7 weeks 6 days post surgery

I meant to write an update after his 6 week xrays and recheck, but we've been too busy doing stuff!

Before xrays.

Diego's xrays showed "excellent bony fill" of 2/3 joints we want to fuse. The remaining joint "is beginning to fill with hypodense bone at this time" and the surgeon expects this to "continue to fill in without complication." Those are really, really good words to hear 6 weeks post surgery! His surgeon and rehab vets agreed that he was ready for the next stage in recovery!

After xrays.

Water therapy!

Not thrilled. But cooperative. 

Diego will be walking in the underwater treadmill 1-2 times weekly. He is now in a Therapaw brace, still with a thermoplastic splint. This brace is easy to put on and take off, unlike his bandage with a splint! He still isn't allowed to walk on his leg without the support of his brace, or the water, but this means he gets time out of his brace now when we're relaxing at home.

New brace with splint.

He had his first water therapy session last Thursday. While he didn't love it, he did walk well in the water for me. And he ate the whole time (I can gauge the level of his stress by whether or not he will eat treats) which was really good!

Cuddle time means no brace needed!

His rehab vet has us doing more exercises at home now too. Keeping the remaining joints moving well is one of our biggest concerns so I do range of motion exercises on his shoulder and elbow. And we have started stretching his toes. They were pretty stiff from being stuck in one position for 6 weeks.

He gets to chew bones again. He is oh-so-happy!

We had to add a stronger anti-inflammatory for a couple days with the switch from a bandage to the brace. But he's back to his regular schedule of medications again.

Walks have continued to increase in time based on how comfortable he is (and how much good footing I can find outside, we do a lot of walking in the hallway) up to about 15 minutes now. He also has free reign in the house again.

Xrays will be re-taken around 10 weeks with his final recheck with the surgeon. And from there he will continue rehab slowly and steadily under the guidance of his rehab vets. The process has been long (and it's not over yet) but so very rewarding. He is so much more comfortable than he was before surgery. We are so thankful that this experience has been possible. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to ESRA (especially Clayton Nation), Twin Cities Animal Rehab, Blue Pearl, and all the people who believed he deserved a second chance.