If your dog is suddenly using the leg much worse, carrying the leg, seems painful, has increasing swelling or heat, has incision discharge or opening, cannot be kept from licking, is not eating, is very sedated or restless, or the change feels urgent, call rather than waiting for an email reply.
TPLO Post-op Questions
Built from recurring questions owners ask during TPLO follow-up. Find guidance about incision changes, swelling, licking, appetite, medications, slips, and limping—including what is often expected, what to monitor, and when to contact the hospital.
For broader recovery questions that are not TPLO-specific, use the general FAQ page. It covers recovery questions across surgical procedures.
Swelling down the leg
Use this section when the knee, hock, ankle, foot, or paw looks swollen or bruised.
My dog's ankle, hock, foot, or paw looks swollen. Is that okay?Fluid and bruising can track down the operated leg early after TPLO.
Yes, this is usually okay early after TPLO. Bruising and fluid can track down the operated leg toward the hock, ankle, foot, or paw.
It is more reassuring when the swelling is mild, not increasing, not hot or painful, the incision is closed and dry, appetite and energy are normal, and limb use is stable or improving.
Incision or licking
Use this section when the incision, cone, suit, dressing, or tape is the concern.
Redness, swelling, licking, or drainage
How should I check the TPLO incision?Look at the full incision in good light, with extra attention to the upper third.
Check the full incision in good light. Look closely at the upper third, where a TPLO study found that small skin-edge openings happened most often.
- Send a clear photo if the incision opens or has thick or pus-like discharge.
- Send a clear photo if two or more are present: increasing redness, soreness, heat, swelling, or any discharge.
Which incision changes meet the update criteria?Opening, thick discharge, or a combination of warning signs should be reviewed.
A prospective referral-hospital study compared owners' answers with a veterinarian's diagnosis. Its most accurate rule required both parts:
Wound opening or an antibiotic prescription
Thick or pus-like discharge, or at least two warning signs
Redness · pain · heat · swelling · dischargeWhat an owner can check at home
- Send an update if the incision opens or has thick discharge.
- Send an update if two or more are present: increasing redness, soreness, heat, swelling, or any discharge.
This screen tells you when the incision should be reviewed. It does not diagnose an infection at home. Read the Glenn et al. study.
The TPLO incision meets the update criteria.Send clear photos and describe which signs are present.
Send this:
- One close, bright photo of the incision.
- One wider photo showing the whole knee and lower leg.
- When you noticed the change and whether it is better, the same, or worse.
- Whether your dog can reach the incision despite the cone, suit, or barrier.
Call the hospital now if the knee feels hot and there is active discharge from the incision.
Make the update clear if redness is spreading, swelling is worsening, there is discharge or odor, the incision opens, or licking cannot be stopped.
Dressing or tape
Use this when tape, padding, or a dressing is stuck, slipping, or irritating the skin.
A sticky bandage or dressing will not come off.Do not force tape off sore skin or soak the incision.
Do this:
- Send a photo if tape is stuck, pulling, close to the incision, or the skin looks red or sore.
- Trim loose edges only if it is easy and does not pull skin.
- Leave firmly stuck tape alone if removing it would hurt or upset your dog.
Do not force stuck tape off sore skin. Send a photo if it is painful, pulling skin, causing sores, close to the incision, or unsafe to remove at home. Avoid oils or adhesive remover near the incision.
Early recovery check-ins
Read this section for appetite, bathroom habits, sedation, restlessness, pain control, or medication timing.
What to watch first
What should I watch during the first week?Comfort, appetite, energy, incision, swelling, and whether leg use is slowly improving.
The first week is mostly about keeping recovery quiet and predictable. Watch comfort, appetite, energy, incision appearance, swelling, and whether your dog is slowly using the leg better.
The incision should stay closed, dry, and protected from licking. Walks should be short, slow, leash-only, and boring.
What should I send if I am worried in the first week after TPLO?Send what changed, the medication schedule, and photos or video if relevant.
Send this:
- Which day after surgery this is.
- What changed: comfort, appetite, energy, incision, swelling, or limb use.
- Medication names and what time each was last given.
- Photos if the incision, swelling, or licking is part of the concern; use the incision photo instructions below.
- A short walking video if your dog is using the leg worse.
Send an update sooner if pain, worsening swelling, heat, discharge, incision opening, appetite drop, low energy, or worse limb use is developing.
Appetite, bathroom, or medication update
Use this when appetite, stool, urination, sedation, restlessness, or medication timing is the main concern.
Appetite, stool, urination, or medications seem off.Send the schedule and what changed.
Send this:
- Medication names and the time each was last given.
- Appetite, drinking, urination, stool, vomiting, or diarrhea details.
- Whether your dog seems too sleepy, restless, painful, or unable to settle.
- Whether the pattern is better, the same, or worse.
Make the update clear if there is repeated vomiting, severe diarrhea, black stool, ongoing blood, not eating, marked lethargy, trouble urinating, or severe sedation/restlessness/pain.
Slips, stiffness, and recurrent same-leg limping
Read this section when the question is about a burst of activity, a limp after rest, or the surgical leg limping again.
A sudden activity mistake
My dog slipped, pulled, used stairs, got loose, or had a short burst. Did they damage anything?One brief mistake does not automatically mean the repair is damaged.
One brief mistake does not automatically mean the repair is damaged, especially if comfort and limb use stay stable afterward.
The usual first step is to make things quiet again: strict rest except controlled leash toileting, no extra walking, no stairs unless unavoidable and assisted, and no repeat chances for jumping, slipping, or getting loose.
Watch whether your dog returns toward their usual recovery baseline. It is more reassuring if appetite and energy stay normal and there is no new pain, heat, incision change, or worsening lameness.
The limp does not improve after rest from a slip, stairs, leash pull, or burst.Try a quiet reset first unless there is pain, carrying the leg, or a clear setback.
First do this:
- Return to strict, boring, controlled activity.
- Use leash toileting only for a short rest period.
- Prevent repeat stairs, jumping, slipping, off-leash activity, or bursts.
- Watch whether limb use returns toward the usual recovery baseline.
Send a short walking video if the limp does not improve with rest, worsens, becomes painful, your dog carries the leg, swelling or heat appears, or there is a clear setback.
Stiff after rest, then settles
My dog limps after getting up, then it settles. Is that expected?Some stiffness after rest can still happen during recovery.
Some stiffness or intermittent limping after rest can still happen during TPLO recovery, especially as activity slowly increases.
The important pattern is whether your dog loosens up after moving, stays comfortable, and keeps improving week to week.
The limp does not settle, is worsening, or my dog is carrying the leg.Send videos when this is more than brief stiffness after rest.
Send this:
- When it happens: after sleeping, after rest, after walks, after exercises, or all the time.
- How long it takes to loosen up.
- Whether the trend is better week to week, the same, or worse.
- A short side-view walking video after getting up and again after a few minutes, if possible.
Make the update clear if the limp does not settle, is worsening, seems painful, your dog carries the leg, there is swelling or heat, or your dog does not return to baseline.
Same-leg limp again
Use this when the surgical leg starts limping again after it had been improving.
My dog is limping on the same leg again.Send clear videos so the surgical team can review the pattern.
Send this:
- A normal walking video showing the surgical leg.
- A clip of the exact movement that shows the limp.
- When it started and whether it is improving, staying the same, or worsening.
- Whether the limp is after rest, after walks, after exercises, or present all the time.
- Whether there is swelling, pain, clicking/catching, or reduced weight-bearing.
Make the update clear if the limp is persistent, worsening, painful, associated with swelling, clicking/catching, or reduced weight-bearing. The team may use the meniscal concern protocol to decide whether a recheck is needed.