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Update on Lucy

February 8th, 2009

I figured it’s been a while since I’ve let you all know how Lucy is doing since her injury back on January 6. She’s still on bed rest but she’s doing much better. She’s been putting some weight on her hurt leg for a few weeks now and seems to be slowly improving (which is what we want to see). We’re doing a kind of treatment called Conservative Management.
lucy-sleeping
Basically, for 6-8 weeks we have to confine Lucy and keep her as still as possible, during this time she is developing scar tissue that will stabilize her knee since her ACL is no longer working. She only gets a few potty breaks a day outside and the rest of the time she’s in the office relaxing while we’re working. Even when she goes outside Mr Chiots is using a sling to help support her back legs so she doesn’t do any more damage.
dog-with-sling
In 3-4 weeks we will start introducing a few short walks and gradually increase the length of those walks to strengthen the scar tissue that has formed on her knee. We’re looking forward to this time because Lucy is a very active dog and is really missing walks, running and hiking. It will still be 6-8 months until she can resume normal walks and some of her previous activities.
lab-in-the-fall
Running around in the woods will be off limits forever, but going on walks with us in the afternoons should be possible. Lucy’s really looking forward to this, she still gets excited when we get ready to go for a walk.
little-girls-and-big-brown-dog
So hopefully she continues to improve little by little so she can spend the mornings with me in the gardens this summer (I think she’s going to be super excited to go to grandma’s and play with her cousins again as well).

14 Comments to “Update on Lucy”
  1. Kelly on February 8, 2009 at 7:12 am

    Lucy is such a cutie – I feel so bad for her. I bet she can’t wait for walks again. I can’t imagine trying to keep her off her feet for that long. What good “parents” you are! Give her a great big hug for me!

    Reply to Kelly's comment

  2. Mangochild on February 8, 2009 at 8:55 am

    I am glad that Lucy is doing better, but wow, that must be very hard for her to work through. I know for me it was near torture when I tore my calf muscle totally through and couldn’t walk for months. For such an active one like Lucy…. she is very lucky to have such loving and caring people around her like you. Hugs to her!

    Reply to Mangochild's comment

  3. MeghanO on February 8, 2009 at 12:45 pm

    Thanks for the update! I was wondering how she was doing!

    Reply to MeghanO's comment

  4. Kelly on February 8, 2009 at 1:46 pm

    I’m glad to hear she’s moving along okay with her treatment – it must be tough for her to have her activity cut down so much, I know our dog gets antsy when she doesn’t get her regular minimum 2 hours walking every day!

    Reply to Kelly's comment

  5. Carol on February 8, 2009 at 2:20 pm

    I got my Burt’s Bees today! I’m pretty excited. Thank you again!!

    Reply to Carol's comment

  6. Chicago Mike on February 8, 2009 at 3:00 pm

    Lucy is a lucky dog!

    I know she is hurt, but to be in a home that is so dedicated to caring for her…

    Reply to Chicago Mike's comment

  7. deedee on February 8, 2009 at 10:56 pm

    she’s so cute:) i’m glad she’s feeling better.

    Reply to deedee's comment

  8. Teri on February 11, 2009 at 5:01 pm

    Oh poor Lucy. This happened to our Taylor when she was 3 years old. She had surgery and we had to keep her quite for 6 weeks. After that the rehab began. We used swimming and it worked great. Taylor is now 12 and is still going strong. Give Lucy a belly rub for me.

    Teri’s last blog post..42/365

    Reply to Teri's comment

  9. lee on February 12, 2009 at 3:43 pm

    Poor Lucy, I’m so glad she is healing well. She is so lucky to be living with you.

    Reply to lee's comment

  10. Laura on February 12, 2009 at 6:55 pm

    Hi! New reader here! *waves*

    Poor Lucy . . . :( We know well how hard it is for a lab to stay still . . . my niece of a lab got ran over a few months ago. Whew! Poor puppies. :(

    Laura’s last blog post..Of fabric related things . . .

    Reply to Laura's comment

  11. Susy on February 12, 2009 at 11:14 pm

    Thanks for all the well wishes. Lucy appreciates the love! Love truly is the best medicine not laughter.

    Reply to Susy's comment

  12. Lovin’ Life at Chiot’s Run | Chiot's Run on April 17, 2009 at 6:44 pm

    […] like a hawk every minute of the day. (if you weren’t around when she got injured read this and this). We’re having beautiful weather here in Ohio at the moment (mid 60’s and sunny). Lucy is […]

    Reply to Lovin’ Life at Chiot’s Run | Chiot’s Run's comment

  13. Enjoying the last of summer | Chiot's Run on September 18, 2009 at 5:44 pm

    […] Lucy in a while (if you don’t know what happened read about the original injury here and here’s another one a month later). She’s been progressing quite well this summer and is now able to go on 20 minutes walks with us […]

    Reply to Enjoying the last of summer | Chiot’s Run's comment

  14. How’s That Chiots? | Chiot's Run on April 10, 2010 at 10:28 pm

    […] over a year ago she tore her ACL and wasn’t able to use one of her legs. We chose to take the least invasive method for treatment. No surgery, only therapy and dietary supplements. She’s slowly gotten better and […]

    Reply to How’s That Chiots? | Chiot’s Run's comment

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This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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