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Hi Laurie,

I have an 11 month old Mastiff that is coming for rehab post-op from bilateral OCD surgery. I was wondering what kind of protocol you would recommend? The surgeon is quite conservative and recommending strict restriction with only leash outside for elimination and back inside for 8-10 weeks. If you have any good info...let me know!!!

Thanks so much! CN

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Hello C!!

So I don't have anything 'formal' on OCD... just knowledge of the problem, the surgery, practicality and experience.

The best case I had ever heard in regards to 'controlled' activity (which I understood to be 'leash walking at tolerated') was a surgeon that said that she was simply concerned about 'packing out' the scar-tissue-filler that the curettage created.  She figured that 2 months would solidify the scar-tissue as best one could hope for.  I've always thought that that sounded like the most practical advice and most practical rationale for controlled activity.  

Leash walking to eliminate only for 8 - 10 weeks sounds unnecessarily overly cautious!

I'm afraid I don't have any sort of protocol on it however... but that might be a good project!  I'll get on it... (but not before next week - I'm afraid).

I'd push for the ability to do more in the way of UWT to work the muscles, normal joint motion... followed or preceded by laser to diminish any inflammatory reaction & help with cartilage health.  Certainly you could do e-stim with weight bearing... but specific targeted exercises and a home walking program would really be beneficial in the long run!

Good luck!

Laurie