Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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You guys weren't lying, Marleys first night home has been really rough. When we first got home around 8:00pm he's was doing quite well, I put him on his new bed, made him comfy and he was pretty content and quite peaceful until around midnight. He started getting fussy (I gave him his pain shot through his port at 10:00 and his other pain med at 11:45). I have been up since lying next to him on the floor trying to comfort him. His next pill isn't due until 5:45am. He's has been crying non stop. I have been trying to adjust his position and have even been walking him around in my arms which seems to help. Finally I just gave him his pill a little early. He got up for the first time on his own a few minutes ago and laid on the incision side of his body. He is now pretty quite but still not sleeping. Crossing my fingers this helps for the next couple hours before I take him back to my vet at 7:15.... I have officially been up for 24 hours and am exhausted... I hope they get my boys meds under control today and send us home with everything we need to make tomorrow night a little better
Did you take him home same day? It is really rough. It does sound pretty normal, however, and with hospital meds in his system, he might be kind of disoriented too.
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
This is why vets should not release early. It is distressing for patients and clients and additional meds may need to be given. Having said that, there are some vets who do release early...Although exhausting, it does sound as if more pain meds may need to be in place AND Mr. Marley is having a very common reaction to the anesthesia post op. But, unless you are a vet or vet tech, how would you know to anticipate this? Soooo....you have done EXTREMELY well to handle this, Marley will be ABSOLUTELY fine, and your vet needs to consider monitoring amps for a longer period pf time rather than releasing. Can you imagine a human being sent home at this point? Hope that this morning brings a more clarity and relaxation and recovery! You and Marley are ROCKSTARS to hang in there for 24 hours! After this, everything will seem smaller potatoes! Please update when you can:) Marley, you sleep and recover now! The pink elephants will soon wander off...
He had the surgery on Tuesday and I brought him home last night around 8:00pm. He is back at the vet for the day for monitoring and they are taking good care of him. 🙂 Thanks everyone!! He seemed to be doing a lot better this morning and has stopped his crying for the most part. I think part of the problem was that he couldn't get comfortable, and then he finally moved himself around and laid on the side of his incision. It didn't seem to bother him at all and then he was finally able to sleep for a while. Hopefully they will get him feeling better today and maybe to eat something, but if not it's a good thing I have my trusty pill popper 🙂
Thanks for the update! It's good to hear he's doing a little better and I hope YOU get to rest a little, too.
The next days still won't be easy but you will get through them. I know for me it felt like these days would never end, it would never get better, and "what have I done". But it will. Manni actually stayed at the clinic for 5 days, and today I am very thankful for that, still we had two horrible first weeks. In the beginning, the most important thing is to get a handle on the pain and the meds dosage and it seems like your vets are doing just that. Everything else is second to that and you will be able to take it as it comes.
Now go, get some rest if you can. Big hugs from all of us here
tina & Manni
Guardian of Manni the Wonderdog. -Or was it the other way around?
Osteo and amputation in Dec 2015. Second, inoperable, primary osteosarcoma found in June 2017.
The end of our adventures came Dec 10, 2017. 2 years to the day.
Yep, spunds pretty " ormal" to me! Lots of resltessness, can't get comfy, no sleep! Now, the fact that he slept on his amp side IS a bit out of the "norm," this early on! Sound like they have the incision site pretty well numbed! It took my Happy Hannah weeks before she would lay on thst side.
You are doing everything RIGHT! And you were spot on to take him to an overnight clinic after his surgery. You are giving Marley exquisite care!
And yeah, like Tina, like me, like a y others, you may be saying "what have I done" for many more days! Soon though, you will be saying, "Thank goodness I loved Marley enough to do this FOR him!"
Hugs!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
PS. YAY that he got up and maneuvered himself enough to change positions! 🙂
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'm glad you are both feeling better! Sorry it was so rough. And yeah that is pretty awesome he laid on his incision side! A sign that things are definitely going to get easier. Now, go get some sleep!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
It is a tough couple of days but you'll get through this!!! I just know it! Shelby laid on her incision site too ... I think it was more comfortable for her.
Here's when a little bit of "tough love" comes in too.. too much babying and they will expect it and demand more. It is a fine line but my vet told us that Shelby was fine (despite pacing and whining - those were the painkillers) and to just let her be. More distressing for me but not coddling her I think helped us over the edge!
Get some rest and let us know how he's doing!
Shelby Lynne; Jack Russell/Shiba Inu mix. Proud member of the April Angels of 2014.
October 15, 2000 to April 8, 2014
Our story: Broke rear leg in June 2013 - non-conclusive results for cancer so leg was plated and pinned. Enlarged spleen in September 2013 and had it removed and was diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma and started chemotherapy. Became a Tripawd January 8th, 2014 and definitive Hemangiosarcoma diagnosis. Three major surgeries in 7 months and Shelby took them all like a champ only to lose her battle to cancer in her brain. We had 8 amazing extra months together and no regrets. #shelbystrong #loveofmylife
We are only about a month ahead of you and I can vouch for the fact that those days with staples in (and nights) were very stressful for me. The good news is you will see progress on a daily basis and once those staples come out you will have a very happy camper! Our Miller is absolutely himself again - and much happier without a pained leg anymore!!
Hope you were both able to get some rest and that Marley is feeling a little better. Those first days were tough for us too.
Marley had a major procedure done but each day brings him closer to getting those staples out! You both will get through this.
Tracey & Tai
You must be exhausted. What a wonderful person you are in giving such loving care to you pup. It sounds like Marley is on his way to a full recovery. We are taking Bella for her surgery the week of 4/3. I find myself watching how she is already adjusting the way she transfers weight on her hurting leg and hope that her other legs have already sort of started to take more of her weight. It's good for me to read about how the first few days and weeks have gone for those who have gone through this, so thank you so much for posting and thanks to those who have shared encouraging responses. Good rest to all.
How long did it take Miller to walk? As of right now marley can sit himself up (sort of).... he can't find his balance right now, he tried to walk a little in the grass but kept falling. I can tell tonight is going to another long, rough one. He has been whining and crying again non stop since he got home about and hour ago.
Try not to comlare Marley's adjustment to three legs with others. I know it gives us all some general parameters, but every dog is different. Their reaction to pain meds is sifferent. The doses and types of pain meds are often different.
Just to give you a little reassurance though, it is not unusual for a dog to have trouble sitting up or walking on their own this early on. In many cases it's because the pain meds can make them woozy and dizzy and they just aren't quite in control. It's a dine kine. You want enough pain meds in him so he doesn't hurt, but you don't want him over drugged and out of it either.
Have you tried helpy Marley with a towel sling? Some dogs just freeze if you try and use a sling though. Some appreciate the help.
What pain meds is Marley on now? The frequency, the dose? Is he still doing the injectable? I'm guessing they gave him even more pain meds at the Vet's today. Plus, he still has hospital meds in him.
Yep, I remember the looooong first three nights so very well! I know it is sooooo exhausting, not to mention pulling on your heartstrings!
It DOES get better...just not as soon as we would like!!
Hugs
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
PS. Tramadol does make some dogs anxious and whiny
Is Marley eating, peeing, drinking ? Pooping may take a few days.
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!
They gave him one more injection before we left the vet, which is numbing the wound area. He is now taking carprofen for inflamation, cefpodoxime for an antibiotic and then Tylenol with codeine. He also has a pain patch on. We might eliminate the pain patch tomorrow if he still seems too out of it and try something else.
While my Happy Hannah didn't have a pain patch, some others here have. The pain patch can, indeed, make them feel out of it and quite vocal! I think you will see a difference with the patch off. Not sure how long it stays in his system after it's off though.
Most here, not all, have Tramadol instead of Codeine. Also, many here have Gabapentin added along wkth the Tramadol. See how Marley does without the patch and then you can go from there. I do think you'll see that he is more "with it" when the patch is out of his system.
Any chance of grabbing a bit of shut-eye yet? Never mind. I think I knkw the answer!
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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