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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Hello,
My Rottweiler Tess had her front left limb amputated last Tuesday 23/6. It is early days yet, but I was wondering how long it has taken for other amputees to get their spark back and regain interest in things? Also, will she ever get energy back to explore and enjoy life, it's been months since I saw her with energy, due to the pain and limping that led to her diagnosis. She was ok initially when she came home from surgery, but seems a lot less active even depressed today. This sounds like the slump written about in the other topic, and she is on a lot of meds, but I wanted to get a feel for what I should expect.
Lisa
Hi Lisa and Tess, thanks for joining. Your future posts won't need approval so post away!
How come Tess lost her leg? I'm curious what kind of medications she's on. Meds can make dogs dopey and slow (which is what we often confuse with 'depression'), but rest is good at this point. If she is showing any signs that make you worried, let your vet know.
You're correct: it hasn't been a long time since she had her surgery, and right now, rest is what she needs. All dogs have their own recovery timeline but in general most are getting around and feeling spunky within a few weeks, usually after stitches are out and they've been weaned off medications. Again, every dog is different.
Oh and yes, the post-surgery slump is pretty common, usually it's because the dog is still high as a kite from the surgery meds when they come home and they think they're invincible. After a day or two things catch up and they get very tired from learning how to use their bodies. Just take things slow and don't let her overdo things, there's plenty of time to have fun once she's feeling good again. Hang in there!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thanks for your reply. As I lay here, Tess is doing laps hopping from room to room, resting briefly then hopping back. It's nearly 2.00am in the morning. She barely moved all day. Osteosarcoma is why Tess had her leg amputated. Chemotherapy is booked in to start 6th July.
Hi Lksa and Tess!
Love the avatar picture...a very smoochable mug!
Yes, very, very early in recovery! The first xouple of days they still jave hospital meds in them so they may actually seem a little perkier in the beginning and then more of a "crash" after they wear off.
My Happy Hannah was very restless for the first several days....could not get comfortable....constantly whining and sitting down, getting up, sitting down, getting up, etc. I think maybe around day five I saw a bit of her sparkle..not much...and it didn't show up very often those first two weeks! I even cancelled her first chemo and waited until the third week becasuse I wa ted her feeling better before she went in for it. Honest to goodness, for the first two weeks I thought "What in the world have I done TO my dog?" After about the third week I knew I had done this FOR my Happy Hannah!
Eating? Pooping? Peeing? Drinking?
Is Tess on Tramadol, Gabapentin, Rimadyl and an antibiotic? It's important to give the meds consistently and not let the pain get ahead of the meds.
Hang in there, okay? YOU ARE NOT ALONE!! This is MAJOR surgery! Heck, humans would still be in the hospital and probably on a morphine drip! Stay connected and keep us posted. We are all here for you.
Oh, and eat lots of CHOCOLATE! Deep breaths! Chocolate! They work wonders!
Hugs!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle 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!
Thanks Sally,
Eating? Yes, but a little less enthusiasm, maybe dislikes the antibiotic in it, but that's done now.
Pooping? Yes
Peeing? Yes, but holds on so she only goes a couple of times a day
Drinking? Yes
Medications: Fentanyl patch, Onsior and just finished antibiotic. I have Tramadol if she needs it, but we haven't used it since surgery and the fentanyl patch went on. We see the vet again tomorrow afternoon.
The more I read the more I think Tess is coping really well. She's only yelped from pain once, she hurt herself getting up. She only growled at me once when I was trying to put her coat on and only once she has got stuck laying on the scar side and that was my fault for trying to move her when she was sleepy (again to put the coat on).
We are in winter and since she doesn't move much she feels a lot colder than she used to, especially of a night it is cold in our house. She used to be an outside dog and the cold wasn't a problem but she has changed so much this last year. When I gave her the coat (the one in the photo) a few days before amputation, she loved it right away. She came up and thanked me with licks and I could tell in her eyes she loved it. It's soft and made of sheepskin. When the heater is on and she gets warmth I try to take it off her for a while. I think I will get her an outside coat for when she is up to exploring and going places again. I never have been a fan of dressing animals, but her coat has made a world of difference to her. I think the coat is also very useful right now to protect her incision and stitches a bit too, it doesn't seem to rub or irritate her wound at all and we put the coat on somewhat loosely.
Lisa
Lisa you are so right, she is doing pretty darn well! That Fentanyl patch is the equivalent of morphine for people so you can only imagine how it's affecting her mentally much less physically. I hope your vet visit goes well tomorrow. Hang in there.
P.S. Yes, the coats DO help when all that fur is gone. They do get cold so use jackets if you have them.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Tess is beautiful!
The first couple of weeks is pretty difficult. I really went back & forth a lot with my feelings about whether or not we did the right thing. When Murphy needs meds we usually put it in peanut butter...he'll take anything that way! Of course, then we have to give a little bit to the other dogs, too. He didn't eat very well that first couple of weeks, either. I cooked rice and put chicken broth on it for him, then added some chicken to it. The medications make them not quite themselves. The good thing is that once they get weaned off the meds they start getting back to normal. She'll get there.
She has to figure out her new hop, too. You'll notice eventually that her other front leg will sort of end up being more in the middle when she walks...they sort of make a triangle when they walk .. it's pretty amazing! They get themselves balanced out pretty good.
Keep us posted!
Donna
Donna, Glenn & Murphy
Murphy had his right front leg amputated due to histiocytic sarcoma at 7 years old. He survived 4 years, 2 months & 1 week, only to be taken by hemangiosarcoma at 11 1/2 years 6/12/17
Read about Murphy's Life on Three Legs
It sounds like Tess is doing amazing considering she just had a major surgery! Pooping, peeing, eating, and drinking are all good signs. Like others have mentioned the first few weeks of recovery there will be ups and downs but Tess will get there.
I'm just curious on where you guys live that it's winter for you? It's amazing how this community helps people all over the world!
Hang in there!
Sahana and her Angel Leland and Lucian too
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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