Why is my dog's TPLO recovery so much slower than a person's?

Poor Leo! TPLO surgery requires at least eight to 12 weeks before full recovery, and exercise restriction is a very important part of the recovery. The concern I have is that Leo slipping on the ice may have interrupted the healing process in the surgical area, and that is causing him to be non weight-bearing on that leg. I would take him into the backyard only to go to the bathroom, and get him into the vet on Monday. Likely x-rays will need to be done again to check how the surgical site is healing, and the vet can discuss with you the next steps for him. That may include strict cage rest, or in severe cases another surgery to fix any damage done to the surgical site from the slip. Keep him as quiet as possible until you are able to see your vet again. Good luck, I hope this helps!

Poor Lily! Obviously she is in pain if she is limping more, and given that it looks like her knee wings outward when she walks, I would make an appointment with the vet for tomorrow morning to have her seen. It can take up to eight weeks or longer to fully heal from a TPLO, and she had surgery about three weeks ago. Being knocked down could be enough to disturb the healing process and potentially disrupt the plates in her joints. She likely needs an x-ray to make sure everything is ok, but it's not an emergency. Rest her tonight, do not take her for a walk. Only take her into your yard to potty on a leash, and bring her right back in when she's done. Have her seen by the vet who did the surgery tomorrow. Best of luck.

This could be just a flareup of arthritis in the knee which is very common in dogs with the surgery. Depending on what was done sometimes there could be a meniscus injury after the surgery. Some surgeons do a "preventative" meniscus surgery at the same time others do not. Rarely it could indicate an issue with the implant placed during the procedure. I would follow your veterinarian's advice and if she becomes worse have her seen sooner. Sometimes x-rays of the knee or needed other times we can figure out what's going on with just an orthopedic exam.

The dog should be kept as quiet as possible for 6-12 weeks to ensure that the bone sets and heals properly. This means no running, jumping, or playing, and the dog should be taken out to toilet on a lead only. Once x-rays are done to confirm that the bone has fully healed, the dog will be allowed to exercise and activity levels must be built back up slowly. Physical therapy and hydrotherapy may be done to help the dog regain it's muscle mass and activity levels.

Either surgery could be successful, but TPLO has a better success rate in larger dogs. There are some studies that show that dogs that have had a TPLO put more weight on the leg after surgery and have better long term outcomes. One benefit to the lateral fabellar suture technique is that it tends to be less expensive. Ultimately it is your decision to make, and I would trust the surgeon’s expertise as well.

As tempting as it can be to let Mochi run around I highly advise against it. The screws and plates can become dislodged requiring another surgery. The surgical site could also become infected or inflamed. Perhaps share this information with your husband as well as the potential for having to pay for the surgery again. I am so sorry and I hope your words of wisdom to him will help him comply in the future.

Typically these surgeries are pretty routine when performed by qualified individuals. The most common complications associated with them include pain, inflammation, implant failure, and infection. The most important thing to remember post surgically is to follow the instructions given to you regarding cage rest, leash walking, passive range of motion exercising, and general care of the surgical site. If you do all this, the chance of complications will be very small and the chance of a successful experience will be very high. I'm sure everything is going to be just fine! Hope this helps answer your questions.