Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hi there, just wanted to say WELCOME TO TOBY'S GRANDMA!!!!
Just love the fact that we get to meet you too. That Toby is SUCH a lucky boy, and does he ever know it! His expression just says it all.
Sounds as though things are going well. I'm glad he enjoyed a good night in the spare room with his Grandma.
Ditto the others. If the sudden running in circles etc only happens when he is moving around, then it does sound a stitch may be niggling him, or else, as Karen said, he is experiencing some muscle spasms, soreness from moving around and adapting to his new gait.
If it seems to come suddenly, out of the blue, when he is lying down resting, then that could be a sign of phantom pain .
Wishing you another good day today. We are all thinking of you and cheering you on!
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...
Hi! Thanks everyone for the great advice, it's really so reassuring to have people with experience give their input. I am currently with Toby on my last day off before going back to work, after today I'll be coming in after work each day.
Still no more 💩, I will give the vets a ring later this afternoon if none has appeared - Toby has always had a really sensitive tummy, (DREADING chemo - that will be a whole new post of worries!) so it may take him a little longer.
Karen - Toby is as inactive as we can get him, given that the is the most nosy dog lol! He's going out for a wee and a sniff several times a day, but when he's inside he's up and down quite a bit and wandering about. It's soooo hard to stop him, so we just keep encouraging him to lie down. We have him separate from the other dogs to try to ensure he rests and also in case he did get grumpy. Regarding the stitches - I *think* it's mostly when he's walking or standing, but I will try to keep an eye on that to check.
Hi Jack's mom - hope day is going smoothly for you and Jack today. It's certainly a rough ride all round but good to not be in it alone. Why did Jack have his amp? Thanks for your lovely words, thinking of you too.
Thanks for making mum welcome all ☺️ she's babysitting her (human) grandson today, my nephew, but I'm sure she'll be on again soon with Toby updates. Currently, we're resting, with a wee break in our near future!
K&T
Oh forgot to ask - how long until your dogs lay on their operated side? I think Toby misses that!
Good morning!
I cannot speak for the pups, but Huckleberry started laying on his incision after the staples were removed. Once they were gone, he was all over laying with that side down. Have a good day!
Jackie and Huck 
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry 
Hi Katherine,
Dogs seem to vary a lot with this (as with everything else....) Some, like my Meg, lie on the amp side immediately, others not till the stitches or staples come out or even a bit after that. He will in time though, that’s for sure, and it will be another nice marker of his progress.
Talking of progress, Ive got a feeling Toby’s going to poop today. I just know it. Now come on, Toby!
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...
katherineandtoby said
Still no more 💩, I will give the vets a ring later this afternoon if none has appeared - Toby has always had a really sensitive tummy, (DREADING chemo - that will be a whole new post of worries!) so it may take him a little longer.
Im hoping to read that Sammy has gone 💩 this morning?! One episode that hole gets unplugged there will be no stopping you Pal!
As far as chemo, honestly I would say that there is nothing to be worried about. My experience with Stewie after each chemo session was pretty easy. He was a little tired but over all I couldn’t tell you that he was ‘off’ at all! We had trouble finding his veins some days and we had to have him on an anti anxiety pill so that he wouldn’t be shaking and freaked out. He was an exceptional patient! I had the pleasure of going on with him for each session, in order to help him get through it all.
Stewie had six rounds of Carboplatin every 3 weeks. He would have his blood drawn to test his numbers and because they were always good, we would follow up with the chemo the following week.
Oh forgot to ask - how long until your dogs lay on their operated side? I think Toby misses that!
As Clare pointed out, all dog s are different on this topic. Stewie would lay on his side from day one. He was laying on his side when we picked him up at our vets and they said to let him lay on that side if he wants...
I did notice that it was a lot harder for him to get up from that position and I would be ready to assist if needed, but he always managed. The problem arose when he had his fluid build up (seroma ) he would still try to lay on that side, but then it got to be too painful.
I think he was trying to put pressure on it himself, because once the seroma healed, he stopped wanting to lay on that side for a while. It wasn’t until a while after his stitches were out that he finally lay down on that side. Now he lays on whatever side he wants! It’s lovely to see!
And by the way, hello to your lovely Mum!
All the very best to you all
Petra, Stewie and his sleepy Kittens
Remember...“live in the moment!“ 
megstamum said
... the answer for us (after hours of researching, debating, humming, hawing) was these cork-topped steps I bought from Amazon. I use them in various combinations to create steps upon to the beds, and also for getting on and off the sofa etc. Like so:
Meg, I love the steps! Our Miss Kitty, 80 pounds sleeps on our bed. So far, hubby is lifting her up at bedtime, but we need to work out a more permanent arrangement. Will definitely check out those cork covered steps on Amazon.
katherineandtoby said
Oh forgot to ask - how long until your dogs lay on their operated side? I think Toby misses that!
Mis
katherineandtoby said
Oh forgot to ask - how long until your dogs lay on their operated side? I think Toby misses that!
Miss Kitty switches from side to side regularly.
Still no more , 💩I will give the vets a ring later this afternoon if none has appeared - Toby has always had a really sensitive tummy, (DREADING chemo - that will be a whole new post of worries!) so it may take him a little longer.
Try adding pumpkin or sweet potato to his food. Miss Kity loves mashed sweet potato in cottage cheese or yogurt.
My Happy Hannah took seceral weeks before she laid on her amp side. Yep, every do is different and every recovery is diifferenr!!😎
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!
Hi! Just thought I'd check in and say that for the most part the patient is doing well. He FINALLY pooped today, which is great! We do have some fluid leakage (photo to follow) and we had trialed dropping his tramadol dose down from 150 mg 3 x per 24 hours to 100, 100 and 150 to try to ease his constipation (hope that makes sense!). He's also on metacam.
He IS starting to leak fluid, and one of his stitches is pulling a little, but the vet said that if we can hold off till Friday he may be able to get those pesky stitches out...let me know what you think of the photos please.
Thankyou for all your wonderful advice you've all been so kind and encouraging.
** UPDATE**
Had to leave off posting that as he started leaking copious amounts of serum and was very distressed. Took him to the emergency vet, who assessed it and said it's best to let it drain BUT we have to stop him licking it - and we can't! Every collar we try he gets off, except the buster collar that he can get around. He can't wear shorts as none work and he gets them off... The vet says that licking will quickly graduate to chewing the stitches out. HELP!! Any ideas??
GEEZ TOBY! Eace those stitches alone silly boy!
I've seen some do a DOUBLE cone....the plastice one and the blow-up do ute kind
I think Wyatt Ray had to go that route?? Maybe???
Sometimes when they go at the incision like that it's nit just because the stitches are irritating,but because the incision is actually quite painful. Maybe ask the Vet about managing his pain better....maybe the Nocita (sp) injections....or something like that???
Might try warm compresses and gentle massage around the incision???
Could you possible hook the collars to a harness?
Hang on, others who have dealt with this will chime in!
Extra 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!
Yes! My thoughts exactly. An e collar with the donut over that AND shorts. Cool and warm compresses, especially when he gets fidgety. I know, you want to handcuff him to something, right?!
There used to be something called bandguard. Was my favorite go to cream for that. OMD it tasted like 💩💩💩
They stopped making it and I haven't found anything since. Maybe you can ask your doc if it can be lightly wrapped? I hate suggesting that because air is it's friend right now. If I were still at the animal hospital I believe I would recommend getting a longer cone. It will be a stinker for him to get around in but it will make getting at his incision a lot harder. I wish you luck, sending you hugs, and know that this will get better. You have about another 💩💩💩 week ahead of you. Once the staples/sutures come out you'll still have to keep him away from it for a bit until it's well healed.
❤️❤️
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry
Oh no! Toby you stinker! LEAVE THOSE STITCHES ALONE!
We have been lucky with Miss Kitty, no licking and no collar. Stitches come out tomorrow.
I've seen some do a DOUBLE cone....the plastice one and the blow-up do ute kind
I think Wyatt Ray had to go that route?? Maybe???
Yes, WRD has done the double cone!
Here is a blog post on alternatives to the cone of shame including Wyatt's double.
Are you attaching the cone of shame with a collar or that tie string the vet sometimes sends home? I found that my dogs could get out of the cone with the tie string but can't get the cone off when attached to a collar.
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
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