Marlee Turns 8: Celebrating Before CCL Surgery

It’s official… Marlee is 8 years old! 

I truly cannot believe how quickly time has gone by. People always say our dogs grow up too fast, and they really do. It feels like just yesterday I was bringing home this goofy, energetic bully, and now she's the sweetest little old lady (with the occasional zoomies, of course).

I also wanted to give the Marlee & Me family a little life update because the next few months are going to look a bit different for us.

At the beginning of July, we found out that our sweet Marlee tore her CCL, which is essentially the dog equivalent of an ACL tear.

We're not exactly sure how it happened, but unfortunately CCL tears are fairly common in larger dogs. Personally... I think her inability to control her zoomies finally caught up with her.

How We Found Out

After dealing with a limp for around a month, our veterinarian recommended sedating Marlee for her X-rays because she tends to tense up her legs at appointments, making it difficult to get a clear image.

So I dropped her off for her appointment, which, by the way, was much harder on me than it was on her. (Apparently I'm the one with separation anxiety. 😅)

About two hours later, her veterinarian called.

She explained that she actually decided not to sedate Marlee after hearing a heart murmur during her exam. Thankfully, she was still able to get the X-rays she needed, and unfortunately they confirmed that Marlee had torn her CCL.

Needless to say, it wasn't exactly the phone call I was hoping to receive.

Surgery & Recovery

Marlee is scheduled for surgery this Wednesday.

Before surgery, she'll also be getting an echocardiogram to make sure her heart is healthy enough for anesthesia. We're hoping everything looks good so the surgery can move forward as planned.

If all goes well, she'll begin what will likely be a 12-week recovery, filled with lots of rest, rehabilitation, enrichment, and patience (mostly for me... because convincing Marlee to stay calm is no easy task).

I've spent countless hours researching the recovery process, and I plan to document everything along the way.

I'll be sharing weekly recovery updates, not only for those following Marlee's journey, but also for anyone whose dog is going through CCL surgery and is looking for real-life advice, tips, and an honest look at what recovery is actually like.

An Extra Low-Key Birthday

Because we're waiting for surgery, this birthday had to be much more relaxed than usual.

As much as I wanted to take her to a Sniffspot like we did last year, keeping her comfortable and preventing any additional injury is the most important thing right now. Even though it was simple, I think she had a pretty wonderful day.

Morning Cuddles

Of course, we started the day with cuddles. As Marlee has gotten older, she's become quite the professional sleeper. She loves staying curled up beside me until I finally decide to get out of bed.

Not only is it one of my favorite parts of the day, but during this period of "bed rest," it also helps keep her relaxed and conserves her energy.

Sunbathing

If you know Marlee, you know that sunbathing is basically her favorite hobby. Typical pittie behavior.

It has been incredibly hot here lately, so our outdoor sessions have to stay short, even though she'd happily spend the entire afternoon baking in the sunshine.

Her Birthday "Barcuterie" Board

This may have been the highlight of her day.

I made Marlee her own little birthday snack board with:

• Watermelon

• Blueberries

• Cheese

• A meat stick

• Her favorite treats

• A drizzle of honey

She absolutely loved it. It actually took her longer than usual to finish because she seemed to stop and enjoy each bite instead of inhaling everything in 30 seconds like she normally does.

Birthday Cake

I also picked up one of the adorable dog birthday cakes from PetSmart. Honestly... it smelled so good that I briefly questioned whether I should take a bite myself. Marlee loved it!

The little sprinkles confused her for a minute, I couldn't tell if they were getting stuck in her gums or if she thought they were medicine, but she eventually cleaned the whole thing up.

Best of all, her stomach handled everything perfectly, so no birthday tummy troubles!

Looking Ahead

Overall, it was a simple birthday, but honestly, I think it was exactly what she needed. Of course I wish we could have celebrated a little bigger, but right now my only priority is getting her healthy again.

We're looking forward to the late fall when she'll hopefully have:

• A strong, pain-free leg

• Cooler weather

• Plenty of Sniffspot adventures waiting for us

Over the next few months, I'll be documenting every step of Marlee's recovery, from surgery day to rehabilitation, setbacks, wins, and everything in between.

If your dog is currently going through CCL surgery too, I hope these updates can make the process feel a little less overwhelming and give you a realistic idea of what to expect.

Thank you all for loving Marlee as much as I do and for following along on our journey. Please send our sweet girl all the healing thoughts and birthday wishes as she heads into surgery this week.