Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hi all,
Hopefully I have started a new thread correctly.
We are 7 days after the amputation of Duke's right rear leg after the cancer diagnosis.
Positive things - He is starting to hippy hop around quite well, we have put some ramps down our stairs to the back yard (2 sets of 4 steps) to initially help him out whilst he is still figuring things out. So we are guiding him on the ramps to make sure he does not slip off. But once he is off the ramps on in the yard we remove the sling and he putters about on his own quite well.
We are getting a bit more sleep now with him getting more restful now and less up / down...which is great!
He is getting a bit fitter and not huffing and puffing as much moving around and he is wanting to check out his back yard and just wander around abit.
Because he has not been eating he has not pooped or attempted to poop....so not sure how that will go and if we will need to hold him on the sling. He tends to do two pees in the back yard when he does go now - I think cause his one back leg gets tired, so he does two rather than one big one. He is working it out!
On the negative - he is still only eating grams of food all hand feed - will only take it from his Dad not me - when he used to eat kilos of food a day.....that is bad. So he is getting skinny. He is having nauseousness as we offered him food this morning and he started frothing at the mouth and headed outside to try to eat grass. I got 2.5 Cerenia tabs into him while he was in the yard and got him to have another drink of water, he did not vomit and then came inside and rested. So that was good.
We have asked the vet about mirtazapine to get his appetite back - we are waiting on a call back from the vet
He is scheduled to go for first chemo on Wednesday so want at least a few good meals into him before we start that.
Thanks for all your wonderful stories and assistance to get us to today. I will keep you posted on progress.
Thanks as always Kirsty and Duke
Hey this is a pretty good update overall! I know the lack of appetite is hard to go though but I have a feeling this week will be the turning point and he'll start eating again. The lack of poop isn't abnormal at all, plus he hasn't eaten. Let us know what the vet says about mirtazapine (I always have a hard time spelling that, kudos to you for getting it right!). Can't blame you for wanting him to be stronger before chemo. I'd check on what the vet think about that but it seems to me like if he's strong enough to eat he's strong enough for chemo so I sure hope he gets to that point. Good luck this week and let us know!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Sorry I have an auto signature on all my other email systems so I always forget to sign off...
Thanks Kirsty
Thanks as always Kirsty and Duke
dukedane said
I have an auto signature on all my other email systems...
FYI: You can edit your Forums Profile here to include a signature that will appear beneath all your posts, and other information about yourself and Duke!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi all
I am not sure what the milestones are but Duke did his first poop last night so we have finally got enough food in him over 7 days to get a poop. He handled the process well...... strange small victories!
Duke has finished his antibiotics and the vet recommended stopping the tramadol. So he got none last night. He had a restful night and ate 200gms of mince this morning.....woo hoo. Hoping for some more later today. This was feed to him in small teaspoon size balls by hand....but at least it was food.
We took him out the front to pee out the front this morning. This is our normal routine before he went on his walk or if it was raining he would just have a few pees out front and then back inside. It was great to get him outside to do something normal again. He was planning on a bit more than we let him - which was a good sign.
We also moved him up to our room last night which is where he normally slept (it is the furthest point from the back door ) which he was not up to making that hop and then down the backyard. But now he is managing well.
One strange thing is he seems to have lost his dimensions he keeps getting on his bed and then rolling his hips over and his bum would fall off the bed or be half off so we have had to create this maze of mats and pillows to widen his already huge bed. So when he first lays down we widen the section near his butt ad he generally wiggles it on to the other pillow in a few hours....very strange he never slipped of his bed before..... He always loved lying with his chest and head on the floor but never his butt!
Alll a learning process.
Recovery going well. First chemo tomorrow
Thanks as always Kirsty and Duke
That is a REALLY great milestone! The first poop is always reason to celebrate around here, and going off the medication too. Congrats!
Not sure why he's falling off his bed but maybe it just has something to do with "proprioception ," which means the mind's awareness of the body's position in space. Dogs and cats need to figure out coordination and proprioception when they lose their limb, sounds like he's thinking carefully about it. He'll figure it out, just wait and see!
And good luck with the chemo tomorrow, we hope all goes well and he comes through without any side effects. Let us know how it goes.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
YAAAAAAAAAY FOR POOP!!!!! Seven...eight days?? OWWEEEE!
So glad you're seeing some sparkle come back! Seeing normalcy rerurn is a beautiful thing!!!
And I learned a new word with lots of syllables!! Propri....?? ..Anyway, what Jerry says makes GREAT sense! Very interesting!!
And heck, just not having that big back leg to help Duke maneuver could be giving him some challenges in getting himself into the right position.
You both are doing a splendid job of caring for Duke and he loves all the loving and spoiling!!!
Hopefully you'll see some improvement eating now too!
Hugs to all!!
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!
Make sure to ask for more Cerenia for after the Chemo if you are getting low. Also, not sure if it was suggested, but a bit of canned pumpkin works to help them poop. Scrambled eggs were also a hit here when the tummy was a bit off. Keep us posted, sounds like you are doing a great job! Lori, Ty and gang
TY GUY, Best Black Lab ever! Diagnosed and had amp in January, 2014. Kicked MRSA's butt. Earned his angel wings on April 16, 2014. Run Free my boy and don't forget a shoe. Ty is a proud member of the " April Angels". Ty sent us Daryl, a Tripawd rescue in Sept. of 2016. Daryl is 5 +or -. We are also Pawrents to Chandler, a Border Collie mix who is 15 and 1/2, Lucy, a Corgi who is 7, 2 minis, 2 horses, and a feisty cat named Zoe. Zoe had a non skeletal Osteosarcoma removed in July 2015. No Chemo, she was at least 16. She is going strong although she is now completely blind. She is now close to 20 and her hobbies are eating and sleeping in front of her personal heater.
Hey all
thanks for the kind words....we think the bed situation is his increased turning circle with only one back leg. He tends to get on his bed and do a few circles to find the perfect spot to lie down....I think now that is not as tight so we upgraded him to a double bed mattress.....unbelievable!!
Thanks Kirsty.
Thanks as always Kirsty and Duke
Welcome Kirsty! The best advice I can give you is ...one day at a time! That is how we did it! Each day will get better! And, the pooping thing...he will have no problems! My dog Eddy was a rear left amputee, and he had zero difficulty figuring this out, and his remaining back leg was compromised due to a repaired torn knee! It was AMAZING to see how he persevered without that back leg. And, the peeing with a male rear amputee is a piece of cake! No more leg lifting! I think, often times, we humans are more sensitive to it. I remember taking Eddy to the Pet store to pick up his special food, and as we followed the clerk to the food section, I explained why Eddy was missing his leg. The clerk looked perplexedly at me and then at Eddy. He had not even noticed! This was about two months post-amputation! So, take your cues from Duke! He will lead the way! Good luck!!!
Betsy Golden and Angel, Eddy. Eddy was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma 7-23-14, had a left rear amputation 8-07-14, had 3 rounds of carboplatin chemotherapy, a small lung met was discovered in October, had 2 rounds of doxorubicin, and unfortunately more lung mets were discovered. Eddy fought cancer valiantly and went to the Rainbow Bridge 1-6-15, at the age of 7 years and 359 days, just six days short of his 8th birthday. Best Dog, Ever....you will never be forgotten.
Hey Kirsty!
Lily Dane had the same rear leg amputated and it did take her a little time to adjust to the change so she didn't slip off the bed. It was nerve-wracking because we were so afraid she'd fall down on her little stump! I think their bodies get a little confused spatially and the tripawd hop tends to cover a little more ground than their old gait.
Duke will get the hang of it in no time and will become an expert in performing tripawd-hop-circles to find just the correct sleeping position! If he's like Lily, most likely that is a position that involves laying on some or most of you 
-Kerry
Lily the Great Dane (she was actually a lot more than just "Great") joined our family as an ornery puppy on December 20, 2005 and changed our lives forever. She was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in early May of 2014 and her right rear leg was amputated on May 8, 2014. She sailed through 5 rounds of Carboplatin and 15 weeks of Pallladia. She hopped on 3 legs like she was born to it and continued to fight cancer with grace, valor and an abundant sense of humor...and always a *giant* smile on her face. Lily had two small nodules on her lungs but was brought short by a brain tumor in late December, 2014. Lily earned her wings on December 28, 2014 and we miss her terribly every day. http://lilyt.tripawds.com
Hi all
First day of chemo yesterday; Duke did get a little nauseous (frothing and lots of saliva) but the cerenia worked really fast to resolve that. Bit of diarrhea as well, more tablets for that - hopefully that is resolved. But he ate 200grams yesterday afternoon of mince and 200grams this morning. So that is good.
He is getting real cheeky on the ramps entering them about a 1/3rd of the way up and giving me heart attacks. He had a little lie down in the sun on the grass this morning while we were out in the yard which was nice to see - he does love his sunbaking!
We are taking him out the front now to pee on our tree out the front which was part of the normal morning routine and then we would head off for a walk to the park. He is dead keen to walk the street, I will give him a bit more of a wander and snuffle tomorrow as a bit more exercise / fresh air may help his appetite.
One funny ....kinda embarrassing issue for the guy is he may have to go in for a cosmetic willy lift 
.......the poor fella with the loss of the leg and the loose skin on his tummy his willy points towards the left (his one back leg), so when when he pees it lands about 8inches to the left of his body .....so when he lines up to a tree it goes the other way........poor fella. At least it misses his foot...though it got Tony's the first couple of times until we worked out what was going on!!
Anyway making good progress.....
Will keep you posted with the recovery.
Kirsty and Duke
Thanks as always Kirsty and Duke
Oh my gosh Kirsty I'm cracking up bout Duke's willy! Sorry Duke! You'll get your aim back in no time I'm sure.
I do agree that more fresh air can do a lot to help him feel better and heal quicker. Day by day you're both getting there.
Glad the chemo meds are working well, I love it when vets know how to nail these symptoms quickly before they turn into a full blown GI mess. If the runny poop doesn't stop check out green clay, it really does wonders for this kinda issue.
I hope you have a great week ahead!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
LMAO!!!!!!! HILARIOUS!!!! OMD!!! Can't stop laughing....and cheering too! Way to go Duke!! 
Nothing like being out in nature and basking in the sun to do a doggy good!
I did a post on Frankie (Festus? Still working out the name thing) and commented on that fact that his "privates" ...aka...little red rocket... looked small!! Well....the names started rolling in from other "members"....get it?....MEMBERS!! Ha! Ha!!! Anyway, we can now add...Willy.....Leaning Willy to ...Package...Lipstick..Appendage....Little Red Rocket...Anthony Wiener......I suppose we could add "Man's other best friend"..but that would just be too inappropriate!!
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!
OMG . . . "willy" stories . . . I can't stop laughing as I visualize the whole thing. I can just see the look on his face, "Hey . . . what tha . . . "
LOL!! So glad he's doing better!
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
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