Preparing for TTA surgery

Funny how this blog has shifted from walks to 'life events'. I wasn't really sure whether I wanted to blog today, but it seemed right. 

This afternoon I checked the dog in to veterinary hospital for a cruciate operation. Since January he has been increasingly struggling and despite 6 weeks or so of rest, with just 5 minute walks, his limp has got progressively worse to the extent that I can see it is putting massive strain on his 'good' hind leg. It's taken a while to get a firm diagnosis as its a partial tear rather than a complete tear. Seems to be degenerative rather than as a result of a mad moment, so also a 50% chance the other will go at some point in the next 18 months or so. 

Anyway, after considering options I decided that if I were limited to 5 minute walks, having been active just 3 months ago, and things were getting worse rather than better, I'd want it fixed!

The procedure is going to be TTA, done tomorrow at some point. Hopefully we'll have him home on Thursday.  Having spent hours myself googling on the subject of cruciates I'll do what many others have helpfully done and blog my experience. 

So far, key points for me have been:

- this is a time when you're glad you have insurance

- ultimately, you have to come to your own view as to whether to go down a surgical or non surgical route

- if you have a tiled floor get a load of interlocking foam mats from Amazon or EBay

-,Remember where you put the crate you used when your dog was a puppy

- create a nice safe area in anticipation of the mad dash for the doorbell 

Here is our setup

Over next next few months, God willing, I'll blog how we got on.