Re: white lights for cass….

[Lucyr]

Hi Mark,

Hope you don’t mind but thought I’d share my experience that I had with my male Rott, it might help or give you an insight into Cass’s problem.

Last December 07 my boy was playing up the field, fetching a frisbee etc.  Nothing yelping or limping.  He was home I popped out for a couple hrs and as I returned he slid off the sofa (yes I know!!) and wouldn’t put his foot to the floor.

Next morning he went to the vets, the limp wasn’t so bad anymore and they weren’t sure what had happened.  He had metacam (made him sick) so stopped taking it and he was on strict rest through December. (We already had a bitch rottie who snapped her cruciate so it was niggling in the back of my mind and so I was extremely careful with him).

Anyway he seemed ok, was back in the showring and then January was pottering around off lead and started limping.  Back to the vets….suspecting cruciate by now.  Restricted exercise and hydrotherapy started. They were baffled because the joint was so strong no muscle tone lost etc.

After 11 weeks of swimming I he really improved until one day he stood up and the limping started….me being frustrated got him straight back to the vets and they referred him to an orthopaedic specialist.

So in April he went to the specialist who was equally baffled and wondered if it could be soft tissue damage (this can take many, many months to heal) so he took him in and x-rayed/manipulated his joints etc.  He phoned to say he suspects the cruciate afterall so gave him the go ahead to operate (we opted for the traditional method of the suture).

After operating he said he had stretched one of the ligaments and the other had a small partial tear….this may have healed but not well enough to hold.

Anyway I was just like you, I wanted them to say yes it is this or that so I would have a definite answer.

Now 4 1/2 months down the line you’d hardly notice any difference.  I know we still have a way to go for full recovery but atleast we’re on the way.

Sorry for the essay but it might help!

Lucy