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Episodes of yelping after ampuation and swollen face/ears
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Member Since:
26 June 2017
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26 June 2017 - 2:31 pm
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Hi there,

Our sweet 5 year old black lab, Daisy, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma and just last Friday had her front left leg amputated. We brought her home yesterday. Today we've had three separate episodes of her yelping continually after getting up (it does not occur every time she gets up). I did call the vet who said this was not typical of amputees right after surgery and mentioned that it may be "phantom" pain. Has anyone experienced this with their dog? Also, when we visited her the day after surgery we noticed that her face and ears were swollen. They had noted this when calling with an update earlier in the day. She is on diphenhydramine hydrochloride (benadryl) to help with the swelling although it has not yet subsided. I'm wondering if anyone has experienced this as well. We are heartbroken to see her so uncomfortable. Thanks so much for your help!

Tiffany

On The Road


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24 September 2009
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26 June 2017 - 4:33 pm
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Welcome and best wishes for Daisy! Sudden outbursts like yelping area common symptom of phantom pain . Click any phantom pain link for more info and lots of helpful tips. Search the forums above for many topics with feedback from others and search all blogs here for more articles, podcasts, and vet interview videos. Start here for help navigating the many helpful resources, or consider downloading the Tripawds e-books for fast answers to common concerns, like phantom pain , and much more!

Don't miss the many pain management posts for help identifying and treating pain symptoms. Is Daisy currently on any pain meds? Hopefully more than just Benadryl...

Please keep us posted. your future forum posts will not require approval.

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

Member Since:
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26 June 2017 - 4:42 pm
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Thanks for your reply! I will certainly check out the links to phantom pain . She did come home with a fentanyl patch which we removed today and is also taking gabapentin and rimadyl for pain management

Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
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26 June 2017 - 9:49 pm
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Awww....sorry sweet Daisy is have such a rough time. The first two weeks, especially the first week, can be hard to endure. You're already stressed out, exhausted and emotionally drained...And now you have to see Daisy having pain while recovering from MAJOR surgery!

The pain patch itself can mske dogs a bit whacky and yelpy. The burts of crying coukd also definitely be phantom limb pain. Admin Guy gave you links to read up on it. We do see it here and usually the Gabapentin helps keep things settled down.

Gabapentin is good, along with the Rimadyl. I assume he has Daisy on an a antibiotic also. The other pain med we almost always see dogs on (in conjunction with the Gabapentin) is Tramadol. So you may want to ask your Vet about introducing that into the mix also.

Not sure what's going on with the face and ear swelling. She doesn't have any type of compressed wrapping around her incision and chest, shoulder area that could be too tight? I know that's a long shot, vut just thought I'd throw it out there Hopefully the Benadryl will take care of that. Keep the Vet in the loop on that.

How is Daisy doing as far as drinking and peeing? Pooping and eating may be a vit off for a few days. That's "normal".

I knkw this initial period is scary. It took me about three weeks before I coukd say I did this FOR my Hzppy Hannah and not TO her! Once recovery was over though and her sparkle and zest for life came back....yeah....we had a SPECTACULAR time!!

STAY CONNECTED!! YOU ARE NOT ALONE!! We are here with you, somlet us know how we can help. And let us know when Daisy has first pooppoopicon_png We celebrate anything around here! 🙂

Lots of 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!

London, UK


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27 June 2017 - 12:04 pm
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Awww, poor Daisy, and poor you. This does sound tough. I'm really hoping she's feeling better today. Remember, every day that goes by a another step on the road to recovery, and to Daisy getting her sparkle back. I have never heard of the face/ears swelling reaction. Could it be some sort of allergic response to medication? Is she lying in a strange position, perhaps pressing on something? Doesn't seem terribly likely, I'll admit. Did the vets not have any suggestion as to what it could be?

Thinking of you and sending all positive wishes that Daisy will be feeling much more comfortable soon.

Meg, Clare and Elsie 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...

The Amazing Adventures of Ruby Tuesday 

My Life as a Megastar

Minneapolis, MN
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27 June 2017 - 4:51 pm
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Wanted to share with you that when my boy had his amp, also front left leg, he had a lot of swelling around his face and neck that was very uncharacteristic.  It frankly didn't look like that in hospital and seemed like it came up after I got him home (which was really 2 full days post amp)  - I took photos and monitored. It all went away within a few more days and he was on antibiotics, so I assume it was some reaction to anesthesia or a little pocket of inflammation related to the the beginning of infection that was warded off by the abx.

Puffy Pofi - this is not normalImage Enlarger

More apparent here (looks like he is doing his best Marlon Brando Godfather impersonation):

Pofi - or Marlon Brando in the GodfatherImage Enlarger

Hope Daisy is looking and feeling better.  Is she taking Gabapentin?

Lisa, Minneapolis

On October 27, 2016, nearly 6 months after amputation, and 18 months since his cancer likely started, we lost Pofi to a recurrence of Soft Tissue Sarcoma in his spine quite suddenly.  His canine sister also succumbed to cancer on March 1, 2019 - we lavished her with our love in the interim, but life was never quite the same without her only real canine friend. Cliff kitty had to leave us, too, suddenly, in August 2019. Lucia kitty grieved all these losses, but helped us welcome two new Lurchers into our home and our lives, Shae and Barley.

Blog: Pofi, Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor Amputation

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27 June 2017 - 5:47 pm
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Thank you all for your replies! It helped me immensely just to read your supportive words. I really never imagined it would be this difficult. I guess I had high hopes that our dog would be one to bounce back quickly- especially after our first successful day home. These yelping episodes just break my heart. She is typically a super quiet dog and never even barks so to hear her cry makes me cry. Thanks for the recommendation for adding tramadol- I will ask about that. And yes, she is on an antibiotic as well. I did contact my regular vet today who put her on valerian root to try and help with these episodes. Keeping our fingers crossed that it helps! One bit of good news is that the swelling in her face and ears seems to have subsided today. As you mentioned, Clare, they did wonder if the swelling was a result of the medications. The Benadryl seems to have helped. Thanks Lisa for sharing the photos! Nice to know that we aren't the only ones to experience some unusual swelling! Daisy is eating fairly well and we are offering water regularly although I don't think she is drinking as much as normal. She was peeing well the first day home but the last 2 days not as much. Should we be getting her to drink more? And no pooping yet which I know can be normal. I will definitely post when she does- I could certainly use something to celebrate! 

Tiffany

Virginia







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27 June 2017 - 6:09 pm
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Around here every LITTLE improvement is a HUGE improvement!! So put yout pawty hat on and letsw CELEBRATE that Daisy's swelling is going down!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂 And eating "fairly well" this early on is also a reason to CELEBRATE!!! 🙂 🙂 YAAAAAAAAAY FOR DAISY!!

Not pooping yet...no biggie. You do want to keep hernhydrated though, so try adding a scoop of ice cream to the water. Seriously, it works! Let her lick some off the spoon first, then have her follow the spoon as you swirlnthe remainder in the water. Some have tried tuna water too and, of course, chicken broth.

STAY CONNECTED! Update when you can. Slow and easy for now.

Hugs

Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!

And thanks LISA for your input. I'd forgtten that sweet Pofi was channeling his inner Marlon Brando for awhile 🙂

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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27 June 2017 - 6:10 pm
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I just had to post again to say.... she pooped! Woohoo! We are certainly celebrating 🙂

Virginia







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27 June 2017 - 6:16 pm
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YAAAAAAAAAY FORpoopicon_pngpoopicon_png HAPPY poopicon_png DANCING PAWTY!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂

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!

Colorado Springs, Co
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27 June 2017 - 7:54 pm
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A couple things we did for Zuzu when she stopped drinking- adding water to her food can help supplement some.
We also added a small piece of shredded boiled chicken to some water and she would lap up the water trying to get the chicken pieces. We just used a small piece, about 1 cm x 2cm then shedded it into little pieces and added that to a small amount of water- ¼ to ½ cup every 2 to 3 hours.

11 year old Australian Shepherd with soft tissue sarcoma.
http://princess.....ipawds.com

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