The Schedule: Tajs Recheck Appointments

Whew! Having a dog break a leg requires you to develop excellent organizational and attention-to-detail skills! You really have to be a benevolent dictator and follow every single rule to the best of your ability because one slip up can possibly create dire consequences. I would not recommend fixator surgery if you do not have the ability to confine your dog to a small space for a long time with fairly regular supervision. I can also envision that this type of surgery would be extremely difficult to manage with a more energetic/hyper breed.

Taj's Recheck Schedule is as follows:*

1-Day Post-Op:         Begin Fixator Care/Cleaning            At home (repeat daily)

1-week:                     Fixator Check                                    Dr. Rider at Metzger

2-weeks:                    Fixator Check                                   Dr. Rider

3-weeks:                    Fixator Check                                   Dr. Rider

4-weeks:                    Fixator Check & Post-Surgical       Dr. Rider                                 

                                  Recheck Radiographs

6-weeks:                    Fixator Check                                    Dr. Rider

8-weeks:                    Fixator Check & Post-Surgical        Dr. Rider
                                  Recheck Radiographs

We started Exogen ultrasound treatments (once daily) at 10-weeks

12-weeks:                  Fixator Check & Post-Surgical        VOSM

                                  Recheck Radiographs

16 weeks:                  Recheck Radiographs                        VOSM

16-17 weeks:             Possible Fixator Removal                VOSM

*Grayed out means we've accomplished this check successfully - yay!

Yes - this is our life for the next 3-4 months! Then... after all that Taj can finally being some physical therapy (underwater treadmill, swimming, laser therapy, etc) to build back strength in his bone and muscle so we can get back to the most important thing: running!