Hello everyone!!   I apologize for the poor quality of the video.  I didn't have my phone with me because it was dark, and because I  really wasn't  expecting anything big or exciting to happen anyway!  When she surprised us by walking on all 4's NONSTOP for 20 minutes, I HAD to record, so I used my husband's iphone.  Unfortunately,  by the time it was finally trasferred to the forum,  A great deal of video quality was  lost.  It was also dark outside, so the quality was already poor.

This is Maybrie's very first "W A L K" outside of her own culdesac or backyard.  I should have taken her sooner, but I was just too afraid that it was too soon. I wanted to make sure the "timing" was PERFECT!  She has been extremely consistent at using all 4's since last week, and even more today, so my husband and I took her up to our local park to walk the "hills"  They built that park with Maybrie in mind!   It's PERFECT for her therapy!  She walked up and down hills and sideways with the bad leg both up and downhill.  She walked on all 4's from the moment her feet touched grass until we stopped the walk after 20 minutes! We feared she would not want to walk anymore if I made her too sore.   She has her 8 week post surgical visit on Friday!  Her vet is going to do back flips when he sees her progress!  He wanted to see her at 8 weeks to check her healing, her range of motion, and to give her another Adequan  (sp?) injection.    I asked if she would be walking by then, he said he wasn't looking for any consistent 4 leg activity for a minimum of 12 weeks, and that by then, she would probably be ready for hydrotherapy by means of water treadmill.  I'm thrilled with her progress!  She still 3 legs when she is trotting, but MOST Do!  

Thanks for your continued thoughts and prayers. We still have a very long time before she regains the muscles in her right back leg....sigh....but, I will be thre for her for as long as it takes!  She's pretty special!

Thanks,

Kelly

 Thanks, smatulewicz!  I am beside myself with joy!  The first 4-5 weeks I was in a major "SulK" trance, but subconsciously.    I had no idea, but I was actually grieving for her until last week!  Since last week, I have been on cloud 9!   I think Maybrie is going to do just fine!

Kelly

 Thank you everyone!  Yes, I also believe that my elevated mood probably has helped her.  Isn't that weird how energies rub off?   Though most of the time I was grieving subconcsiously, and not outwardly, I was aware that "something" wasn't right with me, I felt down, but wasn't quite sure why.  Now that I'm back up again, it's 100% clear that I was deeply saddened by Maybrie's circumstance, and worried about her future quality of life.   I guess my mood has been outward enough though that my co-workers have noticed a difference.  They say I have been more "talkative and chipper."   I'm never really in a "bad" mood, and never snippy, just always happy.....so they noticed a difference.  I told them that I thought I was just relieved that Maybrie is going to be okay!! GSP's are alway so happy and high spirited, and they live with such purpose, always high on LIFE!    I wanted Maybrie to live the high quality life she deserved and had so much guilt for putting her through this ordeal.....second guessing my decision to do BOTH surgeries at the same time, despite the expert advice I received from the veternarians.    The weight has been lifted, I feel GREAT now!   These little guys are like our children!  We just want the best for them!  Although I am aware that the atrophy will persist for some time, and that she still has a long road ahead of her, I have no doubt that she will make a FULL recovery!! 

I will let you know what the vet says!  I am really hoping for FULL bone healing on the TPLO too Kpwlee!!  I "think" there will be.  She has not done any weight bearing until last week, and , until last night, has only been using her right back leg about 40% of the time.  Even when she uses her right back leg, she has no resistance because of the FHO procedure. So, hopefully there was "enough" resistance for proper healing.  I'm nervous, but excited to get the report!  

Thanks again to everyone for your incredible support. I honestly could NOT have gone through this and stayed strong and optomistic without you!  Thank you SO MUCH!!

Kelly

 Thanks so much everyone.  Unfortunately, Maybrie's vet visit was cancelled today due to emergency surgery.   I cannot get her up to A&M until next Friday....URgghhh!  Oh well.  It's one week.     She is still 3 legging it when she trots or runs.  She will walk on all 4's only when on leash or walking slowing in the house.  I have read that this is quite typical, and that MOST dogs that have had FHO procedures will continue to 3 leg trot and run because it's easier for them, or because they have become accustomed to running this way.     I am hoping she will eventually run and trot on all 4's once she builds muscle and has confidence that she can.   She still will not use all 4 when swimming though.....sigh.  Go figure!  Usually, from what my vet said, and from everything I have read, swimming helps them learn to run because they HAVE to use all 4 to swim.  She will drown if I don't hold her up or put a life jacket on her because she will NOT use her bad leg in the water!  Silly girl!    I will check back with you after the vet visit next Friday.  I can't wait!  So excited!

 Thanks Kpwlee.   That's what I was thinking, but she destroys things if I don't let her out to play...  I was getting so concerned with her atrophy,so  I figured she would learn to re-use her leg through play.  I do credit her walking a lot to her little games with her brother.  They play a lot of tug games.  I let them start playing together at about 6 weeks, in a controlled small space, after she started attempting to balance herself and use her leg somewhat.  Kaido would pull her around from left to right, and when she pulled back, she used both back legs.  It was almost like he was pulling her around in figure 8's!  Day after day, she slowly gained more confidence to use it.   We were leash walking her daily with NO results, doing all the therapy exercises with NO results.  It wasn't until she started playing tug with her brother that she discovered she could stand on all 4's.  Since the day she started walking on all 4's, I  have been taking her out for leash walks every chance I get!    The FHO guidelines say she should be walking about 20-30 minutes on leash 3 times a day!  That's a lot of walking. We have been walking hills, and last week, she hopped up the hill, this morning, she walked up the hill!  She is making progress, but as you said, it's day by day.  She is a bit sore tonight, and is hobbling a bit.   She has lost a tremendous amount of muscle.  I can see her femur and her hip bone.  She is literally walking on a stick.  We have also been doing several "sit-stand" exercises per day too.   According the TPLO  guidelines, her knee is ready for that.  I should have started that at 5 weeks, but she still seemed like she was not ready yet.  I didn't force things because she had both surgeries, but I probably should have.   I read that for every one day of disuse, there is a 3 day build up period.  For a 14 day disuse, there is a 45-60 day+ re-build.  So, I figure with 6.5 weeks of disuse, we definitely have a LONG road ahead of us.  Now I know why the vet said 6 months to a year......or longer.  Thanks for the reminders......day by day, one day at a time!   I got nervous when I read that by week 8 or 9, the FHO/TPLO are completely healed.  I misread that to mean that she should be 100% again!   Then I remembered....nope, that's when REHAB really gets going!   It is comforting that she is no longer in pain.  She does have muscle soreness. In the evenings after working out throughout the day, she hobbles a bit.  By morning, she's as good as new again!   The vet will be able to further guide us on Friday......hopefully!  Lol!   

Thanks Kpwlee.  She has really been favoring that leg since walking the hills the last couple of days.  I didn't take her today.....hope that was okay.   I am even worried about having her do sit-stands because my fear is that....while she can do them, there is no way for me to monitor which knee she is really using.  I don't want her to over-use the good knee.   She is out of her good meds!  The previcox.  That med is INCREDIBLE!!   It's in the same family as Rimadyl, Melaxicam, etc. NSAID, but it works way better than any of the others.   I was planning on refilling it on Friday upon seeing the Dr., but of course, that didn't happen.   He is 2 hours away.  I am giving Rimadyl currently, but she is not as good as on the previcox.   I only give her the previcox on days that we  do therapy now, or colder days where she seems a bit less comfortable.    Do you walk them EVERY day, even when they seem a bit sore the following day?   I know that the guildelines suggest it, but my vet said not to over do it, and not to swim her on consecutive days.  sooo....the same for walking?  It's all so confusing!   Yes....and we monitor the play sessions.   Always in a small controlled area with my husband and I both.  We stop the play if it gets rough at all. 

I'm so excited though, she learned how to lie on the bad leg and get up without it hurting!  She rolls on her back to get to the other side!   Silly dog! 

Also, I appreciate all your input, and do not take any of your advice it as negative a punitive in any way.   Your pup has been through the TPLO, and so you know the importance of proper recovery. It is good to have the reminders....as you know, on THIS end, a hyper pup destroying everything in sight when not allowed to run, well......it's not easy!   But you know this.  I know that you want Maybrie to recover just as much as I do!   Thanks again for all your input and support.    

Thanks High5Hanna,

Yes.  I'm thrilled.  I just get SO excited when she hits those milestones, and then a bit discouraged when she takes a couple of steps back to recover from her steps forward!  Lol!    One step at a time though.....PATIENCE is SO HARD!!   Thanks for your support. 

That's fantastic - i cant believe how natural her movement is already What a great job you've done with getting your girl through this!!