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Kylie is having a rough go lately & not sure if Tramadol is helping or not?
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30 August 2016
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7 July 2017 - 12:24 am
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Well things went downhill this evening around her 7pm pill time. She started panting again and looked dopey eyed was kinda acting weird etc. I got worried maybe it was the Serotonin syndrome thing they talk about when u give the new med with the Tramadol, but nope I think it's just pain ☹️

We went to bed early, by 11pm but she wouldn't settle, kept getting up to change positions and now  not even 2hrs after going to bed, here I sit outside again so she can lay in the grass.  she just seems uncomfortable. I worry that I did more harm than good by feeding her, not really realizing likely combination of pain and maybe pressure on her abdomen why she isn't wanting to eat again now. Or she's constipated from everything I gave her today and it hurts her belly. I don't know. I just know cancer sucks!!! I know that it is once again trying to take our girl from us and I'm mad. I wanted to keep her strong and comfortable to find out more on Monday but sometimes I worry she may not even be here. Don't get me wrong I have no problem with euthanasia if she's at That point. 

But then days like today are so good and she's still in there. Her personality etc. But reality is we probably know the answer of Mondays test anyway. There is likely no good outcome if it's a tumour. Surgery? Chemo? We can't afford it. What if it's inoperable?

Its all just so hard..

and I'm going on very little sleep. 

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7 July 2017 - 3:22 am
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Just be calm and be wth her right now.   Although there are some options if additional tumors are found, many people choose to treat holistically and manage the pain and other symptoms rather than do Palladia or something else.  The night Otis passed, we were given the option of surgery to repair the torn lung tissue (on a dog without cancer, that would have been standard protocol).  For me, at tgat point, another surgery was just not an option, especially since it would just delay the inevitable.  Same for Tess - surgery might have been able to remove the abdominal tumor and stop the bleeding, but it was only a matter of time before the tumors around her heart burst.  I wish there was a cure or an easy answer for what you are going through.  As much as you do not want that time to come, I think you will lnow when it does.  

Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016.  Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016.  Lung mets August 25, 2016.  Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016.   Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.  

Wherever they are, they are together.

Schofield, WI
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7 July 2017 - 7:37 am
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Sending hugs and many prayers Kylie & you have a good day today!  Your love for this beautiful girl shines through your posts!  

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7 July 2017 - 9:26 am
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Well after an hour laying in the grass I got her back up to bed around 5am and we "slept" until after 9am. ☺️ I think the extra dose of meds (@3am) are helping. I woke a few times with her right up next to me, it felt amazing. ❤️
I put my hand on her belly & we slept a bit longer. Once we got up I was able to feed her some dry food and give her meds. I also got her to poop! 💩👍She moaned so I think she felt less uncomfortable afterwards. Enjoying a nap (snoring!) with the heating pad right now after having some toast & peanut butter. Still drinking lots so that's good. Will see what Vet says when they call today to check on her.

Thank you for sharing your experiences and your kind words and support. I know it's a tough position we're in right now with balancing optimism and being realistic. I guess Time will tell and so will our girl. 

On The Road


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7 July 2017 - 9:31 am
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I'm glad you finally got to snooze together, I see how late you posted. But hats off to you for remembering to treasure her love and the touch of her fur next to you. You didn't get caught up in worry or fear, you were simply with her in and made the most of that very moment. You lived in the Now so beautifully!

And YAY FOR POOP! poopicon_png

Keep us posted OK? This is a difficult time you're going through but I am so proud of you for maintaining strength. Kylie is too!

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

Virginia







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7 July 2017 - 3:44 pm
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Settling into a "rputine" of ups and downs and good days and less good days actually does have a benefit, and it shows in your post. As Jerry said, "you didn't get caught up in worry and fear" and you were able to stay calm and help Kylie relax. You've now seen these "ups and downs" before and you know the good continues to follow the "less good" and it's not as frightening.

Yeah, having a good meal yesterday, not pooping for awhile and reducing her pain meds so she could eat....is this nourney crazy or what?! A d you still "appear" to have your sanity!! 🙂

Right nkw the reality is SuperKylie is still have good quality! And yes, we change the definition of "good quality" as we travel this journey. Snoozing with her favorite human, laying in the fpcool grass while her human drinks coffee vy her side, getting liver cooked in butter, enjoying peanut butter and served on a knife, enjoyi g the liss of a good poopicon_png and, best of all, Kylie is still being Kylieclap

Wjatever the Vet says Monday, you do still have options, whether they are pallative, holistic or more proactive, Kyli has some "Super" in ner and she's not abput to miss out on all this spoiling yet!

Lots of love

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!

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7 July 2017 - 9:16 pm
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Thanks everyone for the perspective, I do appreciate it so much. It's true..I have seen enough up and down days to be able to gauge how she's doing or how things are changing.

i was able to get advice from our Vet today who agreed it sounds like Kylie needs the every 8hr dose of Tramadol so we are no longer reducing to every 12hrs just to take the appetite stimulating pill. Vet is OK with us still giving her that pill as long as we stick with the half pill dose. So far so good. I know this journey is all about finding the balance of managing the meds. Hopefully we are finding it. She ate ok tonight not great but ok. I'm ok with that because maybe too much is not good anyway and something  is better than nothing at all. We are in bed already. Alarm is set for 3am for pill time 😊

Thanks & I'll keep u all posted. You guys are amazing, I cannot say that enough.

love Chris & Kylie xo

i have a couple cute pics from today for u Sally, will post tomorrow 😄

Virginia







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7 July 2017 - 9:56 pm
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I hope you take time to give yourself a hug and whisper in your own ear: "Good job"! Okay, it may be hard to whisper in your own ear, so just say it out loud as you give yourself a hug 🙂

Sou ds like this latest "tweak" in the Tram and the appetite stimulate may be the right balance.

Get some good sleep.....if possible!! 🙂 You REALLY are doing an EXCELLENT job of caring for Kylie and she loooooves you for it!! 🙂

Love and 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!

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8 July 2017 - 9:55 am
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So last night was the first time in days that I have not had to sit outside in the middle of the night so my girl can get relief by laying on the cold wet grass!! I got her to eat some food last night, we went to bed in decent time (around 11) and I set my alarm for 3am for pill time. Kevin brought the fan up in our room & pointed it at the end of the bed for Kylie. She started stirring around 2am & seemed restless again so by 2:40am I got up gave her the pill, offered her water, she declined, offered her a milk bone she also declined. Then I thought she'd jump down to want to go out but she stayed laying in bed! So I thought great!!! I also crawled back to bed. She came up beside me & I put my hand right on her abdomen for some warmth & we both fell back asleep! Until she got up to move back down to the fan 😉

We all woke up around 7am!! Talk about a good night! We are keeping that fan in our room at night! I think it gave her enough comfort between pill doses that she didn't feel the need to go out to lay on the grass. So Mom got a better night sleep as well! 😁

We came downstairs & before we went outside I offered her a small handful (5-6 kibble) of her dry dog food & she gobbled it up!! So she got about 5 more handfuls before she turned her nose away. But that's a score for sure! I bet she had 1/4 cup at least. Then we went outside & she had a pee & a small poop! She moaned a bit this time but she got it out & seemed good. Another small victory! 

Later in the morning around 10am she ate an entire slice of toasted rye bread with butter & peanut butter on it! (Cut into pieces & hand fed, of course!😊) And about 5 knife fills of peanut butter just on its own for calories.

11am she had her next pill and we went outside again & she had a bigger poop! 👍& I don't think I heard her moan this time. And now she's dozing for a nap on the couch with the fan going, so overall not a bad day here.

Maybe just wishful thinking but I told Kev, maybe she will make it to Monday afterall. We know it's likely not great news but on the off chance that it's something that can be fixed & it's not a cancer tumour, we have to try. As long as she seems comfortable, not in constant pain & we see "her" in there still, we will keep trucking! 

I do hate how the Tram makes her pant heavy & stare into space all dopey though.. sad

Virginia







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8 July 2017 - 10:09 am
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You need to buy stock in a peanut butter company!! Soooo glad to hear she is eating some kibble too!

And YAY for some sleep!!! Brilliant idea to bring in the fan!

My philosophy is to keep hoping for the best unless you are told otherwise! And, unless you are rold otherwise, there is no reason to NOT think "it" is fixable ore, at the very least, treatable in a way that brings some more quality time.

Keep in doing what you are doing! You know your girl soooo well and have such a beautiful connection with her.

Love and 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!

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8 July 2017 - 5:30 pm
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Well as we said there are ups & downs and guess what.... DOWN we go ☹️

I was really hoping the good nights sleep would be a good indicator for a better day too. I did get some food in her this morning but after the Tramadol dose at 11am she slept, which is normal for her now. So I let her sleep a good 2hrs after the pill and when she wakes is when I can usually feed her again. Well she just never pepped back up since then. She seems worn out. She's not really walking around a whole bunch. But Kevin reminded me she has been going on very low calories & very crappy sleep for days now so of course she has limited energy. I worry about her mood and depression. We gave that appetite stimulating pill again today, around 4pm. Her appetite is ok but certainly not great.

Finally around 6pm we decided to take her to a boat launch here in town (closer than the lake) so she could walk around and get her belly wet. She seemed to enjoy it but we didn't stay long, she looked done. Even in the car she just laid there. I sat in the backseat with her to make sure she didn't stumble or fly around. We got back in the house and she is just walking so slow. We looked at each other & wonder if she's done fighting. I feel she has started going downhill. However she was also due for her pill. 

Once in the house I took off her harness & dried her a bit more with the towel and started crying again, she started kissing and kissing me! You have to wonder if sometimes they do say "Thank you" in their own way, "of taking such good care of me." I hope so. I hope she feels how much we love her. I'm starting to feel selfish & I don't like that. 

So Kev & I had a good cry in the kitchen together once we got her settled back on her spot on the couch with the fan. She had her pill and a small snack. We've decided she is still with us. Vet office is closed now anyway. So we're just going to all sit together tonight and just be with her! Make the most of what time we have left with her. Just be with her while we can. Every day is a bonus day. And today is not her day to go. Maybe tomorrow will be a better day again for her. I hope. 

on another note I went to the pet store to try another couple cans of food (a puppy one 😄)and one for fussy eating older dogs over 8yrs old. She didn't take even a bite of either! I also bought this tube of paste that's a high calorie paste full of nutrients for when puppies aren't eating. Well since it's a paste & she turned her nose up at it, I just put a squirt in her mouth in her cheek then she had to eat 😉 She hoping the extra calories will help her without bloating her tummy with food. 

Oh she had a good poop too when we woke her up to go for her swim. So that might help. I will offer more food to her again in a couple hours after she wakes again. Lots of napping going on here. Poor girl, I wish she didn't have to endure this at all. 

Virginia







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22 February 2013
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8 July 2017 - 9:16 pm
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ABSOLUTELY KYLIE KNOWS SHE IS LOVED!!! ABSOLUTELY TEN GAZILLION PERCENT!!

And she KNOWS you are doing everything possible for her! She KNOWS that!! The kiddie pool,, the sitting with her while she lays on the cool grass, the fan, all the sttention....She knows how much she is loved! It made me smile that she was giving you loving kisses to let you know how loved she felt and how much she appreciated all that love!!

Kevin made some valid points. And you already knowyiu are dealing with good days and less good days. You're keeping her comfortable and, even thoughnthe not eating is certainly frustrating, she is eating some...especially on her "better" days.

I think you'll have a better picture Monday and, hopefully, you will know what path you need to take.

The hard part...the really, really hard part...is keeping your energy as upbeat as possible and completely focused on the now. Kylie may not feel great, vut she is NOT sad and she is NOT worried. Absorb that unstoppable energy of hers and give your unstoppable energy back in return! It may perk both of you up! 🙂

Do you have anymore liver? I'm sure she's at the point that ANYTHING is better than kibble!! And stinky liverwurst always gets their appetite up a bit!

And ya' know, maybe not even focus too much on trying to get her to eat tomorrow...other than enough to give her the pills. It just may be possible that if you change the routine up and bit and don't keep trying to make her eat all day.....And then cook her that liver, or give the the liverwurst fried up in a bit of butter...and have Keven feed her with all sorts of enthusiasm and excitement! ,Just those little tweaks may mske a difference!!

Unless something changes drastically, I think she'll hang sround jist fine sonyou can wait and see what the Vet says Monday. Laying around a lot with your own personal fan while on your couch being adored vymyour humans...that's still quality!!! And just the fact that shenis pooping (even if its everynother day) means she's getting more food than you realize!

Okay....TRY and get some snooze time. Even if she only rests several hiurs at a time, and even if she lounges around a lot tomorrow, she still is with you!!

Update tomorrow....and Kylie, I hope you're getting a scoopmof ice cream for breakfast! It has some nutrition....sort of...maybe.....:-)

Lots of love to all!

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!

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9 July 2017 - 5:46 am
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Thank you so so much! For EVERYTHING! This has been quite the roller coaster. But I appreciate the advice so much. Sometimes different perspectives are so beneficial! Such as laying off on pushing the foods so much. I think that's my inner Mom coming out. 😊

She ate quite a bit of peanut butter before bed and that high calorie paste. This morning she's had some toast and peanut butter and some dog kibble. No poop yet today but it's early 😉 We slept ok from about 11pm to 3:30am when we woke to get the pill. Then back to bed til 5:30.  Then she wanted to go outside and lay in the grass again so we did that till about seven now Kevin and Kylie are back in bed and I'm going for a run ! 

 Just wanted to say thank you so much for the reminder to Be More Dog and live in the moment and not worry so much!  We need to stay positive and upbeat for Kylie so she also continues the fight 👍

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9 July 2017 - 9:50 am
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Sounds like today is a good day, so that's good!  The emotional roller coaster is so mentally and physically exhausting, but you are so right to try and Be More Dog .  Kylie's not worried! We have to remind ourselves that about Zato so much.  It's great that she's eating and a nap with her family is good medicine.

We're hoping for more good days ahead for sweet Kylie.

Tracy & Zatoichiheart

Tracy & Warrior Angel Zatoichi 💓

Zato was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in October 2016. He triumphed through radiation and amputation with dignity and grace. After living a life of love and happiness, Zato earned his angel wings on February 19, 2018.  Read his story here.

On The Road


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9 July 2017 - 10:02 am
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I totally believe they know they are loved and feel gratitude for the care we give them. All creatures feel love and Kylie is no exception. Right now at this ruff time, she appreciates your care more than ever.

Have you tried any of the liverwursts, game meats like venison or any other stinky meats to help perk her up? I'm glad she did eat the peanut butter though!

Right now you are totally doing a great job at being present. This is the hardest thing ever for us humans but it's the greatest lesson our pets teach us. Spend today soaking up every moment together and know that whatever tomorrow brings, you made the most of today.

We send lots of love and hugs your way. Keep us posted OK?

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

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