Follow me on Twitter Here’s a really fine dog, Luca, whose whose his front leg was broken in two places. I know just how he feels. Or close to it.
Luca is an American Eskimo dog and is four years old. He’s thinking, “Mom, why can’t we go back to the good old days? Take this thing off my leg, please!!”.
I know just how he feels….Seeing his leg all bandaged and seeing the lead attached to his collar. He’s not moving very far for now, unless his parents are moving him around. It’s an awful feeling when you’re a dog who’s active, like Luca has been, as is his nature, and wants to be again.
Luca had surgery too. He has a metal plate and screws in his leg just like I do. Shall I tell him how I’m now running and swimming again? Would that give him hope? I think Luca would still be miserable right now, even if we told him that one day he’ll be playing and moving around again. I know I was, and the word “future” wasn’t in my vocabulary. But looking at Luca’s picture and alertness, maybe – hopefully – his bright and strong spirit – and his mom’s strong support and love – will carry him through!
I don’t know what Luca likes to do to play but I hope that he gets to do all those things.
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This is Luca’s mom! Luca is very happy to be a part of this blog. He wants everyone to know that while he’s trying to understand that one day he will run and walk and play again, he’s just not sure quite yet. Things are so different than they used to be and he’s very confused, trying to figure it all out.
As for me, well, my back is about to go out! While Luca is (thankfully) only 20 pounds, carrying him from the house to the yard and from room to room is exhausting. But, on a positive note, my biceps are getting a nice workout.
Luca’s favorite game of all time is to be chased by his buddies at the dog park, which we used to go to every night before his injury. He could run for hours and then jump into the baby pool to cool off. I know he’s dreaming of the day that he can run like that again.
We’re going to sign off now. It’s time for Luca to get a little back legs rub down. He’s getting pretty stiff not moving those muscles at all.
Thanks, Lena, for submitting Luca’s photo to my blog and for being a part of it. Reading about how much attention you’re paying to Luca these days, a rub down, carrying him from room to room and place to place,and trying to understand his state of mind is why I say a phrase that all dogs understand: Man – and woman – is dog’s best friend!
I’m going to go out on a limb here – though carefully…since I just got my splint off – and say that we dogs don’t understand “can’t” very well, and we don’t understand “won’t” either. That’s why we are eternally hopeful that if we just follow our owners around the home, from room to room, looking at them intently, that they’ll eventually do our will and take us outside to play! So I think that Luca has this spirit and that right now his body isn’t cooperating but I think that soon enough we’ll see the little guy living it up again!
Great post.
We are doing better. Luca finished his antibiotics yesterday, so with that finished, I’m hoping we can stop the stomach meds as well. I’m also planning on getting him back on his dog food at some point this week (with a little bit of canned food as a teaser… after all that homemade chicken, I suspect Luca will be a little fussy!).
Wednesday will be the end of week 3, so we are coming along slowly but surely.
I’m starting to think about the physical therapy requirements after week 8. Did your surgeon advise you on how to approach PT with Joey? Or did you go to an animal rehabilitation/physical therapy center and have them create a plan for you?
You’d mentioned swimming as excellent therapy. I’m considering doing that “swimming in place” which you mentioned in one of your posts. Luca won’t love it, but I think he can cope with it if I’m holding his belly.
But, we still have a solid 5 weeks to go with confinement before any of that happens!
Trying to stay positive!
Lena,
Which post were you reading? my dad, my trainer?
Soooo glad that Luca is done with the antibiotics. They are nasty on the stomach. Your Luca is lucky; he got homemade chicken. My mom just poured the stuff out of a container! Luca is anything like me, and I suspect he is, eventually he’ll figure out that he has to eat what’s in front of him. Especially as he feels better and his appetite returns! Aside from the occasional spoiler!
Has Luca’s doctor already told him about PT at week 8?? Wow.
For me there was no plan: It was my mom who suggested the swimming and the surgeons and doctors said that was a good idea. Since we already have a lake in our town and my mom likes to take me swimming, and since the water is warm here now at this season of the year, we just went for it ourselves. My mom just figured on her own to take it little by little, just walking me along the shore at first, then a little deeper, then a little swimming, and so on.
The harness was a big key, though, to the success of this in building up my muscles, my stamina, and my coordination. My dad had bought me a harness years ago and I hated it. I always managed to get myself out of it. Hated it. But this new one is different and it’s cool. It distributes the pressure evenly so I don’t feel a thing and when I’m swimming I don’t choke on water when I’m swimming, or when I think I’m swimming. This is what she bought and I’ll put the links in here: The Lupine Step-in harness. First she went online and learned how to measure me. The page has a link that opens a .pdf file, but here it is as .html. Then she measured me. You’ll need to do this with Luca so you get the right size, especially given all his fur! But remember – when he’s wet, it’s matted down. And you get to pick a great color! Make it fun. Some color that you like and that dogs see. Mine matches my chocolate coat.
Isn’t it amazing? Yes, I think you’re staying positive – for your sakes and for Luca’s!
Joey
I was referencing your post right above – #16. It’s pretty amazing and self-less to be able to be so strong in front of your dog, especially right after the accident. Kudos. I was not able to hold it together so well those first couple days.
No, the doctor hasn’t mentioned PT… I was just thinking about it as I read through your blog, since that’s where Joey is in his recovery process. And also because I want to ensure I take it nice and slow with Luca so that he recovers 100% with no complications.
Oh, you must be referring to the page, “Preface: When Our Dog Was Hit by a Car”, which my mom wrote. Yeah, she was pretty good. I’m glad too.
If you can think ahead a little, that is great. Where would you take Luca swimming, how, what harness, stuff like that. I obviously don’t think ahead too much or I wouldn’t be in the situation that I’m in now. But that’s another story. But my parents tried to think of how we can get back to doing the things they and I love doing – and knew that each thing will come in its time and in a way that is helpful to me in the long run. Catch the “long run” reference there. Actually, these days I’ll even take a short run! Or a short swim.
I’m going for 100% with no complications too (but be prepared for Luca to go at his bandages when the cast comes off).
We had some bad news this morning. We went in for Luca’s weekly bandage change. Apparently, the bandage got moist without us realizing it (it was not noticeable from the outside). But it was moist enough that a pretty nasty infection set in on his paw. So now we are on daily bandage changes at the hospital and 2 weeks of Cipro antibiotics to heal that (along with the original broken bone).
The doctor said he will likely lose a bit of his paw pad, but that it will grow back (never knew that). I asked if there was a risk of his losing his paw, and she said very very slight.
We have a bandage cover (it has a rubber bottom and vinyl top) which I guess we need to use every time we take him out for his potty break. It’s so humid in South Florida that the ground is wet enough that it is seeping in without our realizing it.
Lena and Luca,
Feeling badly that Luca has this infection now; distressing for him and for you.
My mom was thinking last night, as the doctor taught her: What’s he trying to tell us? So she realized, when she was putting up the post about me in the sun, that dogs pant to release body heat. Now you wrote yesterday that Luca was panting at night…So now my mom is thinking that maybe that’s because he was developing a temperature in the evening (don’t people’s temperatures tend to go up at night)? This is just an idea. We’re not doctors but my parents are learning to look for signs, and dogs will rarely tell you things explicitly. I can’t remember ever saying to either of my parents, “I feel hot. I feel like I’m running a fever.” You have to understand how they, how we, function as living beings, which is different from how people, how you, function. So you were right on for noticing that…The only piece you didn’t have was that it may have been connected to his running a fever at night. Now we’ll all be the wiser.
Daily bandage changes? Wow. My mom was going nuts with one or two per week. Usually one was scheduled and the other was on an emergency basis because they saw me chewing at my bandages or my bandages wet. Maybe the second appointment took place on a day not originally scheduled. But there you go..This is the life…But only for now. You should be blessed with a lot of strength and endurance. Your love for Luca will take you there!
The Southern Florida humidity factor, and how it affects Luca...Yes. And with his foot in a cast, as my mom asked about before, there’s no way for the moisture – or heat – to escape. Maybe a hard splint would help??? Can you ask the doctor about that?
Yes, the bandage cover he definitely needs to wear each time he goes out. Here’s a picture of and link to the one I had. It’s also to protect his bandages when he’s peeing. It took my mom a while to figure that out.
Take the bag off as soon as you get him inside, as too much heat and moisture will build up inside.
Paw pads growing back….So it seems! What our owners learn about us – and how they learn it!
Excellent observation about the night panting and a temperature. He didn’t have a temperature while at the hospital this morning, but I do believe that temperatures go up in the evening. I’ll bet that was happening the past couple nights.
I also thought about the fact that dogs sweat through their paws; given that Luca is a nordic-type dog, and we are living in South Florida, and it is August….. I was wondering if perhaps some of the moisture was also sweat?
In any case, we’re on top of this slight hurdle in the healing process and hopefully the infection will heal quickly so that his body can go back to focusing 100% of its energy on the broken bone.
In retrospect, and for all the other dog owners out there…. I would probably recommend going in for a minimum of 2x/week bandage change, at least initially, just to keep tabs on what is going on inside that dark cast.
I don’t know why they cannot keep Luca’s foot open from the cast, but I suspect it might have to do with the fact that his foot is wrapped in a “tippy toe” position (to help with the bone healing??). I think because of that reason, it needs to be covered.
Also, I purchased a similar bandage cover as Joey has; the irony is that I’ve had it since the injury first happened but did not think it was needed unless it was actually raining out. Don’t be fooled! South Florida is wet, wet, wet! So, we’ll be using it each and every time now!
Good going. I especially like the part about your getting and using the colored bandages for Luca. Luca won’t know the difference but you will and it’s important to keep the parents happy; happiness spreads!
Yes, I think you’re doing really well understanding us dogs. Part of the moisture is for sure sweat, and it’s enclosed in that clammy area with no way to get out. Luca’s hot, there is no ventilation for his legs,, and his body is doing what it knows to do: Release heat and moisture through the paws. Which are sealed up. Sounds like a petrie dish, if you ask me. In any weather, let alone So. Florida.
Concerning the toes in the “tippy toe” position, that doesn’t explain it to my mind. I had three broken toes (in addition to the broken ankle) and I’m doing fine now – toes and all. My doctors at both hospitals (the local one which was my first stop, which takes care of my regular veterinary needs, and the big 24-world famous one) all said that they wanted the toes open, and all bandaged my leg that way, to keep the area cool and, most important, so that my parents could see if my pads were getting inflamed – a sign of infection!
I think it’s worth your discussing this with them further.
Yes. Things do go on in there. And yes, Luca is not made for hot weather – thus he has to work even harder to lose excessive body heat and moisture. Any chance you could give him a little haircut til you get through this? Maybe that’s a bad idea. Maybe not. Maybe talk to the doctors about it. At least do some brushing and grooming….Just a thought; occasionally I have one of those.
Good you’re going to use the bootie each time you take Luca out.
Yes, people out there! This is a big issue!
My mom was on the phone with a friend today who really loves animals and dogs in particular and this is what our friend said: She had a friend up here in Massachusetts whose dog broke his leg. He went to a vet in his town who fixed the leg and put a complete cast on it (like Luca has). Some time later the dog started chewing at the bandages. She took her dog to A DIFFERENT VET IN THE NEXT TOWN OVER to see what the problem was, just to get a second opinion. They found – and this is really gross – maggots in there. The 2nd vet said NEVER EVER put a closed cast on a dog. And this is up here in New England, considerably less hot and humid than southern Florida.
What’s the moral of this story?
Maybe I should do a whole post just about this topic of casts, splints, bandages and infection. I have lots of photos of my open-toed splints to demonstrate. It’s not just a fashion statement. It’s much more!
Oh boy. That doesn’t sound pleasant at all! We’re going back to the hospital tomorrow morning and I have a few questions for the doctor, one of which is the closed v. open cast. I suspect she will have a reason for doing a closed cast, but will let you know what she says. If it turns out that it is indeed sweat (something tells me this has something to do with the moisture they found in there), I am guessing we’ll just have to go in for more frequent changes. Whatever it takes!
You brought up some other good points about cutting his fur. Eskies are not supposed to be shaved because their skin is pink and very susceptible to sunburn. However, Luca has a nice amount of his body shaved from the surgery and we are spending no time outside except for potty breaks, so I’m going to ask if they can go ahead and shave his belly and behind to help cool him off.
The good news is that Luca is handling the new antibiotics well. The first round didn’t go so well, so I had some worries about this round. But so far, so good. He even ate his own dog food for the first time today since August 3rd! (Which I love, as it will make my life slightly easier to not have to cook chicken and rice every couple days!!).
Let’s all keep our fingers crossed for a positive hospital visit tomorrow. I will keep you posted on everything the doctor says. And, yes, I think a posting about casts, cast care, etc. would be helpful. There is very little on the internet about that.
Chef Lena,
Closed vs open cast. I had the splint, software, more flexible.
Will keep our fingers crossed! Please do keep me informed. This information from your experience is helpful for all dogs and their owners and parents.
I do know that my hair grew in very very slowly – you can see from the photos. I still don’t have all my hair grown back in from my initial Fetanyl patch – and that was almost 5 months ago. Under the belly might be okay, at least, the part that’s out of the sun. Any suntan lotion SP2500 for dogs who live in Southern Florida?????
Bon Apetit,
Joey
Well, so far I have some “good news” and some “no news”.
We went to the hospital yesterday for a bandage change and was told that Luca’s paw looks much better already. The abscess went down in size and overall it looked like the paw was on its way to healing.
We also found out that the moisture in his cast was not from sweating alone; the doctor said that while they do sweat, the amount of moisture was indicative of the cast getting wet from an external source, not just sweating.
So we get an “F” in nursing!
The “no news” is that we completely forgot to ask why he has to have a closed cast! It was 7am, there was another emergency going on, and we were in the middle of the confusion. We walked out and didn’t remember until half-way home! We’re going back tomorrow and will find out then. I think it is important to know.
Chez Lena and Luca,
Oh heavens!
I have something for you to read that I found online. (I know, I’m learning a lot about computers!) It’s “Conservative Fracture Treatment Using Casts“. Notice Page 8, paragraphs ONE and TWO.
Tonight, write down on a piece of paper every question you have. Tell your doctor before the appt. that you want to go over these questions. If you’re not completely 100% satisfied (I’m learning about math, too!), then get another opinion.
Don’t you know? Never grade your own “test”. You want Luca’s doctor to have written down the instructions: You want a doctor to tell you to put the bootie on EVERY time Luca goes outside, even for just a moment. You want the doctor to make sure the bootie is on Luca when she/he gives Luca back to you each time Luca leaves the hospital – even just to get to the car.
Even the sweating itself, if not the only factor, was a large one.
Another thing that any vet should tell you is to notice any bad smells coming from the leg, just like the article whose link I gave you above said. So you have to train your nose to be like a dog’s nose: sensitive to smells.
Another interesting link is the ACVS, link here.
My doctors gave the INSTRUCTIONS to my parents and then emailed them to my parents as well.
Joey
Okay, so we went to the doctor this morning to have the bandage changed. As a reminder, we’ve been doing every other day bandage changes since last Tuesday because Luca’s cast got wet and he developed a paw infection.
I spoke to the doctor about his cast. I asked why he has a completely closed cast when I’ve heard that it is important to have it slightly open (for reasons we’ve discussed on this blog: infection, etc.).
Well, she had a very interesting response! She said in school they are trained to always put on a cast/splint with just the tips of the toes open. However, here in South Florida, there is so much sand everywhere (even our grassy areas are very sandy), that they absolutely cannot keep an open cast on animals as if even one small grain of sand gets in between their toes, it will cause major irritation, etc. So here in Florida they will not keep the cast open at the toes.
At this point, since Luca already has an infection, it is even more important that the cast remains closed to protect the paw from further germs or irritants.
This makes a great deal of sense to me and reassured me about the effectiveness of our doctor!
As for Luca’s progress, the infection seems to be doing well. We go back again on Thursday (we were able to wait one extra day for the next bandage change) and we’ll find out more.
As for his broken bone (the original problem!), we will know more at week 6 when they do an xray on it. We are at 4 weeks now, so 2 more weeks until the xray and 4 more weeks until we can start with the limited leash walking!
And the countdown continues!
Congratulations! That is excellent that you asked and a very well-thought out response on the part of Luca’s doctor; very important in its reasoning. Doctors have to balance one factor (the need for an open toe) against another (the need to keep sand out). It is very interesting how our doctors have to respond to the environment in which we live…And SAND is a big part of the environment in South Florida. Not that I’ve ever been there. My parents would like to bring me there but I’m too big to travel so easily. But back to your story, it must be gratifying for having asked your question and comforting to have this answer. Even though Luca’s not going out (until now), you or somebody might easily have brought little specks of sand into your home. So you’re getting an “A” in nursing and in dog-ownership! And in communication with Luca’s doctor.
Bet you’re into the swing of the routine by now. It’s pretty rigorous, isn’t it. I’m hoping that Luca at least likes his doctor and getting out.
Luca, I’m with you, man!!!!
Joey
I’m not sure if I’d say Luca likes his doctor… well, he might like the doctor, but he hates the hospital!
One day at a time… apparently the next two weeks (from week 4 to week 6) are big healing weeks. My focus is to ensure Luca eats very well these next two weeks to make sure he has good nutrition to help that bone heal!
Lena,
Good idea! Luca’s probably started to lose weight at this point….so focusing on nutrition is an excellent idea. I wonder if bringing some treats along and giving him one right before he enters the hospital might help his attitude toward the hospital. And if not, he’ll still at least like the treats. What can I say! Now you’re getting the hang of it…One day at a time is well-spoken.
By the way, my mom was reading a little about the idea of shaving Luca to see if that would help him to stay cool. She read that that’s a bad idea, as the outer coat is an important protective layer against bugs, sun, and more. It also doesn’t grow back very evenly or quickly. It’s only the undercoat that should ever be removed. And that may be why my outer coat is taking so long to grow back: When I was shaved for my surgery, for the Fetanyl patch and for the spot where I was grounded, all of my coat was shaved, the outer coat and the inner coat. To keep a dog like Luca cool, especially as he lives in hot weather, the Furminator has been recommended; it gets out only the fuzzy undercoat and is very very gentle. My mom used the Furminator on my brother cat, Mickey, who used to hate being brushed or combed, and it was great. Just tossing out some ideas here.
Well, tell Luca that his friend Joey says HI!
Joey
Lena,
This is Joey, here. You ask how my parents kept me from being depressed.
I’m not sure that my folks were able to keep me completely from being depressed, although they did a pretty good job. The beginning was more difficult but that’s easy to understand why – because I just went through a big trauma, and because there was a lot of pain medication going through my system. And that happened a second time, after my ankle surgery, too. But when the painkillers were out of my system, it was difficult differently. It was difficult for me to be confined. Really difficult.
You can see my post, “What, me worry?” It’s hard for me to understand what goes through a human being’s mind. I don’t know what humans think or how they think. Even when they tell me it’s hard for me to understand. But day after day she and my dad stayed cool as cucumbers. Was my mom thinking, “I’m really worried about your surgery tomorrow but if I express my worry then you will worry and I don’t want you to worry so I’m not going to express my worry”? I can see that as a possibility.
I know, for example, when she visited me in my pen in the CCU, that she really wanted to cry but that she held it in and just said nice and loving things to me instead. She describes that in her page, “When Our Dog Was Hit by a Car.” She didn’t want to waste her tears when she could be spending that time comforting me and making me feel happy and alive and loved.
Even the day of my accident, after I was admitted to the hospital and Dr. Kiko said to her “You seem so centered” which I have no idea what that means. She now tells me: We thought we have to do what we have to do…and…Joey has a strong spirit…and we and Joey have been blessed so far with Joey surviving and with having really great doctors…and we are not going to worry because worrying isn’t going to help…and we are going to take it one day at a time. I think also she just focused on, in the beginning, letting the doctors do what they needed to do, keeping good communication with them, which included lots of questions on her part, and after that, following the doctor’s orders.
Of course it helped that I got a lot of attention from everybody. The worst was the weeks when I was confined to the living room AND all the shades of the windows had to be drawn (That’s another story!”) so that I didn’t get excited. But as I wrote in this post, “goodnight, Joey!” they spent time with me whenever they could. And I think that you’re doing the same for Luca. And I know that in his bones Luca feels that!
So I don’t know about transferring feelings….maybe you can explain that to me again? But I think that Luca really needs your happy thoughts and you can maybe sing a nice song and he’ll be very happy to be near you and for you to be near him.
Joey