Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Our surgeon said only leashed potty breaks the first two weeks.
It must be hard to keep him quiet but it does help with a smooth recovery. You might try some food puzzles or games to entertain him, work his mind and burn up some energy. Here are a few ideas from the Gear Blog .
It's great that your ramp works, not all dogs will use them. It sounds overall like things are going very well- way to go Luka!
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
Oh Luka! You are looking so good!! Hopefully you guys are working through it like we are. Sounds like he is much more active than my spaceman at the moment! Keep on hopping!
cheers,
Kat and Astro
I did not know that about tripawds needing to keep up their speed. Makes sense! Luka is looking forward to being able to run and play, although I think he is appreciating his halter right now. But . . . last night we were at the school at the end of the block, and when I walked up the steps to the garbage, he casually hopped up all of them (about five) after me, ignoring "stay." That was very unexpected, and I will know better than to trust him next time! He stands at the bottom of the stairs in the house and wistfully looks up as if willing the barriers away. (Everything in the house is blockaded). We'll see how this transition goes. Any estimates on a healthy time to begin stairs? I am still so freaked by that first night home!
Today, he has been calm, and he had a good night last night. The gabapentin prescription says every 8-12 hours, and for many days we were on the 12-hour plan, but yesterday switched to 8-hour intervals and it has made a world of difference with the pacing and panting.
In case you were where I was about a week ago and are interested in how the incision has progressed, the shots below are from Days 3, 5, and 8 (today), in that order. Days 3 and 4 were worse than Day 2, and by Day 7, the bruising had diminished a lot.
Mom, you and Luka are doing a great job!! You've both come such a long way in a very, very short time!
Incision is healing nicely and you seem to jave his pain manged well now. Yeah, as you observed, 12 hrs inbetween doses with no Tramadol is too long. You are really runed into your voy.
Generally, not always, around the two weekish mark (about the time the stitches are removed)you can let him try a few stairs. Some rear leggers, like my Happy Hannah, never were able ro master going UP the stairs. Going down was never a problem. Many rear leggers rhough, have no problem. Sounds like Luka has already shown you he has no issues handling stairs.
Such a sweet photo of your boy all comfy taking a snooze 🙂 🙂 Beautiful sight!
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!
Luka is healing great!! He's such a cutie. It's amazing how quickly dogs heal compared to us humans.
For steps, Aspen (who's a front amp) was going UP a residential fight of steps by himself at 2 weeks-post op (up is easier for the front-amps). And he surprised and scared the crap out of me when he jogged DOWN the steps at around 3 weeks post-op. He may have been able to do both slightly earlier than he did, but we didn't really give him the chance to show us his tricks.
I assume going down is easier for Luka, so maybe if you have a spot that's just a few steps, let him try it with a harness/sling (so you can catch/help if need-be) and see how he does.
Happy Healing!
-Lauren & Aspen
He is definitely healing great ... I love snoozy dog photos too!v 🙂
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
Luka Mr. Snoozer is lookin great! I love these incision photos, may I share them in a blog post?
Any estimates on a healthy time to begin stairs? I am still so freaked by that first night home!
Definitely wait a couple of weeks if you can. Keep in mind that going up for a rear-legger is trickier than going down (their rear legs are where all their propulsion is). When he does try them, be sure to use a harness handle to gently assist him up and down and have lots of healthy treats ready, 'cause I'll bet that feisty pup will do a great job!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
jerry said
Luka Mr. Snoozer is lookin great! I love these incision photos, may I share them in a blog post?
Of course! Please do!
L & L
Paw shucks, thank you. It's good to have a comparison like this. Glad things are going well!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Incision looks great, Luka! Good boy! Mosby probably could have handled a full flight of stairs sooner (he never had an issue with the front 3 steps), but we used the harness to assist him out of caution for 4ish weeks until the other night when he casually went up them himself. We just felt more comfortable being cautious.
Well, we have been absent from this thread for awhile because we have just been trying to sort out the day-to-day in week 3+. The sutures were taken out last week, but right before that, just shy of two weeks, Luka started to bother the incision more than he had before. I had to put him back in the cone, and then he tweaked his neck with it, so I took it off shortly after the sutures were removed, and he continued to lick, so now the cone is back on again. During this time--about 13-20 days, he was really anxietal and I started to give him clonadine at night so we could both sleep. That seemed to be the trick to transitioning back to sanity. After zonking all night and leaving the sutures alone, they became a little better, and after being coned again during the day all of this week, he does not seem to be bothering the incision at all. What a relief. Luka has been known to lick any little thing until it bleeds, so I was pretty freaked out by that. The last few days have been nice. No clonadine and no more rimadyl. He's just on gaba 2x a day and doing great.
Anyway,what a great day today was! When I got home from work, Luka was actually leaping and spinning, like he use to do on four legs. Then we went for a nice long walk.
Tomorrow he starts chemo, and I am worried that it will dim the joy but am hoping it is for the best! (Hard to know!)
Lisa
Yay Luka! Glad he's recovering! I'm sure he'll sail through chemo no worries! Astro was a little tired through the following day but has been perked back up ever since. Keep on trucking, Luka and Lisa! Let us know how it goes!
Cheers,
Kat and Astro
Luka ROCKS! Here's to getting the zoomies back, and living life again. I hope chemo goes GREAT! Keep us posted OK?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Home from first chemo treatment a couple of hours ago. No car barfing, so that was a plus. Luka was tired, though, and continues to be a little less jazzed than he was yesterday, but he is still wanting to go for a walk, so we are on our way out the door in a few minutes. Vet said blood work looked really good, though a liver enzyme is slightly heightened, as it was back in November when we were still wondering if the limp was from a torn ACL. So nothing new; just a confirmation of the semi-known! The plan is six treatments but the onco did mention that there is not research that supports six as conclusively more effective than four, so I will be thinking about that.
We were sent home with cerena and metronidazole, both to be used as needed. Both Luka and I are hoping that they won't be! He has eaten a couple of treats, but dinner hasn't happened yet, so we'll see how robust the appetite is later.
One concern, of course, is the new SHAVE which he immediately started licking! 
Thanks for being there . . .
Lisa
LUKA!! NO LICKING YOU SILLY BOY!
Here's hoping you sail through chemo with no barfing but with lots of good appetite!! 🙂
My Happy Hannah's Onco suggested four rounds of Carbo and she did really well.
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!
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