Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Sounds like you have a great plan in place to see Marleys well taken care of post surgery. Yay surgery is over now recovery begins. Yup stay strong in front of him. He'll be really druggy from the surgery meds so expect that. And they really get nutso shaving the area so expect that too. Just look into his beautiful eyes and tell him you've got this Marley! We'll be here for you if you need us! Hugs!
Thanks for the update. Sounds like Marley is in good hands. Best wishes for a speedy recovery!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
YAAAAAAAAAY!!!! 🙂 🙂 SURGERY IS DONE!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂 Glad he's going for overnight care. You can get some much needed sleep and he will still be seeing a lot of pink elephants and feeling no pain!! 🙂
Don't even bother looking at his incision! He won't be! He'll be looking at your face and will be looking for a great vig smile from you and telling him what a good boy he is!! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Good job Marley! 🙂 🙂 Good job Mom!! And remember, you're attached tonis with that lifeline so no worries! 🙂
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!
Great news and great plan!!! Tears of joy are okay! 🙂 Lots of kisses and cuddles for Marley. Just know he might be a bit out of if because of the drugs so don't let that concern you. It's all about the healing process!
Hugs!
Shelby Lynne; Jack Russell/Shiba Inu mix. Proud member of the April Angels of 2014.
October 15, 2000 to April 8, 2014
Our story: Broke rear leg in June 2013 - non-conclusive results for cancer so leg was plated and pinned. Enlarged spleen in September 2013 and had it removed and was diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma and started chemotherapy. Became a Tripawd January 8th, 2014 and definitive Hemangiosarcoma diagnosis. Three major surgeries in 7 months and Shelby took them all like a champ only to lose her battle to cancer in her brain. We had 8 amazing extra months together and no regrets. #shelbystrong #loveofmylife
Ok, so I'm home now from picking up Marley and dropping him off at over night care. I'm not going to lie I feel very sad right now after seeing my boy. They did not have the wound wrapped or covered so it was very hard to see (even though I have been preparing myself for it). They placed him in my lap for the car ride and he shook the entire time, but on a good note he was wagging his tail when I was talking to him. I did not cry in from of him (I waited until i got into the car). I asked the doctor at over night care if he was shaking because of shock or pain, and she said it's from all the meds, because he is on very heavy pain medication now. I just felt so awful picking him up and then leaving him again, even though I know this is what he needs right now. I just breaks my heart to see him in distress 
I can't get his image out of my head. I have no children so my dogs are my babies, it just hurts my heart to see him like this. I know it will take time and I will be amazed at how well he will get along in no time. I just wish it didn't take any time at all. Thanks for listening, I'm going to try and get all my crying out tonight 
Cry all you and with us! We all sure have!! We understand, that's for sure!
Keep in mind that most of us didn't witness the coming out of a anesthesia like you did because our dogs just stayed straight through at an overnight surgery center. So give yourself credit for handling what most of us didn't have to!
And that's exactly what you were seeing, moreso than any pain symptons. The fact that you even got a tail wag through all the fog of drugs was quite impressive!
I always strongly suggest trying NOT to look at the incision when you first pick them up. They need to see that you are happy to see them and nothing is "wrong" or "scary", They just want to go home! Plus, the Surgeons get mighty clipper happy and shave a crazy huge amount of fur and that makes the incision even yuckier!!
By tomorrow the anesthesia will have worn off but he'll still have some good pain meds in him. I think you'll see a lot more tail wagging when you get to take him home tomorrow night!
TRY and get some good rest!!! And remember, what you were seeing was just what coming out of a anesthesia looks like....not pretty, but he wasn't feeling a thing!
Lots of 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!
It is very hard to see them and not be able to comfort them. Like you, my Shelby was my first and only child ... no kids here either. And the first night was tough (she stayed at the vet for 48 hours).
But let's focus on the tail wag... that's great! That mean Marley knows you are there and is feeling the love.
Look into his eyes... don't worry about the incision (however, it was a shock for me too when I saw my dog minus a leg)... but I looked at her eyes, and saw the same old Shelby ... just a smaller version!
HUGS!
Shelby Lynne; Jack Russell/Shiba Inu mix. Proud member of the April Angels of 2014.
October 15, 2000 to April 8, 2014
Our story: Broke rear leg in June 2013 - non-conclusive results for cancer so leg was plated and pinned. Enlarged spleen in September 2013 and had it removed and was diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma and started chemotherapy. Became a Tripawd January 8th, 2014 and definitive Hemangiosarcoma diagnosis. Three major surgeries in 7 months and Shelby took them all like a champ only to lose her battle to cancer in her brain. We had 8 amazing extra months together and no regrets. #shelbystrong #loveofmylife
I'm getting ready to bring Marley home. I'm super nervous. He's hasn't eaten yet so I'm worried about how I'm going to give him his meds. I will have a load of questions for the dr...
Hi, You are probably super busy with you pup and giving Marley all the love and attention he needs, but I wanted to let you know you are inspiring me. My husband and I have just made the decision to have our Bella's left front leg taken off. She was just diagnosed with Osteosarcoma on Monday. We are so torn, but everything we've heard and read leads to this decision. She's a young 10 year old chocolate lab mix. Otherwise very healthy. Please let me know how you and Marley are doing and share all you want. I have been going in and out with so many feelings...tears, fear, relief (on making the decision), anger...some of my family and friends think the decision to do this is horrible and they feel we are disfiguring Bella and ruining her life. I'd love to hear how well Marley is doing...sending you both hugs...
I'm so glad you are finding help here! 🙂 it truly is such a wonderful sight. I felt all the same feelings as you and some people in my family thought we were not making the right choice either. But I believe if you have a pet and make the commitment to love and care for them, then you should do what it takes to give them the best and longest life they deserve. I'm not going to lie the past two days have been some of the hardest days of my life and I'm only on day 2 from Marleys surgery. I knew it was coming for weeks, but it really didn't hit me until I dropped him off the morning of surgery (only yesterday). I stood there crying in the lobby in front of all the receptionist as they took him back. Then when I got the call that afternoon that surgery had went good I felt a ton of relief. Then I went to pick him up last night, because I had to transfer him to over night care, and when they brought him out and put him in my lap in the car my heart completely dropped. I knew it would be pretty dramatic but reality REALLY sunk in then. I felt so terrible and my heart was breaking to see my baby in such distress. It was a very hard night. This morning when I transferred him back to my vet his eyes looked a little more like him and seeing everything wasn't as bad. I brought him home tonight a few hours ago and he is resting nice. He still has a catheter and a port to inject pain meds directly into the wound (which is nice because he is not up for eating and I wouldn't be able to get pills down him). needless to say my nerves are shot and my anxiety is through the roof. But I have so much hope from all the amazing stories that others have shared and I'm glad to be sharing Marleys journey and recovery, I hope that some day soon I can tell someone how everything will be ok
SOOOOOO GLAD MARLEY IS HOME! 🙂 🙂 🙂 And soooooo glad you feel a teeny weeny better about the whole situation!
The stress involved in getting to this point, the lack of sleep, the physical and emotional toll, is all soooo intense and draining! And you still have some more rough periods ahead as far as recovery, but from this point forward, the stress WILL lessen!
So I'm gonna go ahead and tell you now, EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE OKAY! It may not be real apparent to you tonight or over the next week or so, but MARLEY WILL BE OKAY! 🙂
Continue to stay connected and let us know how things are going. TRY and get some rest, even if it's just a couple of hours. The fact that Marley is resting now ks good. My Happy Hannah whined and cried and could not get co fortable for three nignts straight!
Lots of hugs! You're doing great!
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!
Marley has some great pain medication, that's terrific! I know it's reallllly hard to see him so out of it, but it's for the best, he needs to lay low right now and before you know it he'll be back to his usual self. Don't worry about his appetite, that will happen. For now, celebrate that you both made it through the toughest part and you are on your way to a healthier, happy life. Yay!
And don't forget you can post in a new topic now that you've "graduated" past this one. Congrats!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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