A setback

Penny saw Dr. Walker today. She got a new x ray that showed a crack in her tibial crest. This is the location that the patella tendon attaches to, although the tendon attaches to the entire length of the crest and Penny's crack is about a quarter of the way down.

According to Dr. Walker, this is a not an uncommon complication. And, with Penny's weight (!) and her bilateral deterioration, it is not out of the ordinary. She probably didn't injure it by hopping up and down (although we should keep her quiet for another 6 weeks), but because she probably put too much weight too quickly on it.

I can start walking her for a 5 minutes a few times a day, increasing the time with every week. By the time I see Dr. Walker again, Penny should be up to 20-30 minutes. Of course, if she seems sore, I am supposed to back off.

Regarding her weight, she could stand to lose 5 lbs. In healthy dogs, ribs should be able to be felt easily and Penny has a few extra lbs. Once I start walking her frequently, I am sure this weight will melt off. :)

So the Xpen will continue to be a part of the living room decor. And, we won't talk about the other leg until she is comfortable on this one. We'll get another x ray in 6 weeks.