Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hello everyone! I'm back with another question about our darling Maddie. She had her front leg amp on Tuesday and is recovering very well. She was not released from the hospital until Thursday and we have been monitoring her at home 24/7 since the surgery. She's doing great - trying to do too much I'm afraid (like running OMG talk about giving mom a heart attack). So my question is when can she be left alone for a few minutes/half hour or so? We have someone scheduled to be here every day next week but with her intolerance of my other dog, we've had to separate them. I do not want him to be 100% alone either -- since the incidents with Maddie he has refused to eat and is just very very upset because his entire routine has been disrupted. Is it safe to leave her unsupervised for brief periods of time? She is in a room with no stairs and the floor is completely covered with dog beds. There is a couch, but she's never tried to get on it. I've blocked the back door so she can't see creatures outside too! How long after surgery did you leave your pups unsupervised? As always thank you so much for the advice and well wishes for our family.
Bobbi & Maddie a/k/a ManiacMads
Front leg amputation 10/17/17 due to Osteosarcoma
She's Madeline, She's Madeline
Good morning Maddie’s Mum
Our Boy Stewie had his surgery on July 10th. We has Stewie set up in a sectioned off space in the living room. This worked for us because Stewie is a very big dog and doesn’t do couches either. I didn’t go very far in the first couple of weeks. Because of the drugs Stewie was quite content to be left alone for an hour or so after that, any more than an hour and he would notice that we’re gone and start to worry. He suffers from separation anxiety and even at the best of times, he can’t be left alone for long. But he did pretty good. I was a little paranoid though so I wouldn’t be gone for very long...
it sounds like you’ve got a tricky situation with your other dog too. Keeping them separated will be key until Maddie is healed.... no point in taking a chance on a dog fight heh? It sounds like you have got the room set up well. As long as she can’t roam around too much, the key in the first two weeks is as much bed rest as possible. They can’t rest enough! Be sure that there are no trip hazards too. Is she leaving her sutures alone?
It is still pretty early in Maddies recovery, so if she has been given her meds and seems super settled, maybe you could escape for a short while... I wouldn’t recommend for very long within the first couple of weeks... anything could happen and everything is critical in the first while.
Is Maddy drinking/eating okay? Is she going pee with or without help? What kind of puppy is she? How old? Did she have her leg removed due to cancer? Sorry for the multiple questions, I just like to have a picture in my mind as to who I’m talking to...
Take care and someone will always be around to answer your questions, so fire away...
Hugs and cuddles to brave Maddy and to you for helping your girl live a better happier life!
All the best, Petra and gang xxx
Remember...“live in the moment!“ 
Hey Maddie and Mom 🌺
Girl, I cannot tell you how happy I am to hear there's such fantastic progress so far, trying to run, no less 😳😉
As for your question, I haven't left Eurydice on her own, my adored Eurydice didn't have as smooth a recovery as sweet Mads so I wouldn't leave even for one split second 😐 but others have left their dogs as some had to go back to work during recovery, hang in there and you'll have feedback soon.
Sending you and Maddie a huuuuuge hug and XL ear scratches 😘😘😘😘🐮💫✨🌟🌹
Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-)
We had somebody home all the time with Loki until his sutures came out (11 days post op), if I remember correctly. We don't have a good way to block off areas of the house, so it seems like Maddie might have that advantage. Definitely a necessity for keeping your pups separate! You could try "leaving" her for 5-10 minutes to see how she does, and then work up from there. Let us know how it goes!
~Brittnie and Loki
🐾 Loki, Dog of Mischief 🐶
I loved life as a tripawd for over three years following right forelimb amputation due to an aggressive and recurrent hemangiopericytoma. I reclaimed my place among the gods and valkyries in Valhalla on November 11th, 2020. My parents miss me tremendously, but I know they'll keep me in their hearts forever... and don't worry, I've approved my mom's use of my Tripawds account.
Thanks for the replies - Petra, Maddie is a 7 year old Great Dane with front leg amputation due to Osteosarcoma. I left her alone in the room for 5 minutes three separate times today and she did not get up. It seems like she only gets up when she hears my other dog bark or when someone comes home! As soon as I tell her to lay down, she reluctantly does. We have 24/7 coverage thru next Sunday, possibly Monday or Tuesday. She should have her sutures out by then although I haven't scheduled the suture removal yet because I am a little concerned about coughing. It started a couple days ago and only happens when we get up and move to go out potty or to walk to her food, etc. These are not far walks, just a few feet. I'm not sure if coughing is even the correct word - it's more like very heavy breathing or raspy loud panting/exhales? Anyway, I'm worried of course because we all know where IT can go next. At first I thought she may have caught kennel cough or something at the hospital because I did not update her bordatella before the surgery. I can't believe I never even thought about it. Anyway, I've ruled that out because it only happens when she's moving around. I'm thinking I may ask them to do another chest xray when she gets her sutures removed? I don't even want to think about the possibility but I have a pit in my stomach for sure... hopefully it's just exertion or something.
Bobbi & Maddie a/k/a ManiacMads
Front leg amputation 10/17/17 due to Osteosarcoma
She's Madeline, She's Madeline
Try not to panic, I know it’s easier said than done! Is it possible that she is having a reaction to pain meds? I’m trying to think of other things it could be and not thinking the worst Sweetheart!
It sounds like she is a great baloo of a dog like stewie, and it also sounds like you’ve got it all covered. I am hoping for the best for you!🙏🤞❤️
My Zoey had very heavy breathing, very often after her surgery for her front right leg amputation. I am certain that it was because of all the pain meds. Now that she is finally off of everything, she is breathing normal again.
We are fortunate in the sense that my husband and I are both self employed so there was always someone here keeping an eye on her during her recovery. Also the fact that I am an early bird and he is a night owl made for even longer supervision. She really only had a few hours a day unsupervised. It has only been over the last week have we left her and her sister alone (surgery was at the end of Sept. and sutures removed Oct 16th) for a few hours but indoors.
Hi sweetie 🌺
I replied in your other thread but just wanted to say I think the heavy breathing is due to the effort of hopping especially because she doesn't do it when lying down or standing still.
Recovery is generally trickier for giant breeds especially if they lost a front leg.
Her X-rays were clear just before surgery, I've never heard of lung mets showing up and provoking breathing difficulties in a couple of days...
Eurydice lived 6 1/2 months with lung mets and her breathing was pretty much normal until the last couple of months.
Now go and have some chocolate (as sweet Sally would say) 😉
😘😘😘🐮💫✨🌟🌹
Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-)
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