He is sleepy (I put a Fentanyl patch on him) but seems really comfortable. Actually, he rolled over and slept on his left/incision side for a while. He hasn't done that in weeks, because the leg was too painful.

OK...let's see if this works. I can't insert a hyperlink or post a link here? I keep getting blocked from posting, this is about the fourth try! I was going to post a link to my webshots album with recent photos, but can't.

http://pets.web.....1389AyTPBT

I was getting a message to the effect that there was an embedded link (well yeah, I added one) and to...change it to plain text, or some such? I know how to add hyperlinks; at least I do it plenty of other places! Just pasted the link above - two day post op shots, let's see if this posts.

Oh, thanks! I wasn't sure how webshots would play either, and since I couldn't just post pics that were on my hard drive thought the link would be easier.

I left him sleeping on his bed in the office last night when I went to bed (it's right across the hall from the bedroom) and when I woke up this morning, he was on my bed. He's really adapting very well and quickly mastering the art of the three-legged hop.

Yes...the leg is being sent out for analysis, but I'm not sure where to. I haven't been seeing Wilson long enough to know which vet school he tends to deal with for this sort of thing. This whole last week has been such a blur it seems that there's always some question I forget to ask! Drain comes out Thursday morning...actually my regular vet will do that. No point making the long drive to Wilson's just for a tech appointment. And ten days for the staples - so early the following week I guess.

I've been trying not to baby him - well not TOO much. And let him figure out how to get around so he can build back some muscle. This whole ordeal started months ago with sudden lameness cutting his agility career short, and the Oct 21 surgery, the recuperation and physical therapy, then him getting much worse...etc, up to last Monday's disgnosis. So he has gone from an incredibly well conditioned, high speed performance dog to gimping around and losing a ton of muscle.

His prognosis is still "guarded" but if he can have a chance to go to the lake or river and sniff around, or do some drop in agility classes and gimp through a tunnel or go over 4" jumps for old times sake, that would make him SO happy!

Just to brag - his last good agility run was a USDAA Jumpers course. 14 jumps and a tunnel, which he did clean in 20.4 seconds, on August 26. (That's smokin' fast.) The next morning he was stiff, he did one run but I knew something was off so I pulled him from his next two scheduled trials. In four year agility career, he had four High In Trials and one Combined High In Trial. That means combination fastest course times and highest scores. This is really amazing for a middle aged/older Rottweiler, considering he was at times running against well over 100 dogs, many of them younger Border Collies and Aussies! So I am not kidding when I say he was a well conditioned, athletic dog...I am so very proud of what he accomplished. He has so much heart and drive. If I were to put him on the start line of a course right now I'm pretty sure he would put his all into trying to run it, because that's the sort of dog he is.

Sniff. I get weepy thinking about what if....! But now is time to move on and do my best for him. Because he always gave me his best, so it's only fair.

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How about this one - this morning, six days post op? 🙂

Granted it was a very short run, and completely ignoring vets' instructions. Absolutely right...he always gave me his all in agility and other endeavors. I owe it to him to give it back. It's only fair, and while I may be a bit of a control freak with my dogs sometimes, I try to be fair and honest with them at all times. Because they are such honest creatures and turn around is fair play!