I start this with absolutely fabulous news. We had our 8th week post-surgery visit with a radiograph. Bella was pronounced 90% healed and ready to resume normal activities. We have to e-a-s-e into it as she hasn't been doing anything for two months. (Food consumption has been cut as she's getting a bit pudgy with lack of exercise.) Swimming, highly recommended. Chasing balls, not very recommended, but if she is on a sit/stay at my side, I can toss it and release her when it's landed. Or, I can roll a ball to her. Oh Bella! She will be in heaven! BALLS!! She can hike. She can play with her buddies for 5 or 10 minutes.
The new rule is if she is tired and sore after limited exertion, lay off for a day or two. Administer carprofen and regroup. If she is good after limited play, I can do it the next day and up it by some matter of minutes. This is all fabulous, wonderful, extraordinary. I'd been told it was a six month process of slow, patient, structured re-introduction to exercise. And it is that. The vet said a solid six months to full healing, but Bella can move and resume most of ordinary life—and so can we.
