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.
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5:14 pm
5 June 2012
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Thank guys! I will definitely tell her :). We're over it now....I do feel bad I got upset with her tho. I'll make it up to her this weekend 🙂
Piper had a good day today. First day being home alone in his big crate. He did have a pee pee accident on his bedding today which is very unlike him.
And he still has zero interest in his dry dog food. He sure did like the pizza hubby just brought home tho!
He's got the potty thing outside mastered! Not even a wobble 🙂
Right now he's trying to curl up on my 11 yr olds bean bag and that is after a lengthy bark session at the neighbor 😉
Did anyone else's dog LOOK skinnier when they came home? I swear it looks like he's lost 5 lbs....and he was already tiny 🙁
5:37 pm
29 October 2010
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Abby for sure looked ridiculously skinny when she came home. I forget - is Piper a rear amp? Abby was a front amp, and they shaved so much of her, plus that whole shoulder being gone, I really thought she was going to weigh a lot less. I forget how much weight now it was that she lost when she had her first post-amp weigh in, but I was excepting they'd say she lost 10 lbs (she was ~52# going in to surgery) but I think she only lost ~5. I don't know if it's the missing fluffiness from the fur or what, but they come home looking very skinny!
That's good that he's got the potty thing mastered. And Abby was the same w/ dried food. We fed her some really gross looking (but obviously delicious to her) Newman's Own organic canned beef liver stuff while she was first recovering. She loved it! We really had to coax her to eat in the early days, which I think is normal because the meds really mess with their heads/tummies.
Abby: Aug 1, 2009 – Jan 10, 2012. Our beautiful rescue pup lived LARGE with osteosarcoma for 15 months – half her way-too-short life. I think our "halflistic" approach (mixing traditional meds + supplements) helped her thrive. (PM me for details. I'm happy to help.) She had lung mets for over a year. They took her from us in the end, but they cannot take her spirit! She will live forever in our hearts. She loved the beach and giving kisses and going to In-N-Out for a Flying Dutchman. Tripawds blog, and a more detailed blog here. Please also check out my novel, What the Dog Ate. Now also in paperback! Purchase it at Amazon via Tripawds and help support Tripawds!
9:57 pm
5 June 2012
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Yes, Piper's a rear amp....mid femoral. He just looks so much thinner, through his waist mostly. He was in the hospital for 4 days so I'm hoping thats part of it. We're trying whatever we can that he'll eat (pizza, ham, you name it) 😉
Did Abby ever go back to the dry food?
Wonderful to hear you've got your dog back home! Wish you all the best for the recovery and everything!
12:37 pm
29 October 2010
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Yes, Abby did go back to the dry food, although at one point I started mixing in about 1/4 - 1/2 home made food. Mainly cuz I wanted to feel like I was "doing something" to help fight her cancer. We had her on Blue Buffalo Wildnerness formula which is grain free , and the onc was happy for her to just be on that, but he told me I could mix in my own meat/veg mix if I wanted to, so I started boiling chicken and adding that plus some broccoli to her meals. She loved it.
Abby: Aug 1, 2009 – Jan 10, 2012. Our beautiful rescue pup lived LARGE with osteosarcoma for 15 months – half her way-too-short life. I think our "halflistic" approach (mixing traditional meds + supplements) helped her thrive. (PM me for details. I'm happy to help.) She had lung mets for over a year. They took her from us in the end, but they cannot take her spirit! She will live forever in our hearts. She loved the beach and giving kisses and going to In-N-Out for a Flying Dutchman. Tripawds blog, and a more detailed blog here. Please also check out my novel, What the Dog Ate. Now also in paperback! Purchase it at Amazon via Tripawds and help support Tripawds!
5:37 pm
5 June 2012
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Pipers depressed today 🙁
Thanks for the food suggestions. Ill update again soon
Sorry Piper's having a rough day. Tango was in a slump yesterday, I think all the meds and crazy new routines get them down from time to time. Here's hoping tomorrow is better!
8:42 pm
29 October 2010
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It's so normal for them to seem depressed. I know it's hard to see, but hang in there. It'll pass!
Abby: Aug 1, 2009 – Jan 10, 2012. Our beautiful rescue pup lived LARGE with osteosarcoma for 15 months – half her way-too-short life. I think our "halflistic" approach (mixing traditional meds + supplements) helped her thrive. (PM me for details. I'm happy to help.) She had lung mets for over a year. They took her from us in the end, but they cannot take her spirit! She will live forever in our hearts. She loved the beach and giving kisses and going to In-N-Out for a Flying Dutchman. Tripawds blog, and a more detailed blog here. Please also check out my novel, What the Dog Ate. Now also in paperback! Purchase it at Amazon via Tripawds and help support Tripawds!
10:00 pm
5 June 2012
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Poor baby 🙁 I wish he felt better.
10:32 pm
27 December 2011
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He is so adorable!!! So glad he's home. The first few weeks have some ups and downs-Lily would start crying loudly, and it freaked all of us out. But she was great after a few weeks. Hang in there; he will feel better soon. Thank heavens for all the support from everyone here when we need it
Our beautiful Lily was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in her front leg on 12/14/11 at age 8 and had amp on 12/16/11. She completed 5 rounds of carbo. She was so brave and kicked cancer's butt daily! She lived life fully for 4 years, 3 months, and 15 days after her amp. My angel is a warrior princess. I miss her so much.
11:44 pm
Well the problem is obvious!! How can a manly dog like Piper recover when he is wrapped in a blanked with butterflies on it? He needs a blanket with bears or moose or wolves on it!!
Tri-pug Maggie stayed in her bed for the most of the day for about 3 weeks. She was stubborn and obstinate and really good at showing displeasure. But she eventually came around. It is hard to see them when they are not happy- don't get discouraged!! You did the right thing, he will get better.
Karen and the pugapalooza
3:41 am
7 June 2012
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Aww.....that is such a sad face! Piper is a really cute boy.....I hope he's feeling a bit more chipper soon! It's got to be the meds, it must really take it out of them. Moby seems a bit down and dazed at the moment, a couple of hours after her morning meds.
Our brave warriors will make it through
9:25 am
9 February 2011
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How is Piper this morning?
I hadn't been able to be on here for several days so I didn't see that Piper was feeling punky, but I think it's pretty typical. I always say that there may be a crash that lasts several days. I wrote a blog post about how I wish vets were a bit more honest when they discuss the after-effects of amputation with us. I know I wrote that they are used to seeing such horror and recovery that something as "mundane" to them as amputation must seem like no big deal. But to us, it's the biggest deal we'll likely ever have to deal with.
Like Abby's mom, I also had to make modifications to Dakota's food to get him eating. He was unwilling to walk to his bowl for quite some time, and part of that was disinterest. So if Piper will eat pizza, I guess you know what to do! Little bits of encouragement stirred into his food.
Some people here have written about taking their dog out for a car ride or something like that to spark interest in something. If Piper has always enjoyed going places, you could put down some clean towels and stick boxer shorts on him (to keep the incision area clean), load the kids in the car with him and go for a ride. Go get some fast food for lunch and give Piper a plain burger and see what he thinks, for instance. Ask the burger joint to make Piper a Flying Dutchman. They will if you tell them what you want. They'll make him anything as long as you're paying!
Are there people he loves to see? Get in the car and go see one of them. Don't let Piper overdo and monitor him very closely, but you can begin to feed his spirit and his interest. He's a convalescent but not an invalid, so maybe try to light a fire in him and see if it ignites. Have your kids had friends over lately? Does Piper get excited ordinarily when they come over? Maybe he needs some kids to remind him of what fun is. Good luck, and be sure to let us know how he is now.
Shari
From abandoned puppy to Tripawd Warrior Dude, Dakota became one of the 2011 February Furballs due to STS. Our incredibly sweet friend lived with grace and dignity till he impulsively raced over the Bridge on 12-15-12.
Dakota's thoughtful and erudite blog is at http://shari.tr.....pawds.com/
9:46 am
Team Tripawds
Administrators
25 September 2009
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Dakota Dawg said
Ask the burger joint to make Piper a Flying Dutchman. They will if you tell them what you want. They'll make him anything as long as you're paying!
An explanation about what the heck a Flying Dutchman is can be found here. It's basically a double burger with cheese, without a bun. Yum!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
9:52 am
29 October 2010
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Abby would only cheer up when people would come to visit. Maybe you could have someone stop by and say hi.
Abby: Aug 1, 2009 – Jan 10, 2012. Our beautiful rescue pup lived LARGE with osteosarcoma for 15 months – half her way-too-short life. I think our "halflistic" approach (mixing traditional meds + supplements) helped her thrive. (PM me for details. I'm happy to help.) She had lung mets for over a year. They took her from us in the end, but they cannot take her spirit! She will live forever in our hearts. She loved the beach and giving kisses and going to In-N-Out for a Flying Dutchman. Tripawds blog, and a more detailed blog here. Please also check out my novel, What the Dog Ate. Now also in paperback! Purchase it at Amazon via Tripawds and help support Tripawds!
