Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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So Charlie is coming home already! He has his surgery yesterday and I get him later today. Seems quick but the tech said he was standing around in his room and is ready to go!
This is great, except we have a wedding to go to tomorrow. Any tips for leaving him alone so soon after surgery? it would probably be for 4-6 hours.
He will be coming home with a drain. So I will make sure that is pumped right before leaving. I will also dose his pain meds about an hr before we leave since that seems how long it takes to kick in. I'm going to put things to block him from the couch so he doesn't go there.
He has 2 "floor beds"(pillows and blankets over egg crate foam) in the living room and one in my office and I will leave the fans on for him.
Any other suggestions? We will try to be gone as little time as needed but its a family wedding so we must show up..
That’s fantastic news that Charlie is already ready to come home.
Re leaving him, i can see you are in a difficult situation but I have to say I would advise against. This is very soon after major surgery and while he might be okay, equally he might not, and there’s no way for you to know.
Is there anyone you could ask to come and be with him? If not, then my suggestion would be to ask the vets if they can keep him until after the wedding. That way he’s got an expert eye on him and you will be able to relax and enjoy the wedding.
All best to you and Charlie!
Meg, Clare and Angel Pie xxx
Ruby, Staffy, born June 2022, became a Tripawd, 23 November 2023, adopted 12 January 2024.
Also Angel Tripawd Meg (aka The Megastar), who died in April 2023, aged 14, after seven glorious years on three, and Angel Staffies Pie and Bille. In the pawprints of giants...
megstamum said
Is there anyone you could ask to come and be with him? If not, then my suggestion would be to ask the vets if they can keep him until after the wedding. That way he’s got an expert eye on him and you will be able to relax and enjoy the wedding.
I think my sister is having a dog sitter for her dogs at my mom's. But that won't be as "calm and quiet" for him with 3 other dogs being there. He might try to be over active and bust a stitch.
Hmmm...is there any way to have him stay the afternoon at the clinic? Can you go get him after the wedding? Tough situation since it's a weekend and all. If not, and you don't have anyone who can dog sit, if you have baby gates to block off the rest of the house so that you can keep him in one room, that would be ideal. Are your floors all slip-proofed?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I hesitated in replying as don’t like to sound judgmental but I totally agree with Clare, he just got out of major surgery.
Anything can happen.
I would not leave him with a dog sitter and 3 other dogs either, he needs to be in a quiet, calm environment.
If it was me, I would either leave him at the vets, as Clare suggested or would not attend the wedding ...
Sorry to sound harsh but I had to say this.
Good luck and lots of cuddles to your boy 😘😘🐮💫✨🌟🌹
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 :-)
The clinic is 40 min away and it doesn't seem practical to take him back there. I know he doesn't eat well there and gets stressed (from last time he was there for pancreatitis he kept barking to leave!) so we really didnt want to keep him the extra 2 nights.
everything is slip protected. Rugs everywhere! We could block off the hall so he just stays in the living room.
Its just crappy things always all happen at once! We would have waited until after the wedding for the surgery but sooner was better to get rid of pain :/
GREAT NEWS THAT CHARLIE IS HOME!!!! Yeah, the timing because of the wedding is a little rough though.
So ypu have ANY ONE who could just sit wth him at home during those couple of hours?. You've done a great job of preparing your home and making it safe. And agreed, home is the best place for hm to be.
Call uou Vet and see if a Vet Tech coild come over...or any staff member. Hmmm....a neighbor who could check in.......any one like that?
But yeah, would definitely confine him to one small area as Jerry suggested with all the safety features you've implemented .
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!
We determined that one of us can come home during the appetizer time, so that's better. We are also going to set up the Alfred phone app so we can keep an eye on him.
We are going to try to see if our neighbor will be able to sit here for a bit if she's in town, Charlie likes her.
He's just passed out now. The tech checking us out said that he's doing great and that he's being strong! She said he should be ok for a few hours on his own, just to manage his pain meds so he's sleepy while we are away.
*sigh* I feel guilty for having to leave him so soon but my gut also says he will just sleep through it.
(whether or not someone is with him)
As I said earlier, good luck.
I hope he will be alright, often that is the case for recent amputation patients but not always.
Angel Eurydice is on duty, keeping an eye out for him ... and she is quite a powerful, determined Angel ...
🐮💫✨😘🌹
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 :-)
eurydice said
Angel Eurydice is on duty, keeping an eye out for him ... and she is quite a powerful, determined Angel ...
🐮💫✨😘🌹
Thank you!
A medium I've talked to also says he has two spirit guides with him helping him walk. I am sure they will watch over him also.
I spoke to our neighbor and she will be able to check on him so we feel better now
EXCELLENT PLAN!!!
You can have a well deserved relaxing and fun time with no worries!! I know we all sound a bit paranoid and maybe overly dramatic! We don't mean to!
Though very, very rare, we've seen "Murphy's Law" pop up on occasion when recovering druggy dogs are left alone. Heck, we've seen things happen when someone is home and just sitting in the next room!
You've got all your bases covered reallky well and are doing an excellent job of caring for your Charlie! Now, please, go relax and have a fun time at the wedding!!
Bedsides, you have Eurydice and others watching over sweet Charlie!! Guardian Angels are such great BFF's to have in your corner💖
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!
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