Post surgery pics of Nikki

[hillsdown]

A couple pics of Nikki 4 days after her femoral head ostectomy surgery. It has been tough going as she needs to be in her kennel at all times except when she eats ( as she will not eat unless we sit with her ) and to go out to the bathroom . She has been a real trooper though , it is going to be a long few months though, for her and us . I miss my little shadow ,especially riding shot gun .

She has about a ten inch incision held by staples which should hopefully come out in 2 weeks, then she gets to go for very short walks as long as she does not try to use her left leg . In two months we get to start physical therapy and I need to rig up something to do hydrotherapy with her 3 times a week.

 

[3waycross]

HD let me say what a good person you are to spend the time and money to make her whole. How are you keeping her from chewing on the stitches?

She looks great for what's she's been thru.

 

[farmwriter]

Bless that darling girl's heart. Hope she's back riding with you soon.

 

[hillsdown]

The hardest part is getting her to eat, she was very finicky before, but now that she is in a little uncomfortable and has to be kenneled all the time, she is really bad, so I just keep trying different things and if she eats it great if not, try another. She really likes chicken breast ,but she had that two days in a row and would not eat it anymore. Talking with the vets they said do not let her starve herself as that is what she will do, she will just not eat no matter how hungry she is so to keep trying different foods . Tonight she is going to get a sirloin steak, I hope she likes it . She won't even eat the Kit Kat's food anymore which she used to love to sneak and eat before. Frustrating is putting it mildly . :???:

3way she licked her staples once and I told her not to ,so that was it, she leaves them alone now. They sent her home with an Elizabethan collar on but she is uncomfortable enough without out having that monstrosity on.

Any helpful tips on foods she will love would be very much appreciated. I am used to making a special diet food as I had to for my cancer patient last summer. The food I made Steffie, she actually put her weight back on after she had lost it during her week in the hospital. Nikki will not eat that either .

The vets said she is not in real pain ,but just out of her elements and is being really stubborn ,I am at my wits end .. I just hope we can see the light at the end of the tunnel soon :cry2:

 

[farmwriter]

My catahoula is a snooty eater too. When she broke her leg as a young dog, she wouldn't eat either. I tried some stuff called vitagravy, which is just a pour on made to get dogs to eat, but she wouldn't touch it. She does like peanut butter very much. FWIW, pb is also how I get pups to stop fighting bath time. A smear of peanut butter down the side of the tub keeps them busy and happy long enough for me to give them a bath. Deli turkey and cheese are also good tricks to get my dogs to eat. Hope you find something she likes!

 

[3waycross]

They sell puppy food in pouches. My dogs love that stuff as a treat. If I warm it up and put it on their dry food they inhale it.

Try some dry food softened and covered with warm gravy. Mine love chicken gravy/.

 

[hillsdown]

Thanks for all of the tips. She hates peanut butter ,go figure .. I have tried every kind of dog food ,treat ,supplement out there, be it store bought or from a vet. She ate her recovery dog food for two days but now doesn't want it anymore. She had some homemade chicken jerky and a homemade bratwurst sausage and and tonight I am making her a tiny sirloin steak. She also likes egg yokes that are cooked but really runny, as long is there is no white in it. See ,told you she is really really finicky. :roll:

The metacam has finally kicked in, so we will see if that improves her appetite too .

Thanks again :tiphat:

 

[MO_cows]

Liver? And, if she doesn't eat any right off, whisk it away and try again later. Let her learn she better eat it or it goes away.

Don't know if it would be safe with her meds, ask your vet, but our dogs love beer and a little beer might be an appetite stimulant. Plus it has some calories and carbs of its own.

 

[hillsdown]

Liver? And, if she doesn't eat any right off, whisk it away and try again later. Let her learn she better eat it or it goes away.

Don't know if it would be safe with her meds, ask your vet, but our dogs love beer and a little beer might be an appetite stimulant. Plus it has some calories and carbs of its own.

LOL MO , how did you know that she loves beer ... :lol2: She is the only dog we have ever had that likes any kind of alcohol, but no beer for her while she is still on the antibiotics . That is a good idea though .

She ate chicken breast and beef liver for breakfast and cleaned it right up.
She had a really rough night last night, she was in a lot of pain and had had her max dose of pain killer. This morning she woke up a new pup and started doing some behaviorism's that she had before surgery, like cleaning her face and giving a little woof out when I asked if she has to go to the bathroom . I think her hip may be starting to heal.

 

[alisonb]

I think her hip may be starting to heal.

I'll be holding thumbs for that brave little girl.

 

[peg4x4]

Somehow I missed what happened to Nikki.
I haven't seen any dog or cat turn down babyfood chicken.
I hope she's back to being your shadow before long.

 

[CKC1586]

I would try some liver, either beef or chicken liver. Hope she is on the mend soon!!!

 

[hillsdown]

I am happy to report that Nikki has gotten her appetite back. :banana:

She is on a high protein/low carb diet as instructed by the vets as we need to build muscle ,especially with her limited activity for the next few months. She has chicken breast and 2 eggs (scrambled) for breakfast and then has some type of meet for supper. We have also put her on a vitamin supplement to help her get all the vitamins and minerals she needs with this restricted diet.

She is doing really well, thank you very much for all the well wishes etc as I truly believe they are helping with her recovery.. :tiphat: