A Torn Cruciate - Yes, Again!

Wolf, cuddling his buddies the night before surgery.

So here we are ~ again ~ a place all-to-familiar to us. A blown CCL. While this one was no real surprise, as we were advised that after Wolf's imbrication surgery last October when he blew out his right CCL while running (see HERE for list of Wolf's previous updates), we could/should expect his other to give out in about a year's time. Well, it's been nine months and over the past month he has started showing the telltale signs of his left CCL going, and then this weekend, he was no longer able to put weight on the paw and I knew it was time. So this morning, my boy travelled with his Hu-Dad to the surgical hospital to prep for his surgery today. What makes this especially difficult is that I could not travel with them today as I myself was in Emergency Care this past weekend with acute bronchitis. But, his daddy reported back that he went in with the surgeon like a big boy! Just a few minutes ago, the surgeon phoned, and Wolf is out of surgery and in recovery. His meniscus was completely blown and he lots of arthritis developed with large deposits. They cleaned him all up and did a cruciate imbrication surgery as in the previous one, and hopefully, he will rest up well tonight and I can call tomorrow to see when he can come home, which will be none too soon for this Hu-Mom!

Please join us in a pawcircle of prayer and positive healing for my baby boy. I'll keep everyone posted with updates. Thanks for all your support and care! We are (sadly) getting to be experts in the CCL injury department, having four out of five Huskies over the past two years having gone through this to some degree or another. First, if you remember, was dear sweet Chloe who blew out both her at the same time and had emergency bilateral imbrication surgery. Then Wolf blew out his right one while running in the yard and required surgery. Gibson tore both of his (he, as many know is also an Epi-Husky and has sufferend hind end weakness for years as a side effect of his meds. To read his initial story, visit HERE) and Harley, after spinning, has a suspected small tear, but after a 9-week stint in an stability leg brace, other than some occasional stiffness from arthritis, she is doing well.

Seriously, what are the odds? I think we just beat them.

Maybe I should buy a lottery ticket.


Many of you will recall that we treated Gibson and Harley via Conservative Care Treatment (stability leg brace, harness, natural anti-inflams, laser therapy, massage, rest, and eventually rehab walks). Gibson, because he is an epileptic and we did not want to risk breakthrough seizures, and Harley, because she has some breathing and swallowing issues, and with hitting "senior" dog status, we did not want to risk it. Unfortunately, arthritis is something we can't really control and tends to settle in after such injuries. Chloe, Wolf, and Gibson are all from the same bloodline, so this is a hereditary trait and again, the sad results of irresponsible breeding where the dogs pay the price in pain, injury, and illness. But that's a soapbox I will climb up onto on a different day. Today, I'm just thankful that there are treatments that can help them, an excellent ortho surgeon and hospital (our ortho tends to our State Police dogs and is just amazing), and that my boy Wolf is out of surgery and in recovery. To me, that's a lot to be thankful for.