Murphy is a 10-year-old German short-haired pointer lab mix that we got from the SPCA when he was six weeks old, and he's been an integral part of our family ever since.
The day Murphy injured himself was just like any other day when he was hunting around the property and enjoying being outside. A small deer came through the property, and he chased the deer down. They both fell at the same time and as Murphy stood back up he was limping immediately, so we knew something was wrong.
For two months we leash walked him and kept him in a confined space, hoping that he would be able to recover on his own. He would rest it for a couple days but then he would try to chase a squirrel, and then he would really limp for a couple days again. So we realized we had to do something. So we went to get a second opinion.
The surgeon said there was no way Murphy could recover 100 % without the TPLO surgery. I'd say he was back to 75--80 % within eight weeks of the surgery. We really anticipated a much longer, tougher recovery, but Murphy really recovered quickly.
We would absolutely recommend having the surgery to anybody who is thinking about it. Murphy would not be back to the level of activity that he is today without having had the surgery. Today he's able to run with the kids, catch a Frisbee, and he's really back to himself again.