We did it, we scheduled surgery for our black Lab Maggie (7 years 8 months) this past Friday and she came through it very well. A surgeon travelled from Sacramento to do a TPLO. Although I had read some negative things on line about this procedure, our local vet assured us that this was the Gold Standard procedure with the best results. She stayed at the animal hospital for 2 days and we picked her up early Sunday morning. She was beyond happy to see me and my Mom, her main "parents." I held her on the ride back, she did have a little bathroom accident but nothing that the old backseat dog blanket couldn't fix.
The biggest challenge has been restricting her activity, but she is such an obedient dog we are having success I think. She is on a course of antibiotics and pain medication. She can't take Rimadyl, which has turned out to be a blessing because the pain pills put her in a better mood and make her a bit sleepy. She has a lampshade E-collar but absolutely hates it. Since she is obeying us on all other fronts to not jump, run and climb -- leash walks to do her business only -- we're not putting it on. She does sneak in a lick to the cut now and then but we tell her to stop and she does. She is so good like that, her sister Coco did not mind as well, she did as she pleased. (Taking a moment to remember the invincible CocoLion… may she rest in peace.)
The vet showed us an animation of the procedure. They cut about 3-4" on the inside of her left leg, around her knee. Then they cut the lower bone in half, and re-attached it with a plate and six screws. This gives the leg a new metal joint to replace her completely ruptured cruciate ligament. We saw XRays and she does have some arthritis and "not the greatest" hips but all in all, she's not a complete mess with advanced arthritis which was my fear. We have some quality glucosamine MSM supplements we'll start her on in a few weeks. Does anyone have any opinions or history using this for joint/osteo support in large dogs? She is 75 lbs and tall for a Lab.
Thanks to everyone who provided opinions to my initial thread about this procedure. Your encouragement and success stories were the deciding factor in convincing me to go ahead and get her leg fixed.
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