Active dog put on total crate rest

[D'Elle]

Digger comes home today to total crate rest recovering from surgery.

 

Anyone have suggestions for a good recovery diet, and things to teach a dog who has to stay in a crate?

 

So far, I have this on my food list: bone broth, yogurt for pro-biotic effect, carrots for Vt. C, cooked chicken and rice, raw chicken, eggs. (not all at once)

 

For two weeks he is not supposed to walk except to go outside (first few days not even that....I will need to carry him).

So, I want to keep his mind occupied by teaching him some things.

 

Suggestions for things I can teach him while he is on strict crate rest?

So far I have: put chin in my hand, target with paw, cross paws, paw over nose, put nose into box or bag, head down on paws.

(I cannot work with him handing me things or putting things into a box because he won't pick up something or take something from me unless it is food. don't know why, it's his quirk.)

 

Games: maybe muffin tin with treats under tennis balls. Not sure what else.

 

 

[Maralynn]

Shape a hold? I did LOTS of hold work with Kenzi. KikoPup or Donna Hill on YouTube both have great tutorial videos.

 

Also, is he coming home with meds to help facilitate calm crate time? Kenzi was in trazadone the whole time and it really helped

[Riika]

Teach him to wink, with left eye/right eye commands. Teach him to flick his ears, wrinkle his nose in a snarl, etc. It'll be time consuming but it sounds like you have plenty of that!

[Shetlander]

So happy to hear Digger is home with you. Agree with training little head/facial movements, hold, actions that the dog is mostly stationary for. Also second asking for a calming medication, if needed. Good luck and hope recuperation goes smoothly!

[D'Elle]

Thanks for the suggestions.

At this point, he is in pain and I don't know if training is asking too much or of it would distract him from the pain and therefore be good, so I will just see how it goes.

[Maralynn]

If he is in pain, I might consider asking for more pain control. Kenzi came home very mellow and and relaxed. She had three different pain meds that she took for 10-14 days. The drugs made her rather loopy/groggy but Im fairly positive that they kept her pain under control as she readily wagged her tail and ate up attention when she was awake

[Shetlander]

Definitely pain control first and foremost. Poor little guy. He will not only be more comfortable but will heal better with the pain managed and good rest.

[urge to herd]

Poor Dogger. Hope you can get him more comfortable.

 

Ruth & Gibbs

[D'Elle]

Thanks, all. I did call the vet hospital on Sunday and they authorized me to increase the pain medication's frequency, and that seems to help. Of course, he is not completely comfortable but feels better.

 

He is even starting to toe down with that foot some of the time. Which only means I have to restrict his activity even more, hardly allowing him to walk at all, so that he doesn't use it yet, as it is much too soon. But it is a good sign, even so. They said he could/would probably start using that leg around the 2-week mark.

[Gloria Atwater]

Poor pupper, I hope he's soon well on the mend!

Just wanted to add that I trust the food items listed are supplemental to and not substitute for his regular diet? I agree with prioritizing pain management, that should help with appetite and all the other things. Pet him softly once for me!

[D'Elle]

Gloria, those foods are supplemental.

Although I have given him (and therefore the other dogs) meals of home made chicken soup the first few days. (cooked chicken breast, a few potatoes, peas and the broth from cooking, no seasonings).

Now I am putting the chicken soup on top of the regular kibble, but he is also getting a higher protein kibble than usual.

 

I didn't make the bone broth after all. He gets pieces of carrot all the time anyway, because he loves them, and I am making sure he eats some yogurt every day for the probiotic effect.

 

I have to make sure I don't feed him too much because he is so inactive he could possibly gain weight, although it is hard to imagine that dog gaining an ounce. He is Mr. Lean.

 

Talked to a good friend today who used to work in a vet hospital like the one where he went. She said that she typed up the reports on post-surgery treatment and learned how few owners actually follow the post-op treatment plan. She said over 90% don't follow the instructions the vet tells them

 

Even though I know how people are, that really amazed me. I mean, my dog had major surgery.

And by the way it cost me a very great deal of money. And I would not follow the post-op treatment plan to the letter?!

Unbelievable.

[Shetlander]

Glad Digger is doing better!

 

Yes, it boggles my mind when people don't follow their vet's instructions, even after something like a major surgery. But then some people don't follow their own doctor's instructions for themselves. When I met with the physical therapist after my second knee replacement, she commented that it was obvious that I had done my rehab exercises for my first replacement. I asked if people really didn't do their exercises? She said it was sometimes very clear that they were completely unfamiliar with the rehab they were supposed to have done daily the first time around.

 

Major surgery. Total joint replacement and some people dont follow their surgeon's instructions. As you say, unbelievable.

[Maralynn]

Ill echo the utter amazement that people dont follow instructions post surgery with their dog. I mean, I get that its a lot of work. But Kenzis surgery was expensive and it was done to give her the best chance at a pretty normal, active life. So if Im going to invest in it, Im absolutely doing the follow up work!!

 

I even made a excel spreadsheet so I kept her meds/times straight afterward

[Gloria Atwater]

Talked to a good friend today who used to work in a vet hospital like the one where he went. She said that she typed up the reports on post-surgery treatment and learned how few owners actually follow the post-op treatment plan. She said over 90% don't follow the instructions the vet tells them

 

Even though I know how people are, that really amazed me. I mean, my dog had major surgery.

And by the way it cost me a very great deal of money. And I would not follow the post-op treatment plan to the letter?!

Unbelievable.

 

That kind of thing just blows my mind. I mean, this is my DOG! I just spent good money to make him better, why the hell would I want to risk all that - not to mention putting him through hell all over again? ARGH! My dogs are better kept than I keep myself!

 

[D'Elle]

Same here, Gloria. My dogs in many ways come first with me.

I wouldn't ever take any chances with them or their care, at least certainly not intentionally.

[Donald McCaig]

Dear Doggers,

 

Yes, dogs come first. That said, despite vet recces for crate rest and no exercise for various cruciate tears and leg surgery the most I've been able to manage for Border Collies and Guard dogs was a day or two of not jumping on the bed and three weeks leash walks. I'm not bragging, just saying that's how it was here and we got away with it. Patricia O'Connell had a Border Collie she did keep on crate rest for months. You might want to check her blog

 

Donald

[D'Elle]

Thanks very much for that information, Mr. McCaig.

 

Now I don't feel quite so bad about the fact that Digger has twice jumped off the couch because I didn't stop him in time, and once even managed to do a small version of his "Boing" leap at suppertime before I learned that I have to put him in a Down Stay or leave him in the crate while I fix the dogs' dinners!

 

It is very hard to be constantly dampening the spirit of a spirited dog. Ordinarily not what I would ever do. I hope this never happens to a border collie of mine. At least with Digger I can easily just scoop him up if he starts to get rowdy.

 

He says he feels great now and I should let him go back to normal activity. He is already toeing down that leg at times and one time even stood on it to urinate, which scared me a bit until I called the hospital and they told me it was OK.

 

I doubt that I would be recovering so fast, but have decided that if I ever have to have such surgery I will try my best to deal with it like a dog.