Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hi everyone!
My name is Frida, I am the proud owner of Rebel, a 4 year old pitbull. He was diagnosed with osteosarcoma 1 month ago and became a tripawd 8 days ago. Everything went fine, we got him home the day after the surgery and he is getting better and better with every day. Eating, drinking, peeing, pooping, etc. However, the last coulpe of days his remaining muscle is twitching and, well it looks like he's cramping. I can tell it hurts, because when this happens he almost loses his balance and he's screaming... It's really painful to watch, and I don't now what to do. It mostly happens after he's been resting, when getting up and then walking.
Could it be phantom pain ? If anyone out there knows what it can be, or what to do, I would be so grateful for some advice. We're visiting the vet tomorrow, but when speaking with them it seemed like they didn't really now what was wrong. We live in Sweden, and amputation here is not very common, so I am hoping you guys will be more informed!
Welcome Frida and Rebel, your future posts will not have to wait for approval.
Did Rebel lose a front or rear leg? How active is he? Our vet said Maggie was only to walk for potty breaks and meals for the first two weeks. Could he be overdoing and stressing the remaining leg?
I didn't experience phantom pain with Maggie, but from what I've read of others experiences it is more a random thing, not really tied to resting or activity. Muscle cramping sounds to me more like overuse or simple tiring. New Tripawds have to learn a new gait and it puts stresses on muscles in different ways.
You might try some gentle stretches or massage and see if you can loosen up his leg for him. I know there is some rehab info on this site- maybe Jerry can find it and post it for you.
I'm glad you have joined us here and I look forward to learning more about Rebel and you.
Karen and Spirit Maggie
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Hi Rebel and Frida!
Your pup's picture is so cute!!!
Sorry you are going through this crazy journey but you've come to the right place for support! You are not on this journey alone!
Imw a little unclear...is it the amputation site that is twitching? If so,it sounds very much like phantom pain . Do a search on here and you will be able to find o ut tons. Apain med called Gabapentin helps a lot.
If it's a remaining let that is doing this, then it could be as Karen says above. I know thiis is hard to watch when your pup hurts. It does continue t i get better! Its stil l vERY early in recovery from ma j or surgery.
What kind of pain pills Rebel taking now?
Sending lots of n hugs and look forward to.more updates.
Sally and Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle
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!
Wow, first of all thanks for answering me so fast!
Karen & Spirit Maggie: Rebel lost a rear leg, and he was a very active dog before the surgery, but now we have limited his activities, so we only go on short walks and when we are home he sleeps or just crawl up my lap and wants to be cuddled with =) . I guess he still could be overdoing it though, cuz the vet told us he isn't supposed to be jumping up and down from the sofa, bed etc. However, I don't really now how to stop him. When he sees me get up, he jumps down without giving me a chance to help him. I fear this is way too soon for a dog who's just undergone a major surgery.. So yes, I think you might be right! Maybe we need to slow things down even more here, and really make an attempt of not letting him do too much on his own.
I have contacted a physical therapist for dogs and we've decided to start swimming with Rebel as soon as the wound is completly healed. For now we've just got some balance-exercices, which he masters already. I guess you can't train them enough though!
Sally, Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle: Thank you 
! Yours is adorable too <3
No, not the amputation site, well at least not the wound it self. It sort of looks like the whole left part of the "butt-muscle". When it starts and becomes really hard and tense, and it almost looks like he's trying to kick really hard straight backwards. Yeah, I'm really hoping that it gets better, with the advice from you all I will try to keep him more still. He is on a medication called Previcox (firocoxide?) and Tramadol. I will ask them if we can get Gabapentin here in Sweden, I'm not sure though.
Once again, thank you both for the answers. Lots of hugs // Frida & Rebel
Hi Frida and Rebel! I'm glad things are mostly going pretty well. I have to agree with Karen, it sounds like he could be getting too much activity. Tell us more about what kind of exercise and physical things he's doing.
I know it's so hard to keep a young pup from overdoing it! Be sure to check out the Tripawds rehab book, Loving Life on Three Legs and also these posts about canine massage. Let us know what helps!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hello Frida and Rebel
You have found a great site , and I am sure like me that you will find all the advice and support so helpful and reassuring.
Hector had his front left leg amputated 2 weeks ago due to a recurrent soft tissue sarcoma. He was discharged 24 hrs after surgery, and came home his usual bouncy self, and behaved as if he still had 4 legs. We were so delighted to have him home, and doing so well that we all got carried away and let him over exercise. Two days later he started screaming, which was so sad and upsetting to hear and his stomach was looking very red, so we took him back to the vet who diagnosed idiopathic nerve pain (phantom pain ) and they kept him in for 48 hrs to control his pain. Hector was also trembling like Rebel. Hector came home a lot happier and on Gabapentin twice a day, Tramadol and Carofen, and this controlled his pain, also there was no more trembling. We also kept his walking down to an absolute minimum, which worked. Hector had his stitches removed yesterday, and he is now only on Gabapentin twice a day which he is tolerating well.
The Gabapentin certainly seems to have been the drug that helped the phantom pain , and made such a difference to Hector. Also limiting the exercise is most important.
Good luck, and I am sure that once Rebel's pain is under control he will start to settle.
Keep us posted on progress.
Mary and Hector
Welcome Frida and Rebel-
Shooter had cramping the first few weeks as he learned the new way things worked. I found that massaging him every night really helped and If one started to spasm, I would just keep at it until it stopped. I also used a Back On Track blanket and it really seemed to relax him.
Luanne and Spirit Shooter
Spirit Shooter was a Miniature Australian Shepherd who was diagnosed with a MCT and had a LF amp 1/28/13 at 13-1/2 years old.
Shooter crossed the Bridge on 8/28/13, his 7 month ampuversary and two weeks from his 14th birthday.
Hi everyone
Rebel is getting better and better. We've lowered the amount of exercise, and after a visit to the vet a few days ago we found out he had an infection so he's on antibiotics now. He also got Gabapentin for the pain and cramping! However, today I got the chock of my life. We were out on a short walk, and I thought he was about to pee. Then a sharp beam spurted out of his lumb, from a small hole just a few centimeters above the incision. It was a mix of pus and blood. I thought I was in a horror movie, it just wouldn't stop. I carried him home, the fluids flowing down my arms and called the vet immediately. She thought it was an abscess, and that there is nothing really to worry about but I should keep it clean and they will have a look at it in a coulpe of days. Puh... Have any of you guys experienced this? It was sick. Now it has slowed down, after I've cleaned up about 0,2 liters. I'm thinking that this must have been painful walking around with, I can only think of how it feels when you have a huge pimple, and this must have been beyond huge ^^. I'm kinda wondering how they didn't notice it in the vet's office, but it doesn't matter. They said his skin was very tight over lumb, and well. It isn't anymore. I'm just happy he's fine and this wasn't as dangerous as it looked.
Sorry if I disgusted anyone with this story, I really just had to share. If anyone has any ideas, or maybe think I should do something special to prevent this from happening again, I am happy to read them!!
Hugs / Frida & Rebel
Wow...poor Rebel. My Leland had a failed TPLO procedure on his left knee (that ended up having to be amputated) and he had a lot of fluid/drainage at the incision site. When my husband and I would get him up to go to the bathroom it looked like water that would spray out of a pinhole in a garden hose. Leland ended up having a severe infection that landed him in the clinic for 4 days and the vets couldn't get it under control which led to his amputation along with the fact that the screws would not hold in his meniscus. I know you mentioned Rebel is on antibiotics but if you start noticing an odor in the drainage I would get him to the vet. We noticed an odor with Leland's drainage and I would think pus coming out is not good either. Rebel may need a stronger antibiotic or multiple antibiotics.
Oh one other thing...we were having to take Leland's temp after the amp surgery to make sure he didn't start a fever (sign of something going on). It wasn't much fun to put the thermometer in his butt (
) but with a simple digital thermometer it was in and out pretty quick. I think a dog's normal temp is 102 if I'm not mistaken. You may want to consider keeping check on Rebel's.
Good luck and I hope the drainage isn't nothing too serious.
Sahana and her Angel Leland
November 17, 2009 - June 30, 2014
May you finally be healthy and running free at the Rainbow Bridge. Until we meet again my sweet boy!
Thank you! I've smelled it, and it smells "clean", nothing funky. And I took his temp yesterday, earlier today and just now, it's 101, so I guess that's OK. I've talked to our vet again, and they will call me tomorrow to see how he's doing, and then we'll see if we have to go in. I'm just hoping he wont have to stay there again, he was there the whole weekend, while getting antibiotics i.v, and he wasn't very happy.. However, what's most important is that he's getting better. And on the plus-side, his lump is much "softer" and it seems like the pain has decreased now when all the liquid is out, so that's good Gotta think positive!
Hugs / Frida & Rebel
WOW! I guess it d i d scare the heck out of you! And I'm sure it didn't make Rebel feel too great too!
Soooo...just curious....when you took him to the vet and they said he had an infection...how did they determine that? Temperature...blood work? And, I'm with you, it seems a good thorough check of the.incision site by the.professionals would have discovered a bulging lump of infection!
I guess the good news is it is out of his system. As Sahana has said though, really, really watch it and check for foul smell and take his temperature.
Did the vest offer suggestions as far as cleaning it...not cleaning it...covering..not covering, etc.?
Sorry this has happened! Sounds like everything is u.der control now...but if ANY issues arise, go.on and take him
In...maybe even to someone else for second opinion.
Sending you hugs! Good job on speedy reaction!!!
Keep us posted!
Hugs!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle
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!
Eeek. I know how scary that is, it happened to us as well. Sure sounds like a seroma to me, which is pretty normal (click on the link 4 info). As long as it's not smelly, greenish or more bloody that watery it should be fine until you see the vet but just keep an eye on it over the next day or so.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Sally: Yeah I was really freaked out, but tried to keep calm for Rebel's sake. First they did an ultrasound, where they found a "pocket" of fluid, which they drained with a thin needle, and then they tested it for bacteria. However, this "new abscess" was a few inches above that original pocket, so I am a bit disappointed that they didn't notice it then. I've talked to the vet, who told me to massage him and keep it clean 'til tomorrow, when we are going to the vet to get a "drainage-tube" put in.
Jerry: Thanks for the link, I've read it and I think you might be right. I am just sad that I didn't figure it out sooner, but then again we did see the vet earlier that morning and they said that his wound looked perfectly fine. Now I'm on high alert, keeping an eye on everything haha, not letting anything slip..
Hugs!! / Frida & Rebel
Oh and I forgot to answer the question about how to clean it! They told me to keep it uncovered, and wash it with warm water alt. water with natriumchloride (don't know the english name for it, but it's a finished product I bought at the farmacy). The vet said it was good that it keeps dripping, since everything has to get out before it can heal properly. Do you think that's right? I've also bought new sheets, and blankets, for him to sleep on, to minimize more bacterias finding it's way in there...
/ Frida & Rebel
Yeah keeping Rebel's bedding clean is important. With Leland we had put our mattress on the floor so he wouldn't have to jump to get up to the bed (we all slept together). We would lay bath towels down on top of the comforter and we constantly changed them out to be washed. My husband and I were so paranoid after Leland got the severe infection that after the amputation the washer was running constantly.
And we used hydrogen peroxide to keep Leland's incision site clean. I'm not sure if you have that in your country but I'm sure if the vet told you to keep Rebel's site cleaned with the product you're using then it should be ok.
So was no drainage tube put in at the incision site? Leland had a tube put in that stayed in for a few days after the procedure. Then we had to cut the stitch and pull it out...well my husband did the cutting and pulling since his stomach is a little stronger than mine...I just lent support.
Well keep us posted...I'll send Rebel and you a BIG HUG across the Atlantic!
Sahana and her Angel Leland
November 17, 2009 - June 30, 2014
May you finally be healthy and running free at the Rainbow Bridge. Until we meet again my sweet boy!
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