Cosmo has been doing great. The trouble is keeping him calm when he feels well enough to run and play.
He tried to jump in the pool today. Luckily, I was able to stop him. He swam for half an hour. Afterwards, he wanted to run and play. I had to make him go inside. I am so afraid of a set back. I am happy he feels better. I just do not want to have him re-injure himself.
I am looking forward to getting his brace. Not that he won't still have restrictions....I just think I will feel a bit calmer.

All I can say is making a cast of a unsteady, wobbly, antsy, overgrown lab is very
VERY Hard!
I did not get pictures of the process. I couldn't get pictures. It required all 4 of us to get it done.

Here are pictures of the finished cast that will be shipped out tomorrow morning to Orthopets.

The casting tape arrived. We will be making the cast on Sunday. I will try to get photos but it may be after the cast is made. We need to make it fast, so Cosmo will stay still long enough.

We are traveling to Disney tomorrow. My daughter will be dancing there at 11:00 AM. She belongs to a dance company. Our son is staying home to watch the dogs.

This week has been about the same. Cosmo swam 20 minutes a day. He is using the leg more but we are still determined to get the brace. We want to prevent any re-injury. We are pleased with the improvement that he is making.

Oscar, our cat, is recovering from his abcess.

Orthopets emailed that they would send out replacement tape. Hooray. Hopefully we can get the cast mailed back to them soon.

Cosmo is very energetic today. I spent the morning telling him that he could not get on the recliners. His mattress is right next to them but for some reason the recliners are tempting him.

He is finally settled down, chewing on a new bone.

Well, we had an issue with the casting tape. It was hard as rock and, no matter what we did, it would not soften. We were unable to create the cast. I emailed Orthopets to see if they can send replacement tape.
I hope this doesn't delay our order by too much.

Cosmo swam 20 minutes today. He is doing about the same.

This is what we are ordering:
ACL BRACE
USES
- for use after common surgical repairs such as a lateral structure repair, Extra capsular procedure or a "tight rope" procedure- used for support of the stifle joint for long term protection and stability for those who aren't pursuing surgical treatment

DESIGN
- absorbs, stores and returns the forces produced from cranial tibial thrust- provides control and support- allows dog to perform normal activites- allows joint to bend and strengthen- helps avoid loss of muscle mass during recovery- lined with a foam padding to provide maximum skin protection from irritation or abrasions- waterproof

FRAME
- available in composite plastic or carbon fiber

Cosmo walked to the french doors this afternoon and whined. I told him he could go out (thinking he needed to go potty). He has been very good about walking slow during potty breaks. If you tell him "go slow" he goes extremely slow.Anyway...I let him out and he walked right to the pool and got in. He swam into the middle and started swimming laps. I had not planned on taking him swimming. The water is cold! We had a cold front come through this week. I guess, he decided that if I didn't take him he would take himself. I let him swim for 20 minutes before I made him come out.

Here is a wonderful web site.
It features a vast amount of information, from swim therapy (I highly recommend swimming for a dog with a knee injury!) to links to sites that cover injuries & treatments.
http://www.rummysbeachclub.com/

Rough week: NOT for Cosmo. In fact, he is doing quite well. the casting kit arrived today and we will be making the cast this weekend. I will post pictures.

Our cat, Oscar, was diagnosed with stomach cancer. He is 17 years old. I took him to the vet for an abscess and found out about the cancer. I am trying to be calm. After-all, he has shown no symptoms of the cancer. Right now, I am focusing on geting his abscess taken care of.

I felt overwhelmed at first. It is a lot to try conservative management on a huge Lab and then to add another animals injury/disease into the mix....arggh!!!!!

Yesterday was bad. Today, I am in move forward mode.

I am sharing a couple of my favorite pictures of Cosmo & Oscar. They love to cuddle.

The casting kit for the brace is on its way. Should be able to get it with-in next couple weeks. Cosmo is still walking on all 4 legs. I am looking forward to the brace giving him more stability. I still have sticker shock. The casting kit is $70. The brace will be $600. Wow! Thank God for tax returns!

Cosmo is continuing to use his leg a bit more each day. I have researched braces and decided to order one from Orthopets
http://www.orthopets.com/
While they are pricey ($575+) I believe it will give Cosmo the stability to be a bit more active, while still recovering from his injury. We like the idea that the brace is custom made to fit Cosmo's leg, instead of an ill fitting generic brace.
The first step is we are ordering a casting kit so we can cast his leg.

I have decided the internet can be a mixed blessing. While I appreciate being informed, too much information can cause sleepless nights. I have been researching all I can on surgery options. While we are going to give CM time to work, I want to have a plan B. The trouble with plan B is I find a lot of negatives. Plan B can cause long term issues more severe than the current injury.

Please God do not let us need plan B!

Cosmo IS showing improvement. I hope that it continues. The swimming is making him stronger. He is used to his routine. He seems to enjoy his bed. It has become the hang out spot. Either Bailey or the cats can be found on the bed keeping him company.

My motto "Slow and steady wins the race"

No big changes today. I did take Cosmo off the pain medication. He swam for 15 minutes. He seemed eager to swim longer but I did not want him to over do it.

The strained left leg seems to be back to normal. We are back to dealing with the original injury, the CCL tear in the right leg. I am happy about that. The idea of both legs injured at the same time was overwhelming.

I called the company that makes Cosequin DS. I wanted to keep him on the 4 pills a day dose but needed to know that it was OK. The bottle says to reduce to 2 pills after 4-6 weeks. He is doing well on the 4 a day, so I do not want to change. They assured me the dose is fine. They basically stated that some people prefer to lower the dosage due to the expense.

He is taking: Cosequin DS 4 pills a day (2 morning/2 night)
Fish Oil 2 pills a day (1 morning/1 night)
No more pain medication (only want to give as needed)
Still massaging the leg twice a day

This morning Cosmo was walking...real walking...on BOTH legs. Yes, he was slow. Yes, we still have a long way to go. BUT he walked!