Kirk's Hips =( **8/26 GOOD update!**"

[Kater]

I don't really have much time, so I am just going to spill this all out. It is really upsetting to me, and to sit here and carefully craft a post will make me increasingly upset. Anyway, I just wanted to explain the frankness with which I am writing.....

Kirk has two severely dysplastic hips. X-rays reveal that they are both more than 50% out of the acetabulum (cup of the cup and ball analogy) and are honestly in danger of popping out. :( Not only that, but his acetabulum is quite shallow - which may have surgical implications i.e. limitations.

He is just 5 months old. I started seeing signs at 3 months...the occasional "bunny hop", which honestly screamed HD at me right away, but I waited...hoping it was growing pains. I started the switch to adult food at 4 months, hoping to slow down his growth rate. Although, I really don't think his growth rate has anything to do with his condition, I think it's purely genetic. By the time he was 4 months in my heart I honestly knew and was ready to admit it. The then doctors confirmed my fears about HD, and concluded that the knee laxity is probably secondary to the HD.

We have had him on an NSAID (Deramaxx) short-term (post rotation and rads) and have begun Adequan injections & Hyalun drops (both potent chondro-protective agents) for long-term management.

The rads have been sent to our (new) local board certified surgeon. I am awaiting her response, but she has said she will likely want another set of rads taken with some more views. It is likely that we will neuter him at the same time, since he needs to be sedated for the rads anyway. This may happen as early as next week. It feels like things are happening so fast!

Ideally we would like to perform two TPOs, if so advised by the surgeon, since this is probably the best option for a dog this age. Rads revealed that his growth plates are still open (a good thing), however, his candidacy for the TPOs will depend on multiple factors. The age ranges I found on various sites varied...and it really has more to do with growth plates and other factors that vary by breed and individual. So "7+ months" is just a guideline and the take home message is that this surgery is done in young dogs only, before any arthritic damage has occurred.

TPO Explanation:

Triple Osteotomy of the Pelvis: This surgery is used on any dog that is over 7 months of age who has partial dislocation of at least one hip, with no signs of arthritis. This surgery is used to prevent the development of arthritis, which is the most painful part of hip dysplasia. By cutting the bone in three places, the surgeon is able to insert the femoral head into the socket. The bone is held together with a stainless steel plate and screws, or a combination of screws and wire. This hardware will remain in place for the lifetime of the dog. Unlike the femoral head excisions, the triple osteotomy of the pelvis surgery can only be preformed on one hip at a time. This surgery is the hardest and most difficult of all four surgical procedures. Because only screws are holding the pelvis together, the dog should not walk using the affected leg right away. The opposite leg is usually scheduled for surgery 6 weeks after the first. Recovery time is 6-9 weeks with strict exercise restriction (ie. no stairs, no running, no wrestling, no slippery floors – dogs should only go outside on a leash). Controlled walks are allowed 2-3 weeks after surgery. Success rates with this procedure are very high.
http://canadiangoldens.com/page.cgi?page=hip

So now there is another big issue....the breeder. I need to call her, but I don't know how to do it. I am not a confrontational person, I avoid confrontation. Also I am just scared to call her because I am not completely comfortable talking on the phone in many situations. I need your help to decide how I will present this to her. If I have something written out, then I will feel more comfortable. I realize that it will be a conversation and inevitably take its own direction from whatever "speech" or notes I jot down, however, I just need help with a starting point, as ridiculous as that may seem. I would appreciate any advice about this very much. I know so many on PT are well-versed in this subject as well as powerful writers.

I am holding off on harsh judgment, because she did test the parents (good & excellent OFA ratings, I think). There is always a chance for HD in any litter; one radiographic evaluation is not some kind of guarantee. I know enough about genetics to know that this is true. The OFA lists BCs as 11% having excellent hips and 11% having HD (according to their evals). However, I also realize that I did not specifically ask if puppies from this bitch's first litter had any genetic problems. There are questions I regret not asking now...and I am beating myself up over it.

Also, I STRONGLY feel that she should call all the other owners who have pups from this litter and tell them about Kirk, as well as advise them to get the pup's hips examined by their vet. There are surgery options (TPO) that are available to the pups now (possibly) and will not be viable options later. If she will not do this, then I will truly question her ethics. This is the main focus of my call; I want the other owner’s to have this information. Of course, she needs to have this information as well, but I keep thinking about the other pups.

I don't have pictures to share. He is looking ridiculous and gangly at 27 lbs. of puppiness. I have been absolutely non-stop busy, and I have already spent too much time on this post. Actually we have Tigger (friend's BC) dogsitting duty this week, and so life has been extra hectic as we try to care for them both, keep Kirk quiet, and give poor Tigger a break from the freak once in a while.

Thanks for listening. I feel better now than when I started writing this post. I am trying to just take this one day at a time.

Kate

[Tollers-n-Dobes]

I'm so sorry :(. I can't even begin to imagine what you (and Kirk) are going through, as I've never had a dog with HD. I would call the breeder though and let her know that Kirk does have HD, as it is important for her to know what sort of puppies her dogs are producing and it is also beneficial to the owners of Kirk's littermates. I don't know how I'd go about saying it, as I've never experienced this, but I strongly feel that she has to know. Good luck with your boy!

[Queen of Poop]

You post is very well written. I am so sorry that you and Kirk are having to go thru this. Perhaps you could phone the breeder and reiterate what you've written here - it's great. The breeder should be notified and in turn should notify the other puppies owners - that would be the responsible thing to do. Kirk sounds like he's in very capable hands and will be getting the very best of care - good for you girl!!! Take care of that sweet boy, I pray that his problems can be fixed and that he can live a happy, pain free life going forward. To help release some of his energy is he having at all the chew toys?

[My Peanuts]

I'm so sorry. Kirk is so young, poor guy. On the other hand his age may be the silver lining. He can heal faster after surgery and maybe they can help correct this.

You should call the breeder. Maybe be nice about it to an extent, but in my opinion, those parents shouldn't be bred anymore. If the breeder is a good breeder they should agree. I’m not saying your breeder judgment is/was bad. I’ve referred people to what I thought were reputable breeders and once I found out that I was wrong. Sometimes they can be sneaky and misleading. Or maybe the breeder will do the right thing and get a new breeding pair.

It is very nice and responsible of you to contact the other puppy owners. Their dogs may not be showing any signs of trouble, but maybe there are preventative things that can be done.

Kirk and you are in my thoughts and prayers.

[Giselle]

Oh dear. Poor Kirk :( My heart goes out to you. This must be terribly hard on you but you do have very tangible options to help Kirk.

Don't worry about your co-workers. If their nonsense is really getting to you, you can inform them that your dog is undergoing some medical issues and it is not possible to exercise or train him like they are suggesting you to.

Can I ask if you actually *saw* the OFA papers? How often were they tested? I'm not quite sure how you evaluated this breeder, but many "ethical" breeders claim to OFA their dogs but actually never did or the tests were outdated. You must must contact this lady as soon as possible. Since Kirk got such severe dysplasia in such a short time, chances are that his illness is genetic. However, the only person who can vouch for/against that theory is the breeder. Perhaps Kirk's parents did not show signs of HD but it is entirely possible that their parents or grandparents did. Tell your breeder that you are not blaming her for anything and that you do not seek monetary compensation. You are, however, interested in how this illness could have affected Kirk and if it is possible that his littermates might contract this same illness. If so, kindly advise her to contact the other families.

Lastly, if this type of HD is indeed genetic, advise her to speuter her breeding pair and check into their pedigree (if she has not already). You may want to meet with her in person. Things can get a bit skewed on the phone/internet. Plus, she's less likely to kick you out of her house than hang up on you ;) I hope Kirk does better!

[wolf_Q]

Oh my, what awful news. :( Poor Kirk, I hope that he will be able to be helped with surgery. I'm sorry to hear that your co-workers are treating you badly. You can't expect a 5 month old pup of any breed to be perfectly behaved, let alone a high energy dog in pain!! Don't listen to them, I know you are a great dog owner and Kirk will turn out to be a very good boy, it just takes time. I definitely think you need to contact the breeder and that she should also contact the other pup's owners. I don't have any advice what to say really as I'm not so great at talking to people. Good luck!

[Cataholic]

I am so sorry, Kate. For Kirk, for you. You will do what you think is best with the breeder. Maybe a letter would be best?

[bckrazy]

Oh nooo :'< I'm so sorry, what a horrible thing for you & Kirk to have to go through SO incredibly early on.

I cannot imagine how hard that must be for you & your little boy! I know, that keeping my 5 month-old quiet after his neuter is an immense pain, for 1 week... much less semi-permanently. I'm really really hoping that it will improve with growth, and his surgeries will be successful. Poor little guy! It's a shock that a pup with parents who are good & excellent rated could develop HD right away... wow. You should definitely call the breeder and inquire about previous pups and littermates, that is not in any way rude! If I was his breeder, I would absolutely want to know, and she will probably be willing to help you out. Is there a guarantee on his genetic health?

My advice (and I'm sure your Vets advice) is to get him swimming/doing low-impact exercise and building up lots of muscle, as often as possible. My Flyball trainers Staffy also had 2 bad hips at a young age, and what kept her relatively pain-free until surgery was all of the muscle in her hindquarters, from swimming and exercise.

[cloverfdx]

Kate and Kirk my heart goes out to you both {{Hugs}}. I am sending lots of positives vibes your way. I cannot offer any advice but want you to know you will be in my thoughts.

:(

[shais_mom]

I've been replying to you in LJ - just posting here to show my support and for any updates! :)

[lv4dogs]

I am so sorry, that is devestating news.

Don't let your co-workers bother you. I know it's hard but remember you are an excellent dog owner and you know that, that is all that matters hon.

If you are not at all comfortable talking to your breeder perhaps a letter or email would be better? I have to say, this post is very well written. A phone call is more personal, and you will be able to resolve more that way, and faster too. Be honest with her, tell her what you told us, that you are not sure where to start. After that maybe say something along the lines like, Kirk is an excellent dog, he's really working out for us (IF he is & if you are willing to keep him despite this disease) but we've been noticing some problems.. (explain the symptoms you've been seeing) a trip to the vet confirmed what I have thought.... (give the details of the exam, x-rays, etc..) he has severe
HD.

Yous will be in my thoughts. {{{hugs}}} Good luck sweetie.

[Kater]

Thanks so much for all the thoughtful and helpful replies. I am going to try to respond to some of your great ideas and questions.

Queen of Poop - He is quite a chewer! The slow & steady type. I am stocked up on a rawhide type chew which is twisted around a chicken jerky core - he loves them! I also throw in bully sticks now and then. However, he is teething right now. I guess most of the baby teeth are gone, but he has a lot of teeth still growing in, so he has eased up on the chewies and been more interested in frozen kongs. Maybe they feel better on a sore mouth, like a teething ring? I should probably look for some more chewie types to keep him interested, but so many of them are made of such crappy by-product ingredients.
I found this site of recoup activity suggestions: http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~may/activ and will be on the lookout for more ideas/sites.

My Peanuts - I am trying to see that silver lining. The fact that a TPO might be an option should be regarded as a blessing in disguise. Now I just have to hope that he has adequate depth of the hip sockets to make this a viable option. Please pray for him, PTers! I did see the x-rays, but it hard for me to compare them based only on my memory and taking into account my lack of experience with such diagnostics. Yes, it was shallow, but how shallow is too shallow and how does it compare with whatever rads I find online.... These are not questions I can answer, so I am trying to be patient and wait to hear what the surgeon tells Dr. A.

Giselle – I work at a vet clinic, so these co-workers are vet techs (I don't think that was clear). I am probably being too sensitive about their comments, but I cannot believe how much flak I am getting compared to how little support they are offering. I guess they treat clients better than they a friend and co-worker. I was hoping for at least the same courtesy. *sigh*
Thank you for your tips regarding communication with the breeder. I did call her tonight and will summarize that at the end of the post. Hopefully that will address your questions.

Bckrazy - Thanks for bringing up rehab. I meant to address that in my first post, but I did not want to get completely ahead of myself since I have yet to even speak with the surgeon. Anyway, assuming we go ahead with the surgery, I definitely want to do everything I can to make his recovery as productive as possible in terms of healing and maintaining muscle, range of motion, etc. We are exercising him fairly cautiously right now, and I have watched his muscles visibly atrophy in his hind legs over the last month. I hate to see it happen, but he is in (increasing) pain and we cannot risk popping his hip(s) out. I would loooooooove to do acupuncture on him ASAP post-op, but he may not have the personality for it. Some dogs tolerate it, and some don't. Even though I try to do a hands-on physical with him every night at home, he is still a bit of a terror at the vet's when we do the physical exam- even when Dr. A has me do it!! If he can't handle that, then I don't think he'll likely tolerate take the needles. It is a rare young dog that tolerates acupuncture, to be honest. (For those who don't know or remember – I work part-time (tech/kennels) in a 3-doctor vet clinic. I primarily work with a vet who practices both Eastern and Western medicine - specifically she is an acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist.) There are other options of course, like hydrotherapy, massage, acupressure, t-touch, etc. I still have lots of research to do regarding post-op care & physical therapy. Thankfully I have an amazing resource in Dr. A!

I just came across some more things to add to my worry list. Apparently the sciatic nerve can be nicked during the plate drilling process, and this can result in paralysis of the leg. Additionally a double TPO causes a narrowing of the pelvis, which can result in difficulties with elimination and gas. The hardware can also loosen, mainly the screws. However, after the bone has completely healed this rarely happens. It is probably good that I am finding out about these possible risks now. This way I can ask the surgeon how often she has encountered such results.

The phone call. Well, Kirk's breeder was very surprised and honestly saddened and concerned by the news. She confirmed that the Dad was OFA tested and Speedy's (bitch) grandmother was too, since she bred her. Well, that is not exactly what she told me. She said the parents were tested. They were tested once (as far as I could tell) and were rated "good". I did not ever see the papers. This probably looks really manipulative, but there is also a lot of context here.

Tangent....

Hawaii is a small place, and ethical breeder is a highly relative term. There is one BC breeder who I would consider ethical by ANY standards, not just Hawaii standards, but she is not breeding now or anytime in the near future as far as I can tell. She is a friend and we asked her what she thought of this breeder, and she didn’t have anything negative to say. Anyway, this is not a decision I need to defend at this point. If you read my introductory thread you will see that getting this dog was my father's choice and he did it his way. I am not going to beat myself up over this, but I will learn from it and I am starting to realize that maybe this is just fate at work anyway. We honestly considered getting a dog from NZ (my parents visited breeders when they were over there), but the cost of the shipping arrangements and stress on the animal (especially a young one) seem unwarranted. Along the same lines we considered getting a dog from a California or west coast rescue since breed rescue hardly exists here. Same issues.

There were no reported hip problems in Speedy's first litter, nor has she heard anything from owners of Kirk's littermates. However, she is only able to directly contact two of the other littermate owners. I guess they all have her contact information, but she did not insist on getting theirs. She assured me that she would contact them ASAP, and also would get back to me if she hears about any HD or other problems with the littermates. She was just as surprised as you and I that such a bad case of HD could come out of the pairing. She said she would not breed to Kirk's Dad again, but didn't explicitly say she would never breed Speedy again.

She offered to take him back :eek:, refund half or all of the purchasing cost, and even offered to help pay for the surgery. I told her that I was not seeking compensation, simply wanting to update her and inform her. Well, she insisted that I get back to her about the cost of the surgeries and his progress. Perhaps I will let her refund some of his purchase price, in light of the fact that the bill for the surgeries might be much more than I am anticipating. She reiterated her thanks for letting her know and continued to apologize to the moment before we hung up.

I don't really know what else to say about the phone call. I think I fulfilled my reasons for calling. I am…. exhausted. Emotionally drained. Too exhausted to completely sort out my feelings and logic in regards to all of this.

Kate

P.S. Pics soon! I don't think I've taken any in over a month! :eek:

[KYS]

I am very sorry to hear about Kirks hips.
I am glad you let the breeder know.
In all fairness to you, the surgery probably will not be cheap.
In my humble opinion I think the breeder should at least
refund the full purchase price of Kirk or pay for part of
his surgery. (and keeping Kirk of course)

Hugs and don't pay attention to your co-workers.

[lizbud]

Kate,

It is so heartbreaking to hear sad news about Kirk. :( I am so sorry that
you both have to deal with this at all.My RB Buddy had very bad hips as well,
and he was not a purebred dog.When I first discovered his problems as a pup
of just a few months old, I felt like someone had kicked me in the stomach.

This is so terribly sad for the animal that has to suffer so much because of
some careless people.So unfair to see a active dog who can never understand why they can't run & play like any other dog. Why they have so
much pain doing normal dog things. :( I hope & pray that Kirk can be helped
with surgery.He might never be the althlete you hoped for, but I hope it is
possible to help him have a fairly normal life.I wish you both the very best
outcome possible. (((HUGS))) Liz.

[Giselle]

That was a very comforting response from your breeder, I must admit! I'm glad you informed her and I hope things improve for you and Kirk. Get well, Kirk!!! We're all rooting for you. :)

[Kater]

Yesterday I got a letter from the breeder. She relayed that the owners of two of his littermates reported no signs of any problems. One of Kirk's littermates is also in our puppy class, so we have let them know as well.

She also included a check...she refunded his purchase price to the dollar. It will really help with the cost of surgery. Looking at the date on the check I see she wrote it the same day I called her to let her know about his hips. She offered a full or partial refund over the phone, and I was thinking of asking the next time I called her for at least the partial refund, but I'm glad she made the decision for me. I will have to think of something really nice to do for her. I should also e-mail her some of his recent pics!

I will call her tonight to thank her and let her know about his upcoming neuter.

[BC_MoM]

That's nice of her to fully refund you. :)

I'm wishing Kirk and you the best!

[wolf_Q]

That was very nice of her to do that, I bet that will help you out a lot. Good luck with Kirk!

[lizbud]

It's good to know she felt obligated to return the full price.It is what any
responsible breeder should do.I'm also glad it helps with Kirk's bills.Will you
let us know when his surgery is scheduled. I want to pray extra hard for
a positive outcome for the little guy. :)

[Giselle]

That was very nice of the breeder and I agree with lizbud. That is a truly responsible breeder :) It's heartwarming to see such unwavering support! I hope you and Kirk can both recover from this illness quickly!

[pitc9]

I'm glad to hear she gave you your money back.
Many MANY{hugs} to you and Kirk!!

[Kater]

Hey everyone! Kirkie made it through Thursday's neuter uneventfully. He was better behaved than he has been at the clinic previously, even staying still for catheterization. He was also really quiet, well after surgery anyway, and then until I got there to pick him up, haha. I think my co-workers were impressed! ;)

Funny thing is....nugget #2 dropped just in time! Six days prior to his neuter when I had him in for pre-op bloodwork, nug #2 was still in hiding. However, after shaving him for a cryptorchid neuter (oops) they discovered that both of his little 'men' were hanging, LOL. So because it was a much lower risk procedure, the vet student was okayed to do his surgery (instead of Dr. Z). She did a great job, and the site is healing up very nicely. Kirkie is not even licking, even though the shave job is probably a bit itchy. Good boy!! After his TPO he is going to look soo ridiculous with so much of his fur gone....

Okay, that brings me to the next thing. On the day of his neuter, the board-cert. surgeon (Dr. Y) was there doing a TPLO on a co-woker's pittie girl. It was a nice coincidence and enabled him to see Kirk's frog leg x-rays hot of the press and even gave him a chance to rotate Kirk's hips while he was under. Thankfully the femoral head sits well in the acetabulum (ball in cup analogy) in this position, and this makes him a good candidate for the TPO. Good, albeit expensive, news!!

Surgery is scheduled for:
Thursday, September 14th at 8:30am (Hawaii time).

We will probably do his right side first. They want to do the more severe side first, but x-rays don't show much difference between his hips – both are equally bad. :( However, back when his bunny hopping/limping was irregular, I noticed him favoring the right side more. On tonight's walk I tried to focus on his gait extra carefully and it still seems like the right side might be causing him a bit more trouble. We will do his other hip in 4-6 weeks, depending on recovery.

We may try post-op acupuncture for him, depending on how he tolerates it, hehe. On Saturday I asked Dr. A (acupuncturist & vet I work most closely with) if she would do one treatment, teaching me the points, and then perhaps let me take some needles home and try doing it myself. I can't afford to pay for acupuncture (after these surgeries!) and Kirkie will probably be too hyped up at the clinic anyway. She immediately pulled out her books and showed me the three main hip points, which she had actually just needled in an older pug in front of me. Then we took out one of our boarding dogs and she helped me find the points on the dog. So I think I had a pretty clear idea of the location of the points. She gave me two sizes of needles and wished me luck, LOL. I needled his left hip this afternoon and actually got him to keep the needles in for a full half an hour! I felt pretty confident in their placement and did see some drooling and his nose dripped some too, both signs indicative of endorphin release. Hopefully he'll continue to tolerate it! :)

Well, I think that about covers everything. Please keep him in your prayers Thursday! This is a major surgery, not without risks, and he will be under anesthesia for approximately an hour.

Thanks, PT! :)

Kate

[bckrazy]

Aww Kirk, I'll be praying for you. You are so young & otherwise healthy, I'm sure you'll surpass everyone's expectations of getting better.

[chocolatepuppy]

Pawsitive thoughts and prayers headed Kirks way that his surgery goes well.

[Daisy and Delilah]

You'll be in my thoughts and prayers for sure Kirk and Mom. Can't wait to hear the outcome. {{{{{HUGS}}}}}

[pitc9]

Many many maaaaaany hugs to you and Kirk!
Glad to hear #2 dropped in time! That was GREAT news!
Wow... you did acupuncture!! Way to go! I hope it works for him!
I wish Kirk all the luck in the world for surgery this Thursday, you both will be in my thoughts!

[RobiLee]

I've been following Kirk's story and I am sending him lots of positive thoughts.

Please give him some hugs from me. :)

[shais_mom]

glad to hear the good news Kate!
Keegan responded well to acupuncture.
My vet used the accupressure gun on her tho b/c of having to stay still for so long with the needles in.
GOOD LUCK KIRK!

[K9karen]

I'm always anxious to read about Kirk, since that's my John's middle name (his family calls him Kirk). I told him about his "namesake" and he said his hips are going to start going soon too and maybe he'll see your vet! ;) :rolleyes:
Relieved and pleased that the Big Snip went well. Positive, loving thoughts being sent over the miles for a speedy, safe, healthy recovery on Kirk's hip surgery. xoxoxox

[Queen of Poop]

Kirk, you sweet little fluff ball!!! I'm so glad the neuter went well and you're recovering nicely. Will have you in my thoughts on Thursday and will pray that it goes quickly and well. Don't worry about the hair loss to the surgery, you may look "silly" for a short while but doggie hair grows back quickly.

[ramanth]

Kate, I'm so sorry you're having to go thru this. I hope and pray his surgery goes well!

My neighbors Malamute had hip dysplacia and responded well to acupuncture treatments. I hope Kirk continues to tolerate them. :)

[kimlovescats]

I am just now catching up on this thread .... so sorry to hear of your pup's problems and such a young age! :( Thank God you have so much help and vet experience around you to see him through all of this! Your breeder did the only right thing to do in this situation .... thank goodness for that! I am glad to hear that his neuter went well without complication! Sending prayers for a successful surgery on Thursday!

Hugs,
Kim

[Kater]

Thanks for all the good vibes, everyone.
Surgery is tomorrow and I'm trying very hard not to worry excessively. I still have a lot of things I need to get together....a sling, some carpet runner for the one patch of tile by the front door, bedding for his crate, etc. I am working on a list now. My thoughts are pretty scattered this week! Oi, this is so hard. :(

He has absolutely no idea what is ahead. :( I haven't really been talking to him about it or treating him any differently. He is really sore right now since he is off of his supplements. We do have him on a low dose of Deramaxx though, but I can't tell if it's doing much good. Sometimes when he is just walking slowly in the house I can hear the hips popping...

I will update as soon as I can on Thursday. Keep the prayers coming!

[Queen of Poop]

Awwww Kirk. I feel so badly for you. But tomorrow the beginning of the end of your pain begins little buddy. My RB Sami will be keeping an eye on you tomorrow. She had lots of surgeries when she was with us and can help you thru no trouble. Now sweet boy, your momma is very stressed and nervous about this whole surgery tomorrow. You be sure to be a good boy and give her a big, sloppy kiss to make her feel better. She loves you lots. As do we all.

[Queen of Poop]

Kirk, wakey, wakey sweetie. I hope your surgery went well and you are just waking up. Been thinking of you and Slick all day today with your respective surgeries.

[Kater]

I dropped him off just 3 hours ago. I stayed there for over an hour fiddling around and avoiding leaving. He should be nearly done with the surgery by now, but I'm still waiting on a call.

I need to go back outside where I get good cell reception...will update when I know more.

Kate

[Logan]

Kate, I totally missed this before. :o I'm sorry that I wasn't paying better attention.

You and Kirk are certainly in my prayers. I hope the surgery will go smoothly and the baby will have a chance at an active, healthy life. :) I'm sure you're going to make certain that it happens that way!!!! :D

Logan

[popcornbird]

Oh Kate, I'm so sorry I missed this thread. Praying for little Kirkie and you!!! Please update me in an email, if you can.

[Kater]

Kirk is out of surgery. Things went well! I AM SO RELIEVED!!!!

He is on lots of pain meds as well as a tranquillizer (Ace). I will go and see him this afternoon and probably stay until later this evening. He has to stay overnight because the doctors want to look at him in the morning. He may come home Friday night or possibly Saturday.

I'm pretty sure we're going to have to keep him sedated for the first week (weeks?) at least – he is just too active! His second TPO is scheduled for October 26th. So I guess that means he should be pretty well healed by about Thanksgiving?? Whew. We've got a long way to go…..

I will try to get some pictures to post in this thread sometime soon.

Thanks so much for the good thoughts!! I cannot wait to see my boy!! :)

Kate

[lizbud]

I am so glad the surgery went well. I was praying it would. Please do
keep us updated on how Kirk is doing, o k ? The Vet Doctors can work
miracles nowadays.When he's all healed up, it will make a world of difference
for the little guy. :)

[cyber-sibes]

Glad to hear his first surgery went well, we will keep you in our prayers, all paws crossed that recovery & 2nd surgery will go smoothly. That's an awful lot to go through, and it is too bad your co-workers aren't more sympathetic. But be assured that here on PT, you've got tons of support! :D ** Ear ruffles **to Kirk.

[wolf_Q]

I'm glad that Kirk made it through the surgery ok. I hope he recovers well!!

[Giselle]

Congrats Kirk! You've made it halfway through!

Giselle's birthday is Oct 26th, too, so I'll be sure tell her to wish for Kirk's speedy recovery when she blows the candles.

[chocolatepuppy]

I'm happy to hear Kirk did well with his surgery. I hope he does well, he's such a sweet pup. :)

[Cookiebaker]

I haven't responded, but I certainly have been following this thread, and so thankful to hear that the surgery is over and it went well. Now we will keep our fingers crossed that the recovery will go smoothly as well!!

p.s. I totally understand how an over-hyper puppy that is underactive gets bored and misbehaves. Malone was the WORST when he was a puppy if we didn't exercise him all the time. He would get so bored and just go from one mischief to the next. So, I guess what I am trying to say is that your co-workers should walk a mile in your shoes before they start to make comments about Kirk-ie's behavior. Also, I will be thinking about you as you try to keep him quiet :eek: these next few weeks.

:)

[K9karen]

Kirk, Honey, praying for your quick, safe and painless recovery, you brave boy!

[Kater]

Kirkie came home last night. He is eating well and staying pretty calm (on tranquilizers, haha). I have to get to work now, but I thought I'd pop in and make a quick update.

I am *SO* happy to have him back home!! :D

[Husky_mom]

glad to hear hes back!!! lets now hope for a speedy recovery........way to go Kirk boy..........you are sooooo brave and cute............kisses

[RobiLee]

I'm so happy to hear that the surgery went well and that Kirk is home. I bet that is such a relief for you. I'm sending along some positive vibes for Kirk and hoping that he has a speedy recovery and all is well.

[Kater]

The good news: Kirkie is healing quite quickly and is not indicating that he is in pain. :)

The bad news: We have him on the highest recommended dosage of Ace (tranquilizer) and he is still pretty spazzy! ;) I have to continually reel the little guy in and am using a sling, not because he needs it, but because it gives me more control and allows me to slow him down.

Post Op Regimen = Crated at all times with only short walks to the yard to potty. It is really quite strict.

His appetite is great and he is not getting an upset stomach despite strong antibiotics and other medications. I am feeding him tripe with every meal and he loooves that stuff, so it is keeping him interested in food. He is back to pottying outside, which is great. At the clinic, post op, he was both peeing on pooping on himself. On his first day home, he peed outside readily on command, but was still pooping in his crate. Now he is better at letting us know when he has to go out and probably less painful, so he hasn't had any more accidents in the crate. The 'poop position' is likely painful considering his pelvis was cut in three places, and so it is normal for them to have reluctance about going.

Funny story....The surgeon, Dr. Y, got to see Kirk one week before his surgery. At that time he somehow got the impression that Kirk was a bigger dog....somewhere on the order of 50 lbs?? *confused* Kirk is 28.4 lbs. right now, granted he does manage to look like a bigger dog in way...I guess...maybe his longish coat? I don't know what it is….

Anyway, here in my widdle-boy-who-looks-like-a-big-dog…..hehe :D
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%209-17-06/KirkPics9-10-065.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%209-17-06/KirkPics9-10-066.jpg

Thank goodness for chewies…
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%209-17-06/KirkPics9-10-068.jpg

What would we do without chewies?!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%209-17-06/KirkPics9-10-0611.jpg

I also have some pics that include his shaved leg and two of the incisions. I will put them as links for those that may feel squeamish about such things. They are not close-ups.
*graphic pictures*
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%209-17-06/KirkPics9-10-064.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%209-17-06/KirkPics9-10-063.jpg

Dogs are brave. They really are. There is no way a person would be in such good spirits or walking so soon after such an operation. It is really quite amazing. :)

Thanks for reading!

Kate

[shais_mom]

aaawwww
Kirkie!
you got your britches cut! :)
I'm glad you are listening to mommy!

Keegan regressed when I had her spayed with the potty training - took her a couple days to get back on track.
kisses to the recuping boy!

[bckrazy]

aww Kirk! Those pics of you with your beautiful fluffy fur shaved off break my heart ;[!

Kate, he doesn't look miserable at all and the incision looks really good. I'm so happy he did well! His puppy bones will heal so well. I can't imagine how difficult this must be (keeping a BC puppy quiet! ughhha!) but you sound like you're very prepared and you definitely love him so much that you'd do anything for him. I hope he gets well soon, and please keep updating us with pics of your hunky little boyee! His expressions remind me of Gonzo, I love his face =)

[wolf_Q]

Awww Kirk looks so adorable. I'm glad that he is healing up well and on the road to recovery!

[luvofallhorses]

I am sorry that I am so late in replying to this thread! :o I am glad everything went well! :) He's so cute! :D give him a gentle hug for me, please. :)

[Daisy and Delilah]

Awwww!!! I'm so glad you're doing so well cute boy!! Kisses to you Mr. Kirkie!! Kudos to you for keeping this little guy so quiet. He is such a doll! :) It amazes me how much he reminds me of one of my son's Tri-Black Aussies :)

[CelticDreamer]

Awww your dog looks such a sweetheart.... I'll be sure to say extra prayers tonight so that all continues to go well for your "Lil Angel" My Cavalier that I had some years ago had to have hip surgery so I know all about what your going through trying to make them stay calm and everything which is not an easy thing to have to do for such an active dog... Meds work wonders though and in no time at all I'm sure they will be getting along just fine...

~Peace & Blessings to ya both~

[ramanth]

Kirk is looking good and adorable!! Good luck with his recovery. :D

[Kater]

An essential part of his 'strict regimen' that I failed to mention.........

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%209-17-06/KirkPics9-17-06010.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%209-17-06/KirkPics9-17-06014.jpg

"Moooooommm, take it off!!!!!"
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%209-17-06/KirkPics9-17-06003.jpg

I'm so mean. :p

[Queen of Poop]

Awww Kirk. I'd cover your sweet dog face with kisses if I could. Mind your momma and you'll recover more quickly. I know the cone sucks, once you're up and walking around it makes a really good knee whacker though (too much experience with this) and leaves lovely half moon bruises. You're looking great, your momma must be sooooo relieved.

[anna_66]

Kate, I'm sorry I haven't seen your threads about how bad Kirk's hips are. I'm really sorry to hear such a young guy is having so many problems at such a young age, he sure doesn't deserve this (and neither do you).
But wow, he really does look happy now. With the exception of the fun conehead thingie..lol.

I'm sending lots of hugs for you both and many kisses for that cutie pie of yours:) And of course many prayers for his upcoming surgery.

Love Anna and the kids

[RobiLee]

He's so CUTE!! I'm glad that he is still doing well. Give that cutie a hug from me, please.

[Ginger's Mom]

He sure does look like he is in good spirits. Aren't dogs amazing. I hope he continues to improve, and does better with the pottying. ;) Very gentle Hugs to Kirk from me, please.

[cloverfdx]

Hi there Kirkie and Mama :). I am glad to hear that Kirk is improving, and his potty breaks are getting better aswell ;). You have both been in my thoughts Kate, sending lots of good healing vibes Kirks way {{Hugs}}.

[Kater]

It has been one week (yesterday) since Kirk's surgery. Everything is going well overall, but we have hit a few more bumps with constipation, pain management, etc. He is also starting to really get stir-crazy as well.

Stitches will come out sometime next week. I think I said 7-10 days earlier in this thread, but I was wrong....it's more like 10-14 days. The incision sites look pretty nice, but more significant is the bone healing and healing that is going on internally... We will know about that after we take the next rads.

Also he makes 6 months on Monday!! :eek: I can't believe it!! I think I will have a celebration this weekend instead of next week, because my next week is packed with tests/quizzes/assignments. Anyway, be on the look out for pictures! His fur is growing back and he looks less like a Thanksgiving turkey. I still call him turkey leg though, haha. :o

I also can't wait to give him a baaaath! Oi. He doesn't stink...but I usually keep him cleaner than he is now. Plus he has some adhesive residue in various places from wraps, patches, etc. Also there is the veggie oil I used to remove the wrap.... Yeah, he's a bit of a mess. ;) But still oh so cute. :D

Kate

[lizbud]

So glad to hear how well Kirk is doing.He will able to have a great, active
life AFTER all is done.I think you are so right to be strict about restrictions
now while the bones heal.Kirk looks so bright eyed & sweet. :) Keep on
doing well baby boy. :)

[K9karen]

Oh YAY that Kirk is doing so well! He looks terrific, but if looks could kill when he has his Eliz. collar on... :eek:
I never realized how resilient and understanding our babies can be until my RB Cody had 2 ACL surgeries. Try keeping a Lab/Retreiver down, but he seemed to totally understand his limits and knew he was being helped. You've given Kirk a new start in life and he'll never forget it. *Crawls in cage, grabs Kirk's handsome face and bestows a zillion kisses*

[pnance]

I'm glad to hear he's doing well despite the bumps.....Nikka had a complete hip replacement (she was 1 1/2 when we adopted her and had such severe hip dysplasia her hip was completely out of the socket with no hope of getting it back in permanently). We had the worst time trying to keep her quiet (even with Ace) and off that leg for the 2 weeks recovery time. The funny part is we fought her for 2 weeks, tried every trick in the book to keep her quiet and off that leg, then finally the day came when the vets said start letting her use that let again...we were thrilled.. so we let her out in the yard to use the facilities without a leash and she refused to put her foot down. It took us another week of battling to get her to use that leg..... :rolleyes:

[Kater]

Kirkie is 7 months old now. It has been 6 weeks since his first TPO and he seems to have healed well. However, we won't know exactly how well everything is going until we take some more xrays. At least it appears that he has no loose pins or anything major! Xrays will be taken before he goes under the knife again and they operate on his left hip/pelvis. I'm nervous about what the xrays might reveal because my Dad broke some of the post op rules and took him on a few walks. :mad: My Dad has since stopped, but he walked him just 2 weeks after surgery and did not tell me about it. I just have three words: stubborn, old man.... *deep sigh* That is in the past, and although I was absolutely seething, there is nothing I can do now. I've just had to let it go.

Anyway, I gather that the 2nd TPO is pretty uniformly the more difficult of the two operations. This time we do not have vet students rotating through our hospital (I work at the clinic where Kirk will be operated on, however the surgeon is an orthopedics specialist and not one of our clinic's vets), so I will stay with Kirkie overnight Thursday night and possibly Friday night as well. We have a second building behind the hospital with a furnished upstairs apartment. At least then I won't have to drive into work Saturday morning! ha ha ha ;)

But really, I'm quite nervous. I am on a TPO group on yahoo and since I joined I have been hearing how hard the first couple days are after the 2nd TPO. Please keep us in your prayers!! I need to bathe him tonight since he'll probably have stitches in again for 10-14 days. Hopefully I can get some pics tonight, but I can't guarantee it.

Thank you in advance for your prayers. I cannot wait until this is all behind us!!

[borzoimom]

He is in my prayers. Dont worry= after recovery, it is better afterwards.

[Queen of Poop]

Prayers for Kirk, and his mommie. I hope the second one goes as well as the first one did.

[pitc9]

Oh Goodness you poor things!!
This is so hard on you Both!!
I think it's worse for you because you know what's about to happen and he doesn't :(
My every thought and prayer are with you both!

[Ginger's Mom]

Prayers are going out for your and Kirk. I hope everything goes as well in the second surgery as it did in the first. {{{Hugs}}}.

[Kater]

I think it's worse for you because you know what's about to happen and he doesn't :(
Yup, you are probably right about that, Angie. I have to fight my feelings of guilt. This morning he was playing with his I Qube quietly and having a great time. I say quietly because we still have him on low doses of tranquilizers. Anyway, he is just soo happy. And tomorrow morning when I drive him to the clinic, he will be soo happy to see everyone. He really has no idea. I'm glad he hasn't made any negative associations with the clinic. I imagine if he wasn't so happy I'd feel really guilty....

It feels like we worked so hard to get him well again and now we're going to just knock him back down to zero again. That's my emotions talking. But my logic tells me that this will be worth it in the long run. It's all quite a lot for such a young pup.

I know he will keep me up all Thursday night... After his first TPO the vet students gave him additional morphine multiple times throughout the night because he was just whining and really upset. :( *sigh* It will be hard for me to see him like that.

[Karen]

Yes, mom, but you know this is all for the best in the long run. Give him a hug-and-kiss just from me, okay?

[Kater]

Yes, mom, but you know this is all for the best in the long run. Give him a hug-and-kiss just from me, okay?
I know, I know.
Will do when I get home tonight. He has a very kissable nosie!! :)

[lizbud]

Best of luck to you both for tomorrow's surgery. Just think, it's almost
over now.It really works in Kirk's favor that he's so young & going through
all this major surgery.He will heal faster & feel oh so much better down the
road.Prayers for strength & wishing Kirk & you the very best for a succesful
surgery & quick & complete recovery.

p.s. I agree with you on the chewies. What would we do without them. :D

[cloverfdx]

Ohhh Kate :(, good luck for you both tomorrow... you will be in my thoughts. Take it easy Kirkie, will be praying for you little man.

{{Hugs}}

[molucass]

Good luck and best wishes for the upcoming surgery tomorrow. I'm glad to hear the first one went well and he's doing ok.

Give him some kisses from me and my pups as well.

[Cookiebaker]

More nose-kissies for Kirk!! Lots more prayers being sent your way for strength for these hard times ahead!!!! {{HUGGS}}

[ramanth]

Hope all goes well today for Kirk! :)

[Logan]

I am hoping and praying that Kirk has a good day, today, Kate. :)

Logan

[borzoimom]

Heavenly Father- we ask you to bless this surgery. Relieve the fear in the owners heart, add diligence to the surgeon, and give relief to our precious pet. We ask this not for any worthines of our own but through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Thank you Lord for this day, may it be of a true blessing. Thank you. In Jesus Name - amen..

[Dorothy39]

Replies ~~~~Amen~~~~~

[pitc9]

Thinking of you both!!

[borzoimom]

Today is friday- how did it go?

[Kater]

Kirk did not end up having surgery on Thursday. Upon viewing the x-rays they discovered that he had bent his plate, thus narrowing his pelvis significantly. I can't say this came completely unexpectedly-- we did not follow post op instructions to the letter and I know that. However, I did not have complete control over that and what my father did; he did it with the best of intentions. But the surgeon told me he put in the LARGEST plate he could (thus the strongest) and he has had 60 lbs. dogs (twice Kirk's size) not bend this plate. This little dog has atrophied tiny back legs and is only 32 lbs, so I'm still not totally sure how the bending happened. Perhaps I should have expected as much from a border collie. I don't know...

At any rate, the plate is bent and one screw is slightly loosened, however at this point, 6 weeks out, the bone has healed around this. Thankfully it is not something that should cause him pain (and there is no reason to go back in and 'fix' anything), but it does affect the likely success of operating on the second hip in the same way.

The narrowing that has happened will leave only a TINY margin of error (for bending and thus greater narrowing) and this all GREATLY increases the chance for complications that could affect his ability to urinate/defecate in the future. This is a no-brainer for me; there is no reason to risk that IMO. They called me post x-rays and asked me to decide, TPO today or do we call it off (and maybe do a FHO later). I said wake him up, we're not doing the TPO! I felt some ambivalence just because I do not like to make decisions under time pressure, but after calling home and bawling to my Mom my reasoning kicked in and I realized that I made the right decision, no question.

One sad thing was of course they had shaved him already. He looks soo pitiful and skinny. He has been licking his butt area as a result of a close shave and now has some hot spots back there, so I had to put the cone on him. Little dork!! I'm washing the area with Hibiclens twice a day, and I will ask the doctor today if there is any reason to bring him in or if I can continue treating at home.

Well, there is GOOD news...
He can start walking now and we have been doing 10 mins. of leash walking (on flat ground only) twice a day for this first week. Then we will increase the time by 5-10 minutes each week. This may sound extreme, but if you could see his completely atrophied back legs, you would understand. We want to build up the muscle slowly and carefully. Oh wow, he loves being back to his walkies again. I love to see him so happy!! :D :D

Now if we can just get his butt healed and his poopies back to normal.... I have him on acidophilus and gave rice with his first couple meals home, but I may pick up some stronger antidiarrheals from the clinic. I would try pumpkin, but he has been picky about it in the past, finicky eater that he is...

So, the long term plan? Build up muscle first. See how well he does with one 'good' hip. Consider an FHO for the left side in the future. This procedure is not age sensitive and so we are free of the 'deadlines' of the TPO at this point. Thankfully he is a small dog, so the FHO is a feasible option. I am not sure how I feel about it yet, because I really spent all my time researching the TPO. The descriptor "salvage procedure" attached to it is certainly an unattractive term. :( Again, thankfully, there is no time pressure to make the decision, except in the case that he were in pain that we could not control with other methods. This is not the case as he seems very happy and mostly pain-free at this point (as far as I can tell). :)

I am trying to do my best to see the positive and not dwell on the negatives or the mistakes we may have made. We love him and we're doing the best we can by him.

Sorry I took so long to update, it has been a crazy and emotional week for many reasons. Thank you for thinking of us!!

{{{HUGS}}}

Kate & lost-his-breeches Kirk ;)

[ramanth]

Poor little Kirky. You made the right decision! I hope his muscle and hair come back quickly. :)

[Cataholic]

Kate,
Praying for ALL of you guys.
Johanna

[Ginger's Mom]

Kate, I am sure that you are doing the best you can for Kirk, and I will continue to keep that little man and you in my prayers. {{{Hugs}}}

[lizbud]

I am so sorry to hear of the complications. :( Please give Kirk a big
smooch from me. (((HUGS))) to you.

[cloverfdx]

Ohh no Kate i am sorry you had to much such a quick decision :(. You are doing all you can to keep Kirkie happy & pain free, you will all be in my thoughts {{Hugs}}.

[pitc9]

many hugs to you both!!

[Kater]

Hello PT. I wanted to post an update on Kirkie.

On January 12th I took Kirk into the vet because I had noticed he was showing signs of increased pain. That week he had started lifting his left foot off the ground for short periods, something which I had never seen him do before that-- prior to that he was weight-bearing on his left leg, but obviously still favoring it while walking. (FYI --He had the TPO on his right side, and the left had not been operated on at all.)

At that point I did not have him on pain meds and was relying on supplementation with Hyaflex daily and Adequan injections weekly. Both of these are chondroprotective agents and the Adequan especially was providing obvious relief. However, that week I took him in I did not notice any marked improvement in the beginning of the week after his Adequan shot.

Anyway, we performed x-rays because we knew that dislocation of the hip was a real possibility. X-rays clearly showed that his left hip was completely popped out of the socket (the femoral head popped completely out of the acetabulum). This is incredibly painful and it is a testament to the absolute stoicism of dogs that he was continuing to weight bear on the leg. Crazy boy!! Anyway, this has always been something we knew was likely to happen to him after seeing his initial x-rays, but we certainly hoped that he would be older before this happened. :(

At this point we called the board-certified surgeon (who performed his TPO) and asked him how to proceed. His first recommendation was to wait until he was a year old (2-3 months) before operating and in the mean time keep him on high doses of pain meds and work on building up his hindquarter musculature. Then later, after sending the surgeon the x-rays, he informed us that the hip had been dislocated longer than a week. Hearing that made me feel like the most terrible Mommy ever. :(:( I swear, dogs are just so stoic!! He also amended his recommendation and felt that we should try to work on building his muscle for just a month before operating, unless he became any more painful and then we could operate sooner.

Well, Kirkie lasted two weeks on the high pain meds routine before things got really bad. Around the middle of last week he started hop on his back leg alone about 80% of the time and slowly all but ceased weight bearing on that left leg. I was afraid he had blown his left knee, or would be in danger of blowing the right knee if he continued the full on bunny hop. :eek: I upped his pain meds a bit more, but when I saw no improvement I notified my vet to let her know that I wanted to schedule the surgery.

He had the FHO (femoral head osteotomy) on his left side this Friday and the whole operation went VERY smoothly. I actually watched most of the procedure...which proved a bit difficult at times. I watched through a window outside of the operating room--- I couldn't be *in* the OR.

He came home Saturday night. He has lots of pain meds on board and I'm sedating him to keep him calm. In about 2 weeks he should be back to walking. I cannot wait! :)

The leg is hardly swollen. The sutures/staples are very neat and not looking red or inflamed in the least. He is much easier to look at than he was after the TPO. He is not whining or crying much at all, which is so much easier on everyone.

Here he is looking pathetic in his cone:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/krkkieeee2.jpg

Thank you for reading. Please send us good thoughts for his recovery! I hope after recovery he can run, hike and play like a normal pup. He has been through so much already and he's JUST 10 months old. :(

[cloverfdx]

Ohh Kate i am sitting here in tears reading what your poor little man has been through.. he is so brave. Sending lots of healing vibes and gentle {{Hugs}} Kirkie's way... and a few {{Hugs}} for Mama too.

Thankyou for updating us.. i dont get to live journal too often to check up.

[shais_mom]

Oh Kate! I had no idea Kirkie was going thru this! :(
I'm soooo sorry!
HIP DYSPLASIA SUCKS!
Keegan breaks my heart with her's and she's 5 1/2! :( I can't imagine such a young dog.
Give him a kiss from me and a big hug to MOM!

[chocolatepuppy]

Tears here also. :( I will keep Kirk in my prayers.

[M&M's Mommy]

I can't believe he's been through so much, and still, manage to stay upbeat & happy (you can't really tell about his suffering by looking at his pic). There are so much we can learn from our dogs..

I 'm praying for his speedy recovery!

[BC_MoM]

You've been through so much in your short life, Kirkie! We're all praying that the rest of the procedures and recoveries go as smoothly as possibly so that you can enjoy your PUPPYHOOD in the future. :D

Looking as handsome as ever, Kirk. ;)

[Ginger's Mom]

Oh Kate, I am so sorry to hear all of this. I hope this is the start of a healtier time for Kirk. {{{Hugs}}}

[Daisy and Delilah]

I am in tears here as well. Poor little fella :( He is the bravest boy in the world. Lord knows, he has been through so much in his short life.

It's really scary to know how stoic dogs are. I always worry what they might have wrong and they don't show any signs of discomfort alot of the time. It makes us love them that much more. They're such wonderful creatures aren't they? Only if we could be so tolerant.

I wish Kirkie all the best and hope he can live a normal life very soon. That beautiful boy deserves it for sure. {{{{{HUGS}}}}}

[wolf_Q]

I am so sorry to hear this. Poor Kirk, he has been through so much at such a young age. :( I hope that he recovers well and will be able to enjoy life like any other young pup. Get feeling better soon Kirk!!

[lizbud]

Kirk looks good in his cone picture. Bright eyed and comfortable. I am so
glad that you have had such good Doctors to count on during this whole
process.It sure helps so much.Lets hope no more setbacks now and Kirkie
can grow stronger from day to day. It won't be long till that sweet boy can
run all he wants. :)

[pessimisaurus]

just read the news on LJ- so glad to hear the sx went well and that he should be walking in just a couple weeks!! hopefully this will be the end of his repairs and he can enjoy a long life of running!!! ^__^ give him a kiss for me!

[Kater]

It has been 3 weeks since Kirk's latest surgery. I'm sad to report that he has not bounced back as quickly as expected. He may have irritated or even torn some of the underlying muscle. :( We're going to continue supportive care and therapy before we take xrays or contemplate "going back in." I don't know why this puppy always has post-op complications. It's frustrating when we are trying our absolute best to follow post-op instructions and end up keeping the poor thing sedated for months at a time. *sigh* :(

On the upside, tomorrow is his first appointment for hydrotherapy. It has been hard to schedule because the two women that do canine hydrotherapy locally are fairly booked up and both have had recent vacations. Anyway, we're finally gonna get him in the water!! Yay!! He really needs it; his poor little left leg is about as atrophied as it could possibly be. I'm going to try to take pictures to share.

Otherwise he is as much of a love bug as ever. Even though I stress about him a lot (all the time!!), he is really quite the happy fellow. I just know he misses his walkies, his doggie friends, and all the normal puppy stuff he is missing out on....

He makes 1 year next month. I pray that he is well on his final 'road to recovery' by that time…. And if he's doing well I want to have a big BBQ to celebrate. He would just love it if I brought over dozens of people to dote on him!! :D

Thanks to those of you who continue to follow his progress. I appreciate the support.

Trying to stay positive!! :D
Kate & Kirkie

[cloverfdx]

Good thoughts are often sent your way Kate and of course Kirk. Cmon mate get better for your big 1st Birthday {{Hugs}}.

[chocolatepuppy]

Yes, try to stay positive, even though somedays it may be hard. I am keeping Kirk in my thoughts and prayers. Here's hoping for that celebration BBQ. :)

[Ginger's Mom]

Oh Kate, I am so sorry to hear that Kirk is not making the progress we had all hoped for. I hope the hydrotherapy helps and that he finds that swimming is his real passion and what will help him get well. Early Happy Birthday wishes for Kirk, and I hope you get your barbeque.

[pitc9]

I hope and pray the hydrotherapy helps him.
Please know that you and Kirk are in my thoughts and prayers.

{{hugs}} to you both!

[Ceph]

I'm keeping you both in my Prayers!

Stay positive, things may get hard but they will get better!

~Ceph

[ramanth]

Kirk, I'm so sorry to hear you're not recovering quickly. :(

I hope the hydro therapy perks you up! *hugs*

[Daisy and Delilah]

I'm so sorry that Kirk isn't doing as well as expected. I've got such a soft spot for this handsome man. As I've said, he reminds me so much of one of my son's dogs. Hydrotherapy is the best thing out there today. It's proven to be so beneficial to so many people. I hope that Kirk will become a new man and see better days ahead. After all, he'll be wanting to flip some burgers and hot dogs at the BBQ won't he?? ;)

You're both in my thoughts and prayers as always. Bless you for going all these extra miles to help him :) He's a very special boy :)

[Kater]

Here are the swimming pictures I promised. Kirkie was in the water for about 10 minutes, after a nice session of Healing Touch and massage. The land work opened up all his major chakras (heart, brow, crown, throat, solar plexus, sacral, root) before the hydrotherapy. ;)

She measured corresponding parts of his leg muscles (didn't see what part exactly) so we can better track his progress. His right side measured in at 49 mm while the left was only 32 mm. That's a lot of atrophy for one month (although he has actually been favoring the left side for longer).

He is soo trusting and very good with letting people touch him all over. It was amazing to see her calm him (at first he was all over, sniffing, chewing her plants, etc.) and eventually fully relax him to the point where his eyes were closing. Only when he was fully relaxed did she want to get him in the pool.

In the pool he made about 6 laps total against a low level current. It was so cute - he carried the octopus toy around the whole time!! He took to the water like a lab, if you ask me. ;) I'm so proud of him!! :)

Here he is swimming:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%202-19-07/Kirk2-19-07002.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%202-19-07/Kirk2-19-07001.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%202-19-07/Kirk2-19-07007.jpg

Short video:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%202-19-07/th_Kirk2-19-07010.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%202-19-07/?action=view&current=Kirk2-19-07010.flv)

I'll probably get in the water next week so I can practice doing the exercises with him. I have (dog-loving) neighbors who have offered their pool for Kirkie's therapy (it's the same type of heated therapy pool with current). So maybe next week I can get him in the water a second time! For now, I just want to gradually build him up and be sure I am comfortable with the exercises before I attempt them myself.

She talked a lot about the importance of positive thinking and its impact on healing. I know she is totally right, but it has been a frustrating 6 months, and I can admit that I have lost sight of this. However, now that I feel like I have another great supporter on Kirkie's "team" I hope I can better maintain the positive thinking I know he needs. Pet Talk prayers are great for this too...so keep them coming!! :)

Thanks so much for reading! :D

[shais_mom]

aawww how cute!!!
I am praying for you and Kirkie!

[K9karen]

Despite everything, Kirk still has his handsome, adorable, wide eyed look. He looks precious in the pool, holding his octopus.Always praying for the sweet dear. You, Kate are a wonderful mother! Mommies never give up on their kids!

[wolf_Q]

I'm sorry to hear that Kirk isn't healing as well as expected. :( I hope with time he'll be feeling better. I love the water pics, he sure loves that octopus, what a handsome boy!

[Daisy and Delilah]

Triple Awwwwwwww!!!!! What a good boy he is in the water!! Him just loves him little octopus. Gosh!! I love that boy!! I hope you don't mind if I tell my son to look in on the new pics and video. He'll get such a big kick out of it. Kisses to you sweetheart!! I'm always praying and hoping for both of you!! :)

[lizbud]

It's good to know you have great, supportive people on your side to
help Kirkie get better. May be slow, but it's sure he will benefit from it.
I can't wait for pictures of the big celebration in his honor. You both
deserve it. ((HUGS)) :)

[cloverfdx]

Aww look at the handsome man swimming :). Good vibes on the way as always, and some {{Hugs}} too.

[Kater]

Hello PT...Kirk is still having problems and I am getting more and more depressed.

I didn't post about it, but they had to go in AGAIN surgically on the left side and sand down his femur MORE. Yes, he managed to have major complications with the hip surgeries on BOTH sides. This last surgery was about a month ago on 2-26. Then his left leg was in a sling for a little more than 2 weeks. The sling was removed at the same time as the sutures and staples. It took a while, but eventually he started using the leg and I was so happy that he was no longer a hopping triped. He is very very atrophied and weak on the left side, but up until last night he was walking on it consistently (albeit carefully). Hydrotherapy was going well and he could last for 15 minutes in the water with regular breaks. After he warmed up, we would see great extension and full kicking with both back legs.

Then I went to pick up someone from the airport last night and came home to find him obviously injured. :( :( He would barely walk to me, whined in pain and could not comfortably lie down. This morning he is a bit better, but now he's back to hopping again and I'm left wondering what damage has been done. I know I have to call the vets today, but I am not up for more xrays or surgery....and I don't know what other options we have. I never expected that this ordeal could go on for six and a half months, but I am damn near breaking point. More than anything I want this poor puppy to move on with his life and start having FUN......

This is beyond unfair and I am so frustrated I hardly know what to do. :( Please pray for us. :( :(

Here we are in happier times a few days ago...He looks so dorky cause there was a treat on top of the camera :)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%20PT/Kirk3-30-07031.jpg

Here he is now, all drugged up on pain meds :( You can see his surgery scar here- the white line where the fur is slightly parted...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%20PT/Kirk4-02-07001.jpg

[Karen]

Poor baby, he will be in our prayers again. An immobile Border Collie is NOT a happy Border Collie, poor baby!

[Kater]

My vet called me back just now. The plan is to up his pain meds even more and see how he does. If he's not back to more regular weight bearing on that leg by Friday, then he needs to go in to the clinic.

After describing his behavior she told me it is unlikely that he broke the top of femur (a big worry for me since it is so thin now) or FULLY ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament (in the knee)....but it is possible he partially ruptured his ACL. It could also be that he just bumped or tweaked the hip and it will just clear up on its own. It's hard to say at this point, so we're trying a wait-and-see approach.

Please send prayers and good thoughts our way.

Thank you so much for reading.

Kate

[Kater]

Poor baby, he will be in our prayers again. An immobile Border Collie is NOT a happy Border Collie, poor baby!

Thank you, Karen. I cannot wait for the day when he can climb a mountain with me..... :)

[pitc9]

I cannot wait for the day when he can climb a mountain with me..... :)[/font]

I can't wait for that day either!!

I pray for you both... no one, human or dog, should have to go through what you 2 have gone through already.

{{Hugs}} to you both!

[ramanth]

Oh Kate, I'm so sorry to hear of Kirk's set back and injury. :( :( I really hope it's nothing serious. Poor boy.

*HUGS*

[Kater]

I can't wait for that day either!!

I pray for you both... no one, human or dog, should have to go through what you 2 have gone through already.

{{Hugs}} to you both!
Thank you, Angie. I might just post 100 pictures when that day finally comes...watch out :p

[Ginger's Mom]

Oh Kate, I am so sorry. I almost want to cry everytime I see this thread resurface. I hope this will truly be the last of Kirk's problems and he goes on to become a strong, active BC boy. {{{hugs}}}

[Kater]

Oh Kate, I'm so sorry to hear of Kirk's set back and injury. :( :( I really hope it's nothing serious. Poor boy.

*HUGS*
Thanks, Kimmy! Good thoughts are greatly appreciated!

[Jadapit]

Poor boy! I know how hard this has to be on both you and Kirk. You both will be in my thoughts and prayers.

[Kater]

Oh Kate, I am so sorry. I almost want to cry everytime I see this thread resurface. I hope this will truly be the last of Kirk's problems and he goes on to become a strong, active BC boy. {{{hugs}}}
That makes two of us about the thread resurfacing :(...I just want to post GOOD news for once. On Saturday I had just been telling everyone at work how wonderfully he was doing (I work at my vet's clinic and all my coworkers know him and his history). Now I feel like I jinxed it or something... :(
At least he's doing better today....I could hardly stand seeing him like he was last night.

[Kater]

Poor boy! I know how hard this has to be on both you and Kirk. You both will be in my thoughts and prayers.
Thank you very much, Donna! :)

[chocolatepuppy]

Poor Kirk and poor you. :( It has been too much for both of you I'm sure. I was just thinking about Kirk the other day,wondering how he was doing. I will pray for him, that he may be healed and able to be 'normal' and play. I will also pray for you that you will be able to make it through all of this. {{{hugs}}}
I have had a taste of this with my Lacey, surgeries, repeat surgeries and just praying she would be able to walk, it is not easy.

[lizbud]

I am so sorry to hear about these problems. It is most unfair for Kirk and
for you too. :( You must have the patience of a Saint to keep carrying
on for as long as you have. Could you keep Kirk caged while you are gone?
I hope he starts to put more weight on his leg soon. Do you think he just
over did things & strained a muscle?

[luvofallhorses]

I am so very sorry! :( I truly hope it can be fixed this time. :( You and Kirk will be in my thoughts and prayers.
((((HUGS))))

[cassiesmom]

Please send prayers and good thoughts our way.


Consider them sent and prayed!

[Kater]

Poor Kirk and poor you. :( It has been too much for both of you I'm sure. I was just thinking about Kirk the other day,wondering how he was doing. I will pray for him, that he may be healed and able to be 'normal' and play. I will also pray for you that you will be able to make it through all of this. {{{hugs}}}
I have had a taste of this with my Lacey, surgeries, repeat surgeries and just praying she would be able to walk, it is not easy.
Thank you so much for your kind words. Thankfully today he does not look half as distressed as he did yesterday.

[Kater]

I am so sorry to hear about these problems. It is most unfair for Kirk and
for you too. :( You must have the patience of a Saint to keep carrying
on for as long as you have. Could you keep Kirk caged while you are gone?
I hope he starts to put more weight on his leg soon. Do you think he just
over did things & strained a muscle?
Yes, he is crate trained and usually in the crate when no one is around. However, my Dad is retired and at home with him confined to our small living room most of the time. This week was Spring Break and my parents were out of town. Kirk had been in the crate MUCH more than usual because of my insane schedule. I wanted to give him some freedom while I went on my short trip to the airport, but apparently that was a mistake.
I really don't know what it could be....because last night he was the most acutely and suddenly painful that I've ever seen him-- more obviously painful than the TWO times he dislocated that hip. I just don't know.... :(
Thank you for the good thoughts.

[Kater]

I am so very sorry! :( I truly hope it can be fixed this time. :( You and Kirk will be in my thoughts and prayers.
((((HUGS))))


Consider them sent and prayed!

Thank you both!!

[pessimisaurus]

Oh no, Kate!!! I was so shocked to see this today! Poor Kirk.. it sounded like things were *finally* getting back on track the other day, and now this! I hope beyond hope that it was just a minor tweak and with some pain meds and rest he will be back on his way in a few days! And do not beat yourself up about it, you have been nothing but a miracle for this dog, he is SO lucky to have you. I will be sending good thoughts your way!!!!! **HUGS**

[lv4dogs]

Yous are in my thoughts, I know how hard it is dealing with joint issues. We'll be sending possitive thoughts your way. Hugs to that sweet boy.

[Daisy and Delilah]

Oh no. I am so saddened to see this thread come up again with bad news myself. I was so hoping he was doing better. I feel so bad for both of you. I will keep you both in my thoughts and prayers. Kirkie just has to get better!! He's such a handsome man.

[Alysser]

I don't think I ever posted on this thread, but I'm have been reading it, and I have kept you both in my thoughts. I feel so bad for Kirk and You, that you have to deal with this. Poor baby, I feel so bad, he's just a puppy. :( Good luck Kirk and I will keep you guys in my prayers!!

[K9karen]

I admittingly almost hated to read this, my heart sank. I'm so sorry and concerned that poor Kirk is in pain. I too am praying he's feeling better today. Poor guy. But you are a saint, indeed. I hope you both will be rewarded soon. with playful, healthy, happy times. Kisses on Handsome Kirk.

[Giselle]

:( I was hoping this thread was bumped up for some good news, and it saddens me deeply to hear of Kirk's troubles. He's such a fun-loving pup, and I can't even fathom the pain you two are going through. My best wishes to you both, and I hope Kirk heals successfully.

[buttercup132]

Poor Kirk. I feel so bad for him always having to go to the vet , be locked in a crate and made rest. He can't have the normal puppy or adult life because his hips:( Is anything being done with the breeder?

[Kfamr]

This is so upsetting, Kate. :(

I have been thinking of that cute little boy.

[pessimisaurus]

So hows he feeling now, any better?? :/

[Kater]

....on my handsome boy.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%204-04-07/Kirk4-04-07033.jpg

Well, his 3 days of 'heavy' pain meds are over, and he's certainly in less pain. :) Although there has been less hopping, I don't think there has been any significant improvement. It's hard because in his case toe touching and true weight-bearing look pretty similar, since the muscle is so very atrophied. However, what I thought was weight-bearing has been dubbed toe touching by another, more experienced party. (Not the vet, but someone who has experienced multiple leg surgeries, some very similar to Kirkie's....) Basically looking at his gait at the clinic is useless, because he's all hyper and hopped up on adrenaline (he LOVES the clinic), so I need to be able to accurately report what his progress has been day-to-day. I guess I was being a little too optimistic in thinking that his toe touching was weight-bearing....

He has hydrotherapy today (it will be his 5th time in the water). If it is a problem with his knee, then he really shouldn't be swimming....but I'm almost 100% positive it's a problem with the hip again. The therapist has quite a bit of experience and she won't do anything she's not comfortable with....so he may end getting a long massage session instead of water time. Have I ever mentioned that she LOVES Kirkie? She's always telling me he has the best temperament she has ever seen in any border collie she has met or worked with :)...he's a real lover. I only wish you could all meet him because meeting new people is probably what he loves best in the world. :D

Also I'll be taking him in to the clinic tomorrow to figure things out. I'm hoping maybe they can manually manipulate his hip to get it back in the socket again....(with morphine on board of course).... assuming that is the problem. I hope we will have non-surgical options because I'm pretty sure I can't put either him or myself through surgery again. We'll see....

Here's some happy pictures....playing with his I Qube! He's *loves* that thing!!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%204-04-07/Kirk4-04-07022.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%204-04-07/Kirk4-04-07014.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%204-04-07/Kirk4-04-07013.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%204-04-07/Kirk4-04-07036.jpg

Thank you ALL for your prayers and thoughts. Kirkie and I both are very appreciative!! :)

[shais_mom]

put a big ol' kiss right b/n his eyes from me
still thinking of you and praying for you Kate!

[Daisy and Delilah]

What a cutie pie!! Great pictures of you Mr. Kirkie!! You're one adorable boy. I wish we could all meet you too. That would be great and especially if it would help you. I hope you get better and feel good soon. :)

{{{{{KIRKIE AND MOM}}}}}

[pessimisaurus]

glad to see an update! he is sooo adorable. he has such a gorgeous face. I really wish I could meet that cutie!! give him a big kiss for me, hope the therapy continues to go well

[Ginger's Mom]

I am afraid you have to give Kirk yet another kiss; this one is from me. :D He sure is a handsome boy. And you can tell he is a real sweetheart. I will continue to keep that handsome boy in my prayers for a total cure and recovery.

[chocolatepuppy]

Kirk, you are the cutest! I will keep praying for you.

[wolf_Q]

I'm so sorry to hear that poor Kirk is going through pain again. :( I can't wait for the day when I see a "Kirk hiking pics" thread. ;) That will be a great day for you both. He's such a beautiful boy, you can tell he's a sweetheart just by looking at him. I hope that he'll improve, get well soon Kirk!

[ramanth]

Lots of prayers and love to you and Kirkie.

I hope it is just the hip and not a knee issue.

[pitc9]

You and Kirk are in my thoughts and prayers....

[Kater]

I hate to even update this thread anymore... I have avoided it since Saturday.

So, upon exam, his hips were fine - no grinding, no pain. YAY! :D However, his LEFT knee was looser than the right and quite painful :( That plus x-rays indicate that he has a partial cruciate tear. How he even generated enough force to tear the cruciate with his SKINNY body and TINY, ATROPHIED left leg...I will never know.
I am crushed. :( :(

Now I'm worried because his right leg (the 'good' one) would seem to be at greater risk for a cruciate tear...and there's not much I can do. Protect him too much and he'll have no musculature...give him too much freedom and he will overexert. I'm trying to find that balance to maintain everyone's sanity...but it's not easy. :eek:

He'll continue with hydrotherapy, acupuncture, pain meds, and chondroprotective supplementation....so we're basically "staying the course."

When will it end?? :(

Don't worry if you don't hear from me for a while... I want to come back when I have good news.

[Ginger's Mom]

Oh Kate, of course we will worry if we don't hear from you. Prayers will continue for this brave little boy. He is lucky to have someone who can give him as much care and opportunities as you have. {{{hugs}}}

[pitc9]

Oh you poor things!!

I pray all of this stops for you soon and you both can enjoy your lives together!

{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}

[K9karen]

:( :( I'm so familar (unfortunately) with ACLs with RB Cody..but to add Kirk's to his poor hips problems is devastating. My heart is breaking for you. Poor Kirk, Poor You. Know that I'll be thinking of you all the time and sending you hugs and prayers.

[Daisy and Delilah]

More prayers going out to both of you. Kirkie is a lucky boy to have such a caring, loving, Mom. He couldn't be in better hands. Please get better and stop having any health problems cutie pie!! Please??
{{{{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}}}

[Giselle]

Oh dear :( Kirk, you just gotta keep your mommy on her toes, don't you?

My prayers go out to you both, and I hope to hear from you with good news next time!

[chocolatepuppy]

Now there's something I'm familiar with,cruciate tears. Although probably not as bad as what Kirk has been through with his hips, you didn't need this too. :( I will continue to pray for Kirk that he may get his legs in working order so he can run and play a bit like a puppy should. I will pray for you also, this must be wearing you down terribly. Please don't feel you must wait for good news to update, we all want to know what is going on with Kirk and PT prayers can do wonders.{{{hugs}}}

[Kater]

It is with great RELIEF that I come bearing GOOD NEWS!

Kirkie has been doing very, very well as of late. Most significantly....he is *finally* FULLY WEIGHT-BEARING! :D :D :D However, it's not EQUAL weight bearing, espeically when he stands ---he leans heavily on his right side and his little spine is all crooked :(. Also when he starts going faster than a 4-beat walk, he tends to bunny hop.

However, his left leg muscles are finally growing. His left leg used to be about a third of the size of his right (which was also atrophied to a degree)....and now his musculature on the left side is about half as big as the right, and growing every day!

He's on twice daily walks and we're slowly increasing them. His endurance at weekly hydrotherapy is amazingly increased. He's less painful at acuptuncture and hasn't tweaked his knee in weeks! Lots of good news!!

Now onto some happy pictures of my healing boy :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%205-31-07/Kirk05-21-07025.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%205-31-07/Kirk05-31-07025.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%205-31-07/Kirk05-31-07027.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%205-31-07/Kirk05-31-07033.jpg

More pics coming....and I'm going to upload some videos of him walking so you can see his gait....

[Kater]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%205-31-07/Kirk05-31-07039.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%205-31-07/Kirk05-31-07044.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%205-31-07/Kirk05-31-07036.jpg
Starin' down the hose....
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%205-31-07/Kirk05-31-07046.jpg

Videos are up next....


ETA:I have just ordered an 8x10 of the second to last pic for our wonderful hydrotherapy instructor. Kirkie has just two more sessions with her and then I will be taking over with walking and occasional swimming at the ocean and a neighbor's pool. I can't afford the hydrotherapy sessions anymore, but they are a HUGE part of the reason he is weight bearing and better muscled now. :D

[lizbud]

Finally, some wonderful news on your boy Kirk. :D I'll bet you're as happy
as he looks in these pictures. Keep on getting better & better little guy. :)

[chocolatepuppy]

Kirk is adorable. It's so good to hear he's doing better! :)

[Taz_Zoee]

It is so good to hear this great news for Kirk.
He is such a good looking, and happy puppy. :D :D

[Kater]

Oops, my internet was giving me trouble....Anyway, here are the two videos...

A nice, steady walk.....

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%205-31-07/th_Kirk05-21-07036.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%205-31-07/?action=view&current=Kirk05-21-07036.flv)

He does a little hopping in this video...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%205-31-07/th_Kirk05-21-07050.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%205-31-07/?action=view&current=Kirk05-21-07050.flv)

Thanks for reading! And thanks for your prayers and good thoughts.....they seem to be helping!! :D

[Ginger's Mom]

Yay, Yay, Yay!!! You know that I held my breath when I saw this thread, but I am sooo happy to hear the good news. And what a pleasure to see that handsome smiling boy. Keep up the good work Kirk (and Kate) and we will keep up the prayers.

[ramanth]

Excellent news!!! He's looking happy and healthy and it's so great to see him walking. :D

[Giselle]

YAY!! Kirk is amazing!! You know what? I think his unique walk gives him a little more character. It looks like a little sashay :p

Keep building those muscles, Kirk. You're making us all so proud!

[K9karen]

Kirkie's improvement is awesome news!!! He sure is one handsome boy. And I'll bet he understands all you're doing for him. I know it's been tough, and I'm so happy you've never given up. Bless you and Kirk with good days to come.

[cloverfdx]

Woohooo go Kirkie :D. That is wonderful Kate. You both are often in my thoughts {{Hugs}}.

[jennielynn1970]

OMG... I just read this entire thread and I am just so shocked at all this sweet little boy had to endure! What a trooper he is! I kept seeing your siggie on other threads and love that happy face of his, so had to see what the link was about. He's just such a brave boy to have gone through so much and still have such a great personality.

Big hugs to Kirk for all his hard work! I hope he keeps getting better and stronger every day.

[pitc9]

Wonderful news for sure!!!!
Keep it up Kirk!!

[Daisy and Delilah]

HIP HIP HOORAY!!!! Great news!! I hope this wonderful boy is getting better and better all the time :) You and Mom have put up such a long hard fight, Kirkie. Please continue to feel great!! :) :) :)

[pitc9]

How's the little guy doing???

[Kater]

How's the little guy doing???
Oh, thank you for asking, Angie! He is really doing wonderfully. We still haven't done that hike yet, but we're making progress. ;)

I'll have to get back to you with a proper update (need pics!)...so watch this spot. :)

*hugs*

[pitc9]

Oh I'm so happy he's doing good! :D
He's such a brave boy for going through everything he has and still being so young!!

[gardengirl]

Your breeder sounds like a good person. You are lucky in that respect. I wouldn't be so quick to turn down refunds or help with the surgeries. You will be inundated with bills from that and from rehabilitation costs.

My 6 yo collie has bilateral elbow dysplasia. He was diagnosed at 18 mos., too late for surgery because of arthritis that had already set in. Until a year ago, he did pretty well, although had to take some antiinflammatories at times. He always walks funny and limps quite a bit. Six months ago we began swimming and water therapy (treadmill under water). Also, physical therapy with exercises. He's been getting adequan shots also. The expense is enormous just from this and no surgery. But he is really improving and much stronger than he was. His balance is much better and his endurance greatly increased. He takes Previcox much more often now, but I'm happy with the results from the therapy. Definitely try Kirk with these things so his muscles don't atrophy like Bailey's did. We started late to remedy the situation.

It's devastating to have our disabled dogs. My heart breaks when I watch him around other dogs and see what he cannot do. But he's a great dog and has excelled in other areas like pet therapy. He worked with kids who had cancer for 4 years.

My breeder wasn't so nice. She never offered money, and she lied about the sibling not having these issues. In fact a litter brother was even worse off. She will not respond to my emails or calls. I have given up on her. I don't need her anymore. Unfortunately I had done research and was referred to her by reputable breeders. I paid a lot of money for Bailey and even with the problems, I'm so happy to have him.

Here's a video of my other collie in the water tank helping his back arthritis:

Water Therapy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jksdPveNp2Y)

Good luck with Kirk. He is very lucky to have you as his mom to take such good care of him.

[Kater]

My boy is doing well. He has not tweaked the knee ....or given me some form of a heart attack in quite some time!! :D We are having some diarrhea issues....but on the up side, he has had a great appetite lately. I might actually get him up to 39-40 lbs. yet! We're working on those muscles!!

Here are some pics I took today...

Left side...this is the more atrophied side. He most recently had surgery on this side and this knee has the partially torn ligament. He is using it really well and his muscles continue to develop well on this side. :)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%208-26-07/KirkPics8-26-07026.jpg

Right side....his strong side. You can see the size difference by comparing the two pictures, but the difference is somewhat obscured by his fur. Obviously the left side has shorter hair as it was shaved more recently. He still has uneven breeches! ;)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%208-26-07/KirkPics8-26-07033.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%208-26-07/KirkPics8-26-07011.jpg

Smiley boy :)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%208-26-07/KirkPics8-26-07021.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%208-26-07/KirkPics8-26-07013.jpg

gardengirl - Thank you for sharing your story, advice and kind words. I am so sorry to hear about your sweet Bailey (and his despicable breeder :( ).
Adequan is very expensive, but I know it helps Kirk tremendously. I give weekly injections at home, and probably will continue to do so for life. If you can stomach giving the injections yourself, then your clinic might allow you to buy the bottle and do it at home (at a tremendous cost savings).
Wishing you and Bailey all the best!!

[chocolatepuppy]

It's so good to hear Kirk is doing well! He is just gorgeous. :D

[Ginger's Mom]

Oh Kate, you have managed to make one of my least favorite threads into one of my most favorite threads. :D Yay, Kirkie! You are doing great! You have done wonders with him, Kate, he is so lucky to have a family that just would not give up. Look at those eyes in the last picture *swoon*; what a handsome boy.

[shais_mom]

ok - give that happy boy a big kiss from me right b/n his beautiful eyes!! :D
glad to hear he's doing better!

[wolf_Q]

I'm so glad to hear that Kirk is feeling better! He's such a beautiful dog! Please give him a hug for me. :)

[anna_66]

It's so nice to see Kirk and hear that he's doing so great:D

He looks Marvelous!!!

LOVE this pic, he looks sooo happy!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kmillen/Kirk/Kirk%208-26-07/KirkPics8-26-07021.jpg

Thanks for the update!

[Giselle]

Whoo Hoo!!! :D Kirk's story moved my heart when I first read about him, and I've been constantly on the lookout for any signs of CHD with Ivy. I can hardly imagine the pain of actually dealing with it. You and Kirk are *amazing*, and you're an absolute inspiration =)