OT: Raffi-->Oh Thank God!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Guest guest]

We had a rough week with Raffi. After his splint change he started

to go down hill again. He seemed to be in pain all the time, stopped

weightbearing all together on his leg, and even started yelping again

at times. It was awful. I was giving him aspirin and we had our vet

appt moved from the coming Friday to this Monday. We were all scared

stiff that the worst had happened and that we were slowly being

forced into amputation.

When we pulled up at the clinic Raffi started barking hysterically

and struggling in my arms to get away. It was heart breaking having

to hand him over and walk away all while wondering if we would be

schduling for surgery again in two hours. After three hours we were

called back to the clinic to pick him up, were told on the phone that

he 'hasn't been healing as well as expected' and the vet 'wanted to

talk to us'. You can imagine what we were thinking on the drive over

and the hours wait at the clinic.

Thankfully, the news wasn't that bad at all! Raffi has a fever, so

we're on stronger antibiotics and 2 doses of aspirin a day. But, he

had more x-rays and they show a little bit of healing!!! Not as much

as the vet would like to see ideally, but bone regeneration and

healing no less, even in the unpinned smaller bone (ulna)!!! During

surgery the vet found the ulna bone had previously shriveled from

inflammation so to see it regenerating is a BIG DEAL! YAAY! I got

to see the x-ray films myself and it sure felt good to see that

little bit of grey on the x-ray. This is just wonderful news! And

I'm not too concerned about healing slower because little dogs are

often that way. They discovered when they removed his splint that he

has a large sore on his elbow from the 6 or 7 weeks of constant

splinting so that was tended too. They also would like to see him

weightbear again. So, he's in a different aluminum splint now and

they cut it down lower so it's not rubbing on his elbow, and padded

up the elbow with gauze. We're all so thrilled that the yelping was

from a sore and not from a surgery complication!

Unfortunately, because his healing is so slow the vet expects at

least another 5 to 8 more weeks in a cast. ARG!!! The little guy

has been in a cast since Father's Day, so this has been getting

tiring for all of us but no matter because if it means a healed,

strong leg than its all worth it. Oh yes, and because of the healing

he's still on *strict crate rest*. The poor little guy. He's so

weak from all the crate rest that his hind legs wobble when he goes

for a potty outside. So, during his potty breaks I'm going to try to

encourage him to use the leg a little more, but that's about all

the 'rehab' we can do for a while. I guess his life jacket I've

ordered for pool therapy will have to wait in the closet a while

longer!

So that's our news! We're cautiously optimistic right now :-D Thank

you so much for the prayers, thoughts, and kind and encouraging

words. They really all have obviously helped tremendously! Here's

hoping that his fever will soon cease, his sore will heal, and he'll

start to ***weightbear**** on that leg.

Thanks so much my special CEDA family for all the love and (((HUGS)))

-Rhea and her furkid 'Raffi'

PS. Thanks to those who've asked about my back. I now go every 6

weeks for x-rays and appt with the surgeon instead of every 3. Last

appt I was given the go ahead to start PT, but unfortunately the PT

has caused back spasms and aching, which after discontinuing the PT,

still haven't gone away. Bugger all >:-p I'm being patient, taking

it easy, and we'll see what the surgeon says in two more weeks time.

Maybe its just too early to do PT with this body.