Day Two - February 25, 2018
Day Two
I need to write-up my notes from the day at the end of the day. Maybe that'll start tonight.
Sunday, February 25, 2018 was Greta's second full day post surgery. She slept all night. When she woke up she seemed more like herself; I think the meds from surgery have finally worn off.
Exercises
Greta won't let me do the bicycle/stretching exercises that the discharge papers asks me to do, though they do say "as much as she will allow." The discharge papers don't say when to start. If Dr. Smith told me, I've forgotten. So, I'm gently stretching her affected leg, usually only for a few seconds, a few times per day. She'll let me gently stretch it out behind her - once, maybe twice, but that's it. If I try to bicycle it, she holds it in the contracted position. So, we stop.
She's not allowed to go for walks, play, jump, etc. until she goes in for her checkup in two weeks. Yesterday she wanted to play, a bit, but she wasn't allowed to.
Eating and Drinking
On day two Greta started drinking regularly. (Yay!) She still not eating her dry kibble, so twice a day I'm mixing about a 1/4 cup of wet food with about 1 1/2 cups of kibble. She wolfs that down while my two boys look on longingly. I let them each lick one side of the spoon - a small consolation.
Going Out
Greta prefers going out back, even with the stairs. I think that she would really love to just be left out there, but she can't for at least the next two weeks and I think for the next four weeks. (If I understand the discharge papers correctly.)
It took until the afternoon of day two for her to poop again - and it was like soft serve ice cream. I don't know if that's her meds (both the antibiotic and the anti inflammatory say that they can cause digestive discomfort) or the wet food she's eaten. (My dogs all just eat kibble. They are grazers, with the food bowls down 24/7. They don't overeat.)
Late in evening on day two, Greta pooped again, this time it was a bit more firm.
Other Stuff
Greta isn't yet putting weight on her leg, but she taps it down at times, I think this is for balance. She goes up and down the stairs just fine, though gingerly. She sometimes hops up onto the bed or couch, but it takes her some moments of "talking herself into it." She doesn't push off of her right leg, just her left.
I think that the Tramadol is making her lethargic - after she takes the higher recommended dose, she just lays in bed. I don't want to have her be in pain, but I don't want her drugged either. So I gave her the lower recommended dose in the afternoon and evening. I'll continue to evaluate this on Day Three.
For days two - six (and a half) I'm to ice her incision twice a day for 10 minutes at a time. For Surgery Day and Day One she let me ice her incision with no complaints. On Day Two, she was less compliant. We were able to make it to 8 minutes both times. I can't be fighting her with her healing leg.
She's chewing her chew toys and seeming like herself, except for hopping around on three legs.
Greta didn't do well with the e-collar. (I don't see how anyone would!) So I used a pair of shorts of mine, knit gym shorts with an elastic ribbon tie, and put them on her. These keep her from licking her leg. When she's had the shorts off (after coming in from relieving herself) she will sometimes start to lick her leg, but not necessarily on the incision. I'm wondering two things - one, Greta has allergies and has started immunotherapy - it's possible she's just itchy - she had been chewing on her leg(s) when her medicine wears off). It's also possible that the shorn hair is itchy. Either way, I keep her incision covered at most time - though the shorts allow for plenty of airflow.
I need to write-up my notes from the day at the end of the day. Maybe that'll start tonight.
Sunday, February 25, 2018 was Greta's second full day post surgery. She slept all night. When she woke up she seemed more like herself; I think the meds from surgery have finally worn off.
Exercises
Greta won't let me do the bicycle/stretching exercises that the discharge papers asks me to do, though they do say "as much as she will allow." The discharge papers don't say when to start. If Dr. Smith told me, I've forgotten. So, I'm gently stretching her affected leg, usually only for a few seconds, a few times per day. She'll let me gently stretch it out behind her - once, maybe twice, but that's it. If I try to bicycle it, she holds it in the contracted position. So, we stop.
She's not allowed to go for walks, play, jump, etc. until she goes in for her checkup in two weeks. Yesterday she wanted to play, a bit, but she wasn't allowed to.
Eating and Drinking
On day two Greta started drinking regularly. (Yay!) She still not eating her dry kibble, so twice a day I'm mixing about a 1/4 cup of wet food with about 1 1/2 cups of kibble. She wolfs that down while my two boys look on longingly. I let them each lick one side of the spoon - a small consolation.
Going Out
Greta prefers going out back, even with the stairs. I think that she would really love to just be left out there, but she can't for at least the next two weeks and I think for the next four weeks. (If I understand the discharge papers correctly.)
It took until the afternoon of day two for her to poop again - and it was like soft serve ice cream. I don't know if that's her meds (both the antibiotic and the anti inflammatory say that they can cause digestive discomfort) or the wet food she's eaten. (My dogs all just eat kibble. They are grazers, with the food bowls down 24/7. They don't overeat.)
Late in evening on day two, Greta pooped again, this time it was a bit more firm.
Other Stuff
Greta isn't yet putting weight on her leg, but she taps it down at times, I think this is for balance. She goes up and down the stairs just fine, though gingerly. She sometimes hops up onto the bed or couch, but it takes her some moments of "talking herself into it." She doesn't push off of her right leg, just her left.
I think that the Tramadol is making her lethargic - after she takes the higher recommended dose, she just lays in bed. I don't want to have her be in pain, but I don't want her drugged either. So I gave her the lower recommended dose in the afternoon and evening. I'll continue to evaluate this on Day Three.
For days two - six (and a half) I'm to ice her incision twice a day for 10 minutes at a time. For Surgery Day and Day One she let me ice her incision with no complaints. On Day Two, she was less compliant. We were able to make it to 8 minutes both times. I can't be fighting her with her healing leg.
She's chewing her chew toys and seeming like herself, except for hopping around on three legs.
Greta didn't do well with the e-collar. (I don't see how anyone would!) So I used a pair of shorts of mine, knit gym shorts with an elastic ribbon tie, and put them on her. These keep her from licking her leg. When she's had the shorts off (after coming in from relieving herself) she will sometimes start to lick her leg, but not necessarily on the incision. I'm wondering two things - one, Greta has allergies and has started immunotherapy - it's possible she's just itchy - she had been chewing on her leg(s) when her medicine wears off). It's also possible that the shorn hair is itchy. Either way, I keep her incision covered at most time - though the shorts allow for plenty of airflow.
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| Incision Day Two |
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| Greta and Her Shorts |
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