He may not look impressed, but in a few weeks, he will be swimming in the sea

Cookie today

I had two options:

1. Back to anti - inflammatory medication (but treat only the inflammation and not the physical injury)
2. Surgery

It was a tough decision to make. Cookie is a young and active dog. It would have really been a pity not to let him enjoy what he lives for – running and sniffing around. Yet… it was a surgery. I was really frightened of all the things that could go wrong.

We eventually decided for surgery.

Cookie has had his extracapsular repair today. The vet said his ligament was partially torn and the meniscus not that damaged so he left them where they were, just stabilized the knee with artrex (extracapsular repair). He said that getting out the ligament and the meniscus would have done more damage than good.
Cookie is home now, I guess he is in pain because he cries sometimes, he can’t use his leg at all (and he shouldn’t for now).

However, no running and big walkies for 2 more weeks! Oh, and no more meds!

Cookie expressing his boredom and showing the interest for some walkies

Also, I got some photographs taken in one of our nice big walks *nostalgic sigh* at Ada with some friends, they were taken on May 5th

♥ ♥ ♥

During our routinely morning walk in the park, and while I was showing away a bunch of hair from his back (Cookie sheds madly these days) I spotted that he couldn’t stand on his hind left leg. That thing had happened before so I massaged lightly and when I called him to me – he started walking all right.  I presumed he had pulled a muscle or something, however, some people who also walk their dogs in the park had made me a bit paranoid considering Cookie’s gait and I became pretty afraid of hip displasia. That was the main reason why I took Cookie to the vet’s that day, still sure that the vets would just tell me that Cookie is okay.

The vet first observed Cookie walking, then he put him on the table and started turning his leg. He told me that the hip is not such of a problem as the knee and he sedated him and sent us for x-rays. It was the first time Cookie was sedated and I was frightened about how the whole thing would turn out. Cookie made it to the building where x-rays were taken, zig-zagging all the way. A girl that was a veterinary student accompanied us, just in case we had to carry him from one point.

On the x-ray table Cookie finally fell asleep. The doctor took two pictures, one of his hips, and one of his left knee. We carried him back then to the sitting room, where was a sound-sleeping golden retriever. I talked to the girl who brought him there. It was a 1.5 years old  dog (only), who had problems with his hips. She told me she knew he had displasia, but not yet how severe it was. When the doctor came to announce them the results of the x-ray, she started crying. Her dog had severe hip displasia that they wouldn’t be able to heal even with surgery. Tears had been coming to my eyes from the moment Cookie had to be sedated, and now they came back for a dog I had just met and for the girl I had just talked to…

Cookie was diagnosed with knee distortion. His hips were excellent, and that was the only good news that day. Our vet gave him an injection of Rimadyl. He told me that we were to try and make him better without undergoing surgery. Cookie was prohibited to run and jump, and our beloved off-leash walks were to be forgotten for a while. Walks were to be strictly on-leash and for 15-20 minutes maximum.

***

Today we went to the vet’s again. He observed him walking and spotted there were still issues. However, he suggested that we try Rimadyl medication before deciding on surgery. He prescribed us 1 pill per day for 4 days, and in 2 weeks we are to come back for Cookie’s progress to be checked.

I hope my pup gets well soon

Cookie by the oldest tree in Belgrade

Cookie gazing…

… at a horse passing by!

We also have a movie for the end!