Supplies for patella surgery& confinement?

[Acadia]

I posted yesterday that Cadie is going to need surgery for a luxating patella. I got some great advice about things to help, like harnesses and slings, puzzle toys, ramps. Any other ideas of things to help?

Specific question - I didn't really use a crate much with Cadie because I had a little alcove that was perfect with a gate; however, that isn't within sight of me when I am hanging out in the living room. So she isn't fond of her crate, so I was thinking about a pen of some sort. Any ideas for one that would be good for a newf (a small - 80lb one yr old newf?) I expect she will eventually top out at 100.

Oh! Another question - the back deck is accessible and one step, so I can easily use a ramp. I might use the deck for Cadie to do her business, maybe on some kind of wee-wee turf. Do you think since I have to bring her out here, that i could pen her in on the deck now and then for fresh air? That would be another need for a pen.

Thank you all!

 

[ElvisTheNewf]

I would think a lot about what she does now and how you can modify that after surgery. I think letting her rest outside sounds great, but Elvis would never have let that happen. He refuses to stay outside without us, so for him that wasn't an option. Does Cadie like to be outside? If she calm and comfortable alone out there?

I know what we did for Elvis, but he's a large, lazy adult so I'm glad others on here have advice for the younger, more energetic dog. One thing we do for Elvis a lot is give him a kong stuffed with peanut butter. It lasts him a long time if we freeze it for a few hours and he loves it. He had some puzzles but was too lazy to actually work them so he destroyed them.

The one thing I thought was pretty cute/strange/unexpected was that Elvis became really, really attached to his stuffed toys during recovery. There are pictures on here somewhere of him with a new toy we gave him when he got home, one that I dubbed "Recovery Ostrich" and he latched on to that thing and took it everywhere. He would play with stuffed toys before, but he never attached to one like that before. It was really cute. He's since moved on from the ostrich and now his "baby" is the worst toy in the world (in my eyes) - a freakin stuffed possum. He carries that thing everywhere and sleeps with it every night.

 

[Acadia]

I would think a lot about what she does now and how you can modify that after surgery. I think letting her rest outside sounds great, but Elvis would never have let that happen. He refuses to stay outside without us, so for him that wasn't an option. Does Cadie like to be outside? If she calm and comfortable alone out there?

LOVES!and since its finally getting more spring like, I can hang with her out there sometimes.

I know what we did for Elvis, but he's a large, lazy adult so I'm glad others on here have advice for the younger, more energetic dog. One thing we do for Elvis a lot is give him a kong stuffed with peanut butter. It lasts him a long time if we freeze it for a few hours and he loves it. He had some puzzles but was too lazy to actually work them so he destroyed them.

Yeh, cadie isn't so food driven that she will spend much time with them. The one puzzle I do have she stands up and paws at it.

The one thing I thought was pretty cute/strange/unexpected was that Elvis became really, really attached to his stuffed toys during recovery. There are pictures on here somewhere of him with a new toy we gave him when he got home, one that I dubbed "Recovery Ostrich" and he latched on to that thing and took it everywhere. He would play with stuffed toys before, but he never attached to one like that before. It was really cute. He's since moved on from the ostrich and now his "baby" is the worst toy in the world (in my eyes) - a freakin stuffed possum. He carries that thing everywhere and sleeps with it every night.

That is so cute!! And lol on the possum!

 

[victoria1140]

rubber backed mats, incontinent sheet and pads just in case.
kingsize quilts or memory foam as a bed

there are some childrens playpens that may be suitable, stair gates and yes pen in or put a gate on the outside area as mine loved sitting outside

a good friend as you will feel as guilty as hell after, before and during surgery.
sedatives whether for you or Cadie depends on yourself

a support network as I didnt get a lot of sleep for nearly three months and sleeping on the sofa wasnt fun

 

[Carlina]

When Emma had her surgery I had a very large ex-pen in my living room and she stayed in there, I would take her out the front door to do her business. We put a ramp on the front stairs so she would have only a few steps to the grass. We also put a ramp on the back steps as it was spring and I knew I could sit out there with her. We put an ex-pen on the back deck so she could watch us. I would bring her food and water to her in this pen and the only time she got up for the first couple of weeks was to go do her business. After the okey from the Vet we would do 3 minute walks on the front lawn then increase to 5 and then 10 minute. Recovery is long, just be patient and you will see great results.

 

[Brandie&Maggie]

Check out amazon for an ex-pen. I got our's at BabiesRUs because I needed it that same day. Look for kids exercise yard, etc. It's cheaper than the dog versions, but exactly the same thing.

When we thought Maggie needed CCL repair we looked at lots of options for potty. A lot of people built wooden boxes with sand/dirt and topped with sod for potty on a deck. However, I'd teach her to use it now, before surgery if you go that route. Maggie would never ever do that - she's a creature of habit and is very particular about where she goes. Not sure what Cadie is like...

 

[NewfieMama]

I ordered our pen from Amazon. 8 24 inch wide, 30 inch high black metal panels. This makes up 2 sides of our enclosure; the other 2 are a wall and couch.

we have a thick wool rug on the floor then I added a couplenof layers of old quilts and blankets. I took away her bed because she would stand on it and her knees would wobble. (just recently gave it back when she started escaping the pen to lie in Coopers bed, lol, but I am still glad I kept her off it for 6 weeks this time).

 

[Bojie]

Boj always hated crates but for his recovery from TPLO I got him an XXL great dane sized crate and almost 2 yrs later I can't take it down. We also went to home depot and got interlocking foam mats for better grip and softer flooring for him. Used a sling for all his outdoor potty breaks.