When your dog is injured, do you know what to expect in terms of your dog’s recovery and rehabilitation? When should you expect your dog to start walking – and how far and how fast? What’s the best way to get your dog’s muscles back in shape, and his stamina back? Good communication with your dog’s veterinarian can give you some guidelines. The doctors should give you the instructions in writing. But as always, observe your dog carefully and notice and pay attention to everything, and use that as a guide.
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Here is my time line for my rehab and recovery. In general, my parents and my doctors made these decisions, not I. I wouldn’t have agreed to any of them.
Day 1: I was hit by the car and brought to the emergency room of the animal medical center. When I went home six days later, I had a full-splint on my leg.
During this time, I may only go outside to pee and poop and then must go back home. I must be on the lead at all times when outside. I must have the plastic bag on my injured leg every time I go outside. In our home, I may only stay in one room and my parents have me confined to the living room. There is a dog gate so I cannot get out of that room, except for when they open the little door on the dog gate to allow me to go outside so that I can take my walks.
Week 5, Day 3: I have surgery on my broken ankle, though I’m asleep and don’t know what’s going on. When I go home, I have a half-splint on my leg.
During this time, I may only go outside to pee and poop. I must be on the lead at all times when outside. I must have the plastic bag on my injured leg every time I go outside. I may only stay in one room and my parents have me confined to the living room. There is a dog gate so I cannot get out, except for when they open the little door to allow me to go outside so that I can take my walk.
Week 12, Day 3: I go back to the animal medical center for a bandage change. It has been 7 weeks since my surgery. Although he was going to only take x-rays at this time, my doctor removes my splint!
During this time, I may now leave the living room, and I may go upstairs. When I go upstairs and downstairs, I must be on my lead. When I go outside I must be on the lead, even when I’m just hanging out with Jane in the backyard. I still must have the plastic bag on my injured leg every time I go outside, except that now it’s a bootie. There is a dog gate blocking the stairs so that when I am downstairs, I cannot go upstairs except for when I’m with Jane or Phil and on my lead. And when I am upstairs, I cannot go downstairs except for when I’m with Jane or Phil and on my lead. When I am home alone, my parents keep me in the living room and close the little door gate. They don’t want me jumping up on anything. My parents have made me a new bed in their room; at night, I sleep upstairs with them in my bed.
Going up and down the stairs, my muscles are starting to strengthen again, especially my leg that broke when I was hit by the car.
Week 13: Day 3: I go back to the animal medical center for x-rays on my broken ankle. It has been 8 weeks since my surgery. My doctor removes my bandages!
During this time, I am learning to walk again. The dog gate to the living room is pushed away. The dog gates to the stairs are gone. I do not have to be on the lead in my back yard. I do not have to have the plastic bag or the bootie on when I go outside! I can feel freedom! When I go outside for a walk, I must be on the lead (but that’s the way it’s always been.).
My muscles are starting to strengthen again, especially my leg that broke when I was hit by the car. I’m still walking with a limp. When I start to hop on three legs, my parents slow me down so that I use all four legs.
My walks start out short. Then they get longer. Then they get longer and longer. Then they get longer and longer and faster and faster. My mom is walking longer and longer and faster and faster, too. This is good for me.
Soon I’ll tell you about my swimming and my running!
