Tripawds Three Legged Dog & Cat Forum Archives
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Hi all and thank you for this wonderful resource. Our beagle Buddy is 11 days post-op - amputation of front left leg due to cancer, the type which they're still determining. We hope to hear back this week. We stopped the all the meds yesterday (he was on Gabapentin, Tramadol and Rimadyl), but gave him one Tramadol in the evening because it seemed like he needed it.
I'm writing because he's not really been up and about voluntarily - sleeping a lot on our bed most of the day and evening. We really need to coax him in order to get up - as in fully lift him onto his feet. He's been doing the big grin panting / hyperventilating and we can't tell if it's pain or he's hot - it's less frequently than in the beginning, but it hasn't gone away entirely. He's eating, peeing & pooping all regularly.
We've had a couple of visitors come by to see his reaction and he does greet them with excitement. He plays with one of his toys on occasion for a short period of time. He's only walking as far as he needs before he sits or lies down. He just doesn't have his sparkle back and I know it's major surgery, but I wanted to see if anyone else had this experience 10+ days afterwards. He's getting his staples out Weds and am hoping when we can walk him with a harness we'll see more life return.
Thank you in advance for any advice.
Buddy's Mom & Dad / Kara & Dave
Hi Kara, Dave & Buddy, welcome! Your future posts won't need to wait for approval so post away! In short, yes, this happens quite often. Usually it's a matter of more time and adjusting pain management .
We have quite a few members right now who are in the same recovery timeframe. It does sound like he's on track with recovery, but still needing some more time and additional pain control. The rapid breathing and lethargy are classic pain signals in dogs. Not all dogs will go off medication at the same time. Everyone is different. Buddy is his own dog. Also, recent studies show tramadol is not the ideal medication it was once thought to be, so please talk to your vet about adjusting the Gabapentin (generally, when given smaller doses multiple times a day we see a huge benefit). Sometimes a muscle relaxer can help too.
Also, what is Buddy's age? And is he an ideal weight right now? Older dogs do need more time than younger ones, and any excess pounds on a dog of any age will make recovery longer too.
Talk to your vet about his pain signals tomorrow and let them know you believe he is not where he needs to be. Pain medication can help with that. Also, please consider veterinary rehab therapy. It's soooo helpful for new Tripawds and parents learn a lot too about proper exercise for their 3-legger. And when dogs like Buddy aren't where they need to be, it can make a tremendous difference in getting him there.
We are such big believers in the benefits of therapy that the Tripawds Foundation can pay for your first rehab visit so please take advantage of the program. If your vet doesn't have a therapist they can refer you to, let us know and we can help find one.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thanks so much for your reply, Jerry - and the helpful info. Buddy is 6 and weighs about 30lbs. He could prob stand to lose a few to aid in recovery. Last night was a bit rough as we think we overdid it yesterday a bit with exercise. He also has a leaky valve which could contribute to this, I imagine. We eventually gave him 100mg of Gabapentin and ~33mg (I think) of Rimadyl to ease it a bit. He drank quite a bit of water late last night and ended up urinating in our bed where he was, which is unusual. I think that it was just circumstantial. We took him out at around 2:30a after it happened and he peed outside a couple more times then settled when we got back into the house. I think the meds kicked in and he got in his bed and fell asleep. We won't be giving him Tramadol going forward. This morning he got up for breakfast and we took him outside where he saw another dog and was acting like his usual self - baying to say hi...that was very encouraging. We'll keep you posted on this week and thanks again!
Kara
Just catching up on your precious Buddy. So glad Jerry was able to give you reassurance with her valuable feedback 👍
Yes, it's so 3asy for Tripawds to overdo it the first couple of weeks in recovery. Just the slightest bit of a. little burst of energy here and there, or a wrong twist can throw them for a loop. The first two weeks are strictly controlled potty breaks and then back I side for rest, rest, rest. Rest is what helps him heal. And peeing in their bed (or your bed) does happen. Sometimes it's just too much effort to get up..sometimes the meds can make them unaware they even need to go.
My Happy Hannah was on pain meds for approximately three weeks (a lower dose going I to the third week). As Jerry mentioned, sounds like Buddy needs Gabapentin on a more consistent basis. Many dogs are at eight hour intervals. Once the pain breaks thru it"'s harder to get it under control. So stay consistent for the next several days and in a more frequently than every twelve hours. Of course, only with Vet guidance..
You can also give Buddy lots of massa9 up and down his spine, neck and shoulder area to keep his muscles relaxed. Right now they are all tight as they adjust to a new gait.
Buddy's sparkle will come back, PROMISE!! You already have things to celebrate....he's earing...he's engaged with visitors and the neighbor dog, he played with his toy (hopefully not too vigorously). While these seem "little" events, during recovery they are huge victories!!
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!
Hey Kara, thanks for filling us in. I'm going to x2 everything Sally mentioned, especially about staying consistent with pain control. Do talk to your vet before cutting out the Tram completely, we don't recommend making any changes until you communicate with them OK?
Yes, the extra pounds coming off will help tremendously (1 extra pound on a dog is = to 5 extra lbs on a human). This is a good time to scale back his food intake, especially because he's not getting as much activity.
Also, if you have other dogs who can visit, without getting him too wild and crazy, that might also perk him up too (as you've already noticed).
Keep us posted!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thanks to all of you for your thoughtful replies. Buddy has turned a corner, everyone! He's doing fantastic. He's looking bright, running on his walks, playing with his toys and overall has made a significant improvement since my last message. Additionally, they didn't find any cancer in any of the biopsies, which is good news (no chemo!). That said, we do not know yet what was causing the bone to deteriorate and cause pain. I'll keep you posted. XO
YAAAAAAAY!!! GOOD JOB BUDDY...AND YOU TOO KARA!!! We knew you could do it!!!
And then to get such a pawsitive report back....YAAAAAY. A GAZZILLION YAYS!!! This is the news we love to hear. Buddy's recovery will inspire newbies who are fearful and impatient with recovery. You rocked it after a rough start!!!
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!
Oh boy we needed that good news, thank you for taking time to update. YAY BUDDY!!!!! What a great turn of events. This is the kind of update that gives hope to others when they need it most. CHEERS TO MORE GOOD BUDDY NEWS!!!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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