Thursday 9 September 2010

a Robert Jones bandage and repair of a partially torn cruciate

Penny has a rather pretty bandage on her leg after the operation to repair her partially torn cruciate ligament. Searching the net today for information, I've discovered an article at PetPlace describing it as a Robert Jones bandage.

The surgeon told us to be very careful that it doesn't get wet, so we've been crawling around the backyard feeling the ground for dampness - ah, what we do for our beloved dogs! But now I've read on the PetPlace site that we should have a plastic bag right over her bandage when we go outside, because she might accidentally wee on it and make it wet.

We took turns to get up at two-hourly intervals during the night to check on her - yawn - and she slept well. She can apparently shift around, because we see her in different resting positions when we check on her during the day.



I read a report on the history and use of this bandage and was pleased to read
By supporting the soft tissues, the Robert Jones dressing relieves pain and may facilitate healing.
And, at another site, I read
It promotes healing by immobilizing the injured area, thereby limiting swelling and providing protection from secondary trauma. Compared with other padded bandages, the Robert-Jones bandage offers limb stability, tissue fluid absorption, and protection from trauma. Generally, most of the compression is lost after several hours to days as the cotton loosens.
One of the best finds of all has been a blog by the owner of a dog who has gone through the traditional repair, as we are doing, and also has successfully completed conservative management, avoiding surgery altogether. (We tried conservative management, but Penny got worse.) I'll be reading each week of that blog to get an idea of what we can expect.

Today's big exercise has been carrying Penny out to wee (yes, a good wee in the morning, thank goodness). We know she can wee with the sore leg in the air, because she's been doing it for weeks.

The next step is to see her do a poo. (Oh, how our dogs teach us to focus on the important things in life.) We're not sure how that will go, as it seems to involve putting her weight on both backlegs. The vet nurse told us to support her with a sling under her rear end, but we've been out three times and she just lies down.





Maybe there'll be some action later...

8 comments:

Molly the Airedale said...

We continue to send you lots of healing vibes, Penny!

Love ya lots
Maggie and Mitch

Unknown said...

Im so glad to hear that things are moving foraward, its funny when we stop and think about all the things that we do for our sweet pups :)

Two Pitties in the City said...

It's good to see that she has been diagnosed. And the best part about blogs is that we can learn from one another's experiences.

parlance said...

Maggie and Mitch, thanks once more! I'm finding it rather stressful, but I know others have come through the ordeal successfully. Thank Dog for the internet!

parlance said...

Hound Girl, you're right - we do a lot for our dogs, and most of the time we don't even stop to think about it. Until we see them in distress and then we feel as if nothing can be too much to help them.

parlance said...

Two Pitties, I'm so-o glad that I'm a reader of blogs. I've found so much information that I needed to know.

Mandie said...

Hi!

I am the creator of Dog Knee Injury and am so happy you've found the site to be helpful :) I'd love to share your story with the readers over there, so just let me know if you'd be ok with that! I wish Penny a speedy recovery - from what I've read on your site she sounds like she's well on her way!!

Best wishes,
Mandie of Dog Knee Injury

parlance said...

Mandie, you are welcome to share anything about Penny's operation and her so-o slow recovery. I love the information you have on your site and think it's important that we share good stories and the information we've gathered.

Your blog encourages me in this difficult time.