Lily broke her leg!

[Lily]

My poor little girl broke her leg last night jumping at the baby gate. She must have fallen on it strangely or something because one minute it was paws over the gate, barking with excitement and the next she was on the ground and yelping. We took her to the emergency clinic right away and they took some X-Rays and 8 hours later we have her home in a pink fiberglass cast with purple hearts glued on by the technician.

Tomorrow she has to go in for surgery and a recasting at our home vet. My girl is zonked out in her crate right now with pain medication and all cuddled up in her blankets.

I don't even know how to begin to handle this! I know we will get more information tomorrow at the vet but I'm worrying about how we're going to help her go to the bathroom, eat, manage her pain... everything! She's only 13 weeks old and I feel just terrible that she has to go through this. I'm worn out from the vet visit and I just want her to be okay. I know she will be fine eventually but I feel awful for her.

Does anyone have any experience with broken bones in pets? And advice, support... anything... would be greatly appreciated!!!

[Lily]

Thanks so much, you guys!

I just got home with Lily from the vet. She's scheduled for surgery Monday afternoon, so she'll be in the cast all weekend. Right now she's lying beside me on the bed, sleeping. Every few minutes she'll wake up and cry a little bit, then fall back asleep. I hope that means the pain meds are doing their job!

Unfortunately the break hit her growth plate but the vet is optimistic for a full recovery. The orthopedic surgeon will do a full assessment once he sees the break for himself but she will need some pins and most likely some plating before she's stitched back up. The good news with that is that after the surgery she probably won't need another cast.

Lily's vet says they'll probably keep her from Monday-Friday. I'm going to miss her like crazy!!!

I took a few pictures since she's just so sweet with her cast.

Thanks again for all your thoughts and prayers!! The surgery alone is going to be ~$3,000.... so along with your prayers for a healthy Doodle... I would love some prayers that I won't be completely broke after this! :) Luckily my parents are helping me out quite a bit, though, thank goodness!

[Debbie and Thomas]

Meg- I too live in toronto. Lily looks like a miniature version of our GD Thomas who is F1 HUGE at 10 1/2 mths. If you need any help with her- I'd be happy to pitch in. Remember we have some of the best vets in the world here in our city. It will be expensive-but they will make Lily's leg as good as new. In the meantime-she will have to heal and that is why they want to keep her in the hospital that long. What great parents you have-I would have done the same thing for my granddog if I had one. I have to unplug my computer tonight as we are moving tomorrow-will not be hooked up until next Friday. So I look forward to good news next week. Our best wishes, Debbie and Thomas Doodle

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

She is so cute in that cast. Peri, Taquito and I will all be sending good thoughts your way! She will do great.

[Janie]

I pray Lily will be like new by the time this is all over....por girl. Try not to stress out!

[Adina P]

So sorry to hear about Lily--hope everything mends quickly and well =)

[Linda,Yankee & Finn]

OMG, poor Lily. I didn't realize that they could break so easily. My 14 week old pup just tears around wrestling with his 65lb brother. Now I will be worried.

It's so sad to see her like that. Prayers for her from all of us. Give her lots of love and I hope everything goes well.

[Kai Doodle (Kathy & Keith)]

So sorry! Hope Lily is feeling better soon!

[Doris]

While I was a teen our Pointer was hit by a car. She had a very large cast on and had surgery to insert pins. She really did well at home. We kept her on the first floor and one of us kids slept with her at night. She did have trouble flipping over to lay on her "other" side. We helped with that and we learned her signals that she wanted to flip over. Of course taking a walk was not an option, so at first we carried her out to the yard - always in the same general area. Eventually she walked with the cast on. I don't remember having any difficulties with eating or pain.

I hope all goes well. In a way I'm glad your doodle is so young. Our pointer did not like the cast and chewed it off - several times. Eventually we just taped up the cast as best as we could.

Dogs and kids are the same (my son has broken FOUR bones!) but I think it upsets us more than them. Your dog will adjust and do just fine. Keep us posted!

[Louise and Toby]

No experience here, thank goodness. Just sending some BIG hugs for your girl. And YOU. I can only imagine how traumatic that must be. I hope she heals really fast and that this will soon be a thing of the past.

[Kyoko]

Ohhh I am so sorry that happened to Lily!! Poor little girl!! Yo must be sick worrying about her, too! Charlie and I will be praying for her speedy healing!

[Tante & Jordan & now Annie!]

Oh, Poor Pup. I will be sending lots of positive and healing thoughts your way. Keep us posted on Monday.
Tante

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I am so sorry. It is so sad when our children (human or furry) are hurt.
Our Springer Gordie just had cruciate ligament surgery. They didn't cast but bandaged in such a way that it was just like a cast. He just stuck the leg out to the side more to pee and poop. There was some swelling and that was normal. Gordie has had lots of digestive problems with the meds - constipation, diarrhea, some vomiting and loss of appetite. There is a whole plan as to how much they can walk around that increases with time. We keep Gordie in a pen or on a leash right by us. Just to let you know - this surgery is costing $4000! So I just guess thousands is the cost of surgery and legs.
One of my human children shattered his elbow in the growth plate - surgery, pins etc. There was concern about his arm growing correctly. Just to let you know that it has been 20 years and his arm grew just fine.
Helpful tip: - if you are supposed to keep her cast clean and dry: buy some child socks and put a dog poop bag on the foot with the sock over that to hold the bag on when you take her out on the damp grass to go potty. We pretty much kept the sock (minus the bag) on his foot to keep the bandage clean and from fraying at the edges.