Hello, everyone and happy 2014!  Ms. Kira is now 3 weeks post-op. Things are going really well overall. Staples are out, meds are done and we are settling in to a slightly-revised groove. Finally, life is starting to resemble our "normal".

Kira started venturing further out into the back yard last week and seems much more sure of her footing. A German Shepherd/Lab cross, she has been having some mild issues with her hips the past few years. No hip dysplasia but probably some arthritis and "old age" aches and pains. She and her sister get Glucosamine with Chondroitin twice daily, which has historically helped quite a bit. Now that she's a three-legged beauty, though, her hindquarters are under more pressure and she's having some trouble staying upright after what is for her an extended excursion (a few minutes). I ventured out with her today for her first "walks" since the surgery and both times we made it about one house away before she turned around and made a bee line back to the door. We were very happy that she seemed eager to go out on both occasions and made it a short distance beyond the house. We praised her heartily and she was fine after resting for again for a bit. I purchased a nice harness that has handles over the shoulder blades and hindquarters, so it's easy to assist her when necessary. So far, she's only needed help going up the ramp into our car.

Kira is going on 14, if not 14 already. I'm sure she's doing wonderfully, given her age, size and time since surgery. However, I'm concerned about the apparent weakness in her rear legs complicating her recovery. Has anyone else had a similar situation? Will her hindquarters get stronger once they've had more time to adapt? I know she's not a young lass anymore and three weeks is the blink of an eye in terms of recovery time but does her progress seem standard for a dog her age?