Recovery day #2
Today is the 2nd day since Lyndon has been home. We had a long night last night. I felt so bad about the pain he was in that I opted not to put on his cone collar. That, of course, meant that every time he made the slightest movement I had to wake up to make sure he wasn’t going after his incision. So, Lyndon slept well, but I didn’t sleep much at all. Lyn’s definitly in more pain than he was in yesterday. He is also more anxious, wandering around more and looking like he’s not quite sure what to do with himself. I can tell that he’s going to have to build up strength in his remaining hind leg, at the moment he gets tired easily and the leg starts to shake a bit with the strain. Still, he is doing better than I had expected and I havent left his side for more than a short bathroom break in 30 hours.
Fifi, Scamp and Lyndon before the surgery
The real problem has been my other two quadrapawds. They are not accepting of this whole separation thing, and they have voiced their disaproval and confusion non-stop for two days. This morning Lyndon and I were serenaded with blood-curtling howling for an hour before I had to tell them to stop. Since then I have had Lyndon baracaded in the family room with me and the other two (Fifi and Scampers) free to roam the rest of the house. Of course, they are only interested in getting into the family room. They are driving me crazy and occasionally stressing Lyndon out. Its hard doing this process, with three dogs on opposite sides of th fence, by myself. Thank God I don’t have to work for these next two weeks or this would be impossible.
November 13th, 2010 at 1:48 am
It sounds like Lyndon is doing well, really. He’s just had major surgery so he’s bound to not be feeling 100% and his remaining back leg will get stronger in time. Not sure what kind of pain medications he’s on, but some meds make them a little loopy and confused.
I can just imagine Fifi and Scamp’s hollering disapproval. They’re probably not appreciating all the extra attention Lyndon’s getting and separation from you. That would just be a guess.
They’re all really adorable, by the way. That’s a great picture of the three of them. 🙂
Hang in there. Every day will get better.
November 13th, 2010 at 3:23 am
I too had to separate Chloe from our other dog during recovery. They are very playful together and I knew Chloe would try to play even though she was weak in her remaining leg.
I too didn’t get much rest the first couple nights, worrying about everything with Chloe…it does get better. The first week was the hardest, but by the second week, we had a routine established. You will get there, Lyndon will heal, just keep having a positive attitude!!! That is most important!!!
-Chloe’s mom
November 13th, 2010 at 3:43 am
It does take awhile for the strength to build, and for them to learn their new balance, but it will come. I remember at the beginning that Maggie sat down whenever she was not hopping somewhere, but later she could stand for a long time. And she eventually worked up to walking a mile on her own- she was a 17 lb pug. Lyndon will get there.
Have you tried some short, supervised visits with the other pups? I reintroduced Mag and her little sister Tani a few days after surgery. After an initial tussle (Tani saw an opportunity to be alpha, which Mag quickly stopped, even three legged) Tani and Maggie got on fine, and I did not need to separate them. Mag was 7.5 and Tani was 6.5, so were not really rambunctious anyway.
Oh- and when Mag took tramadol she was very restless, anxious, and did not sleep much.
Hang in there, remember to rest when you can. It will get better.
Karen and the pugapalooza
November 13th, 2010 at 2:37 pm
great to hear lyndon is doing well so soon after surgery. sounds like you are ‘herding cats’ with all the furbabies at your house….it won’t be long and they can all be together – once they check out lyndon’s stitches and see that he’s really OK, they will probably just shrug and go on with life.
the first two weeks are rugged, especially with the pain meds making them ‘goofy’…you’re doing great, try to catch some rest when you can!!!
charon & gayle