Tripawds Three Legged Dog & Cat Forum Archives
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They say the drowsiness caused by gabapentin can wear off eventually
That was my experience with gaba in my quad pug Tani- she took it for her arthritis. It did slow her down at first but once her body acclimated to it I didn't see any drowsiness.
He is awfully cute! And having a pup you need to slow down is a good problem to have!
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Maggie's Story Amputation and Chemo
Find me now on Tripawds Circle
Thanks Karen, for your experience with gaba.
I've just been reading about seromas on this site, and how they happen a bit more with dogs that are active after surgery - so I will try not to let him wear me down and give in to his drive to play or walk too soon. Should I keep him pretty restricted for at least a week?
I might follow Sally's advice and get him more stuffy bears as he can sit down and pull them to bits without moving around too much 🙂
YaY for Badger! Sounds like everything is going well!! Izzy never had any weeping from her incision ... and she even fell directly on it more than once. Being a front amp, stairs and her exuberance were a bad combo for a bit, but she sorted it out quickly.
I hope you're feeling good about how all is going. I'm guessing you now understand why so many of us are "pro" amputation. I'm so so so glad I had two more years with Izzy - even though I wanted 20 and would have STILL felt shorted at the end of it - but to be honest, she did so great and was sooooo happy, even if she'd not lived to be an old lady, I wouldn't trade the "bonus" time with her for anything.
Badger can go for SHORT walks ... might do you both some good to take a quick jaunt. Just keep it brief and try to make sure you don't put yourself into a spot where you end up carrying a tired pup for a long distance. 
LOVE the photos, love the updates - keep rocking it, Badger!!!!
Momma to the world's most beautiful American Bulldog, Izzy!! Lost her front leg to OSA 9/18/15. Diagnosed w MCT in June 2016. Celebrated her 1 year ampuversary with knee surgery on 9/18/16! MCT recurrence in Dec 2016. Happy & hungry til nearly 14, earning her wings on 7/31/17.
Yes it's fab to see him so chirpy, it does make me feel better about the decision. Even if we don't get a lot of time if he can run and play again for a while then it's worth it. The smooth recovery so far and seeing him being himself already is definitely helping!
Great to know on the short walks thanks, I think he'd love to go pee on some trees and sniff around a little bit. Yeah I won't be carrying him, he's 48 pounds at the moment!
Ha! I feel your pain! Izzy was about 48 pounds post amp (she'd lost a ton of weight just before diagnosis) and was tipping the scales closer to 55-60 in the past year. Foolish me had taken to carrying her after her knee surgery and as she got old(er) and weak(er) ... I did stop that nonsense for may be a week after falling down a flight of stairs with her in my arms on Easter morning but once i was no longer in pain/petrified that id's definitely fall again, well, I don't need to finish that line lol
I'm just thrilled that Badger's spirits and energy are up. Do be aware that some pups "crash" but others don't. We'll keep fingers crossed that he doesn't!
Hope it's not too cool for a short but of sniffing about and seeing on trees! (Badger, not you - can't have the neighbors wondering about you!) 
Amy & HRF Angel Izzy
Momma to the world's most beautiful American Bulldog, Izzy!! Lost her front leg to OSA 9/18/15. Diagnosed w MCT in June 2016. Celebrated her 1 year ampuversary with knee surgery on 9/18/16! MCT recurrence in Dec 2016. Happy & hungry til nearly 14, earning her wings on 7/31/17.
Our surgeon told us only short, leashed potty breaks for the first two weeks after surgery.
Maggie didn't get a seroma after her amp surgery- but she did get one after she had her first tumor removed about 6 months before.
Did your vet give you any guidance on activity level?
Karen
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Maggie's Story Amputation and Chemo
Find me now on Tripawds Circle
Ha ha, well I do pee on shrubs when I'm out in the bush if there are no facilities, but here I will control my urges and leave it to Badger! Definitely too many neighbours around 🙂
Ouch to that fall down the stairs carrying Izzy! I lifted Badger a bit when his leg was still there and sore, he didn't like it much. However, that didn't stop him from asking me to when he wanted to get up onto the couch and couldn't do the jump comfortably!
I'm not letting him on the couch or any other tall surfaces now though.
Thanks for the warning, will prep for a mood crash but hope he doesn't have one.
The vet just said keep him a bit quiet for the first week, mostly focused on not giving him a chance to bump or hurt that wound while it's healing. There's a few trees just out our back gate so can walk him to there, only about 50 meters in total I'd say.
That sounds about right!
Izzy was allowed maybe 10 minutes or so for walking for the first couple weeks after surgery - and at a reasonable (meandering) pace. It wasn't until about week three that we were told she could do a bit more. Truthfully, I think it's mostly about the fact that dogs are a bit like kids ... they don't know when to just CHILL OUT and will overdo it if we let them. I think you've got a good handle on things and if Badger can get some of his boredom cured via toys, that's the best bet. You might even get a "puzzle" for him - a treat dispensing toy that he's got to figure out. It will keep his mind occupied and help with the "cabin fever"!
Momma to the world's most beautiful American Bulldog, Izzy!! Lost her front leg to OSA 9/18/15. Diagnosed w MCT in June 2016. Celebrated her 1 year ampuversary with knee surgery on 9/18/16! MCT recurrence in Dec 2016. Happy & hungry til nearly 14, earning her wings on 7/31/17.
Hi everyone. A brief update on Badger, not much to report thankfully. He has been a little flatter for a couple of days than he was on day 4 after surgery which was when he followed me around half the day and growled wanting to play. It might be partly because he's smart enough to work out he's not getting all the play and exercise he wants, and he seems happy to go to his bed and snooze most of the day.
He seems fine though, still likes the mini-walks and is still eating and drinking with enthusiasm as always.
The last of the swelling and bruising from the surgery is almost gone. Unfortunately it moved with gravity and down into his penis two days ago so that looked a bit sore and swollen, but it is almost back to normal today and he kept peeing just fine.
Here is a pic of him napping, sums him up at the moment! The vet mentioned he might take Badger off meds after about a week but I haven't heard from the vet and I have plenty of tablets left so I am keeping them going as Badger seems really comfortable (they could be keeping him drowsy I guess). He still can't sit or lie on the wound side, and from what I've read here meds for the first two weeks are pretty common?
Badger, napping.
And here he is playing with a squeaker toy in the afternoon. He is finally using the non-slip mats that I put all over the floors for him, he carefully walked around them when he first came home
Badger is looking good! Sounds like he's doing great and YES! The fluid/swelling movement is normal, meds for two weeks is normal and some dogs resist laying on the amp side for a while (Izzy did not but she was a front amp and that's a bit different).
Badger is likely just settling in to the new "normal" of resting up. That said, you my find that he tires a bit more easily when he's able to increase his activity level. Just like a human who takes a couple of weeks off from exercise, dogs lose stamina, too.
I love the photos and am THRILLED that he's doing so well! I think you are probably beginning to understand why many of us may seem like "amputation advocates" as it really is a second chance at a completely normal life. Unlike humans, dogs don't get caught up in the loss of a limb ... lots of reasons why ... they just get back to living!
Happy for you both and hope the good news just keeps on coming!
Amy & that big pig in the sky, Izzy!
Momma to the world's most beautiful American Bulldog, Izzy!! Lost her front leg to OSA 9/18/15. Diagnosed w MCT in June 2016. Celebrated her 1 year ampuversary with knee surgery on 9/18/16! MCT recurrence in Dec 2016. Happy & hungry til nearly 14, earning her wings on 7/31/17.
He looks great!
We often see dogs crash a bit around days 5 though 7. Not entirely sure why but probably something to do with the hospital meds getting fully out of their systems and them getting exhausted after hopping for a few days. Sounds like Badger maybe had a mini-crash 
Napping is a good thing!
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Maggie's Story Amputation and Chemo
Find me now on Tripawds Circle
Thanks Amy and Karen. Good to know about the meds and the swelling thanks.
Badger was pretty sparky again this morning and loved his walk, a squeaker toy and then a pigs ear to chew, so maybe it was one of those mini crashes. Mind you he settled again quickly, he is becoming a napping expert and yeah he will definitely need some gradual fitness development when he's allowed, and I think I will too as I'm staying in more than usual to keep an eye on him! We've avoided the e-collar and the T-shirt so far, he's not licking the wound at all after being told twice not to - such a smart dog He knows he is being watched though...
It's great to see him getting back to his normal self, I can understand why you are in favour of amputation when the situation is right - although it does sound like we've been extra lucky and had it pretty easy so far. I think anytime from now we probably would have had to euthanise him due to the leg pain, so every extra day is a bonus and I'm so happy to see him enjoying things.
He is currently under the desk and contentedly sleeping on my feet as usual.
Thanks heaps for all the support!
Joyously, I have nothing much to report from this side. Badger is doing so well. I pulled back the Gabapentin to twice per day instead of 3 times, a few days ago, and he's still comfortable and now much more alert, he is pretty much himself now and not dozing as much. He was spending most of the day retiring on his bed before and is now back onto lying on the floor again and moving around the house as normal.
The wound has healed really nicely and the stitches are due out Monday.
I'm chatting to the vet today about starting to wean him back off Gaba. We're on day 11 post surgery.
All good right now!
Awesome!
Noting to report is great, what a wonderful recovery. Badger is a star!
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Maggie's Story Amputation and Chemo
Find me now on Tripawds Circle
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