Three and a half weeks into Lily’s TPLO (Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy) recovery, we are all still on a short leash. The realization that we aren’t even halfway through the first phase (eight weeks confinement, then eight weeks of strengthening, then we start thinking about surgery #2 on the other leg…) definitely gives me pause. Or paws, as Lily might say.
Lily isn’t saying a lot except to bark when she’s been left too long in her pen, which can be anything over three minutes or so. And our Houdini of the four-leggers pulled another stunt – we left her in her pen when we went to church last Sunday and came home to find her waiting for us by the kitchen door. Hmmm. Did someone forget to latch the gate or did she perform an unthinkable acrobatic launch out of there? Hopefully, prayerfully, the former. She doesn’t seem worse for the wear. And she’s not telling…
We’re all a bit weary. Life yanked our chain this past week, none more than Miss Lily, who is pulling mightily to turn those ten minute walks into fifteen minutes and looking glum stuck at home day in and day out. If TPLO surgery is in your dog’s future, I can make a couple of recommendations:
DON’T have it coincide with home remodeling (this would seem like a no-brainer but some people (us!) apparently don’t have brains…
DO have back-up. I can’t imagine doing this solo, but it’s even a bit much for two dedicated owners, especially if you’re going to throw in a medical emergency or two for the humans while the dog is convalescing.
DO arrange visitors! Lily’s day is absolutely made when one of her favorite humans shows up to surprise her!
And when all else fails, take a deep breath. And reach for the trazodone – for the dog, of course!
Yours, just about reaching the end of my tether…
Polloplayer 
I’m going to see her in 30 minutes!
Xxoo
Christi
Hallelujah! 😉