Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Charlie, our 4 year old, 120lb, bernese mountain dog had her front right amputated 2 days ago due to bone cancer. Our first day at home was difficult but had bright moments. Charlie was happy to be home and wagging her tail when I helped her outside. She is having a hard time figuring out how to go to the washroom. We are using a webmaster harness to help her get around, but she seem able to get up and lay down on her own. We are really doubting if we did the right thing by amputating because she's such a big girl. With a 8 month baby boy, my wife and I are feeling overwhelmed. I am going back into work in a couple days and my wife is nervous about handling her on her own. After 4 days of recovery will Charlie be able to safely move about without hurting herself?
Charlie seems to be more down and depressed today compared to yesterday. is that normal? We are just overwhelmed and really hoping for the positive outcome and recovery that everyone talks about after amputation. I know its only day two at home, but when should she start to show some interest in going outside?
This is a super loaded post, i know, but we are really questioning our decision.
Charlie's dad
Welcome and best wishes for Charlie's speedy recovery! Your future forum posts will not require moderation.
It is still very early in Charlie's recover. There is no need for him to be up and about except for very short leashed potty time. What many people think is depression, is often side effects of the pain medication. What is he on?
Every dog is different, but most dogs will be up and about within a few days, and all will see vast improvement once off the pain meds.
You are certainly not the first to question your decision, but keeping a pawsitive attitude is one of the most important things you can do to help Charlie. What he needs most right now is rest, confinement (limited activity) and a strong pack leader to set the example that everything is going to be OK. As a rhab vet once told us, if you want life to be normal again, you must act as though life is normal.
Please take things one day at a time, and keep us posted. Bookmark Jerry's Required Reading List for lots of helpful links or consider downloading the the Tripawds e-books for fast answers to all your concerns!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
thanks for the positive words. I am constantly hovering over her and trying to help her. should i do this? or is it impeding her recovery?
Welcome. I don't think a single one of us have not wondered if we made the right decision during the first couple of weeks post surgery as we watch our beloved dogs struggle with learning to cope on 3 legs and deal with the post surgery pain. Five days past our Sketch's surgery he seemed so down that it was hard not to think we had done an awful thing to our sweet fellow. But as everyone here assured me, and I can now pass on to you, it is the pain meds that make them seem "down" plus our own feelings of sadness that they pick up on. The most supportive thing you can do for Charlie is to treat her as normally as possible so she feels that everything is OK. These first days are tough...but suddenly it gets better and then you will look back and be thankful for the choice you made. Dogs accept life changes so much better than we humans do...Charlie will amaze you with how well she adjusts and is a happy doggie.
Trini and my Sketchie Boy
charlietheberner said
I am constantly hovering over her and trying to help her. should i do this? or is it impeding her recovery?
Hi there! OK I"m about to run to Thanksgiving dinner but I wanted to say, you answered your own question. Let your dog relax, don't hover and project pawsitivity....once you relax, so will your pup. It's hard, we want to do everything for them but they need to know you believe they can handle it. Once you show them you do, they will.
Hang in there! We'll be back tomorrow to see how things go. Breathe. This is only temporary. It does get better!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi ~ wow, we had so many doubts those first couple of weeks with Murphy! They are definitely a roller coaster of emotions! As Sally will tell you, you did this FOR Charlie, not TO Charlie. She will, in time, feel better. The bigger dogs do seem to take a little more time to get it together, but they do. What medications is she on? Sometimes it's not enough, or sometimes it's too much. The difference is hard to tell. Murphy came home on Tramadol, Rimadyl & Gabapentin. It's important to make sure that she's getting her medications around the clock. You can also apply an ice pack a couple times a day for about 20-30 minutes, and massage around the incision to help re-absorb any extra fluid.
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
she is only on Tramadol for the pain. she isnt crying, but very reluctant to go outside. wondering if she might be in pain but hiding it.
I don't think Tramadol is enough. My cat was Buprenorphine (opioid for pain) and Metacam (anti-inflammatory/pain relief). It's really hard to tell when our pets are in pain but you may be right that your dog is.
It's worth a call to the vet to get the pain under control. My cat also liked ice and massage.
Kerren and Tripawd Kitty Mona
Online
So glad sweet Charlie is home and on the road ro recovery.
To reiterate what everyone has said, it is soooo early in recovery! This is MAJOR surgery! Humans would be in the hospital for weeks and on a morphine drip!
Like others here, my Happy Hannah was on Tramadol, Gabapentin and Rimadyl, and an antibiotic.
I don't think she or I slep more than five hiurs for three nights. I thought zi had made a HORRIBLE decision! It actually took almost three weeks before I felt like I had, indeed, made a GREAT decision.
Happy Hannah developed a huge seroma
also. It's been called a big saggy boob by some on this site
It took well over a week before it started going down substantially. As long as It's not stinky or oozing bloody fluid, it should dissolve on it's on. Of course, if you have any concerns, consult yiur vet.
Hang in there! Recovery is no picnic for a couple of weeks. Stay connected and let us know how it's going. TRY and get some rest!
((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))))
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle 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 want to add my encouragement that it does get better! You're in the worst phase right now---Charlie has had major surgery, she's got all sorts of meds in her system, she's got post-surgery pain etc etc. We all understand how you might be wondering whether you did the right thing, but please try not to second guess yourselves. Charlie had OSA, and unfortunately it is very painful. Even if she seems like she's having a hard time right now, it is better than the alternative of OSA pain just getting worse and worse.
Pain control is really important at this stage. Like Kerren, I'm not sure Tramadol will be enough, once the surgical meds wear off. Most pups here seem to come home w/ a Fentanyl patch and something for nerve pain, usually Gabapentin. You might want to be sure you've got pain meds on hand if Charlie's Mom is home alone after you go back to work.
Does Charlie need to go up and down stairs to do her business? If so, she probably will need some assistance for the first couple of days or weeks. You say you have the harness, so that should work fine. I wouldn't worry about her getting up and around the house by herself, as long as you have non-slip surfaces for her. (If you already have a harness, I'm guessing you did your homework and prepared the house too.) She shouldn't really be moving around that much right now anyway (just in and out to do her business). We were lucky that we were able to work from home most of Ellie's post-surgical period, but mostly she just slept.
We didn't have a seroma (they seem to be more common w/ front amps?), but icing and massage are good suggestions.
Denise, Bill and Angel Ellie
Active 10+ Pyr mix suddenly came up lame with ACL tear in left rear leg. Scheduled for a TPLO but final pre-op x-rays indicated a small suspicious area, possibly OSA, which could have caused the ACL tear. Surgeon opened the knee for TPLO but found soft bone. Biopsy came back positive for OSA. Became a Tripawd 9/18/14. Carbo6 with Cerenia and Fluids. Pain free and living in the moment. Crossed the Bridge on 7/12/15 after probable spread of cancer to her cervical spine. A whole lifetime of memories squeezed into 10 months. Here's her story: Eloise
thanks so much for all of the responses and encouragement. We finally has success with going pee. I gave her some space in the yard and she bounced to her usual spot and went. I was fist pumping while she did her business. she held it for almost 30 hours.
I'm going to see my vet today, to pay the bill (big ouch), so i will ask about adding more meds.
This morning has been somewhat encouraging with Charlie walking better on her own and going to the bathroom. (still waiting on number 2).
we've been icing and massaging the seroma .
thanks again for the support
Charlie's mom and dad
Howdy and welcome!!!
Yeah, one of the things the dogtor made sure I understood was to get back to "normal" as soon as possible. This is the best thing for everyone including your fur-baby.
pam
Harmony became a Tripawd on 10/21/14 (MCT). She left us way too soon on 11/1/14.
"We miss you so much; our love, our heart, our Harmony."
- Pam, Ron and Melody, Meesha, Doublestuff and Mariah Carey
Well we're fist pumping right along with yiu! YAY FOR PEE! #2 may take a few more days. The meds can kk d of mess that up for a few days.
Charlie's sparkle will come back, slowly but surely. Many dogs do much better not using a harness or towel sling at first. Some need it. Charlie seems to prefer not to have help.
Check with yiur vet avout the icing too. Some suggestions are that you don't ice more than ten minutes at a time. Of course, with a towel or some cloth between the skin and the ice.
Recovery is full of ups and downs...a bit of slarkle one day and none the next. But when that sparkle comes back consistently.....magic, pire magic!!!
Photos when you can! Can't wait to see this big cuddle bug!
Hugs to all!
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!
It does seem like when people try to help too much, the dogs sort of retaliate by just not going! I think they just need a little space to sort of figure it out, and we're all so worried that something's going to happen that we don't let them.
Tramadol alone is definitely not enough medication.
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
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