Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Welcome to Tripawd life, Kira! It sounds like things are going really well so far. 🙂 We hope you continue to feel better and keep fighting off that stupid cancer!
~Brittnie and Loki
🐾 Loki, Dog of Mischief 🐶
I loved life as a tripawd for over three years following right forelimb amputation due to an aggressive and recurrent hemangiopericytoma. I reclaimed my place among the gods and valkyries in Valhalla on November 11th, 2020. My parents miss me tremendously, but I know they'll keep me in their hearts forever... and don't worry, I've approved my mom's use of my Tripawds account.
Thanks for all the well-wishes!
Kira's recovery has been going well, but in the last few days (round the 7 day mark) she's started getting what I think are phantom limb pains. It mostly happens when I take her outside, when she'll lay down and then her wound site will start twitching and you can tell it hurts her. She doesn't normally yelp and the twitches are about 10 seconds apart for a few minutes. I'm not sure if she lays down because it's started happening or if it happens after she lays down, but she doesn't want to go outside at all now because it's happening every time we go out. She's also laying down a lot more when we are outside and will only walk a few feet at a time. I'm only taking her for a 5 minute walk to go to the toilet (I don't have a garden) twice/three times a day so I don't think we've been over doing it. She's also started trying to eat grass so I think it's making her feel a bit sick.
She's on 50mg Tramadol twice a day and gets Metacam on her food in the evening. I've been reading other posts about Gabapentin so I'm going to ask the vet about that on Monday.
I just wanted to check whether this sounds like normal phantom pain and how long it tends to last for?
Thanks for any advice!
Vicky
Online
Couple of things to check with your Vet about.
- As you mentioned, see abput addi g Gabapentin to the mix.
- Also, if Kira is on Tramadol twice a day (once every 12'hrs),'check with the Vet about making it every 6 - 8 hrs. If she's on 50 mg, you have a bit of leeway as it spunds like she's on the low end dose. Since she does have the additional arthritis to deal with, changing the dose and adding Gabapentin may make all the difference in the world.
- Does she have to go down any steps to get outside? Is it more along the lines of "quivering" or a bigger twitch as though she's trying to "use" it? Not sure if I'm making sense.
- Earing grass generally is more abput an upset tummy or nausea as opposed to "pain".
- Try some gentle massage all up and down her spine, her neck and shoulders....see if there is any tension. Actually, if she just goes out to do her bidness and then wants to just lay down outside for awhile, that's not a bad thing. She's still working on her mobility and balance. Some Vets say it takes about two weeks to work through the MAJOR SURGERY itself, and then about a mo th to get all the muscles adjusted to walking on three legs.Is she eating okay and taking food to coat her tummy with the meds?
- One more thought, gentle massaging all around the incision as the "twitching"'is happening. See if that helps.
But definitely check into the Gaba and mayebe tweaking the doses of Tram
Let us know how things are going!' 'Hang in there! This is still the rough part of recovery!!
Hugs
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
Hi Sally,
Thanks for your reply. Kira is on Gabapentin now so the vet wanted to see if that would help before changing the Tramadol dose - she does seem pretty spaced out with her current cocktail and he was a bit concerned about her falling over. I've read it takes a couple of days for the Gaba to kick in fully but I think it is starting to reduce the twitching.
She doesn't need to go down any steps and is moving quite well when she wants to. The twitches look like cramp to me - it twitches, she jerks and then tenses up and tries to lean away from the wound. It doesn't last very long each time but became very frequent over the weekend.
She's eating and drinking (when I take food/water over to her bed) and the wound is healing very well otherwise.
Is there a normal time frame for phantom pain to go away?
Thanks again,
Vicky
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