Calvino Posted December 8, 2012 Report Share Posted December 8, 2012 Hi, All, Thought many would find this article about the operation and physical therapy of our border collie, Bella, of interest. Believe the article says it all about the remarkable operation - but we are happy to answer any questions that you might have if we can. http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/jamaica_plain/2012/12/boston_veterinarians_first-of-.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrisK Posted December 8, 2012 Report Share Posted December 8, 2012 Wow...that is quite amazing. I hope Bella makes a full recovery!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcv-border Posted December 8, 2012 Report Share Posted December 8, 2012 That is awesome. I am glad to hear Bella is doing well. I hope her recovery continues. Jovi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcnewe2 Posted December 8, 2012 Report Share Posted December 8, 2012 That is just awesome! I'm so glad you found the help you needed for your Bella! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waffles Posted December 8, 2012 Report Share Posted December 8, 2012 Why didn't the vets offer amputation as a solution? Was that just something you didn't want to do? Just curious. The surgery seems amazing and am glad she didn't have to give up her leg! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeltaBluez Tess Posted December 9, 2012 Report Share Posted December 9, 2012 what a great story! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tastybeets Posted December 9, 2012 Report Share Posted December 9, 2012 Thank you for sharing that story! Stuff like that makes my day! Not my intention to hijack a thread, but the post reminded me of this breakthrough in doggy spine injury repair: Pet dogs paralysed by spine damage are able to walk again following pioneering treatment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calvino Posted December 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2012 Why didn't the vets offer amputation as a solution? Was that just something you didn't want to do? Just curious. The surgery seems amazing and am glad she didn't have to give up her leg! ------------------------------ Hi, Waffles, Really good question. One Vet early on seemed a little too Gung-ho concerning amputation ("If she doesn't start walking in a few weeks, she'll have to have it removed"). We really felt there must be some other/better option than amputation - so we kept looking. Besides, and we might be wrong about this - but from what we've read hopping about on three legs after the right foreleg is removed, may cause severe stress complications to the limbs and the back later on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G. Festerling Posted December 9, 2012 Report Share Posted December 9, 2012 Pretty cool and quite fascinating! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted December 9, 2012 Report Share Posted December 9, 2012 Very interesting. Does the surgeon think she'll regain full range of motion in that leg? (I noted in the video that her forward range on that leg was quite short.) How long will she continue rehab? (And how long had she been in rehab at the time of the video?) Also, I'd love a little more detail about what the vets believe caused her leg to contract in the way it did in the first place; that is, what exactly was the injury caused by jumping off the platform bed? It must be very gratifying to you to see Bella walking again. Regarding long-term effects of amputation: growing up we had a three-legged fox terrier who went everywhere with us as we rode our ponies around the countryside where we lived, even swimming in the Potomac River. Her amputated leg was a hind leg, though, and back then--late 60s, early 70s--the vet had said that he would not have recommended surgery had the injured leg been a front leg because of the difficulties such an amputation could cause for a dog. Of course a fox terrier is smaller than a border collie, too, so less weight to bear on the remaining good limbs. Anyway, she lived a normal life after the amputation. That said, I've known front leg amputees since then who got around fine, but I can see how amputation could cause joint/back stress too. But that brings up another question: what does the surgeon say about long-term prognosis? Does he expect the transplanted muscle to remain functional for Bella's lifetime? <--I guess that kind of brings me full circle on the rehab question and whether y'all will have to continue her rehab over her lifetime or if once the gets as much motion as possible in that leg then you're done and she (and you) can go back to normal life. The whole thing fascinates me. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smalahundur Posted December 9, 2012 Report Share Posted December 9, 2012 Yeah fascinating indeed, pity the article describes the procedure so shallowly, I´d like to know more details, the names of the muscles involved the transplant for instance,and how it was done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calvino Posted December 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2012 Yeah fascinating indeed, pity the article describes the procedure so shallowly, I´d like to know more details, the names of the muscles involved the transplant for instance,and how it was done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calvino Posted December 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2012 Yeah fascinating indeed, pity the article describes the procedure so shallowly, I´d like to know more details, the names of the muscles involved the transplant for instance,and how it was done. Here's an interview on a local Boston TV station with the surgeon who did the work - It runs for only a little more than a minute - but he does gives some details about the muscles involved that the article doesn't. http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/12009236045289/local-dog-undergoes-first-of-its-kind-surgery/ Unless there are privacy restriction, think one could ask for a full report on the operation from MSPCA.org. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calvino Posted December 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2012 Very interesting. Does the surgeon think she'll regain full range of motion in that leg? (I noted in the video that her forward range on that leg was quite short.) How long will she continue rehab? (And how long had she been in rehab at the time of the video?) Also, I'd love a little more detail about what the vets believe caused her leg to contract in the way it did in the first place; that is, what exactly was the injury caused by jumping off the platform bed? It must be very gratifying to you to see Bella walking again. Regarding long-term effects of amputation: growing up we had a three-legged fox terrier who went everywhere with us as we rode our ponies around the countryside where we lived, even swimming in the Potomac River. Her amputated leg was a hind leg, though, and back then--late 60s, early 70s--the vet had said that he would not have recommended surgery had the injured leg been a front leg because of the difficulties such an amputation could cause for a dog. Of course a fox terrier is smaller than a border collie, too, so less weight to bear on the remaining good limbs. Anyway, she lived a normal life after the amputation. That said, I've known front leg amputees since then who got around fine, but I can see how amputation could cause joint/back stress too. But that brings up another question: what does the surgeon say about long-term prognosis? Does he expect the transplanted muscle to remain functional for Bella's lifetime? <--I guess that kind of brings me full circle on the rehab question and whether y'all will have to continue her rehab over her lifetime or if once the gets as much motion as possible in that leg then you're done and she (and you) can go back to normal life. The whole thing fascinates me. J. Hi, Julie, Bella has been going through about 5 weeks of physical therapy since the water treadmill clip was done. she can walk on all fours on any "safe" surface as long as we entice her with a treat. "Safe" surfaces: rubber floors, yoga mats covering our hardwood floors and linoleum, and grass. Recently, we've also gotten her to use all four legs by going up small inclines. We stretch her over an exercise ball everyday and when she goes to the PT she gets laser treatments as well as the water treadmill. The PT has a swimming pool, but so far hasn't been helpful for her. We (The hospital vets and the PT included) are very encouraged by the progress she has made. We're hoping that once she starts using that right leg on a regular basis most of the rehab will be behind us - you are so right that our normal has been changed since her injury - working with her everyday now seems normal. It may be simply that continuing to work with her and time will do the trick. It may take time for those muscles and nerves to communicate with her brain. It is possible that since she hadn't used it for a long while , that she hardly realizes that she still has that leg. Who knows? She won't tell us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChoseTheNose Posted December 14, 2012 Report Share Posted December 14, 2012 This is so amazing! I saw this story on my local news (I am also in Massachusetts) and people were all talking about it at work, too. How wonderful that the doctors were able to do this. How is Bella doing? She's a beautiful dog and I hope that every day finds her healing well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChantalB Posted December 15, 2012 Report Share Posted December 15, 2012 Amazing and fascinating please keep us all informed throughout all of her progress. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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