Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
Tripawds is your home to learn how to care for a three legged dog or cat, with answers about dog leg amputation, and cat amputation recovery from many years of member experiences.
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We had a couple days of good sleep after our chemo treatments as well. Rest is good!!! And agree with the bland foods for an upset belly.
I love his little snout over the seat. Too cute!
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
I started to taper down his meds and I think I did it too fast. I was giving him 2 tramadol and 2 Gabapentin every 6/8 hours. I dropped down to one of each every 8 hours or so.
All seemed fine and Otis actually was Otis tonight. For the first time he wandered out into the kitchen where we were making dinner plates. It was so good to see him just show up in the room. He never misses us putting food on plates for dinner, EVER, until the amp.
Later he was laying on his amp side with his head off the bed and couldn't get up to go outside. When I went to help him, he started crying, not like the horrible yelps those other 2 times. So I plan to go back to his regular med schedule tomorrow and then take away 1 pill, of one of the meds for a few days and then go from there.
I'm not sure if I should do tramadol or gaba first. Which one makes them more spacey and out of it? I believe it's tramadol. If I take away 1 tramadol, is the gaba enough to keep his pain level down? He is getting REALLY hard to get pills into. He no longer trusts my offerings and sucks on anything I feed him and spits out the pill. So it's manually down the throat now and then and I hate doing that to him.
Otis - 121 lbs pre amp - 114 lbs post amp and now 118 lb Great Dane - English Mastiff X. Started limping on 12/24/16. Diagnosed with Osteosarcoma 12/28/16 - amputation of front left leg on 1/6/17. Stitches out and 1st round of Chemo on 1/19/17. 2nd round of Carboplatin on 2/10/17 - 3rd round on 3/2/2017. 4th round was scheduled for 3/22/17 - however due to low WBC postponed - 4th Chemo completed on 3/28/17. Had breathing difficulties, stayed in Tufts ICU overnight. Due for 2 more rounds of Chemo but we are opting to go with homeopathy with Dr. Loops instead.
Aww, Otis. Speaking for Astro, Tramadol makes him much spacier than the Gaba. Astro is just on 2 gaba every 12 hours and he is doing well, no signs of pain and he seems much more 'present' than he has been. We have never had good luck with tramadol, makes him anxious and incontinent. Just our experience, every dog is different. Glad to hear Otis showed up to keep an eye on dinner. Great to hear he is resuming his normal duties! Keep hopping, boss!
Cheers,
Kat and Astro
Otis: take your meds! You need them now but soon will not! But if you don't take them now, they will have to be taken on a longer basis. So...Otis, take your meds:)
I have always just opened Da Bears' mugs and put the meds as far back in the throat as possible as quickly, quietly and confidently as possible and then close their mugs and rub under their chins/ throats until they swallow. Followed by a big head rub which helps them quickly forget that I have just given them meds. Oh, to be a dog! And then give a treat or feed them their regular meal. Partly this is because CharlieBear is taking up to 20 pills a day and partly this is because I do not want to have to worry about him spitting out any food. It works quite well and , if need be in the future, I can change to hiding it in food. He has gotten used to it ( as has EmmaRose) and it saves me 20 marshmallows 🙂
As far as which drug makes either wooglier, for mine it is Tramadol. Could you very incrementally give less Tramadol ( 1 6/8ths, 1 and 5/8ths...)? Are there other meds your vets recommend instead? Could you ask about other drugs to combine with the gaba rather than Tramadol?
Now Otis, a marshmallow a day keeps the pains away! Plus, you can always just give your mom the woe is me look to earn extra Puppucino points!!!
( Frankly, why the heck don't drug companies figure out how to make all vet meds bacon flavored? They would save so many more animals by doing so...)
We didn't have gaba, but were giving three trams every 8 hours. On the day the staples came out, the surgeon told us to eliminate the midday dose. After a couple of days, we reduced the other doses, then eliminated the morning dose. We got down to one tram before bed, and then eliminated that when he stopped showing pain signs. Many dogs continue on the gaba a bit longer than on tram. I am not a vet, but I would probably start reducing the tramadol first.
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.
I know you're anxious to get off the meds, but don't rush it. Nitro was on them for 2-3 weeks after surgery. And now, 2 1/2 years later, as he deals with arthritis, he's back on them again....3 gabapentin twice a day, and 2 tramadol twice a day. The tram does seem to make some dogs loopier vs gabapentin. Luckily, Nitro tolerates both. He weighs 77 lbs by the way.
Paula and Nitro
Nitro 11 1/2 yr old Doberman; right front amp June 2014. Had 6 doses carboplatin, followed by metronomic therapy. Rocked it on 3 legs for over 3 years! My Warrior beat cancer, but couldn't beat old age. He crossed the Bridge peacefully on July 25, 2017, with dignity and on his terms. Follow his blog entitled "Doberman's journey"
"Be good, mama loves you".....run free my beautiful Warrior
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