal happy healthy newfy and l dont want to go through the stress again if l can help it but we found his second surgery on his back hips was so much easier as we were more mentally prepared.

Big big hugs and vent away