Home again, home again.....

Yay!  Our sweet boy is home again!

Twenty-four hours after surgery, on fewer meds than he was before, and he's showing far less pain.  I'm so pleased for him!

On our request, they saved the cartilage flaps they removed from his joints.  One side had a flap that measured about 8 x 10 mm.  Huge.  Think of having something like that in your joint!  It was loose from the main cartilage, but had not yet moved.  There was cartilage and bone inflammation and some of both had to be removed, but not much.  Dr. Marcellin said on more severe cases they sometimes actually have to drill into the bone to get the healing blood flow needed, but Reilly needed only scraping out the damaged bone and cartilage to reach healthy tissue.  On the other knee the flap was smaller, but the surrounding tissue looked like it had caved in, like a sinkhole.  He ended up with an area of removal about the same size as the first knee.

Reilly will be on leash walk for potty breaks only until the stitches are out in two weeks.  After that, another two weeks of limited activity.  We've set the mudroom back up as his holding pen when we aren't home.  He's allowed house freedom when we're there to prevent rough-housing or jumping.  He's never been much on either of those, so he should be fine inside.  We picked up a carpet for the mudroom floor so he has sufficient traction, installed his favorite of the orthopedic dog beds, and a pillow (he likes pillows) plus food and water and toys, and he's good to go!

Dr. Marcellin had a big discussion about genetic diseases with us.  Although there is still lots of older material on the internet, the research in the last ten-fifteen years shows that OCD is a poly genetic disease with sex-linked characteristics...it's seen in more males, but carried by females.  However, since it's poly genetic, there is more than one gene involved, so it's not that simple. And obviously it's not a dominant trait...neither of Reilly's parents has it.   It has been shown in research that it is more heritable than hip dysplasia or elbow dysplasia.  But there's still no test for it.  Someone needs to work on that!

For those interested, the articles referenced are:
Padgett GA, Mostosky UV, Probst CW, et al. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc. 1995; 31:327-30.  The inheritance of osteochondritis dissecans and fragmented coronoid process of the elbow joint in Labrador Retrievers.

Hartmann P, Stock KF, Distl O. [Multivarigate genetic analysis of canine hip and elbow dysplasia as well as humeral osteochondrosis in the Bernese mountain dog].  BerlMunch Tierarztl Wochenschr. 2010; 123:488-95

Dr. Marcellin had high compliments for Reilly's socialization, his manners, his wonderful temperament, and his overall condition.  He requested that we continue the diet he's on, of course making sure that he never becomes overweight.

I'll have to think on it to see if there's anything else I'm leaving out.  I don't think so.  Right now, things are looking up.  :)

Meg, Reilly, Jake, Murphy...and Chris.