Tripawds Three Legged Dog & Cat Forum Archives
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An update on Molly. She has had lots of tests in the last week and her lungs, lymph and blood are not giving cause for concern. We have therefore decided to go down the amputation and chemotherapy route. She goes in for surgery today. It has been an agonising 12 days but hopefully this decision will give her a chance and most importantly get rid of the pain which seems to get worse every day. She will also be able to be a happy playful dog again and not an extremely frustrated one. This site has helped a lot for us to come up with this decision. Thanks to all who replied to my earlier message with support. Now fingers crossed the op goes well and there are no complications.
You and Molly will be in our thoughts today. For us, the decision to forge ahead with the amputation/chemo was the most difficult, other choices were more clear cut. Getting rid of the pain will be a relief for Molly, and get her going on her new happy life on 3 legs.
Sending positive energy 
Fallon 8/28/06--9/6/18. My Heart.
Fallon's left front leg was amputated due to osteosarcoma on 10/11/17.
Nothing But Love in Her Heart - dawn3g.tripawds.com
Thank you for letting us know so we can send lots of pawsitivity and love to you and Molly today. Drop us a line when you can to let us know how she did and ask any questions that pop into your mind, we are here to help.
Best wishes & much love coming your way!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Molly and Mom 🐾🌸
You are both in my thoughts and prayers today, sending lots of pawsitive energy Molly's way !
Please keep us updated when you can, we are all here for you.
Hugs and cuddles 😘🐮💫✨🌟🌹
Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-)
We are all surrounding sweet Molly with pawsitive healing energy.
You are doing what needs to be done to give Molly a chance at a pain free life! A decision out of love is always the right decision 💗
Grab some chocolate and update us when you can!
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!
I hope the procedure went smoothly and Molly is now resting comfortably with dreams of little pink elephants
Jackie and Huckleberry
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry 
Thanks for all your support and good wishes. All well so far. Apparently she got to her feet yesterday and greeted the vet with a wagging tail. She will be kept in again tonight and we are going to visit her later today. How long does the really severe pain last?
woohooo 🥁🥁🥁
Surgery is done and Molly greeted the vet with a wagging tail 😃
So wonderful to have these news 🎈
If drugs are well managed she should be ok throughout recovery.
She will need plenty of rest, generally the real turning point is when stitches are out about 10 days after surgery.
So happy for you both ☺️
We’re all here for you so do not hesitate to reach out to us!
Sending you hugs and cuddles 😘🐮💫✨🌟🌹
Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-)
Such good news!!😁 Already standing, YAY! 😁 Tail wags, YAY!😁
This is MAJOR surgery and it does hurt. As Teresa said, managing the pain with good drugs helps for a smoother recovery.
All dogs react differently to pain meds. Right now, and another day or so, Molly has some good hospital meds in her. As they wear off, it will become vwry important to manage the pain and not let the pain get ahead start.
Molly will most likely come home with Tramadol, Gabapentin , Rimadyl and an antibiotic. Some come home with a fentanyl patch.
Some dogs are a bit lethargic, some are quite restless and whine and cannot get comfortable those first several days. Some feel so much better with that painful leg gone, they tend to want ro get up and go! Sometimes dogs can be a vit whacky on the pain meds, but it's better than being in pain.
Just stay in touch with your Vet and the dose amounts and frequency can be adjisted as needed.
Soooo, in answer to your question, pain levels and length of time dogs have pain, really varies dog to dog! Most dogs are on pain meds for approximately two or three weeks. Some a bit less, some a bit more.
Just take it a day at a time. Stay connected. The recovery period is all worth while once you see the sparkle come back!
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!
Yay Molly!! 
So glad she is doing ok. It is good that they keep her another night, you will have your hands full when she gets home. She needs her rest and this will give you a chance to rest up. The next couple of weeks may be roller coaster like, just stay tuned, watch her well, and shoot for sleep, food, and potty 
Look forward to hearing how your visit went!
Hugs,
Jackie and Huck
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry
We picked up Molly this morning and she couldn't wait to get home. Our vets is upstairs with a lift she hates and she wanted to take the stairs. She had to be dragged and pushed into the lift. Not a good start but she still knows her own mind and we are well used to her stubborn streak. Once home she immediately did a wee and poo and then ate a little bit then relaxed. She still has a drain in as there is seepage. My other dog is leaving her well alone, which is a relief. She has come home with tramadol and metacam, which might have a different name in USA (we are in UK). She had a tramadol when we got home and seems reasonably comfortable although she has whined a couple of times. All in all a good start.
Thanks again for all the kind, comforting comments and advice. This website is a godsend.
Sounds like a great start, i know you must be thrilled to have her home!! Same names in US, did they give her any gabapentin?
She might still be a little whiney, and don't be surprised if some of that is anesthesia in her system. Hopefully she will just sleep now, and probably better now that she's home!
Jackie and Huck ❤️
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry
OMD !!!!!
Amazing news, sweetie, amazing news 🎈🎈🎈
She had a fabulous head start compared to the majority of us, I am SO thrilled !!!!
She had a pee, poo, ate and relaxed and your other dog is giving her the space she needs !
Plus she was full of beans and determined to take the stairs at the vet 😁
It looks like this is going to be a wonderful recovery !
Now that I settled from jumping up and down, a few words:
I agree with Jackie (Angel Eurydice was in the UK too for her surgery and most of her chemo treatments) you should ask her surgeon to provide Gabapentin for phantom pain (unless there is a specific reason why she should not take it, of course)
Just for info most of us, including my Angel, were also on antibiotics for a while after surgery so you might want to enquire about that too?
Although she is doing totally GREAT now she may experience a bit of a crush between days 3-5 so, if that happens, please know it is normal.
Please keep us updated on the progress and maybe add some pictures too ???
Sending you hugs and cuddles, soooo happy for you both 😘🐮💫💫🌟🌹
Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-)
YAAAAAAAAY FOR MOLLY!!! HOME SWEET HOME!!😀
EATING, DRINKING, POOPING, PEEING....YAAAAAAAAAY😁 Way ahead of the curve already!
Rest, rest and more rest!
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!
Really hoppy to hear your little firecracker is doing so well! Sounds like a normal kind of recovery is happening, so that's terrific.
Yes, we call Tramadol and Metacam by the same names here. Keep an eye on her pain levels and if she shows any pain indicators, do let your veterinarian know so that her medications can be adjusted.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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