Midwestern prairies are a sight to behold this time of year. I’ve been enjoying them more than ever because Maggie has to be walked on leash during her rehab, so I’m always looking for new places that are interesting to both of us.
We are lucky to live close to a prairie that is a symphony of color in late summer. I took these photos on a lazy, hazy and not-so-crazy day when Maggie and I went on one of our leash walks..
Here’s Maggie on the path, to give you a sense of the scale of a forest of flowers. Some of the flowers are actually over my head.
These next photos are of bottle gentian, a flower made extra special to me because you don’t see it very often in the wild.
This last one might be my favorite photo of the bunch, even though it is of a lowly thistle. I just love the “bee becomes helicopter” on the top left.
MEANWHILE, back on the farm: Maggie saw specialist Dr. David Edinger last Friday to get a diagnosis of her lame back legs. Films show that both her knees have a small amount of fluid on them, but the drawer test for a cruciate tear was negative. However, her knee angles are steep enough that she is the kind of dog Dr. E says is vulnerable to cruciate tears, and it is possible she has a very small tear in at least one knee.
Of course, there are lots of other tissues in her legs that could be causing her trouble. I have several options, and I’m choosing to take the physical therapy route for a month and go from there. I just can’t bring myself to do even exploratory surgery on a dog who is no longer showing any symptoms. Of course, she’s been restricted to a leash for 3.5 weeks now, but still.
Today we saw the brilliant physical therapist, Courtney Arnoldy, and have a treatment plan established: Two 20 minute leash walks/day, a daily session on the balance board and one other exercise to strengthen her right hind. Actually, I have been through this enough that I got the balance board out already and started Maggie on it last weekend. We’ll go back in two weeks and re-assess.
So…. I have to scratch Maggie out of the WWSDA trial and the one next week at the Jefferson Sheep and Wool Festival. But maybe maybe maybe she’ll be sound by October and can run in the last trial of the season in Cambridge, WI and then go to the Patrick Shannahan clinic a few weeks later. Please cross all your paws. I’d ask you to sacrifice a goat, but that seems a bit harsh. But then, I’m a bit desperate.
I know that so many of you have been through this–don’t hesitate to share your stories. The rest of us are here to listen, learn and sympathize.
Chris from Boise says
What a beautiful prairie! Bottle gentians are one of my favorites too. They are very odd, in that the flowers never open, even when ready for pollination. I once watched a gentian blossom bulge here and bulge there – most peculiar! After a but, a bumblebee elbowed her way out, then burrowed into the adjacent flower. Large bumblebees are the main pollinators of bottle gentian, as they’re practically the only kind of insect strong enough to force their way past the closed petals to reach the rich nectar at the base.
Glad that Maggie is symptom-free after 3.5 weeks of restricted activity. Fingers and paws crossed that rehab clears up whatever underlying issue she had – and that her cruciates stay healthy!
Anton says
So sorry to hear you are facing this with Maggie! It is so hard when they want to run around and don’t understand why we aren’t letting them! My 9 year old GP tore her ACL a year and a half ago. Due to pre-existing medical issues, we decided against surgery and did conservative management. It took a year but she is back to normal now and loving life. We got a new puppy as she was starting to increase her activity and a growing puppy was the perfect romping companion to get her back in shape without being too big to hold her own. My girl is a working dog and she’s now back on the job keeping her beloved flock safe. Here’s hoping Maggie will be back on the job soon too!!!
Minnesota Mary says
Absolutely lovely pictures! I have an elder husky (13.5) who is in need of rehab due to muscle atrophy and stiffness. We’ve been doing PEMF (interesting!), hydro therapy and some at-home physical therapy. It’s making a huge difference. And it’s drug free 🙂
LisaW says
I always called those Blue Gentians. I love that deep, rich purpley-blue. They look like gems. Chris, you are lucky to be witness to such a cool bee/flower moment. The prairie is such a novel concept to me here in the scraggy northeast, and it’s neat to share some of the same flora.
I won’t repeat our trials and tribulations with Olive’s knee, but I will say the one thing we did consistently was swim and that kept her muscle mass from shrinking on both hind legs, which really helped her rehab. We started out only a few minutes a day and gradually built up. It was always on a long lead and always in quiet spots on ponds or the lake. It also kept her mind quite engaged and therefor tired since after her swim, she loved to stand in the water and paw at the bottom and make bubbles. Her own watery zen garden.
And for what it’s worth, we use DevCor or DGP supplements along with Glycloflex III and Fish Oil for both dogs’ joints and inflammation.
My heart and healing wishes are with you both. You can do it, Maggie!
lak says
Just an FYI, my young dog of 2.5 years was having some difficulty getting up at night and after walks, nothing horrible, just slower than normal. I took her to two vets, the first said “nothing wrong” “feels fine”. The second said could be small tear rest her for two weeks. I did, the mild weakness went away. Three days later on a walk when she ran after her ball she went down like she had been shot!! That quick, grade four cruciate rupture and torn patella. Huge surgery, water on the knee during healing, but thank goodness she is at 90% with that leg after 6 month recovery period, and now 2.5 years ago. The vet told me the same thing “might be a small tear”, apparently those can turn into some pretty big problems. Hope Maggie recovers without further difficulty.
Gayla says
Lovely photos… and interesting info from Chris about bumblebees and Bottle Gentians.
Been waiting news about Maggie. Know it’s disappointing and frustrating for you both, but thankful it isn’t worse news!
My vet prescribed ‘walking in water’ for Echo’s rehab of a knee injury. Got a kiddie pool that would get her shoulder deep and then walked in circles for hours, – for weeks. She hated it, but didn’t end up needing surgery.
Trisha says
So glad Echo did so well with water walking. I can’t imagine a kiddie pool big enough for Maggie to be shoulder high though… but I’ll talk to the PT about it. She does have an underwater treadmill. So glad Echo is good!
Trisha says
Yeah, if it is a cruciate tear she probably will need surgery. Everyone seems to agree that once it is torn it is inevitable it will tear more in the future. We don’t know if it is a cruciate tear or not (although I am suspicious that it is on her left hind, something different on her right). I’ll give PT a month and see how she does, but I have a sick feeling that surgery is in our future. Sigh.
Trisha says
Thanks Lisa for the rec for DGP or DevCor. I’ll check into it.
Trisha says
Thrilled to hear that she is working again! I think the key to the rehab route is being very very very conservative. Sheep guarding is a bit less athletic though than BC work, so we’ll have to see. But give her a big sloppy kiss for me.
Trisha says
Love this observation! If I can get back I’ll hang out beside the plant and see if I’m lucky enough to see a bumblebee barging in and out.
Charisse says
When a dog is prone, either genetically or not, to lameness, have you thought about vet wrap? Just as athletes use them, why not a dog. I have an old Newf that is down on her hocks, poor hips and has difficulty using her rear to rise up from the floor. We first began wrapping them to keep her from chewing them. Then we noticed that she had an easier time getting up, and have continued the practice. Support on Maggie’s stifle might be a good thing if she is prone to a possible torn cruciate. I love vet wrap. Cheap, easy on, flexible support, it breathes and stays on! We used to use it on our horses as well. Just a thought.
Trisha says
Excellent idea Charisse, I’ll talk to my PT about it. I too love vet wrap, can’t imagine living without it! Not sure how well it would work on a knee given how much it has to bend and flex, but I’ll think about it.
Diana Clark says
Pictures are SO lovely. You are indeed fortunate to live in a part of the country where you get to experience that kind of natural beauty. I wish Maggie a speedy recovery. I know how stressful it is when one of our fur family members has a medical issue. I will keep both of you in my thoughts. Sending healing white light.
Grace says
My previous dog, a Chow/Sheltie mix, was chasing a squirrel in our back yard, and tore the cruciate ligament while I was away on a business trip. I came home to a limping 12-year-old dog licking on a hot spot. Took him to the local vet and they recommended surgery to repair the tear. Bandit got to wear a beautiful teal-colored bandage wrap that was almost as thick as – and performed the same immobilizing function as – a cast. When one of the “anchoring” knots parted 6 months later, the surgery had to be repeated; this time by an orthopedic surgeon. A year later Bandit tore the cruciate ligament in the OTHER leg jumping from front seat to back seat of my (parked) SUV during a thunderstorm. No wrap this time, just lots of restrictions. He didn’t seem to have any issues walking or trotting, but we carried him up & down stairs and lifted him in & out of car anyway. He lived another 4 years. And 2 years after he passed when we sold our house, I laughed and cried my eyes out while I filled, sanded, and painted the wooden balusters he chewed on when he was restricted from using the stairs! Thoughts & prayers for you & Maggie!
Jann Becker says
Love that one-ear-up, one-ear-down “Come ON, Mom, let’s GO!” look–like she’d really rather be running. Does she still seem to have any pain, or does she think this is Another Stupid Human Thing?
Melanie says
Hope Maggie makes a quick recovery. My reactive, allergic-to-the-world lab x had to have emergency surgery last night after finding a small sharp piece of bone had got stuck and perforated his duodenum. He is a very sick boy. It will be a long slow road to recovery.
DIANE says
I wish Maggie can run in the last trial of the season…because that would mean all is well! If she can’t by October, then at least she is still being given the best care by one who knows what’s really important for her continued health.
Lovely pictures. So enjoyable to share walks in such an environment.
Debbi says
My boy had a partial ACL tear a couple years ago. A few days of NSAIDs for pain control, rest, then gradual and limited, monitored activity have him back to his current pain-free, active normal. Didn’t need surgery but the vet said a full tear could still happen without any predictability. He’ll be 12 yo next month, so I do home PT with him, walks, limited sprints, and don’t allow sharp twisting turns or jumps with crashing landings, which means no big jumps over fallen logs in the woods, etc! He’s doing great. I would not assume that surgery is inevitable for Maggie! Wishing you both the best!
Victoria Stewart-Moore says
Your entry on walking Maggie on a leash reminded me of a recent tragedy which just happened in Hilton Head when a gal, walking her dog on a leash in a golf course, got too close to a lagoon. An 8′ alligator, attracted by the dog, apparently grabbed the leash. The gal, tusseled with the alligator to save her dog when the alligator turned on her and dragged her under the water where she drowned. I’m particularly shocked because I have exercised my BCs in this same golf course where they to love to cavort with the other dogs. Amazing the dog survived. A lesson for us all with our beloved pooches.
Trisha says
Good god. I’m speechless, what a tragedy. I want to make some joke about golf being so dangerous (who knew?) but it feels inappropriate given this tragic death. Over here, in the land where alligators never go, our area has been hit by a “1,000/year flood” (which may now happen every year) and we are inundated with tragedy right now. Oh… I see I’ve written tragedy three times in three lines. Time to go play with my dogs and flowers.
Darlene M says
My 3 year old lab/Shepard mix had surgery on both knees 3 weeks ago due to torn ligaments. I tried to rehab and rest him conservatively but he continued to get worse. The post surgical rehab has been a challenge, especially now that he is feeling well and wants to run and play. Unfortunately, he has 6-7 more weeks of confinement to the house and must be on leash when taken outside. However, I’m really happy with the results and I’m hoping he has a long healthy future.
Kelley Mercer says
My 9 yo gsd had her first cruciate tear 2-1/2 years ago. After 9 months post TPLO surgery, she was doing beautifully. We made it to the one year anniversary and I was hopeful we could avoid the other one tearing. Almost 2 years to the day, she tore the other. Unfortunately, she developed liver issues with the use of NSAIDS pre-op, and surgery was delayed 2 months until the liver functions resolved enough that the surgeon was comfortable moving forward. This time, recovery has been much slower, probably due to her age. I hope your Maggie can avoid surgery and live a pain-free life doing what she loves.