pls help me

Please post questions about pets who are expected to undergo amputation or who have already undergone amputation here, as well as pets born with missing or incomplete limbs.
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abbypanda
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Joined: Wed Dec 12, 2012 2:43 am

pls help me

Post by abbypanda »

This Saturday I came home and my Rottweiler Tessa was not jumping on me as usual. She was in her little pen all day. I noticed her holding her leg up a bit and brought her in for a look. That's when I found a huge gash on the back of her leg. I rushed her to the ER vet and they told me whatever cut her sliced her to the bone (which I already knew) and cut her achilles tendon, severing it in two. He did stitch the tendon and cut back but told me if she puts weight on it it will probably not hold. He put a splint on it, and it has a drain

By Monday her wrap was coming off and I took her to the local vet to have it changed. He sedated her b/c she wont let anyone touch it, and he called and told me her tendon was not attached. I'm not sure if he unstitched it and looked but he did say he felt the joint and it was very lose. He wanted to amputate her leg! I wanted to throw up. I've been looking around and I see some achilles braces. Will this allow her to keep her leg and use it some so I dont have to amputate it?

Please tell me what options there are. I dont wanna amputate it, but he said she'll never be able to use it and sometimes they will chew it or injure it. I think he's correct in these things, but she's moving around well now. As long as these current dressings stay on and I dont have to take her back every other day and sedate her to change them until it's time for the drain to come out I will try hard to keep her leg.

Please please tell me what I can do.
Christine
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Joined: Wed Mar 01, 2006 3:50 pm
Location: Sautee Nacoochee, GA

Re: pls help me

Post by Christine »

I know how traumatic this is for you. If your vet does not have any suggestions for keeping it stable and Tessa can't stand the pain of having anyone touch it, amputation might be the only option. Please read some of the stories about tri-pods - you will feel better about that option if this is the best choice. Dogs handle this much better than their owners.

Also, the vet is correct about possible chewing of the site which can cause a lot of harm, so if she is not using a cone right now, keep a close eye on her.

Take a deep breath and put together some questions to the vet that will help you make the best decision for Tessa and come back here and ask as many questions as you want or just for support. We are here for you.


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Bobbie
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Re: pls help me

Post by Bobbie »

Go to a specialist. They should be able to surgically repair the tendon and cast the leg until it heals. A friend of mine had this done on her Lab very successfully.
Bobbie Mayer
"Corgis on Wheels: Understanding and Caring for the Special Needs of Corgis with Degenerative Myelopathy or DIsk Disease available now!
http://www.corgiaid.org/cart/corgisonwheels
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