Tweety. She’s an old girl who has clearly been through a lot. When my vet debts eased up a little, I didn’t waste any time—I picked her up on Saturday and sent her straight to the clinic.
First Impressions at the Vet
The first check-up confirmed what I already suspected—Tweety is skinny, flea-ridden, and struggling to walk properly. Her back legs don’t function as they should, and she reacts with pain when her knees are touched. The vet’s initial assessment showed delayed reflexes, arthritis, and joint effusion, which might be caused by a ligament rupture or severe inflammation.
The X-rays revealed more about her past:
An old, untreated hip fracture that has already healed with callus formation
Muscle atrophy in the hind legs due to prolonged disuse
Severe arthritis in the stifle (knee) and tarsal (ankle) joints
Unfortunately, surgery is not an option for her condition. The best course of action is pain management, joint supplements, and possibly acupuncture to ease her discomfort.
Blood Test Results – What’s Going On Inside?
Since Tweety is an old rescue with an unknown medical history, I agreed to run full blood tests to check for underlying issues.
Hematology Results:
- Anemia & Low Platelets – This could be caused by blood parasites, bone marrow disease, immune-related issues, or even clotting disorders.
- White Blood Cells Normal – No signs of acute infection.
Biochemistry Results:
- Kidney & Liver Function Normal – A big relief!
- High Total Protein & Globulin – Likely due to chronic inflammation.
- Low Amylase & Cholesterol – Suggesting malnutrition.
Since anemia and low platelets can be a sign of blood parasites, the next step was a PCR test to confirm.
PCR Test – The Final Diagnosis
The results showed Mycoplasma haemocanis (a blood parasite) positive. This explains the anemia and indicates she’s been dealing with a chronic infection for a while.
Treatment Plan – Giving Tweety a Second Chance
After discussing options with the vet, I agreed to the full treatment plan, which includes:
Deworming
Bravecto (anti-tick & flea treatment)
Vaccination
Painkillers & Anti-inflammatory medication
Joint Supplements
The orthopedic vet will also review her case to see if anything else can be done for her mobility.
For now, I’ll let her settle, monitor her response to treatment, and see how she adjusts. It’s going to be a long road, but at least she’s safe, warm, and finally getting the care she deserves.
I’ll update soon on her progress!
Update: 04.02.2025
Tweety’s Diagnosis – What the Vet Found
After a full orthopedic examination, we now have a clear picture of what’s going on with Tweety. While she can still walk, she moves very slowly and puts more weight on her right hind leg. The good news is that her nerve reflexes are normal, so at least there’s no severe nerve damage.
However, after sedating her for a more detailed check-up, the vet found a CCL rupture in her left hind leg. The CCL (Cranial Cruciate Ligament) is basically the dog’s equivalent of the ACL in humans—it’s a major ligament in the knee that helps stabilize the joint. When it tears or ruptures, it causes pain, instability, and difficulty walking.
In addition to that, the X-rays confirmed that Tweety also has an old, untreated pelvic fracture on the left side. This likely happened long before I found her, and since it has already healed, surgery wouldn’t be helpful at this point. She also has severe arthritis in her knee (stifle joint), which is adding to her mobility issues.
What’s the Plan for Tweety?
For now, we are continuing with joint supplements, pain relief, and anti-inflammatory medication to keep her comfortable. The vet wants to first stabilize her condition before considering surgery.
Once she’s stronger, the plan is to perform surgery to repair the CCL rupture. The damaged ligament will be replaced or stabilized to help her regain better mobility and reduce pain.
Since Tweety hasn’t been sterilized yet, the vet also recommends doing a sterilization procedure at the same time as the knee surgery. This will minimize the number of times she has to go under anesthesia and make the recovery process easier.
I also got an estimated cost for the procedure – 5.9 million IDR for the surgery and sterilization, not including post-op medications.
How’s Tweety Doing Now?
Despite everything, Tweety is holding on strong. She’s eating well and resting a lot, which is exactly what she needs right now. The goal is to get her as stable and comfortable as possible before moving forward with surgery.
She’s not out of the woods yet, but at least now we know exactly what she needs. More updates soon!