Client communication stressed the importance of keeping Maya quiet during her recovery in order to prevent surgical failure .
Maya on Physioball
was placed on the limb immediately post-operative . The surgeon was less optimistic once she was saw the severity of the lesion and informed the owners that unfortunately there was only a 50 % chance that the surgery would be successful . Maya was sent home with gabapentin 6.5 mg / kg orally twice daily , tramadol 4 mg / kg orally every 8-12 hours , and trazodone 4 mg / kg orally twice daily .
Two weeks post-operative , the rehabilitation specialist fitted Maya with the costume-made orthotic . A tarsal orthosis provides stability in extension ( 165-170 degrees ) during the tendon healing phase , and allows for a controlled approach to tendon reloading . This also allows for the return of digital dorsiflexion and normal movement of the superficial digital flexor . 1 Owners were instructed to have Maya adjust to wearing the orthotic 24 / 7 with 15- minute breaks every two hours and monitor the limb for abrasions and digits for swelling . Outpatient rehabilitation therapy was recommended twice weekly for 16 weeks . Adjustments were made to the orthotic 6 weeks post-operative in order to gradually increase the tarsal flexion allowing reloading of the calcaneal tendon . The orthotic was adjusted by 10 degrees every two weeks until 14 weeks postoperative .
Maya ’ s rehabilitation treatment plan consisted of therapeutic ultrasound , which uses low frequency sound waves to facilitate healing by optimizing inflammatory mediators essential to tissue repair . Therapeutic