LiLu tore her ACL (cruciate ligament in her knee) in the spring of 2003 and required surgery to repair it. This was her second ACL surgey. This first time was two years earlier and her right knee was affected. Both times she had the same surgeon but this last time we received superior follow up care by our new vet who is also a licensed acupuncurist and in charge of physical rehabiliation at the animal hospital.

Immediately after surgery (when she got her appetite back) we put her on a high protein diet and supplemented it with SeaCure to help speed tissue repair and Detox Blend from Animals Apawthecary to aid her body in eliminating the anethesia and pain meds. We applied cold packs 3 times a day for 20 minutes followed by very gentle finger tip massage for circulation, and did passive range of motion exercises with her leg as directed by the vet. She went in for acupuncture treatments twice a week and was kept on strict leash rest.

After the stitches came out and the swelling went down we added warm compresses to her at home therapy and started very short leash walks twice a day. She then was OK'd to start underwater treadmill therapy twice a week. She still received her acupuncture treatments but now they were down to once a week.

We continued treamill and acupuncture throughout the summer and she is now 100%. I am amazed, in comparison with her other surgery, how much quicker she recovered with the wonderful aftercare she received this time. I would have to say that her recovery was about 50% faster.