Day 36:Summary - 4 Weeks of Home Rehab and still going Strong!
- Samantha Knight
- Mar 10, 2022
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 6, 2022
We have now completed 4 full weeks of home rehab and are 5 weeks post surgery, so what have we achieved to date?
…. And how exhausted am I on a scale of 1-10!
To recap Lloris was;
Completely paralysed prior to his surgery and after
Was operated on within hours of paralysis
Had 4 slipped discs & internal bleeding
Little to no deep pain feeling in his paws before & after surgery
Grade 5
50/60% chance of ever walking again
Completely incontinent after surgery
3yrs old and generally full of beans!
Strangely enough; after writing the summary of the first 14 days of home rehab (21 days post surgery), day 15 seemed to be a big milestone for us!
Day 15: (21 days post op)
He’s suddenly happily running around the office on hard floors and looking quite stable!
Day 16: (22 days post op)
He stops scooting on his bum from this day onwards.
Day 17: (23 days post op)
Still not overly aware with his toilet habits. Mainly going outside but even then it just seems to happen whilst he’s running along.
Day 18: (24 days post op)
His first mini trip back to the woods. He’s well enough for a trip to the pub for a sausage if he sits still by the table and behaves nicely and promises not to piddle. I can trust him, but only just.
Day 19: (25 days post op)
His first ‘dry’ day. No accidents in the house BUT sadly this is not to continue. Introducing the Alessi Loop gadget for pain and joint mobility.
Day 20: (26 days post op)
Finally able to control his peeing enough to go deep in the hydrotherapy tank
Day 21: (27 days post op)
More acupuncture today. He can tolerate it for longer.
Day 22: (28 days post op)
Crate rest over, he’s full of beans and decides to run down the stairs out of the blue! He’s clearly feeling better and more confident in himself.
We try a scrunchie on his leg to see if he will pick up his dragging paw!
Day 23: (29 days post op)
Trialled the balloon sock on his scuffed paw. Works like a dream!
Have increased his food back up to 4 servings a day now he’s mobile again.
Day 25: (30 days post op)
We have a new physio routine to master focusing on his balance and holding weight on his back legs. We will do these exercises everyday from now on.
A random ‘dry’ day with no accidents around the house - once again, this does not last!
Day 26: (31 days post op)
Trotting poles! Trying to get him to lift his leg, we will continue with this every day from now on.
He cocks his leg to pee for the first time! But it proves to so far be a one off.
Day 27: (32 days post op)
Naughtiest puppy dog ever day!!! Another hydrotherapy session and he’s up to running for 1min 30secs which is pretty good going.
Day 28: (33 days post op)
Time for ramps to be built to help him be more independent going in and out of the house for the toilet.
Scuffing of his right foot is getting less, his paw placement must be getting better!
A ‘dry day’ !
General observations:
His walk is still very much lopsided and his right leg is clearly so much weaker, dragging at times but this is improving very slowly. When he runs he bounces with both legs together like a rabbit. We’re a fair way off mastering a run.
His back is still hunched and the area of the incision is still very puffy with fluid, this has not deflated at all since surgery. The incision itself though has healed nicely and his fur is starting to grow back.
Whilst he would love to stay out walking for longer than his 10-15 minutes, his legs are visibly becoming tired underneath him and the muscle loss in his bum is quite evident. Seems it will take a fair while to rebuild.
He still doesn’t have complete control of his toilet habits but he is better than he was on day 1. He can’t hold his weight squatting to poop so tends to do this on the run at the moment, although he does keep trying with his crouching. I think we are just days off him getting there with it.
In himself though he is a happy, cheeky little thing just like he has always been. He’s adoring all of the extra attention and being pretty much attached to me for every waking hour. He’s very clingy these days.
A few days earlier he was still very aware he wasn’t quite right but from Day 22 onwards he’s suddenly got his Mojo back. He will be his own worst enemy!
Whilst progress was pretty quick in the first 14 days we now seem to be stuck at a stage whereby he is mobile but needs to find his balance, strength and technique. Maybe this is the part that will take us the quoted 9 months to achieve??
Overall; We’re in a good place. I’m learning to embrace dark under eye circles, walks in the rain, a depleted bank balance and little time for other things but I’m just so very happy I’ve got him back - in whatever shape or form he now takes.
It seems we now have a slower road ahead for this next phase.
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