Back in January/February Cici tore a cruciate ligament in her knee and we were told by the vet specialist that she needed surgery. We were also blessed with finding out about an alternative: Conservative Management Protocol. Despite doing it wrong, not being able to keep her as restricted as I was supposed to, it still worked. Cici did not need surgery and her leg/knee is fine now.
It occurred to me that I never actually wrote out what we did do vs what we were supposed to do.
Did not find this guide until after we were done but it is a very worthwhile free guide, tells what to do step by step. Dr. James St.Clair, Free Recovery Guide, sign up and you will receive emails with what to do. He also wrote to me personally and I asked him a few questions and he answered back. Suggested that giving Cici a joint supplement was important. I did. Ortho-Ease by Dr. Harvey which Cici LOVES. Dr. Harvey also suggested that I give her alfalfa, manganese and Vitamin C every day which I did. I occasionally did meditations with her, kept her calm with music and treats and gave her some massages. I was not too concerned about her weight since she has been about 53 pounds consistently for six years. The biggest concern for me was that it was the same leg where she had had three surgeries before for a fractured femur bone when she was hit by an SUV in Carson City. That fracture is completely healed now the vet said. The only other thing I would have liked to do but was not able to do was to have her do some hydrotherapy/swimming after the three months of restriction.
http://dogkneeinjury.com/tag/range-of-motion/
Joints in dogs
A. The SHOULDER is a ball and socket joint. This is a common site for “wear and tear” problems. B. In the ELBOW joint, 3 bones come together on a tight “hinge” formation. Malformation of this joint may occur. C. The STIFLE joint is similar in shape and function to the human knee. Because the bones are not shaped to fit very closely together, this joint depends a great deal on ligaments to hold the bones in place. It is a commonly injured joint. D. The HOCK is similar in shape and function to the human ankle joint. It is normally held tightly together by ligaments. These small bones are under great stress when the animal runs and jumps. E. The HIP joint is normally a tight fitting ball and socket joint. In some dogs, the bones develop abnormally so that the fit is too loose. Many factors can adversely affect its development, which can lead to wear and tear. Tons of info about cruciate ligament injuries http://dogkneeinjury.com/cruciate-ligament-injury-in-dogs/ wish I had a photo of her running and playing but this is my silly girl …