Plans....

Here is Zazzy’s post-op recovery plan (now half way through it!):

Week 1


Zazzy is confined to downstairs, sofa is replaced with my mattress. (Yes I slept down there with her for a week!) Z was only let out into the garden on lead to see to the calls of nature. She feels very sorry for herself, crying in the night and trying to rip out stitches. I did not get much sleep! Poor Z has to wear a bucket collar all the time for the first week.

Week 2

As for week one, adding short lead walks of a few minutes, gradually building up in duration to a walk round the block. Ten days after the op the stitches are removed. Zazzy is feeling better, she is now trying to run around, play, and leap on/over things, I’ve got my work cut out trying to keep her calm! Although the vet said she can run off lead once the stitches were out, I kept her on lead until the end of the second week just to be sure.

Week 3

Zazzy is allowed free running. She wants to go wild running and playing with the puppy, while I desperately try to keep her as calm as I can (!!!!), while at the same time trying to increase gentle exercise (walks) (well that's what I was thinking, she had something more exciting in mind!) to build her fitness back up. Also work on wobble board, pilates ball, ladder work, walking backwards etc.

Week 4

Start playing crate games, sends and recalls. Letting her run as much as she wants now. She seems more playful than ever! (that makes me happy!!) Half way through the week I got Zazzy going round one large circle over low jumps (twice, once in each direction), plus had two goes at recalling her to the end of the see-saw, rewarding her there then gently lowering it to the floor. Kept up the balance and co-ordination work.

Week 5

Plan is to build up her fitness with on lead trotting, free running over hilly terrain, balance and co-ordination work, crate games, and introduction of more agility equipment if or when possible (lowered if available).

Week 6

Plan is to build up back to all agility equipment during the sixth week. Not sure how long it will take for her to be fit enough to return to training classes as usual, will have to see how that goes.

Good luck to little Yazoo who is having her op this week! And even more so to poor fretting Karen who no doubt will have a tough time holding down the little fidgeting flea for the next couple of weeks! I will be thinking of you!