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Surgery


Hobbit

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Well, Guy goes in Monday to be prep'ed for surgery on Tuesday. He should be able to come home by Friday.

We have lots of questions for the Orthopedic surgeon on Monday since it will be a fairly new procedure that he will be doing.

Guy would be fitted with an apparatus that are three rings (looks like a halo) and screws into the bone. The treatment is to turn the screws 2 times a day to lenghten and straighten the leg that he broke. The screws are attached by piano wire. Sounds rather painful, but we were assured that it would not be (I don't believe that).

If I didn't tell you, he broke the humerous and the radius. The growth plate on the ulna closed prematurally due to trauma.

The surgery is not elective....it is a "have" to surgery. His type of break is having the ripple effect, it is effecting other parts of his leg --- like his elbow, shoulder, back, and the entire leg.

Donations gratefully accepted!! :wink:

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Guest Anonymous

Poor Guy!! :( Sure he will feel much better after all of this is over...
Question...Are you going to carry him out to check on "his" goats?? I am sure he will love ya for it!! :wink:

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Hobbit, hope Guy's op goes ok and he's back chasing the evil goats in the next few months (it takes a while to recover from that sort of surgery doesn't it?).... have some money from my money tree, though what the Aussie dollar is worth compared to the US you can use it to decorate your Christmas tree :wink:

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The assistant veterinarian called this morning and we decided to [size=6][color=red]postpone the surgery until next Monday (Dec 2).[/color][/size] My concerns were that the surgeon would not be available on Thanksgiving day, if something were to go wrong. And as nasty as this sounds, I am not leaving Guy in the hands of a Vet Tech, or a Student Worker. I want the surgeon available!

He is expected to make a 95% recovery. Recovery time will be 2 months (8wks.....60 days......a whole butt load of hours, minutes and seconds of keeping him quiet).

I expect that we will carry him to see his goats or just show him pictures. Maybe, "out of sight, out of mind"? Ppppppfffftttt, NO chance!! He dreams of herding those goats. This is going to be difficult.

Expensive? Yes, $3750.00 to start. BUT way cheaper in the long run because of all the stress the closed growth plate is causing and will cause (later in his life).

All this major stuff over one little, tiny, growth plate!

I will post before, during and after pictures. It really is a neat procedure. I just wish it wasn't MY dog that he was doing it on! :(

Christmas? WHAT Christmas?!? Bologna sandwiches for a while. Hum...that may be too expensive......so beans for a while (thank God the windows open! haha)

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Ok this may be a silly question but what is a growth plate? Was it caused by the fracture or was it there to begin with? :oops:

A good idea to hold back on the surgery. This is one of your bubs here and not to be taken lightly... I don't blame you for wanting the best person available for aftercare etc.

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Bk the growth plate is located at the end of each bone (on an x-ray, it looks like a gap between two bones). The one that was traumatized and closed prematurily was at the end of the Ulna. It is a "V" shaped plate that allows the bone to grow to maturity. When mature, the plate closes (the gap closes) so, the bone will not elongate any longer. This is why it is so very important NOT to allow sport dog prospects to jump too early for a possibility of damaging the growth plate. It is a common injury in puppies, due to trauma.

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[quote name='gigishiba']Hobbit,

I'm sorry to hear about Guy. I will be thinking about him on Monday (and you, since you'll be in a more worried state that he will be!).....[/quote]

I know that's right! We are so worried over this. I know it's for the best and must be done.

Yeah, he'll be sound asleep during the surgery ---- WE WON'T!

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Guest Anonymous

How long is recovery "with" the halo and without? Are they breaking the growth plate apart?

OK guess Jac was lucky!! Sending bologna so you can shut windows....after all it is winter and Hobbit and Ms. Kitty will get cold!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

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Poor Guy. I'll be sending positive thoughts his way.

Welcome to the "there's not going to be a Santa this year" club. With my Lab's recent hip surgery and another upcoming major surgery next week on another dog, I'll split a pack of bologna with you! :lol:

Hobbit, am I understanding you right? Will you be allowed to be present during the surgery (re: before, during and after photos)? If you can do that, that's great! I don't know why, but somehow I find it much more calming to ME to be present instead of finding it stressful. Maybe I'm just a weirdo. I hope you will be able to be present during Guy's surgery. I'll be thinking of him.

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Guest Anonymous

Wishing Guy a very successful and uneventful surgery and a full recovery. and of course, bologna sandwiches we know are a "small" price to pay for a painfree life for Guy and all our furkids.

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[quote name='Guest Pat']Wishing Guy a very successful and uneventful surgery and a full recovery. and of course, bologna sandwiches we know are a "small" price to pay for a painfree life for Guy and all our furkids.[/quote]


Agree! He'll be able to play "normally" in a few months.

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[quote name='Jacsmom']How long is recovery "with" the halo and without? Are they breaking the growth plate apart?

OK guess Jac was lucky!! Sending bologna so you can shut windows....after all it is winter and Hobbit and Ms. Kitty will get cold!! :lol: :lol: :lol:[/quote]


With the halo -- 2 months; afterwards -- 6 to 8 wks recovery (no running, jumping, stairs, rough playing).

The surgeon is going to take a portion out of the Ulna and let it float --- it will (should) grow back together to fill the gap that was taken. The radius will be cut and screws attached that we will turn to straighten and lenghten the leg.

Thanks for the Bolgna (I will share with you HF). Hobbit does not like to get cold! Miss Kitty doesn't seem to mind, as long as she can take a nap.

Here are some pictures of Guy's leg: It's his right front and it's twisting to the outside.

[img]http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/users/7b5fe9f3/bc/Pets/Kelpie/Guy+laying+1102.jpg?BC28v49At3N08Lmr[/img]

[img]http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/users/7b5fe9f3/bc/Pets/Kelpie/Guys+leg+down+1102.jpg?BC28v49AQWcZsyBC[/img]


[img]http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/users/7b5fe9f3/bc/Pets/Kelpie/Guys+leg+twist+1102.jpg?BC28v49AaHvTJF1m[/img]

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[quote name='Horsefeathers!']Poor Guy. I'll be sending positive thoughts his way.

Welcome to the "there's not going to be a Santa this year" club. With my Lab's recent hip surgery and another upcoming major surgery next week on another dog, I'll split a pack of bologna with you! :lol:

Hobbit, am I understanding you right? Will you be allowed to be present during the surgery (re: before, during and after photos)? If you can do that, that's great! I don't know why, but somehow I find it much more calming to ME to be present instead of finding it stressful. Maybe I'm just a weirdo. I hope you will be able to be present during Guy's surgery. I'll be thinking of him.[/quote]

I don't think I will be allowed to be present. I think (depending on the surgery room) there is an observation room. The procedure will be video taped, because it's fairly a new procedure (another one of my concerns). Personally, I would rather be present during the surgery.

Before, during (the recovery, with the halo) and after (after the halo is removed) --- just still shots.

HEB had bologna on sale.......got 5 packs! :wink:

We will be sending Perry good thoughts also.

If there were ANY other way around this, we would NOT be having this surgery. I just feel so sorry for him. It's going to be uncomfortable, boring as the dickens (not being able to do anything for awhile), and just a plain ol' pain in the butt for him. Guy, Sakari and Miss Kitty are pretty much big time buds --- they just love each other and spend all day together. Sakari and Miss Kitty are always wanting Guy to come out and play....and he can't. :cry:

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Thanks. He's really a handsome fellow. He was so good at the clinic. He didn't pee from fear, he set down like a big boy and was good. Several people came up and asked what breed he was and he really liked the attention. He wasn't afraid at all. The vet tech that checked him in was really nice to him. The assistant surgeon LOVED him. She is from Australia and said she really missed Kelpies. I was impressed that she knew what breed he was! It was an all day ordeal. He was really a good sport at all the handling by strangers. He just looked at us and went with them, so trusting. He didn't get car sick up there or on the way back.

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Guest Anonymous

[quote name='Hobbit']Thanks. We really appreciate the heartfelt wishes.

Bk --- keep trying. I don't think I have a band width limit. Try refreshing your computer.[/quote]

I can't see him either.. :(

I'll just keep trying....

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Guest Anonymous

I don't know...and I'm on one of the largest, best, most bandwidth, global networks out there! Seriously, this is true...even though we are still in chapter 11.... :o

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