Tripawds Three Legged Dog & Cat Forum Archives
Tripawds is your home to learn how to care for a three legged dog or cat. Explore 17+ years of forum archives for stories and answers to questions about dog leg amputation, and cat amputation recovery. Enjoy fresh discussion and connect with members in the new Tripawds Support Circle.
Join The Tripawds Community
Register your free account to join the Tripawds Support Circle. Connecting with members and getting the support you need is now easier than ever with the Circle app!
✅ Easy Photo Upload
✅ Direct Messaging
✅ Subscribe to Topics.
✅ Live Chat and much more!
Forums Locked: Search archives for answers & join Tripawds Support Circle to keep discussion going!
Log In
Members
We went to the dr with Charlie today. Was all set to proceed with leg surgery on Saturday.
Now we have to wait. The radiologist saw a spot on the right shoulder (left is the bad one) and they can't say for sure what it might be.
So the dr wants to do a CT scan of the right shoulder, if it looks suspicious then they want to biopsy it.
if it only looks like arthritis then they will proceed with the leg removal Tuesday.
(they couldn't get a CT scan done on sat and the CT is booked between now and sat)
So now I just hate waiting even longer to see what we will do with Charlie.
We were all set in our minds to do the leg removal. Now with this other spot, if it is the bone cancer what do we do?
It also sucks the dr said it will be 7-10 days to get the biopsy results if that is done. It wasn't clear if we had to wait for the biopsy results to proceed with a leg removal or not if we were still going to remove the leg even if the shoulder was cancer.
This just makes things even more difficult now because he has to deal with his left leg pain for longer. Then if it is cancer in his right side also we just don't know what we should do. We don't want that to start causing him too much pain also!
Please just pray his right side is arthritis, otherwise it might be time for him to get his wings and I just don't feel like it is yet but I can't see him just living on pain meds...
1:09 pm
Team Tripawds
Administrators
25 September 2009
Offline
Ok, first, this is sooo hard but B R E A T H E. Promise me. Close your eyes. Inhale deeply through your nose. Exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat. This helps, I promise.
Some thing to consider:
It sucks that you all have to wait. But maybe that's a good thing. Holiday weekends tend to be VERY busy at vet clinics, not the best day to do a major surgery like amputation. You want him to be there on a slow day.
Your vets are doing a great job by taking precautions. That's all it is. Odds are it's arthritis. It happens all the time. I'm sorry you have to wait for the tests to come back, but you won't regret having all the information there before surgery.
For now, what pain medication is he on? If he is showing signs of pain, ask your vet to help you adjust the medication. Either through higher dosages or adding another one into the mix.
It feels terrible to feel so out of control. Just remember, we can't control the future, ever, but we can control how we react to things that happen in the present. Stay calm and know that right now, all Charlie wants is for you to be happy. Really! Even his pain isn't as important to him as knowing that the pack is in command of the situation. You can do it! Be an advocate, get him enough pain control and take things moment by moment.
If you want to talk, the Tripawds Helpline is here too OK? Hang in there.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thanks Jerry. It is probably better to wait but right now its just not wanting the legenth of pain to continue, I know removing the leg removes the pain.
I hope it is just arithitis
We have tramadol for him now and I am also giving him T-Relief (homopathic) and he continues to get CBD oil.
Its so hard to control my negativeness and to be happy for him. I know he's reading me because I am his person.
I'm actually taking him and myself to a resonance repatterning session friday night. it seems like an odd technique but its supposed to help you let go of old emotions and such. I am hopeing it may help me be more positive for Charlie and for him to let go of some of my emotional burden so he fees better on that part. Or it might do nothing but its worth a try.
5:16 pm
Team Tripawds
Administrators
25 September 2009
Offline
color23 said
Its so hard to control my negativeness and to be happy for him. I know he's reading me because I am his person...
Yes, he will follow your lead. This is why we say Be More Dog , and that is not just some silly saying...listen to our Be More Dog podcast for details.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Who gave you the tramadol? General vet or onco? I would ask your local vet for something stronger than tramadol. The talk with some vets is itvdoesn’t work well and it’s not being used very much There are better options. Like gabapentin for example
We started him on gabapentin this morning, combining it with the tramadol. Waiting for a call back from oncologist to see the best way to space them out so he stays covered.
Treating him over night is the hardest because we want him to stay comfortable but I also want us all to get sleep.
He will still get the pet releaf for general use but we probably will lower the amount some.
luke4275 said
What is the concern with sleep? What is ur dosing schedule?
Well it would be great if he could sleep through the night without waking up at 2-4 am grumbling or whining in pain 🙁
The oncologist said 2 tram every 8 hrs, 300 mg gab every 8-12 hrs but its only 8 hrs apart so far. She said it doesn't matter if he gets them all at once or apart. So I'm trying to see what is keeping him most comfortable.
Giving him the tram 4 hrs apart from the gab so he gets something sooner or even breaking the tram dose to 1 pill every 4 hrs
4:49 pm
3 April 2013
Offline
It's best to alternate them - so give the tramadol, then 4 hours later the gabapentin. That way he has a more even coverage - your vet is wrong.
12 - medication #1
4 - med #2
8 - med #1
12 - med #2
This will give the most relief with the medications you have. They could add something like Rimadyl/Carprofen/Meloxicam (all are NSAID's like Motrin) to add a little more relief.
Donna (this is from a nurse, so take it from experience 
)
Donna, Glenn & Murphy
Murphy had his right front leg amputated due to histiocytic sarcoma at 7 years old. He survived 4 years, 2 months & 1 week, only to be taken by hemangiosarcoma at 11 1/2 years 6/12/17
Read about Murphy's Life on Three Legs
6:54 pm
Team Tripawds
Administrators
25 September 2009
Offline
midnighter94 said
...your vet is wrong.
Please know that Donna is a very experience Registered (human) Nurse, and that we always recommend consulting with your veterinarian regarding prescribed medication, dosages, and administration instructions. When in doubt, seek a second opinion.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
The tramadol is the weakest link. If you need to skip one bec its 4 am. , id skip that one. Have u considered galliprant for OA ?
it seems like we are figuring it out. He needs a tramodol about 2.5 hrs before he's supposed to get his scheduled Gab at 8 hrs apart
We give him a T-relief homopathic at the same time as tramadol.
He gets the PetReleaf as needed in between if he's in pain and its too soon for meds
I think the galliprant is what my regular vet mentioned before but we haven't tried it
8:57 am
Vet Expert
Vets
Members
23 August 2008
Offline
I would agree to add some kind of NSAID for inflammation unless your vet thinks there is some reason not to use it. I use meloxicam for my big dog but Galliprant is the newest veterinary NSAID and may be safer on the GI tract as well as liver and kidneys.
Pam
Rimadyl (and perhaps other NSAIDs) are reputed to have a complementary effect with Gabapentin . . . they don't need to be taken together, but they work together just the same and the whole exceeds the sum of the pieces. I'm also surprised to hear Luke's comment on Tramadol which has been wonderful for Jake (who turned 15 yesterday) and his lumbo sacral stenosis. FWIW, I tried giving Jake Gabapentin but it seemed too disorienting, especially for long-term use.
We are NOT giving him a NSAID yet because of his pancreatitis history. My mom's dog was on rimadyl longer term and had bad side effects.
The gabapentin does seem to make charlie a little woozy so we will talk to the dr about other pain meds for him also.
YAY the CT was CLEAR! Also nothing in the lungs so far. Surgery will be Thursday
