Difficult Choices

As I reported a few weeks ago, Captain has a torn ACL in his right knee.  He has been going to hydrotherapy twice a week for almost two months.  We had really hoped the therapy would heal his ACL and help avoid surgery, but it appears that is not happening.  He is getting worse and he is in pain.  New x-rays have revealed that not only does he have the ligament tear but he has arthritis in that leg, as well as in the opposite hip.  The simple act of putting one foot in front of the other has become a real challenge for our red dog.

We went for a consultation with a specialist last week.  Out of the three surgeries currently performed for ACL tears in dogs, Captain only qualifies for one....the most aggressive and most expensive one (of course!).  We have weighed the pros and cons over and over and decided to go with the surgery.  While the actual surgery time is less than two hours, recovery will take much, much longer.  Captain will have to be monitored very closely and only allowed to go outside on leash for potty breaks for at least four weeks. Because we live in a tri-level house, we will have to keep him confined to the lower level and Neal and I will take turns sleeping with him at night.  This whole process will undoubtedly test the patience of all of us, but we are hopeful that the end result will be a pain-free existence for our boy and many more years of chasing squirrels.

All prayers, white light, good vibes, and special thoughts sent our way will be much appreciated.