Eliot's story

Owner: Carrie E-mail: katzmeow1998@hotmail.com Date posted: June 12, 2000 My Eliot (3 yr old, 110 lbs. Bernese), went in for TPLO surgery on the 9th of June 2000. Can't add much more yet except that reading Kodi's story is almost like a re-run of Eliot's. He started noticably limping the first part of April 2000, but he has limped off and on most of the later part of 1999. Took him to the vet who did his hip and elbow x-rays because he doesn't put the dog out for them. Thought too that Eliot's limp was hip related even though his x-rays showed everything clear except a slight elbow dysplasia. These were sent to GDC back in Dec. of 1998. Dr. Reis of Purdy Vet. Hosp in Gig Harbor, Washington, told me that day that Eliot had inflammation of the left knee joint due to a knee injury and put Eliot on 10 days of Rimadyl. This seemed to help with our limping problem until three days later around the third week of April I went to give the dogs -- I also have a Pembroke Corgi, Roxie -- raw bones. Took them down our eight stairs to the porch of our split-level home, where Eliot proceeded to dive over the top of Roxie and slide on both knees down the four of the eight stairs to the driveway. Showed no signs of heavy limping yet so off we went for three weeks back to the mid-east and the 2000 Specialty at Lake Lawn Resort Delavan. If we walked too much in the days at the Specialty, Eliot would show a slight limp. But after our return the second week of May he went totally off the left foot all together. Made another trip to Dr. Reis, who said it was now a complete tear and he reccommended TPLO with a Dr. Engen at the Puget Sound Hosp. in Kirkland, WA. Made a May 27th appointment for x-rays, and since this was four days away that evening called my breeder. Mine you the cost for a TPLO with Dr. Engen is a bit more than what you paid for Kodi -- it's at $2,200.00. We had just come back from an expensive trip to the Specialty and now this. My breeder mentioned that she felt Dr. Engen was kind of pricey and that she would talk to her vet in Canada, as she lives only 10 mins. from the Canadian border into Vancouver BC. Next cancelled Eliot's appt. with Engen and called a Dr. Herzig, who practices chiropactic services and accupucture. He also told me if at all possible to go with the TPLO surgery as it was life long. Didn't hear back from my breeder and it was such a pitiful sight to see Eliot hobbling about on his one good rear leg that I again called Dr. Engen for the x-ray appointment. The ACL tear was confirmed and we were scheduled for surgery two weeks later. Guess we were fortunate to get in that soon as Dr. Engen told my husband Bob that we probably would have to wait to be scheduled for surgery around 6 weeks later. So ... my Eliot had a TPLO done on the 9th of June and is now on his second day home. We keep him confined to an x-pen downstairs in the family room where he can go out to the garage to have potty breaks and eventually lay on our nice cool garage floor, if the need ever arises for him to keep cool. UPDATE: October 14, 2000. It's been 4 months since Eliot's TPLO and the leg is doing excellent. At his six-week x-ray check Dr. Engen said left leg looked great and noted no signs of distress to the right knee. We are now back to walking 2-3 miles every day, but I have noticed some slight changes in Eliot since his surgery. Before TPLO he was never afraid of fireworks or loud noises. Yet now he seems to get pretty stressed at these occurrences. Also we have been battling a bad case of hot-spots and flaky skin, which after conferring with his breeder it was recommended that I return him to his regular dog-kibble as the reduced calorie seems pretty dry. He is now on Sensible Choice Adult Lamb and Rice, supplemented with with raw bones. Also we have increased his Vitamin C (I give him Ester-C 1000 mgs) and try to give him Omega-3's or olive oil on his food. I plan to take him this coming Thursday the 19th of October for accupunture or chiropractic treatments or both. Then in November for another x-ray on the left knee just to reassure me that all is well and he is ready for lots of doggie interaction. We've really missed all our Berner friends and families. At this point in time Eliot is limp free and I'd definitely do the TPLO all over again, just knowing my boy can without pain enjoy being a "Big Dog."