[alaskalabs]

My BLF 2+ years is my Q dog currently.Last spring Doc took 10 X-rays on the final film he found a bone spur in her (for lack of medical terms due to spelling) back ankle. So, Doc said, not much he would do but let her just do what she is going to do, ie, make it worse, deal with it and it wont get worse, or whatever. He said he could fix the immediate bone spur with removal of it, and then 2 months of a cast and months to allow the tendon time to adhere again to the bone, and after that of rehab. So we went on our merry way, trained hard, ran some Q's never really saw a problem all summer or this winter. Now she is favoring that ankle again, and its the same dang leg. What to do, make her go through the surgery, and rehab to continue playing the game, or make her my hunting partner, I am so sick over this whole thing, and wonder if this is the end of the trial road for my first FT dog...Please let me know, surely some of you have dealt with this issue, and how bad is it really, and how bad is the surgery and recovery and was it all worth it. I dont want her to be in pain I know she loves this game but is it worth putting her through it...She is a great marker, I had high hopes of getting a title...someday, havent fixed her yet either...ok, have at it, chime in and tell me what you think. Thanks...

 

[Pat F.]

You might want to consider getting a 2nd opinion on that and preferably from an Orthopedic Surgeon if you have one in your area.

Pat

 

[alaskalabs]

Thank you for that advice, the ortho doc, best in town was the one to find the spur in the first place, he was the one to discuss the fact he could fix the spur but not the root of the problem, and that it very well could happen again...that is what bothers me the most.

 

[pupaloo]

Do you mean hock, or "ankle" where the foot is? What was the "official" name of the diagnosis that your vet told you? Where exactly in the joint is the spur? Is it bigger now than it was the first time he examined her?
More info, please!

 

[alaskalabs]

Its in the distal achillies area when I looked at the films it was just above the ankle where that bone heads up tot he elbow joint and the ortho doc explained that the tendon has torn the bone away thus causing the spur. I havent taken films again, I am getting ahead of myself I am sure, but obviously its bothering her again. I am going to take her to my regular vet to get the films, then will compare from last year what it looks like. I am just taking it all in, trying to figure it all out, just the idea that you can fix the problem on the surface but no guarantees that the root of the problem wont flare up again after the whole surgery, recovery and rehab...just to have in the back of your mind that it can happen again...have you had this happen and did it occur again?

 

[pupaloo]

I ruptured MY achilles tendon-haven't had that happen in any of my dogs.
The thing I guess I would say is that tendons take a long time to heal-there is not much blood flow to them. You DON'T want the tendon to tear all the way-might never be able to fix it right. I think you are looking at resting the dog for several months, with or without the surgery. Unfortunately, to really see what is happening with the tendon, the dog would need an MRI-tendons don't show up on x-ray with enough detail to diagnose them. I am still not really understanding why the dog would need a cast after removal of a bone spur...but if the bone spur is causing the tendon to wear away you really should have it out. Maybe if you get the actual veterinary terms and post them up it would help...is it maybe a bone cyst from the tendon separating, and not a bone spur? Sorry, just not enough information...

 

[alaskalabs]

I will call the ortho doc on Monday, the way he explained it last year, the scenario is that after surgery, the leg has to be held in a certain position for two months to ensure the tendon has a chance to reattach to the bone, he said that the tendon has torn a piece of the bone off causing the bone spur. I will call him and write it exactly down, I appreciate your comments. Thanks, Kelli

 

[bobbyb]

YEA :!: MINE HURT LIKE HELL :twisted: