I will definitely ask her about wheels Clare.  Good point that Frankie may be more receptive  to something like that now.  He sure as hell isn't  receptive to me helping  him with a harness!  And no, your "journey on wheels" is not discouraging  at all.  Very inspirational!

My regular  Vet said the Ortho Vet would have to see Frankie for an evaluation,  etc, which, of course, I knew.   He apparently  did make the comment that another surgery on the same leg...with a tripawd...woild have "challenges".....DUH!!   No  Sherlock!  Sorry....jist a little frustrated  over here!😖😖

I massage his neck and shoulders a lot!  He uses that head of his to bob up and down with gusto and that helps him navigate.  He .loves those massages!  Just so glad he's  a tough hound...he keeps me tough!  We'll figure out something  to help him continue to be Frankie (with maybe a little less Sinatra do it my way Frankie) and, hopefully, heal all his hound legs!!😁😁

I do believe  we need an update in Meg...yeah....with pictures of course...Frankie says so!!!

I tell ya' what!  The most solution  oriented great minds reside here!!   Your ability to dissect every possibility and come up with pros and cons really is BRILLIANT!!!  Every point is well taken and GREATLY  APPRECIATED!❤❤

I've  emailed  Dr Wheedle  and all but begged for an appointment  asap!  Hell, he may even have torn achilles, torn everything.  Yippee skippee!

I know  actual proper multi million dollar tests have not been done for an exact diagnosis, and it may eventually  become an absolute necessity  IF real solutions  are out there, even WITH allnu9smleg issues.

.......It looks like the only "cure" is surgery???🗡✂️

........any way, any way at all, to determine  if another cruciate is about to happen, or another meniscus??       I know "statistics " point to another cruciate in the future if one has happened.   And I doubt that tripawds are in the equation .  It might make the statistics even worse!!.🤑😫.

....I recall Dr Wheedle  saying "sometimes" through manipulation (done with repeated  rehab for months) you can repair the meniscus????

.......Wheels, braces, even IF doable, do nothing to eliminate  pain or to heal.  Although, would help lessen force on the other legs???

.......crazy question...really crazy....what happens if NOTHING is done...other than pain meds, fish oils, adequan, etc. and etc.  I mean, I guess I already know.   All legs just continue  to get worse and the pain starts eating away at his personality.   But let's  pretend for a second he has FOUR legs.  Any four legger dogs with three other strong legs able to "deal with" a meniscus injury without  repair and not having to deal with arthritis, etc.  Does the pain ever lessen if scar tissue forms? Or does it ever form??

Oh, and here's  an interesting  link on customs and over the counter braces.

https://animalo.....are.com/  😎

Thanks for letting me continue to "process" OUT LOUD 🔊🔊📣  Thanks for listening👂👂  Love to all!

Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!

PS.  Lori.....sending  extra hugs to sweet Daryl...and you too❤

Super Stu! said
 I was told the other day that if we are only able to do what is minimal, we can do it to the very best of our ability! 

I know we all express this thought in one way or another to our members  when struggling  with limited resources  (whether  that be financial,  physical, availability  of specialists,  etc), but this was stated so beautifully.   Brought tears to my eyes.

Forgive me if I'm  being  repetitive.  Right now Dr Wheedle  and I are trying to coordinate  an appointment.  She's  very, very busy, that's  for sure!

From that I hope to gain more insight on the condition  of ALL THREE  LEGS.  Does she observe anything beyond normal "wear and tear", any hint of cruciate ot meniscus  appearing in the other legs, any wrist issues, etc.  Some of these "issues" could be "hidden" as he tries to compensate  to continue  to remain mobile without  using "that" third leg very much.

I need to know the possibility  of healing, the consequences of that.  The consequences  of it not healing, etc.  

She did mention in her email  to me we could  talk about the possibility of braces, wheels etc.  

I'm  clearly  trying to find other options, IF available, other than surgery.  Yes, absolutely for  financial  reasons, but ALSO for the long haul of rehab and healing.   Could his other two legs withstand that even IF, IF, IF he had a "successful" surgery and flawless rehab?

IF, IF, IF, he is the most, splendid  candidate  for surgery the Universe  has ever seen, just the testing  to confirm what the actual problem is before we even get to that point is OUTRAGEOUS!  

Clare, I do want to address my thought process on wheels.  And I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE  ALL YOUR  INSIGHT and hard earned first hand knowledge  and expertise!!❤

So thinking  outloud......and keeping in mind all these thoughts are WITHOUT the knowledge  you have.  So maybe some of the "hurdles I perceive  are not necessarily  so.  

My main living  area is very small.  Add dog beds, a little bit of furniture,  and a bind  dog, it makes navigating  with wheels "seemingly" pretty difficult. There would be very, very limited space for turns, etc.  Not much of a straight path anywhere.

Obviously like you and most, I have to be gone from home for work.  Knowing that he can't  sit or lay down, his time in the wheels would be very limited.  Basically for potty.  His "yard" is a "rural country yard:. Not manicured  subdivison lawn, but more of a rougher  terrain that I cut with a big riding mower.  It has some massive very old walnut trees that would make quite a bumpy ride over the falling nuts.

Jow eould he go down the ramp without  breaking a speed record?  Do the wheels have some sort of "slow gear" for situations  like that?

Should  I add that I am THE LEAST MECHANICALLY  INCLINED PERSON ON THE PLANET????

Now, all that said, if it gets to the point that he's  not mobile at all and his only way to move would be the wheels, then all my "hurdles" would have to be figured out.  Being home,  his quality, pain level, etc.

I APPRECIATE  ALL THE FEEDBACK OF EVERYONE!!!   Solutions  and options are a beautiful  thing!!

I'm  DEFINITELY  going to start the Adequan injections ar uome as soon as I can make that happen.  If nothing else, that MAY help with his arthritis! 

He has thrown up a couple of times the past couple of days.  I immediately  took him off the Rimadyl, still showing  some nausea  though.  Guess I'll need to take him in and get bloodwork to make SURE there's  no damage.   Being extra cautious  since he took his overdose appetizer a couple of years ago.  

Maybe I'll switch to...what's  it called...Galiprant??? Hated to stop it, but need to find cause of tummy upset first.

Okay,  I know it's  not much of any update yet.  Still keeping  him inside as much as possible.  Have him on pain meds.  He'll go to the door and fuss and fuss at me for not letting  him go chase something!  He just howls at me and apparently  thinks he must howl louder, because  surely I can't hear him or else I would let him out!!  

SENDING  LOVE AND APPRECIATION  TO EACH OF YOU❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤