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Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat

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Member Since:
1 September 2017
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10 October 2017 - 8:20 pm
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Our Roxy is over 5 days post-op (front right amputation due to soft tissue sarcoma). Days have been pretty good but she's been very restless at night.  Whimpering, panting, some wandering.  Is it normal for nights to be more difficult for them?

Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
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10 October 2017 - 8:38 pm
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Tell us more avout Roxy.  And btw, her avatar picture is adorable!!

What's her activity level been like?  This early in she should only be doing SHORT potty breaks and then back inside to rest.

What is her pain management like?  What is she taking and how often?  How much does she weight?  Her age?

Most dogs here come home with Tramadol, Gabapentin, Rimadyl and an antibiodic.   It can be a bit of a challenge tweaking the meds and getting the right balance to keep the pain at bay.

Everything you are describing sounds  like pain symptoms.  Just to make it interesting though, sometimes the Tramadol can have similar side effect!  :Ugh!

Is Roxy eating....drinking....peeing....pooping okay? 

This is major surgery and five days out is still very early.  It took me three weeks before I could say I did this FOR my Happy Hannah and not TO her!

Of course, if you have any concerns give your Vet a call.

Hugs

Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too

Hang in there!   Recovery is pretty rough for about two weeks,  but it doesn't last forever!

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!

On The Road


Member Since:
24 September 2009
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11 October 2017 - 12:36 am
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Hmmm this can certainly be pain. In addition to Sally's questions, what are days like. How much activity is she getting? And are there other dogs in the house that she plays with? She could be doing too much too soon, and it catches up with her at night. A common situation and one that is usually easily solved with R&R and pain management . Do tell us more and we can try to help OK?

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

Member Since:
1 September 2017
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11 October 2017 - 3:39 am
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Thank you. 

We think she's 11-12 (rescue), 65 lbs.  Eating pretty well, drinking, peeing, has pooped 2 x. She goes out only to pee or for us to try to get her to pee and then back in.  She gets up and down and hops about very well considering how recent this surgery was.

She's on and was already on Rimadyl.  We are giving her pain meds (codeine) now as needed vs the every 6 hours we had been.  We thought it may be meds causing this but last night, although it took longer for it to start, she did it again and had been med free for 12+ hours.  During the day she seems fine, just lethargic.  At night she cries, moves about, pants.  

Virginia







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11 October 2017 - 9:37 am
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This IS MAJOR SURGERY and it hurts!!

Most dogs here after five days are on a CONSISTENT  dose of pain meds staggered abput every eight hrs.  This is definitely a generalization, but  generally the Tramadol is given, and then maybe an hour or twomlater, the Gabapentin.   The Rimadyl is basically an anti-inflammatory and not a strong pain med at all.

Once the pain gets ahead start, itsw really hard to get it under control.   So keeping the pain meds consistently in her system is important.

Talk tonyiur Vet about switching over to some of the pain meds I mentioned, or about refiguring the codeine so itnis given more frequently and  or consistently.  He may even reduce the amlunt, but increase the frequency.

What you are describing certainly sounds like pain so see ifnyour Vet is ioen to a better way of managing this for your sweet girl.

YAAAAAAAAAY FOR PEEING AND POOPING AND EATING AND DRINKING!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂  The fact that she is resti g and doing nothing (at least duri the day) is good.  That's exactly what she needs right now to help heal her body.   Humans would still be in the hospital and probably in a morphine drip!!

Take care and update when you can.

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!

Member Since:
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11 October 2017 - 4:51 pm
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Thank you.

Her vet (who has been incredible) said to start spacing the pain meds out to slowly wean off but we're going to call her back tomorrow to tell her about this.  We may have spaced too far. But it seems whether it's 6 hrs, 8 hrs, or 12 hrs... she has this difficulty only at night.

Member Since:
3 July 2017
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13 October 2017 - 6:36 am
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It sounds to me like her pain may not be totally well controlled, but another possibility is that she may be feeling a little confused from the codeine. Some dogs (and people) react that way to opiates, and often when it's dark and quiet, without distractions, the confused pups struggle with pain, loss of mobility, etc. You might find that once she's on a more consistent schedule of something like rimadyl, gabapentin, and tramadol (more mild than codeine), she'll tolerate weaning down on the codeine and may be less restless at night.

Our dog, Loki, had horrible nights at first due to a mix of buprenorphine (also an opiate) making him crazy and otherwise inadequate pain management . Within a week he was making big improvements, and now 3 months out he's a champ! Fyi he still takes his gabapentin twice a day and rimadyl in the evenings (more or less depending on his soreness).

Good luck and I hope your pup starts feeling better!

🐾 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.

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