Canine Rehabilitation with an Orthosis

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Good news!

Leo has a revamped brace such that it bends at the knee. We are in the last stages of rehab. Actually, he still has quite a raw sore from the original chopped down version so he's been in the kennel and out of the brace more often than he's been in the brace.

For the first few days, I'd put the brace on only to go outside for short walks. He has been maneuvering very well inside the house without the brace. We haven't been restricting him much inside. Originally, he'd be in the cage half the time but now we're letting him run free. He is mostly using his repaired leg! In the evening of Saturday, August 6, I took the 3 of them for a short walk around the block. It was a pleasant surprise when I noticed Leo using all 4 legs equally to walk! Before, I'd have to stop him and make him go slow to use all 4; now he was going faster-paced using all 4 and trotting right along. I was so pleased! What progress!

I am so hopeful Leo will return to normal and I finally feel like we're over the half-way mark. I think leaving him out of the brace is helping the sore to heal (there is still quite a scab) and he is not allowed to run off-leash.
I'm to call Dr. Porter after a week to give him an update. After a phone call this week and if I have no concerns, I only have to go back for a follow-up after another 6 weeks, so mid-September.