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

[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.

[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!!

[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




Thank goodness for chewies…


What would we do without chewies?!


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/v8...cs9-10-064.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...cs9-10-063.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