Hello!

My dog had a front leg amputated one week ago due to osteosarcoma and after browsing the forums here a few times I decided to register. I've found a lot of great tips, such as the Ruffwear harness recommendation–thank you!

He is recovering nicely, but developed a fair amount of edema–not at all unexpected, given the amount of dead space and disrupted lymphatics left after a surgery like this! So I reviewed my notes from orthopedics class (I'm a veterinary student).  We were taught that one of the best ways to manage post-surgical edema is massage–starting at the outermost area of edema and moving away, then gradually starting the massage closer to the surgical site every day as the edema diminishes. I can't say for sure that it is due to the 3 or 4 daily massages I've been giving him, but the edema is going away fairly quickly. (Disclaimer: I am not yet a licensed DVM, do not attempt any treatments without consulting your veterinarian!)

I did a quick Google to see if I could find any more info on the subject and found this article, which basically says that a study in humans found massage to be as good as morphine for relieving pain and anxiety after surgery: http://www.busi.....eek.com/li.....e+medicine

It's hard not to feel helpless at a time like this–whether or not it reduces edema, my dog definitely enjoys these massages and it lets me feel like I'm doing something for him.

So, thanks for everything, and give the article a read if you have time!