[nagdu] Experience talk needed for this sad puppy

Wed Jul 8 01:46:55 UTC 2015

Hello,

Zion had his surgery last wednesday, and we hit a bit of a rough patch for a few days where his medicine was making him highly nautious. 

We are now over that bit, and now that's left is to keep him calm for 8 weeks. Oh the things we're willing to sacrifice for our beloved companions!

His stitches come out this upcoming monday.

Right now he sleeps a lot or walks around my apartment to get water or find another spot to sleep.  I'm keeping everyone out of my apartment to give him no reason to get excited, and this seems to be keeping him off of his leg than he might otherwise be.  I listen to a lot of new age music, and i keep that going to provide a more tranquel atmosphere.  Because I listen to it a lot, even without this stuff that's going on, it's familiar and normal for both of us.

It's still way too soon to know about his guide work, but when i take him outside, i will use the same commands with him that I would use with guide work.  It's not as much work as he needs to have, but whatever small bits of time i can slip in training, i take. :)

I spoke with his breeder about this, and she does not think it will be a career ending injury.  She's worked with akitas for ten years and miraculously she's never had an akita tear an ACL yet.  She says that the TPLO surgery produces great results, but the surgeon said it would take him a little longer to recover due to his bone structure.  It's really going to be the PT's assessment that's going to carry the most weight for me, so in seven more weeks, I'll have more of an idea.  I spoke to a PT before his surgery, and they said that they would have to look at him first, but they can't really see a reason why, after TPLO, he shouldn't be able to work after PT, but it would take a while.  

Sometimes, when we're going outside to relieve him, he still thinks he's about go be worked, and he'll head to the entrance, rather than the courtyard area, of my apartment.

I've heard varying opinions on the amount of walking he should have after his PT is over.  Some say that walking a lot will keep the muscles in his knee strong, that if he does not walk enough, his leg will bother him.  Others say that too much walking will bother his leg.  Maybe it's just a matter of finding a happy median.  

I am in college for teacher education, hoping to teach elementary school children, so I figured that, if he is of sound mind to work, working that job will allow him to rest should he need it.

That's the Zion update for anyone who's wondered.

I will keep you guys posted.

If nothing else, if someone else has this problem with a young dog, they can at least look in archives and learn something from my experience.

I hope you all are having a happy convention.  Wish we were there with you.

> On Jun 20, 2015, at 3:31 PM, S L Johnson via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hello:
> 
> I am so sorry to hear about this.  It is definitely very sad news.  I 
> suppose you will not know until the X-rays if it is a complete or partial 
> tare.  The treatment options may be different depending on the severity of 
> the injury.  I had a female golden, Cinnamon,  with a partial tare in her 
> right ACL after a boy on a skateboard slammed into her.  Since it was only 
> partial my vet chose not to do surgery.  He said sometimes the partial tares 
> will heal themselves over time.  He did advise me that this could be a 
> career ending injury.  Cinnamon was immediately put on high doses of 
> anti-inflammatory pain medications.   She was not worked for several months 
> in the hope scar tissue would gradually repair the tare.  Even though she 
> wasn't working,the vet advised me to walk her around the house or yard.  He 
> had me start very slow and for a few minutes gradually increasing the time 
> and distance as she was able to tolerate it.  The reason he gave was to keep 
> her joints from becoming stiff and her muscles too weak.  He also showed me 
> exercises to do on the injured leg to help it regain strength and range of 
> motion.    finally the vet let her do short walks but, her work was very 
> limited.  She no longer had stamina for long walks, had trouble with high 
> curbs and steps and was painful in damp cold weather.  I did end up having 
> to retire her as a result of this injury.  Cinnamon was six-and-a-half years 
> old when she was injured so the outcome may be different for a younger dog. 
> Give him lots of love from me and good luck.  I will keep you and your 
> beloved pup in my thoughts and prayers.
> 
> Sandra and Eva
> 
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: Valerie Gibson via nagdu
> Sent: Saturday, June 20, 2015 4:25 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Cc: Valerie Gibson
> Subject: [nagdu] Experience talk needed for this sad puppy
> 
> Hi,
> 
> I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer!
> 
> Mine will not be so wonderful.
> 
> As some know, I am training my own guide dog of the Akita Inu breed.
> 
> Right now, he is one year and seven months old.
> 
> Because the larger breeds do take more time to mature, he's not quite there 
> yet, but we'd just started to work in more places so that he could know that 
> the commands are the same no matter where we are.  He'd been making great 
> progress, even surprising me at time.  I was pleased.
> 
> But then...he tore his cruciate, and for those who don't know, i believe 
> it's in the ballpark of the ACL.
> 
> Obviously that takes training to a screeching halt, no pun intended.
> 
> We're scheduled for X-rays on monday, and then a consult with the surgeon, 
> and then surgery, and then physical therapy.
> 
> I have a couple questions for you as dog owners, and then a couple questions 
> for those who do train their own dogs or who know anything about dog 
> training.  If yo know all of the above, you'll be even more helpful.
> 
> Has anyone known a dog who's torn their ACL and has undergone surgery and 
> PT?  If so, what was your experience?  I'd preferably love to hear about 
> younger dogs who have done this.  I'd assume olde dogs don't have the 
> resilience, but i could be wrong.
> 
> I'd also like to know, from you trainers or experienced dog handlers, are 
> there any training things i can do with him that requires hardly any 
> mobility?
> 
> I'm assuming that PT is going to take about a year to get him back on the 
> job, even if it's just for an hour. Again, correct me if i'm wrong.  I just 
> don't want to spend that time not working with him, even if it's just mental 
> exercises.
> 
> If there's any other advice or tips you can give, please feel free.
> 
> I'd also like to point out that I'm sure I'll get multiple feedback on 
> wether or not he will even be able to work. I've gotten it enough from my 
> family, so I'd rather not be "told" my dog will or will not be able to work. 
> I'm going to leave that decision to God, time, my knowledge of my dog, and 
> the PT.
> 
> Any help or prayers will be appreciated during this long road ahead.
> 
> Thanks so much.
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