Torn ACL on Pomeranian

[Dontworrybeappy]

I "rescued" Bean 5 years ago from a bad breeder. At 10 months old he had 8 rotten teeth! (plus more removed each time we have his teeth cleaned.) They were planning to use him for breeding - which would have been interesting as he had 2 retained testicles... and other reasons he shouldn't have been bred, including a nervous temperament. They had dumped him in a pen full of yorkies to wait for him to get old enough to breed. He was a matted, yellowed, furry skeleton. They couldn't figure out why he was thin (with that many rotten teeth on largish hard kibble?)

Once he came home with us and got clipped, fed, had his bad teeth out (and his testicles, too) it became apparent that Bean was a MOMMA'S BOY - no other person mattered to him but me.

If I could have tucked him into a pocket and taken him everywhere with me, he'd have been satisfied. Over the last 4 years, he's gradually begun to accept a few other people, and even to play with my husband now and then.

Bean is the hardest working 4 pounds in Norco - of all our dogs, including the Great Dane and the Anatolian, Bean is my best watchdog and he will guard me from all dangers, from unknown birds, to cars and visitors.... even earthquakes! He hasn't let anything "get me" yet!

Yesterday I woke up to hear him crying - found him standing on the floor, 3-legged lame. Vet says it's a torn ACL, and that it's an athletic injury, can happen from jumping, climbing, etc. I have steps to the bed and to the couch, and Bean doesn't jump up on things, he uses the stairs. Still, it could have happened because a cat got in his way, making him slip or fall or something - we'll never know what caused it exactly.

The vet feels it's best to see if he'll recover on his own - he has a couple things in his favor, he's not overweight, he's not a large dog, and he's careful about his own body. He's getting meloxicam 1x day as an anti-inflammatory, and I'm looking for a good MSM/glucosamine/etc joint supplement.... I'm making him stay on the ground, in an ex-pen instead of letting him sleep with me or get on the couch.

This is not making him happy - or me either - it makes me very sad to see him hobbling along on 3 legs, or just curled up in his little doggie bed.

Has anyone had to deal with this problem? What did you do? I'm afraid he'll hurt his good leg too, apparently that happens often. I don't want to go too far and baby the leg so that he doesn't keep full use of it, but I don't want him to overdo and hurt the other one. I just want to do as much as I can to make things better.

Help?

 

[Mona]

Awww, what a little doll!! I hope he is soon feeling better! What tests did the vet do to diagnose the ACL? Did he xray? I have had 3 dogs in the past that were diagnosed with an ACL tear. The first was our Boxer. We put him on Rimadyl (same as Meloxicam) too to help with pain as well as it being an antinflamitory. We had to keep him "quiet" for several weeks. They did say a surgery could be done where they cut muscle from the hip muscle to form a new tendon. We opted against it. Baron manged, BUT, he did die young, as we had to have him put to sleep at just a few days before his 5th birthday due to Lymphoma. Had he lived longer, things may have been different after many years. Some days were worse than others, depending on the weather and how hard he was playing, running etc.

We also had it happen in our next Boxer, "Baylee". She did have surgery, but they used some sort of suture material to "make" make/repair the tendon. She ws older, about 8 years when it happened to her, and lived for few years fter her surgery and did well with it.

Lastly was our Antolian. Hers was young...less than a year old, and I think mybe even at 5 months, but hers was not serious, and we got her on Meloxicm right way, and she ws OK after a few months. I don;t think with her, it was an actual tear...maybe just pulled it or something, as we were told it does not grow back, but if caught early enough and if the stress is kept off as much as possible, they can live with it. It can be cause by running t high speeds, sudden stops, turns etc.

I hope your little guy gets though this OK. Good Luck!

 

[Filipowicz Farm]

I just hope your cute little dog gets better.

 

[Miniv]

He is PRECIOUS!

Why is he blaming HIMSELF for his owie?

Find that strange.

 

[RobinRTrueJoy]

I adopted a little yorkie two years ago, and the week after I spent $1200 cleaning her teeth and extractions, she jumped off the bed and tore her knee cartliage.

I took her to a vet known for doing knees.

He told me, give her 3 months, crate her often, and carry her alot and rest it. And if things din't get better, bring her back and he would operate. I crated her while I was gone,and carried her every where. In 3 weeks her limping ws almost gone. In 3 months it was totally gone, with no limp, no pain.

He said since she is tiny, many times rest helps. It doesn't usually work with big dogs.

With a little luck, maybe it might work for you.

She is adorable!!!! What a cutie! Good luck with her!

Robin

 

[topnotchminis]

One of our dogs had a torn ACL and had to have surgery to correct it. She did great after the surgery, but the recovery time can be long. Good luck with your dog, I hope he gets better soon.

 

[ChrystalPaths]

He is PRECIOUS!

Why is he blaming HIMSELF for his owie?

Find that strange.

I got the same thing Ma....he was naughty I think and he so wants to be carried round with you. Can you make a sling to do that? The littles are so hard to dose for surgery, I lost a chi that way. You will have a PM shortly.

 

[Dontworrybeappy]

I think he always wants me to carry him with me - but now I'm afraid I'll put more stress on that tiny little joint if I bounce him around!

He's being very calm and careful today... still moving only on 3 legs, though. It just breaks my heart to watch him!

I went to the feed and vet supply stores today, got him 4 different kinds of joint supplements - just to cover all my bases!

Our chiropractor should be coming to look at him soon, and the help you guys are sending is helping too, I'm sure of it! Bean is such a dear little thing, very close to my heart and very special - he's fought (and keeps fighting) his early upbringing to find his way to being a balanced dog - he's very brave in his own little ways!