Week 7. Phew. Back when we first had this done, I kept wondering how the weeks would go and if getting to some level of freedom would seem like a lifetime away. At the time, it did. But slowly as the weeks passed, I found myself thinking how actually it all wasn’t as bad as I’d imagined and I felt like I had control of the situation.
I think that was my problem in the beginning and the first week. I didn’t have control of whether the surgery would be a success, and then I didn’t have control really of whether the leg would stand up to what had happened, and all the pressure felt overwhelming. Every time I read my blog back and think how I felt in those first couple of weeks, all I can think is how overwhelming it felt and the fear of the unknown was all that was on my mind.
So where are we now? We’re 7 weeks and a day post total hip replacement and I appreciate for the last 2 weeks I’ve been radio silence. Not for any other reason other than not really having an update. Once the surgeon told us on week 3 that we were on the right track, I managed to allow myself to think this could be a success and I was doing it right. All those posts on the Facebook groups I had read that I wasn't medicating him right, or I was walking too much to take him to the toilet - it all felt in the past and my instincts to trust that I knew my own dog had been right all along.
So our daily routine because very much the same each day. 6 x 20 minute walks (or thereabouts), he could be lifted in and out the car so we started to let him see the world again and still no off lead or running and jumping.
I’d say it was definitely around week 5 we noticed his personality coming back! I think I touched upon this before about whether he was this playful pre surgery, I can’t remember. The weeks leading up to pre surgery were consumed with questions around whether I was doing the right thing, and I felt like I was just drowning in Hip Replacement madness. But around week 5, he went back to grabbing toys and trying to play, squeaking his pig none stop, running up to us (argh!!) to greet us AND trying to hump my leg. He’s so bad for this, so although I was happy his personality was coming back, I had kinda hoped this would’ve stopped. Clearly not!
On walks he started to chase bees and launch at them. Which meant I had to hold tighter on the lead. He shot across my feet that much on a walk one day, I went flying and stood on his surgery paw…. Did I feel bad? Yes! Did he scream? Yes! Did I then panic I’d broken him? Also yes….!!
On walks he started to chase bees and launch at them. Which meant I had to hold tighter on the lead. He shot across my feet that much on a walk one day, I went flying and stood on his surgery paw…. Did I feel bad? Yes! Did he scream? Yes! Did I then panic I’d broken him? Also yes….!!
We discussed at this stage it would be safer to ask the surgeon on our week 6 X-rays if he could do some off lead walking. He was pulling ridiculously on the lead now and clearly bored. He’s always been a better off lead walker than on!
We discussed at this stage it would be safer to ask the surgeon on our week 6 X-rays if he could do some off lead walking. He was pulling ridiculously on the lead now and clearly bored. He’s always been a better off lead walker than on!
As he hit 6 weeks my nerves started to increase again. Our 6 week check up was as on the Friday of that week, so almost 7 weeks post replacement.
I started watching him walk again and really worked myself up that he was limping and not walking properly. There were a few niggles like the odd growl when I touched his hip so I phoned the vets and requested he definitely be admitted for the day on Friday and X-rays done. It’s only money….right?!
We got to the vets and for a dog that hates the vets, it always amazes me how he walks happily into this one - despite this one being the place he’s probably had the most trauma in. So I know in my heart, I made the right choice bringing him here for surgery; and it reaffirms my decision when I see huckleberry walk to the surgeon (who kneels on the floor EVERYTIME we go in to say hello to huckleberry) and ask for a scratch.
Anyway, he watched him walk, poked and prodded him, made him stand on his two back legs (we already knew he could do this by the amount he’s tried to jump up lately!!), and pressed all around the hip. He said the muscle felt tremendous and although initially pre surgery he’d got approximately 2cm + less muscle on the left, it was now almost feeling pretty even! Which is crazy considering we’ve done no strengthening or hard walking.
Next up; the hard part! Leaving him. He always looks so sad when it comes to me leaving him in there but the surgeon hugged him as we walked out and said he’d call.
The next 3 hours were agonising. I felt this the last 6 weeks were boiling down to this appointment and what the X-rays were about to show. No one could say for sure without looking at those X-rays whether surgery had been a success and in a few hours we’d know whether we needed to put him back under GA and redo the op, or whether we were on the right track.
I love my surgeon because each time he calls me, he knows what a nervous wreck I am and how this has affected me mentally and anxiety wise. He’s always made it known he understands how I feel and how much Huckleberry means to me.
When the phone rang, I jumped and couldn’t answer quick enough with a huge lump in my throat. He just said “he’s fine, it’s all fine” and I think I thanked him a thousand times. He said we could come back in an hour and he’d discuss everything in person. Also another reason I adore him, because I never feel like he's rushing us out the door!
I think by this point, Mum and I are desperate to get to him and watching him come bounding out the vets once more, he looked not bothered by the whole thing; whereas I definitely think I've aged a considerable amount in the last few weeks!
The surgeon said everything looked great, the bone was growing into the inplant which is what they want, it was stable and had shown no signs of loosening or wear and tear. All looked great when they pulled him about as he was sedated and basically, we were free to start getting some normality back into our lives!
He was happy for us to increase his walks to 3 x 30 minute walks daily over the course of the next few days, and providing he wasn't a plonker, he could do some off lead walking. PHEW! He could go back to mums, providing no stairs or sofas were involved and the light at the end of the tunnel of moving our mattress back up upstairs could be seen. We still had to limit him to not jumping on the sofa and bed for another couple of weeks, but other than that, it felt like normal life could restart. Additionally, we were cleared to start water treadmill therapy again which is fantastic as I know Huckleberry really enjoys it! Even better, he could have a groom - after 12 long weeks he could finally have a groom!
The surgeon said he didn't need to see us again, but I have requested a 12 weeks sign off appointment which he's happy for.
I could've cried buckets coming out there, but all for happy tears. I remember the feeling pre surgery 7 weeks ago that I faced the possibility of losing my dog who is my entire world, and here we are, being given a new opportunity to walk again and share precious memories together.
What now?
Well, we start water treadmill this coming Friday (in 3 days), and today we've done our first full 30 minute walk. I'm keeping a close eye on him as pre surgery, a 30 minute walk would've caused him to be in a lot of pain and limp all evening, so I want to monitor its not too soon and he remains pain free, but I'm confident he will. Then towards the middle of next week I want to have his walks increased to approx 35 mins 3 times daily. I plan on being at almost back to an hour in one go by the time I see the surgeon at week 12.
I'll update again next week with how we're getting on, but please if anyone is reading this and going through similar; just trust the process. Trust that YOU know your dog the best, and you are doing the right thing. Trust you know when to increase walks, when to give medication and when not to and most of all, don't let the fear of the unknown make you decide against surgery. I wish I had done this 3 months sooner.
Until next week x
I'll update again next week with how we're getting on, but please if anyone is reading this and going through similar; just trust the process. Trust that YOU know your dog the best, and you are doing the right thing. Trust you know when to increase walks, when to give medication and when not to and most of all, don't let the fear of the unknown make you decide against surgery. I wish I had done this 3 months sooner.
Until next week x
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