Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Poppy was ran over on the 2nd May right in front of me the driver didn’t stop.
It happened at 7.30 at night she’s my first dog and the family just love her even if she can be naughty at times so this is all new to me I’d never really dealt with vets only to get her injections and sprayed I rushed her to the PDSA where she stayed for three days the house was empty and I was so emotional thinking the worst.
She had an external fixation that wasn’t nice to look at but after 2mins of getting over the shock what matter to me was my baby was fine and wagging her tale that stayed in for four weeks but it was a nightmare with infections and the body rejecting it. Another X-ray followed I was told it had not worked and they removed part of the fixation and booked Poppy back in for an operation to remove the rest and put a plate in her leg or amputation to my horror two days before she was due to go for surgery she woke me up yelping i took her out the cage and noticed the rest of the foxation had fallen out and was jabbing her back in the leg.
what followed was another op and a plate in her leg everything seemed fine no infection, no yelping or not major changes in the way her leg looked ( we took this as positive because with the fixation her leg turned in and we could tell it hadn’t worked) she was also very lightly like in the tip of her toe putting her leg down. Scratching her ear and moving it when walking then came week 5 and all of a sudden a little hole appeared and was weeping. Another trip to the vets they said it’s just friction but let’s get her in for an X-ray
so Tuesday of this week she was back in for an X-ray I had prepared all my family she would be loosing her leg but we all hoped it wouldn’t be the case just because she had been threw so much and is only 18 months old.
It hadn’t worked two of the bones had still not knitted together so she had her leg removed its been a very emotional 12 weeks.
i brought her home Tuesday she was sleepy and hardly moved which I expected. Wednesday she was eating and toileting fine then Wednesday night came and I noticed she kept shock turning towards the leg which has been removed and trying to get at it. She’s never bothered with her stitches before I didn’t pay much attention but didn’t leave her alone and left her cone on. Wednesday was horrific I was up all night she was just moaning and wanted constant affection she was also uncomfortable again jumping round to the wound and trying to get comfortable plus she was trembling around the wound.
I took her back to the vets Friday when I woke up she was boiling hot and refusing food luckily she was drinking but with encouragement from me. she was given a higher pain relief which has helped things loads she seems herself abit now even running a bit in the living room.
she has coped better than I ever thought so far the only thing I think she is still coming to terms with is her toileting peeing once a day and number twos so far has only been twice since Tuesday. I have pictures of her journey but not sure how to upload
Hello and welcome, your future posts will not have to wait for approval.
I'm sorry you and Poppy have been through so much!
First thought is that she is in pain, but it seems you have worked that out with your vet. Please be sure to keep an eye on that and keep your vet informed of what you are seeing, sometimes pups don't come home with enough pain meds or sometimes the dose or the dosing schedule has to modified. My Pug Maggie was on pain meds for two weeks after her rear amp although we were tapering the last day or two. The norm I see on this site is two to three weeks on pain meds, but some don't need them so long and there are a few who need them longer.
Did Poppy lose a front or rear leg? What kind of dog is she and what size?
You want to keep Poppy as quiet as possible while she heals- our surgeon said Maggie could only have short, leashed, potty breaks for the first two weeks post surgery. Mag didn't poop until day 6 or 7, the pain meds can be constipating.
My current Tripawd Elly lost her right rear leg after being hit by a car at 7 months old. I adopted her when she was 10 months old, she is now approaching 3 years on 3 legs! Elly can do pretty much anything a dog her size and age can do, she is a little Pug mix about 15.5 pounds. We don't go on long walks, and I try and avoid too much time on hard surfaces. We work on core strength and balance every day through games, food puzzles, trick and obedience training and balance exercises. We are also obsessed with the sport of Nose Work which is a great activity that challenges the mind and body!
You might want to look through the Required Reading List for info on the recovery period.
And Here is How to Add Photos to Forum Posts.
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
krun15 said
Hello and welcome, your future posts will not have to wait for approval.I'm sorry you and Poppy have been through so much!
First thought is that she is in pain, but it seems you have worked that out with your vet. Please be sure to keep an eye on that and keep your vet informed of what you are seeing, sometimes pups don't come home with enough pain meds or sometimes the dose or the dosing schedule has to modified. My Pug Maggie was on pain meds for two weeks after her rear amp although we were tapering the last day or two. The norm I see on this site is two to three weeks on pain meds, but some don't need them so long and there are a few who need them longer.
Did Poppy lose a front or rear leg? What kind of dog is she and what size?
You want to keep Poppy as quiet as possible while she heals- our surgeon said Maggie could only have short, leashed, potty breaks for the first two weeks post surgery. Mag didn't poop until day 6 or 7, the pain meds can be constipating.
My current Tripawd Elly lost her right rear leg after being hit by a car at 7 months old. I adopted her when she was 10 months old, she is now approaching 3 years on 3 legs! Elly can do pretty much anything a dog her size and age can do, she is a little Pug mix about 15.5 pounds. We don't go on long walks, and I try and avoid too much time on hard surfaces. We work on core strength and balance every day through games, food puzzles, trick and obedience training and balance exercises. We are also obsessed with the sport of Nose Work which is a great activity that challenges the mind and body!
You might want to look through the Required Reading List for info on the recovery period.
And Here is How to Add Photos to Forum Posts.
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls
Sorry I should have said. She lost her right rear leg she’s a Pomeranian. She’s not doing to much exercise I do have a very big back garden which has step to get to the grass so atm I am carrying her up the steps and keeping her on her lead she seems to always just want to lie down in garden so I just sit with her for 10 minutes and bring her back in. Because she knows how to get the cones off I can’t let her sleep in her cage at the moment so I’m sleeping in the living room with her till the stitches are removed. This is all very new to me and hardly any information online
Oh my gosh we are sorry about the accident and the long ordeal to save her leg but glad she made it through surgery! You've come to the right place for information about amputation, we are happy to help. You've already gotten some great input from Karen, to which I will add:
Stay strong and don't expect too much right now. She has been through a lot and with the most recent infection her body needs time to heal. Try to put yourself in her paws, odds are she is doing much better than any human would after all that 🙂
We are glad you are here. Let us know what questions you have, try not to worry OK?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Wow, it really sounds like Poppy has been through a lot! poor little thing!
It does sound like she's having issues with pain. They often don't send you home with the right combination of medications. What is she taking for pain right now? When Murphy had his surgery, he was sent home with Tramadol (a narcotic), Rimadyl (an anti-inflammatory like Motrin), and Gabapentin (which works great for nerve pain). Make sure that you aren't giving all of the medications together, that you are spacing them out so that there is adequate coverage throughout the day (and night). You can also apply an ice pack wrapped in a cloth to the incision a couple of times a day for 10-15 minutes. Also, massage around the area to help re-absorb the extra fluids that build up.
Recovery usually takes a couple of weeks. Most dogs need their pain medication for 2-3 weeks, weaning off during that 2nd week. Although some take it for longer. Every dog is different.
You should definitely see some improvement when she gets her stitches out.
Many people use a baby onsie t-shirt to help keep the incision covered. For bigger dogs they use boxer shorts, with the dog's tail sticking through the fly lol. It might be an idea to give her a break from the cone.
Donna
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
As ypu can see, you are not alone and we are here to,support you and answer any questions.
Most dogs here come home with Tramadol., Gabapentin, Rimadyl and an antibiotic. It sounds like, at first anyway, she was definitely showing signs of pain. It's MAJOR surgery and it hurts! You seem to be kn top of that now. Just stay consistent with the doses and don't let the pain get ahead start.
Pooping is often delayed several days because of the meds. So actually, twice since Tuesday ismpretty good! Appetite is off sometimes too. Try any yummy foods...cheeseburgers, bacon and eggs, warm chicken, etc. Drinking and peeing are important though. Is Poppy drinking fairly well?
I'm sorry you and Popoy had to go through so much to get to this point. But now that the bum leg is gone, she will br soooo much happier!! Obviously, recovery is no picnic for a couple of weeks. But once recovery is over, you will be so thrilled to see her sparkle come back bigger and brighter than you ever thought possible!
Hang in there and keep us updated! This little spitfire of a dog is going to be so happy now that she doesn't have to have anymore surgeries and the painful leg is gone!
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!
Thankyou so much for the replies it’s so nice to have people to talk to that have been threw all this too. It’s been a very emotional 3 months at one point we was going back every other day just to clean the wounds the top pin was just a nightmare and her body completely rejected it. She was sent home on Tuesday with loxicom something she has taken since the accident every day. When I got home and wasn’t so emotional I did think I can’t believe she’s omly been given that she now got Gabapentin too which is helping loads. She’s sleeping threw the night she always a little warm in the morning but not boiling. Water and food a picking up slowly she’s started to eat her dog biscuits again and I give her chicken and ham threw out the day. Water is ok I just have to keep encouraging her by holding the bowl up to her for her to drink. We go back to the vets tomorrow for a check up
Poppy had her last stitch removed the day...
She’s just over 3 weeks post surgery now.
Bit of a nightmare start of the week she went to have her stitches removed on Monday on the Sunday day I noticed a scab had opened up and was infected I cleaned like I’ve always been advised to but it was stuck to the fur that had grown. When I got to the vets on Monday it was an infection from licking so they wasn’t happy with me at all and told me if that spreads to her bones we will have to put her down there is nothing more we can do. I was very taken back and upset as I’d been advised the Monday before take her cone of and just monitor her. Which we did tbh since May when it happened Poppy has not been left alone someone has always been with her. Anyway she was put on antibiotics and I was told to go back Friday but because of what I was told I took her back Wednesday they removed the last stitch as they couldn’t remove it on the Monday I did mention I spotted to but the vet said no it’s just one and discharged Poppy I got in the car and found the second stitch her hair has grown to fast it was easily missed so I took her back today and it was removed. I want to say it over and I won’t have to go back to the vets but I don’t want to jinx anything just yet. She’s got to wear the cone for another week and I just have to keep an eye on the stitched area just incase of infection appears
3 months this has been going on for I have one very smelly and matted dog but i I wouldn’t have it any other way
Surgery 1 all the way back in May [Image Can Not Be Found]
when it started to go wrong she was left like this [Image Can Not Be Found]
surgery 2 the plate [Image Can Not Be Found]
surgery 3 leg amputation 1 day after surgery [Image Can Not Be Found]
26th July [Image Can Not Be Found]
I’ll get some pictures tomorrow now the fur is back a bit and no stitches
I have to say I have a particular dislike for vets who state to us it is our fault if we did or did not do something and if the worst happens it will be on our heads 😡
We DO all we can and more!
At all times!
How dare they ?!
You monitored Poppy but of course Poppy found a way of licking the incision when nobody was watching ... I bet the incision was itchy and it felt much better after she ... er ... worked on it ...
Now, she only has to wear the cone for another week and life will go back to normal 😃
Plus you will have a wonderfully smelling dog after the much needed bath 🛁 ... phew ...
Your girl is so gorgeous I cannot wait to see pictures of her when the fur grows back 😍 I bet she looks like the cutest little fox 🦊
Hugs and cuddles 😘🐮💫✨🌟🌹
Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-)
YOU ARE DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB FOR YOUR POPPY!! Most people wouldn't provide nearly the care you have given your sweet gal! And I agree with Teresa, shame on that Vet!! Time to drop that one and move on!! Things like that happen happen regardless! We see it a lot!
Hugs to you and to Poppy!
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!
I'm so sorry they scared you like that!
She looks really good, I'm glad to hear things are on the way up.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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