Thulesomom - has Thule been crate trained?? I know that it would've made the confinement period so much easier if Hazel had been crate trained. And because they feel soooo much better after the surgery, they think they are good to go and should be allowed to run and jump around like a fool. LOL
You can still walk Thule but you need to support the weight with a sling. Many pet stores carry different kinds of slings, but the easiest & cheapest thing to do is to use a towel. Here's a link to a store bought sling:
http://www.petco.com/product/104030/...ift-n-Aid.aspx
The one shown is being used under the dogs rib cage, but it can be scooted further back to support the weight of the dogs hips & legs. The pix should tell you how you would use the towel as a substitute. As she favors her hurt leg, the other leg is taking the extra weight, which increases the risk of that knee blowing too. What kind of pain medication is she on? I would also suggest that you put her on a g/c supplement right away.
Newfs are even more prone than other large breed dogs to rupture their ACL, and if the particular newf has significant line and in-breeding in their bloodline, that almost doubles their individual chances of having the injury.
You'll want to carefully monitor Thule's weight since she will be forced to have less physical exercise. You can replace up to 30% of her normal ration of food with pure pumpkin (canned, but not the pie filling). This will help to make her feel full while still cutting her calories.
Feel free to ask me any questions you might have - I'll be happy to share the knowledge that I have. And I hope that Thule's surgery goes well, and that recovery goes well too!
