Cruciate injury help

My poor pooch has a partial cranial cruciate rupture. She only has 3 legs so its particularly difficult.

She has spent the last 6 weeks on retricted walks due to an op on her front paw and then because of her hind leg injury. She's due to have the cruciate op next week and is going to be restriced even further. She's already losing the plot!

I need some guidance as to how on earth to keep her stimulated but keep her rested. Kongs are great but i have to watch her weight so are an occasional treat. She's not allowed to tug, stand or jump (her favourite hobbies) and is to be on lead walks for toileting needs only.

I also have an 18 week old border collie who is winding her up because she's desperate to play with him!

We've considered a crate but dont really have the room as we've already got the puppy in one.

Thank you very much in advance.

i think your sick dog needs the crate more, cant you swap them over for a while, both my dogs have crates it gives them quiet time and the rest they need when they are unwell

I did a post about keeping my collie sane while she recoupered (she went through it twice - once with both knees).

I did use a lot of treats but adjusted her main meal - in fact sometimes she would not have a 'traditional' meal in a bowl at all.

I'll see if I can find the thread/post for you.

Here's a couple of threads that might help

http://www.dogsey.com/showthread.php...hlight=charity

http://www.dogsey.com/showthread.php...hlight=charity

In terms of a crate, if she hasn't been used to one, personally I don't think now is the right time to introduce one, but if you don't use one, you MUST ensure that her movelment is limited and that your other dog stays well away from her.
there is no reason why your other dog can't learn the same tricks and play the same games - it will keep them both occupied.

good luck - its a long slow process but it will be worth it in the end.

Have you thought of getting some interactive puzzle toys, so she can exercise her brain without have to run around, we got one from Pets at Home on-line.

Hello, I am new to this forum but your post immediately caught my eye because our old dog ruptured her cruciate ligament. She was a hyperactive collie cross, and I dreaded the thought of what confinement would do to her after the op. We also did not like the idea of a crate, so bought a stair gate so that she could not go upstairs, and fixed a sort of wire fence around the front door so that she could still see out but not go anywhere. The op is massive, and afterwards our dog fully accepted absolutely every restriction, even tho she was a lunatic normally. It may turn out to be much easier than you think

Thank you all.

Bitkin, we already have a stairgate as we need it for the puppy and if we close the interior doors, she will be pretty much restricted to small areas. I hope you're right about her accepting rest after the op because she certainly isnt now.

Briard lover, we have used such toys before but she has such strong jaws she eates them!!! Will certainly have another look as even if she destroys them she will have been entertained for a while.

Hali, thank you for the links, there are some great suggestions there. I didn't know I could use low fat yoghurt, that will be great. She's already on half her usual daily food amount so that would help without having to reduce her diet further. I liked the squeaker suggestion but fear that may encourage her to eat normal clothes?

Lorraine, we have considered swapping the crate at various times, at the moment oliver is only in it at night and if we're going out so sally could have it at points in the day I just feel she wont accept it after 18 months of being 'free'.

She is such a well mannered and well behaved dog, an absolute joy to be around but im very aware that her temprament is changing, she is ratty and irritable. If we take the boy out she goes wild and sulks and just in the last few days is getting angry. While I can cope with her like that, i cant afford for her aggression/frustration to transfer to my kids or even the puppy.

I'm sorry to hear that your dog is having problems & that the enforced confinement is frustrating her.

I don't know if this will help but as part of my canine behavioural course, we had to think of activities that we called "AFFF" games ~ "all four feet flat" games. The idea was to mentally stimulate a dog but without arousing all the physiology associated with aggression & muscle movement. it involves clicker training & inevtiably treat, so if you're worried about weight gain, either use some of her daily rations, or I find that very small pieces of the reduced fat chicken or turkey slices work well. Below is an idea of what we came up with as ideas for AFF games ~ hope it helps:

"Understanding the implications of using play/toys in modifying canine aggression.

Despite the above considerations, play can be used as a primary positive reinforcer in the modification of aggression. Design a number of games that would be appropriate and useful, substantiating your designs from ethological, learning theory and physiological perspectives.

Whilst the dog is sitting or lying down, the owner can produce a cup & hide a treat underneath it. The dog can be clicked for touching the cup with its nose (or paw) and then rewarded with the treat. This could be expanded to use 2 or more cups. The dog sees which cup the treat is hidden under is and clicked & rewarded for touching the correct cup with its nose.

Teach the dog, through click & treating, to “play dead”, i.e. lie completely still on its side. This could be expanded to ask the dog to perform this behaviour for longer periods, e.g. 30 seconds. Would have the advantage of simulating the postures used in sleeping/relaxing.

If the dog enjoys being groomed, you could pair a verbal command for grooming with click & treat (or even pair a verbal signal or hand signal) with the positive outcome of grooming the dog. This would mean the dog has to keep still, whether sitting, standing or lying down.

Whilst lying or sitting, gently throw tennis balls or soft toys to the dog so that the dog can catch them without having to move. Can start with one toy and progress to a whole pile of toys! If the dog is not very adept at catching a toy (or you are not very good at throwing a toy!), you could roll it down a slope towards the dog.

Teach a bow through click & treating, i.e. stretching out the front legs.

Teach the dog to put a toy (or other object) into a pot or container of some sort ~ provided that the container was placed close enough to the dog so that it did not have to get up & move. Through backward chaining this could be expanded to eventually teach to put its own toys away or to fetch something & bring it to the owner.

If the dog is physically capable, teach a “roll over” through clicking & treating.

Teach the dog to put its head on a pillow, under a towel or blanket."

Thanks Wilbur, will have a go with some of those too. Anything is worth a try. She went for me today then had a go at the puppy too, completely unprovoked. He's being really good with leaving her alone too.

Tried her in the crate for a while, she accepted it but it felt more like a punishment as she'd been so naughty all day. She only just fits, how much room should there be? The puppy has half bed and half paper as still not night dry.

Hiya my old Stafford bitch had a cruciate ligament op when she was 5...I was dreading keeping her quiet but not as hard as I imagined ...stair gate was a Godsend...but luckily she was...an only dog so....no trouble in that respect.

Best of luck and it had a brilliant outcome for my Gyp....