December 23, 2003 / 29 weeks post-TPLO, 10 weeks post plates removal surgery
The "spot" has gotten worse in the last couple of weeks, and there are either little tiny fistulas forming in there along the suture line, or the internal sutures are starting to make their way out. So, we are going to take her down to the orthovet in Colorado later today, and see what he has to say. The area isn't infected, but it is oozy, and there is definitely something bugging her in there. I'll ask him about sponges or other foreign material. There is also a lot of scar tissue that has developed in that area, and it is connected to the tibia and that has restricted her movement.
Centerfold Nixie, showing off her pretty blue bandage
December 23, 2003.
Grrr. Is surgery in our future? I can just picture the orthovet telling us that he'll need to clean out the scar tissue in that joint and do some exploring to see what is going on. I DON'T WANT TO PUT HER THROUGH ANOTHER SURGERY! Ok, enough ranting.
Sigh. Will this ever end?
December 24, 2003 / 29 weeks post-TPLO, 10 weeks post plates removal surgery
At first the orthovet thought it was a licking seroma (is that the
right term?), but when we mentioned that the chunk of scar tissue
seems to be attached to her tibia, and is restricting the movement in
that leg, he was concerned. He thought she was a bit neurotic about
licking that spot. We informed him that she's nicked herself up a
couple of times over the last few weeks, and she never licked those,
even when she bled all over the house from a toe cut. She also left
her TPLO sutures alone, so something must be bugging her in there.
He didn't want to open her up again (we don't either!), and have the same problem of the sutures tearing through her skin because she could bend her knee better. So, he called Dr. Bright, the soft tissue specialist, in to examine her. He could feel something "ropey" in there connecting the chunk of scar tissue (it is bigger than a golf ball) to her tibia, and we thought that maybe another large fistula/draining tract has formed. Dr. Swainson bandaged her up, so she couldn't get at that spot, and we scheduled her surgery for next Tuesday. Ugh.
I really hate the thought of having her cut up yet again on that same knee. I'm sure she'll have to wear an e-collar (I wonder if they have the clear kind?), and maybe a bandage to restrict movement of the knee and to keep her away from it. He is also talking about some kind of anti-anxiety medicine. I wonder if Rescue Remedy or lavender oil or DAP would work for her. She *is* little-miss-separation-anxiety dog (you should see the wood work she has gnawed on!).
They ruled out a reaction to the internal sutures, because it has been three months since her last surgery. The "c" word (cancer) was never uttered, but the pessimist in me has to wonder. I never did see the lab results from the last lump of scar tissue they removed from her, so I can only assume it was what they expected it to be. They ruled out hardware rejection, because it has all been removed. They did not take x-rays, so they didn't rule out some other foreign body, like a sponge or gauze pad. They aren't sure exactly what type of procedure they are going to do, but they are supposed to call and inform us of the estimated costs (they better do some deep discounting!). It cost almost $500 for the plates removal, so I assume that this will be less. There was no charge for the office visit, or the 3 miles of bandage on her leg.
Enjoying Christmas. December 25, 2003
Sigh. At least we will have her and her big blue bandage home for Christmas. This is her second with us, and boy will she and her siblings be spoiled this year! And we know we will have a quiet New Year's, being house-bound with a gimpy dog.
The bandage Dr. Swainson put on started slipping by the time we got to Harmony and Lemay, about 15 minutes with a stop at a 7/11 to get a soda, string cheese for Nixie, and a lotto ticket. It lasted until sometime the next afternoon, which is better than the one we did, which lasted about 5 minutes. I foresee a potential problem there.
December 30, 2003 / 30 weeks post-TPLO, 11 weeks post plates removal surgery, day of the scar tissue clean up surgery
Well, we got up before the crack of dawn, and were on the road for
the lovely sunrise, taking Nixie down to the orthovet. Oh, she hates
going in there now! At first it's "Wow! A car ride!" and then
it's "Oh no, we're on the freeway" and then its "Eeek! We are turning
into that parking lot! I'm not going in there!" Once she got in the
front door and to the back I think she was ok, and at least they have
kennels large enough for her (unlike our GP vet).
I just got a call from the orthovet's office, stating that her surgery time has been pushed back due to a few emergencies that came in. She was supposed to be first and we were supposed to be able to pick her up later today, but not now. Why do they tell us that she'll be first, when she never ends up that way? The same thing happened with her TPLO, when she was supposed to be second, and ended up being last, and we didn't get the "call" until after 7 p.m. I'm not worried this time, we're old hands at this, now. We haven't even gotten the extra area rugs out of the basement, yet. No x-pen this time around--she won't fit through the doorway with the e-collar on her head.
Not a happy camper. December 30, 2003
The cost estimate for this surgery (scar tissue and fistula clean up) is the same as the plates removal was, $350 - $650. I just hope that the sutures don't tear through like they did last time, which I think caused all of the problems she is having now. What do you think, a soft cast to keep her from bending that knee until the incision is healed? Rescue Remedy or DAP to keep her mellow and prevent her from licking her knee (she can reach her knee with the e-collar on, too). I could try hog-tying her--just kidding!
The good news of not having to pick her up until tomorrow is that the Chinook winds are supposed to die down, making it a much nicer drive, and we can stay home with her for a few days straight.
Nixie came out of surgery fine, and we get to pick her up this evening. That means we have to drive the hour south with a wicked westerly wind (sustained at 40 mph, gusting to 55 mph), known as a Chinook in this part of the country. Its like a Santa Ana, a quick, warm wind downsloping out of the mountains. It will make driving something awful, for both directions.
Dr. Swainson said he did an eliptical incision, and took all of the scar tissue out, deep down to the bone. He saw no fistulas in there, so I suppose that is good news. She is bandaged, and hopefully that will stay on longer than the 12 hours the last one did.
December 30, 2003 / 30 weeks post-TPLO, 11 weeks post plates removal surgery, 1 day post scar tissue clean up surgery
Poor Nixie was drugged out of her mind last night when we picked her up. I think she hadn't come all the way out of the anesthesia yet. Yesterday, the orthovet removed the scar tissue that had formed all the way down to her bone, and said there wasn't a fistual in there (phew!). So, the poor baby is in confinement (x-pen), with an e-collar, and has to take 2 cephalexin pills three times a day for the next week (ugh!). She also has a large stiff bandage on that knee to prevent her from bending it (our problem with the second surgery) and to keep her from licking it. The orthovet will be happy if the bandage stays on for two to three days. She was pretty whiny last night, but did eat some of her food, and did pee. She has also figured out how to walk on that leg on stairs (it swings out wide).
Grand total for this surgery: $647. Ouch.
Nixie modeling her new, orange, transparent,
e-collar, January 5, 2004
January 5, 2004 / 31 weeks post-TPLO, 12 weeks post plates removal surgery, 1 week post scar tissue clean up surgery
Nixie is doing great. Her incision looks clean and sealed. Dr. Swainson did a good job, and the incision doesn't start until below her knee joint, so we don't have to worry about her bending her knee and tearing the sutures through her skin, like the last time. Her toes were swelling a bit the end of last week, so we had Dr. Thompson, our regular vet, take the bandage off and look at it. He said it looked good, so no more bandages for her! She still has to wear the e-collar while we cannot watch her, and that thing is so beat up, she looks very comical in it. Her new, clear one from PetCo should be arriving today. It was shipped 2 day FedEx but it took a week because of the holidays. Nixie stays in the x-pen during most of the day, so she doesn't put too much stress on that suture line, and so Levi isn't tempted to sniff and lick it. When I have seen Nixie lick, it is at the adhesive stuck to her fur. We purchased some De-Solv-it to remove that, but haven't had a chance to use it. She may get to have her sutures out by the end of this week, or early next week at the latest.
Sometime between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Nixie removed her e-collar and chewed it up. She was probably agitated when the Fed Ex delivery driver came to the door to deliver her package with the new e-collar and the DAP. S/He probably rang the door bell a few times, which gets the dogs all riled up. Her sutures are in place, but her incision is a bit swollen, so we have been icing it for 15 minutes, two to three times a day. Grrr. She was doing so well. Good news--today is the last day for her pills. Boy! does she hate them!
January 12, 2004 / 32 weeks post-TPLO, 13 weeks post plates removal surgery, 2 weeks post scar tissue clean up surgery
Nixie had her sutures removed this morning (yeah!) by our local vet.
Now we have to wait for the orthovet to call me back tomorrow to find
out what the rest of the protocol is. The vet tech I talked to on
the phone said to keep her coned (e-collar) which means confinement,
because there just isn't enough room in the house for a Great Dane
wearing an e-collar and an x-pen in the living room. Her incision
line looks great, she's moving great, but I'm not sure if she will
incessantly lick at it like she did after the plates were removed.
She and the other two dogs have been very upset with us, because we purchased a "new" house, a real fixer-upper, and haven't spent much time with them over the last week. I keep telling them that it is bigger, so there is more room for them to roam in, and they each get their own bedroom--not that that will stop all three of them from trying to sleep with us on the queen sized bed!
January 14, 2004 / 32 weeks post-TPLO, 13 weeks post plates removal surgery, 2 weeks post scar tissue clean up surgery
Dr. Swainson called yesterday and told me to keep the e-collar on her for about five more days, which would put us at the end of the week. We've been leaving her out with the other two dogs, but there isn't enough room for her to move around the x-pen, so maybe I'll take it down tonight. He said to take 2 - 3 weeks to get her back to a normal dog. Well, other than the e-collar when we can't supervise her, she is a normal dog. We are leaving for six days to go to San Diego for my grandmother's memorial service, and Scott's sister will be over to doggy sit for us. So, maybe we'll keep her e-collared while no one can supervise, but otherwise, let her be a dog again.
January 30, 2004 / 34 weeks post-TPLO, 15 weeks post plates removal surgery, 1 month post scar tissue clean up surgery
Nixie is doing fantastic. She behaved herself while we were gone, and now she is a free dog. She was even trying to body-slam Jasmine, the Queen Dog, who is two feet shorter than her! The scar is flat, and she hasn't licked it once. Most of her fur has grown back, and I think this is finally it. Well, until she blows out the other knee, which I hope never happens.
Nixie modeling her lovely horse blanket, December 2004
June 2004 / 1 year post-TPLO, 8 months post plates removal surgery, 5 months post scar tissue clean up surgery
Nixie is doing fabulously, and loves running up and down the stairs and around and around
at our new house. Her other knee is holding, and we expect no problems from it. Despite the set-backs she had after her TPLO surgery, I'm glad we did it, because she is back to her goofy self. I'm not sure if we'd do it for the other knee, but that depends on her age and overall health. Now we have to worry about the old dog, Jasmine, because she is getting arthritic in her hind quarters, but she has a lot of spunk.
September 2004 / 16 months post-TPLO, 1 year post plates removal surgery, 8 months post scar tissue clean up
Last month Jasmine was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in her maxilla (upper jaw). She had the tumor and part of her jaw removed on August 18th, and started chemotherapy on September 2nd. She is a fighter, and after the surgery, she even looks the part. I've started a website chronicling her journey at http://mindbuilders.net/jasmine/
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Three weeks ago, Nixie, got into the candy bowl, ate
the candy (foil wrappers and all), broke the bowl , and
sliced the inside of her right foot to the bone. The emergency vet
put in four wire sutures, so they would poke her when she tried to
lick them. A week later, her cut was still oozing clear liquid, so
the vet bandaged her foot, which managed to stay on for four days.
During all of this time, we used an e-collar on her when we couldn't
supervise her. However, she can still reach her foot with the
collar on. On day four post-bandage, she managed to get the inner parts of the
bandage off, so we removed it. Two days later, it was still oozing
clear liquid, but the cut was closed enough that the vet removed the
sutures.
Fast forward one week--Nixie still wears the e-collar, and she wears sock on her foot to deter her from licking. But, she can get the sock down so she can lick at it, and she can move the e-collar so she can lick it. The Banguard the vet gaves us works, but it rubs off fairly quickly. The cut is closed, but now she has a licking granuloma that is half-dollar sized. She is wearing an XX-L e- collar, the largest I could find that would fit her skinny giraffe neck and still go past her nose.
Not a happy camper. March 31, 2005
Thursday, March 17, 2005
I dug around the box of dog stuff (shampoo, old
meds, & brushes) and came up with a bottle of ant-itch/anti-
bacterial/moisturizer stuff we had previously bought for her. A
spray of that made it feel better. I know Apple Bitters and Bitter
Orange don't do a thing for her. I also dug out the Benadryl, and we
will use that as a last resort. We still have ACE and morphine, but
I don't think she is that bad! ;-) I'll also stop by PetCo and get a
refill of DAP which helped her after her third knee surgery--the one
to fix the granuloma and scar tissue she had built up after her
plates were removed. She licked her knee for months after that
surgery, so I know that if I leave her alone, she won't leave her
foot alone. Grrrr. Little Miss Separation Anxiety Dog. I've been
gone for the last few days, which hasn't helped this situation, and
my husband forgot to "cone" her a couple of times. Double Grrrr.
Friday, March 25, 2005
Nixie is doing better. The Comfort Zone refill showed up this week,
and I think it is helping, especially when we went away for three
days this week. Last Sunday I caught her with her bad foot inside
her e-collar, so I extended the collar with cardboard. Poor thing
looks pathetic, because she keeps smashing into things and the
cardboard is all smooshed inside the e-collar. But, it is helping
and it keeps her from licking her wound open. The sore is scabbed
over and the surrounding skin is pink and healthy. I took her to
the vet last Friday when I couldn't get her to stop reopening the
wound, and they gave me antibiotic cream to put on it. She may only
have to do the e-collar thing one more week. I should've known she
was going to do this when she cut her foot four and a half weeks
ago, because we went through this when she had her plates removed.
That ordeal lasted three months.
Much better! April 1, 2005
Friday, April 1, 2005
The cardboard didn't last long. My husband brought home some thick laminate from work, and we extended the e-collar farther out. And, since it is mostly clear, she can see through it and navigate around the house better. The foot is doing better, and the scab is about dime sized now. Maybe one more week. Who would've thought that a cut foot would have turned into a two month ordeal.
Monday, April 25, 2005
FINALLY! The scab is gone, the fur is growing back, and she can be a free dog! Who would've thought it would take her 9 weeks (as long has her TPLO recovery!) to recover from this cut.
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Nixie had a TPLO on her right knee three years ago today. She is still doing fine. The left knee is holding its own (knock on wood). I have no regrets about doing the TPLO, and we weren't planning on having the hardware removed, until the rejection happened. However, if she blew out her left CCL now, I may not put her through a TPLO because of her age.
I still lurk on the Orthodogs list, and I have been interested in the whole plates cause osteosarcoma discussion from this past weekend. I can tell you that certain breeds--Great Danes and rottweilers in particular--are very susceptible to OSA. There is a genome study going on (Michigan State Univ?) to see if they can determine which genetic markers dogs carry that predispose them to OSA. I would like to see the results from that study applied to which dogs are recommended for TPLOs in the future. There is a great group of people at BoneCancerDogs if anyone is interested in joining http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bonecancerdogs/
I worry about my Little Miss Nixie-Pixie getting OSA, more because she is a Dane and not because she had a TPLO. I have another dog, Jasmine the wonder-mutt, who is living with metastasized osteosarcoma. Her tumor was in her jaw, and she has been living life with OSA for 21 months (11 with lung mets). She is ending her journey, but not without putting up one heck of a fight.
