UPDATE post #8...Leg surgery for one of the rescued bulldogs

[dewey]

Poor fella, and he was supposed to have surgery this week but the vet moved it to next week. Torn ligament. Family was with him out of state when it happened so he's having the surgery out of state. Poor guy...he's such a sweetie pie.

 

[AngelzFyre]

So sorry to hear this happened!

Is it a torn cruciate? I hope he will do well with his surgery!
They usually do great, you just have to really keep them confined like they tell you and do not for one moment let them "just run a little bit".
This will be a test for you and for him!
I'm sure with his sweet temperament though, he'll be fine and thoroughly spoiled by the time he gets well.

Keep everyone posted on his surgery and progress, please!

 

[dewey]

Thank you so much!

I don't why I worry more about him more than the others, but I do.

I don't have all the specific details of the injury or surgery since cell phone service is limited up north, but what I do know is that the vet there said that 40% of bulldogs have the other leg blow out with this type of issue not too long after surgery, so we're planning on that for the future. He's young, under 2-3 years old, and he was much younger than that when I rescued him from the streets, intact and turned out, with all kinds of health issues of course, as are most (those things, as always, have been vet addressed and taken care of an/or with ongoing care). The leg surgery is the typical $2000 plus aftercare but our rescues always get what they need, funded by family that can do so...Lord knows I can't afford BD care, especially special needs pups.

One of our other rescue BD's is ver near his age, so keeping him somewhat inactive is a challenge, for sure. But he does love to be inside laying around with the tiny dogs and also loves to ride around on the mules...special seats have been added to the mules so they all can ride safely together and we also have BD wagons that attach to the mules and are pulled behind them for the elderly or ones with health issues, so nobody is left out during outtings.

I just don't know why I'm so nervous about this sweetie boy having surgery. Maybe it's the distance. I'll be sure to update.

 

[AngelzFyre]

You stay up later than I do! LOL
It's true on some breeds, they are more prone to blowing the other side out...but having said that we'll pray for the best on this one, okay?!

Keep his weight as close to normal as you can and keep him exercised after he's healed to keep his supporting muscles toned to help out and that will help too. Walking daily will help! Some also use water therapy to rehab until he's gotten his muscles back toned. Not letting him jump up on anything will help too, but I know how they are..hard to do!

Take care and I'll be looking forward to hearing how he did! Sounds like you have an awesome setup for all your rescues!

 

[dewey]

Thanks again!

 

[yadaguhtoo]

I wish the best for your doggy friend

When the vet says keep them confined they really mean it, I unfortunately learned the hard way. I have a Blue Heeler that blew out his knee at 1 year old, he had surgery and everthing was going good for about 2 weeks I was taking him out on leash for a potty break (6 foot leash) and he saw our cat he loves to play with he ran to the end of the leash and that was all it took his knee blew again. After the second surgery the vet said if he blew it again there would be no fixing it so I was extremely strick with his activity...vari-kennel in the house and walking outside with him right next to my leg only. That was the longest 8 weeks ever, I felt so mean keeping him that confined but he's is 3 years old now and can run with the best of them so it was worth it! Wishing you much luck!

 

[dewey]

AngelzFyre and yadagutoo, thanks for the great info. (I try not to stay up too late but sometimes I'm up a lot during the night, lol.)

He'll be recovering out of state for several more months (with just 2 other dogs), which is probably best, really, since it limits his exposure to all his rowdy dog family here...when the family gets together, sometimes 3x a week, there's literally a house full of dogs since the dogs go practically everywhere family goes...good thing we're all dog people, lol.

What type of water therapy is usually suggested? They have an in-ground pool but the BD's sink like a rock straight to the bottom. They're watched liked hawks around water because they just sink. (It has 6' tall fencing around the pool area and they're never out there unsupervised, but they've been fished out of the pool a few times when wanting to join their humans in the pool or when they didn't quite get stopped in time chasing a ball or each other.)

They're never allowed to jump and never encouraged to stand up on their hind legs...they're carried on & off stairs, lifted in & out of vehicles, and even their wagons were built low to the ground for them so they can just step right on without jumping, lol. I just realized how spoiled they sound, lol. I guess they are but only in the good ways...this is the 3rd one, I believe, that's had to have leg surgery over the years.

Btw, although he's outstanding he was neutered right away...they all are. The people that turned him out probably had him for stud purposes but then when he developed health issues probably didn't want to put out the big bucks to care for him. He's got the best home in the world now.

I'll update with news!

 

[dewey]

He had surgery thurs morning and came through great...got word that they couldn't put the metal rod in because his bones were too small, so they used another method that had to be used on a previous BD sweetie pie...cell service is sketchy from the ranch area so hopefully more details will be had friday when he gets picked up from the vet if all is well. Thanks again for your care and concern.

 

[AngelzFyre]

Am so glad that they found a way to get his leg done! Thanks for keeping us posted and do let us know more when you find out more.
I'm hoping his recovery will be status quo and no complications and he'll be an exemplary patient!
Just so happy that he's got such caring "parents" to belong to

.

 

[dewey]

Thanks so much!

At first my heart sank when they told me it couldn't be done as planned, but it worked out as best as possible for right now.

When I found him, or, rather, when he found me, he was in dire straights in the heat of summer and his collar was grown into his neck, feet torn up, among other more major issues. I don't know how he found his way to my place, but when I walked outside he came around the house corner and that's all she wrote, lol. We tried very hard to find the owners but nobody claimed him.

Well, except "neighbors" at that property that tried to steal him while I went inside to open the garage...I had tiny dogs and cats in my house so couldn't just let him run inside without knowing how he'd respond to them or if he health issues...when I came back outside, not 1 minute later, they'd come well into my property and taken him off the temp lead I put him on, and had loaded him into their truck, headed for (deadly) parts unknown. I called over to them and said have you seen my dog that was on lead right here? When the pup heard my voice he popped his head up from the truck's backseat (where they had him held down) and I said open that door and put my dog down, and I called to him and he came flying to my side. To this day I don't why all those guys obeyed my command since I couldn't stop a truck with my body, lol.

Long recovery story short, I kept him for a while to get him over the initial hump and to do some basic obedience training with him before he transitioned to his other home with close family. During that time they visited him several times a week and he had many field trips to their house, so by the time he went home there he was completely comfy...plus we did many reverse field trips back to me. (All the dogs consider all of our houses their houses, and they all have their own toys and beds and dishes at each house.)

I ramble on this but we know how each dog's (and cat's) story is special to their humans.

Thanks again.