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.
Join The Tripawds Community
Learn how to help three legged dogs and cats in the forums below. Browse and search as a guest or register for free and get full member benefits:
Instant post approval.
Private messages to members.
Subscribe to favorite topics.
Live Chat and much more!
Register
Log In
Members
Add Topic
Offline
I'm just now catching up on your posts, glad things went relatively smoothly last night!
I wouldn't let her get too close to the ground until her incision is checked again and your vet says it's OK. Till then a sling is a great idea if she will allow it. Keep her calm and confined to a small area, she shouldn't be doing anything but going on leashed potty walks. You're doing great, keep it up!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi Ruby's mom. Keep us updated on Ruby's progress and don't hesitate to post questions. My Johnnie is also a front-leg amputee and he is 3-months post-op. Take good care of the incision and if possible keep her with a T-shirt on to protect the stitches. Good luck and congratulations on having your girl back home!
Daniela & Johnnie
Our awesome Golden Boy was diagnosed for OSA in April 2014 in the proximal humerus, front-leg amp on 05/20/2014. Finished chemo (Carbo6) on 07/10/2014. Ongoing treatment: acupuncture + K-9 Immunity Plus ( 3chews) and home-cooked no-grain diet. Stopped Apocaps because of liver issues. Liver issues: controlling altered enzymes with SAM-e and Milk Thistle. October 17: started having seizures. Taking fenobarbital for seizures. April 18: started prednisone.
Hi Support Warriors!!
Today has been much better than yesterday!
We seem to have Ruby's pain under control and she is only crying out every now and then. I think she is mostly doing it for attention and we are trying to give her some tough love... The Ferber method for dogs... The Fur-ber method 
It seems to be working and once she stops she sleeps for a few hours. However, this evening she has been doing it more than the rest of the day.
She is getting up on her own but we are still sling supporting her when we go outside. She is trying to run and we are helping her to slow Down.
Eating does not seem to be an issue and she has eaten 2 good (what I would consider) meals today!! And even had some bites of chicken as a snack when taking pills.
Yesterday she was drinking a ton of water, but today she is drinking less. We are making sure to add a little water to her food, and feeding her water based foods (wet food mixed with some pumpkin). Since she is drinking less (hardly at all since about noon today) she is peeing less, and still no poop.
Questions for you all... Any tricks to get her to drink some water?
Also, She seems to lay on her incision a lot. I figure that if she was hurting she wouldn't do it, but I feel that can not be comfortable for her. Did anyone else experience this? Any suggestions on what to do?
Thank you all!!!
-Laina and Joel and our sweet pup Ruby
For water, keep adding it to her food. You can also spike it with low sodium chicken broth or tuna water. My quad pug Obie hates water- he almost never drinks on his own, so we make sure one meal a day is sort of soupy.
Maggie didn't poop until day 6 I think- pain meds are constipating. Just be careful with the pumpkin so you don't cause the opposite problem!
When she is laying on her incision is it on a bed or on the floor? As long as her incision stays clean I would let her do it if she wants. It may be comforting somehow- maybe calming those nerves severed in the surgery? I asked about the floor because she may be trying to cool it.
Overall she sounds great! And get used to her going fast- Tripawds tend to develop a pretty quick gait, it helps with their balance.
Karen
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Shelby laid on her amp site the first day home - inside and on her bed - so it was pretty safe. I probably wouldn't advise it outside on grass though. Make sure she keeps super calm and limited activity. They often feel so much better they don't know their limits!
Glad to hear she's eating so well too! 🙂
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
Just catching up with Ruby's progress.....sounds like she is coming along well, and at her pace. Everyone has given great advice, and I really can't add to this topic very much.... I think I had the perfect dog when she had her amp, lol !! I was VERY lucky in the fact that I had absolutely NO problems with my Polly from the moment she came from her surgeon's office to come home, none. I was blessed in that regard......
Anyway, I am hoping each day brings Ruby closer to the fun and happy pup you are used to seeing......I am sure that will be very soon !!
Love,
Bonnie & Angel Polly
Last night and today were looong! Ruby could not seem to get comfortable, and was crying softly all night and for the majority of the day today. She is resting, but hardly sleeping. I called the clinic and my vet friend (I am only using our friend for guidance, any decision on medication or anything with Ruby I am confirming with her current doctors) and both said the fentanyl patch is very strong and could be causing her to be vocal and restless. Delirious and delusional were the words used.
With their guidance we took the patch off this afternoon. We were scared to do this and we worried it was too soon, but we took the advice of the professionals and not our own. I also read a few discussions on here and it seems that a few people were experienced the same thing with the fentanyl patch and noted that it got better with the patch off.
Did anyone have problems with the fentanyl patch?
Tomorrow we go to get her drain removed. Yesterday it was producing a lot of fluid, but there is much less fluid production today. The specialist we are seeing is about 30-45 minutes away (depending of traffic) so we hope that we will be able to get it out tomorrow. Either way it will be good to see her dr and check in. Since Ruby was sent home so early we are experiencing things in a different order than many posts I have read. We hope that we will be able to fall into a groove soon and she will start to feel better. We are also going to ask for gabapentin (per the guidance of these posts and vet friend)
Did anyone combine meds and add in gabapentin?
Ruby is eating great and we are making sure to add extra water to her food be chase she is still not drinking much. I am getting a big concerned because apse has not peed since 4:30am and still no poop!
Thank you for being our supporters.
We are grateful!!
Still wouldn't be too worried about the pooping. I know, easier said than done!
The peeing...yeah, that would cause more concern...check with the vet on that one. Hopeful k y she has peed now.
YES, my Hap o gHannah was on Gabapentin and Tramadol and Rimadyl. With the patch being off now, you'll definitely want to make sure her pain is managed adequately.
For my Happy Hannah, whining and crying a whole lot at least the first full week and well into the second. I did everything I coukd to comfort her and reassure her. I wouldn't worry about practicing "t o ugh lpve" now. She's just had major surgery, is trying to adjust to three legs...yeah, we'dbe whining and crying too!
And they will walk ata faster ace n ow...more mometum is needed for them to work out their balance on three legs.
My Happy Hannah ate very well too. Like Ruby though, she had an aversion to drinking water! Try swirling a scoop of ice cream in it. I jad to resort to that to get Happy Hannah to drink! It worked!!
Let us know what the vet says Tues. Hope she can get that drain out.
Look forward to hearing from you!
You're doing great!!! It does get better!!!
Hugs and love!!
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!
Awww I know it's so tough sometimes but we are cheering you on from here! Sounds to me that you are on the right track. Keep reminding yourself that all dogs are different in how they recover. All in all it sounds like Ruby's is pretty normal, even with the Fentanyl patch side effects. It's such a double-edged sword, because they medicate the dog to keep them out of pain but oftentimes their mind can't handle the effects and they do things like pant and whine. I think you'll see a big difference now that it's off.
Let us know how your visit goes today. Oh and remember that pooping WILL happen, add in some metamucil, olive oil or canned pumpkin pulp to get things moving, that should do it.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Removing the patch helped soo much! Last night we were all able to sleep. I don't think that Ruby slept as much as we did, but she was still and not crying. This morning we got her drain removed and currently she is asleep and snoring!! She normally snores when she sleeps and it is great to see that she is FINALLY asleep and resting well!
This site was helpful in figuring out about the patch and the side effects. THANK YOU ALL! She does not look near as drugged today, and is acting more like her old self Makes my heart happy!
She did pee today at the clinic, and the vet said he is not yet concerned since we let him know the amount we are adding to her food. He said since it was her back leg that was amputated that it just takes some dogs longer (even when they are being supported with a sling). Ruby had access to all of our yard and house before the surgery (we have 1.25 acres that is fenced in and a doggie door to the house. She was able to have full access 24 hours a day). Her Dr let us know that she is going to have to get used to using the restroom on a leash and not being able to wander around. He also let us know that she will go when she is ready Like Jerry said... it WILL happen!
Sally, I will be trying the ice cream water trick! Thank you for this! I am sure that Ruby will LOVE it as well!
Oh that is fantastic!!!!!
Yes, some dogs will definitely not want to go on leash when they're not used to it. She will go when she is ready like your vet said, for sure.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Do you have any x-pens? Or any way to make a small fenced area for Ruby? If you could contain her in a small space you could let her off leash to potty- just an idea. I used x-pens a lot when Obie was recovering from knee surgery.
I'm glad taking the patch off helped. It's funny how different dogs react to those things and other pain meds. I had never had any reaction to pain meds (and I've had several surgeries) until I was put on Oxycontin. WOW! I finally could understand why Maggie would get so agitated on tramadol.
Snoring...yay!
Karen
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
So glad to read that Ruby is doing a bit better with her healing.......I'm sure she will be back to herself before you know it, and peeing and pooping like a champ !! She may not like that leash-walking thing, but she'll adjust....
Thanks for her update today, continue to keep us posted on her,
Love,
Bonnie & Angel Polly
Whoop, whoop!
Today is a great day already! We all slept last night from 12am-7am! Ruby got up a few times and would walk around the room and then go lay back down on her bed, but that was only twice.
This morning we took her out and she was on a mission. She peed and pooped!!! I never knew I could be so excited about dog poop! 🙂
We are so proud of our sweet girl! One day at a time, one day at a time.
I am so grateful for this community, and Ruby is so thankful for everyone's helpful advice.
1 Guest(s)
