Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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We just recently became tripawd parents to our 3 year old boxer rocky he was recently diagnosed with soft tissue sarcoma. It never spread anywhere so our vet felt amputation was his best chance. He's at Day 4 now and doing wonderful walking, his personality hasn't changed but he's starting to get what I think is phantom pain he will tense his stump muscles and will yelp it can last anywhere between 5-20 seconds and then he's fine. He's been taking tramadol for pain and today his vet prescribed him gabapentin. Any tips on what to do to help with his pain? It kills me to see him hurt! Any advice would be appreciated!
Hi and welcome. It definitely sounds like Rocky is experiencing pain, I'm glad your vet prescribed better pain control. It should help within the next few hours and in the meantime please click on the phantom pain link for more info about alleviating it.Â
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I think the Gabapentin is going to help considerably - be consistent and steady with the dosage for two days and I hope you will see some change.Â
What weight is Rocky and what has been prescribed - dosage and frequency?
Lisa, Minneapolis
On October 27, 2016, nearly 6 months after amputation, and 18 months since his cancer likely started, we lost Pofi to a recurrence of Soft Tissue Sarcoma in his spine quite suddenly. Â His canine sister also succumbed to cancer on March 1, 2019 - we lavished her with our love in the interim, but life was never quite the same without her only real canine friend. Cliff kitty had to leave us, too, suddenly, in August 2019. Lucia kitty grieved all these losses, but helped us welcome two new Lurchers into our home and our lives, Shae and Barley.
Just to add to all thengreat adivenabove, make sure Rock gets rest, rest and more rest. He should only be doing potty breaks for now. No stairs, no jumping, etc
When those wuick bursts of pain happen, just try and remain calm and confident and reassuring. A gentle massage aroundnthenarea may help also.
Let us know how the meds work out. Tell us more about you sweet boy when you can...and with pictures!
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!
He weights 59 lbs and he was prescribed 100 mg of gabapentin two pills twice a day
benny55 said
Just to add to all thengreat adivenabove, make sure Rock gets rest, rest and more rest. He should only be doing potty breaks for now. No stairs, no jumping, etcWhen those wuick bursts of pain happen, just try and remain calm and confident and reassuring. A gentle massage aroundnthenarea may help also.
Let us know how the meds work out. Tell us more about you sweet boy when you can...and with pictures!
Hugs!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too! Â
benny55 said
Just to add to all thengreat adivenabove, make sure Rock gets rest, rest and more rest. He should only be doing potty breaks for now. No stairs, no jumping, etcWhen those wuick bursts of pain happen, just try and remain calm and confident and reassuring. A gentle massage aroundnthenarea may help also.
Let us know how the meds work out. Tell us more about you sweet boy when you can...and with pictures!
Hugs!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too! Â
Thank you! That's what we have been doing massaging the area and just telling him to stay calm, relax, he's ok. He seems to be doing better today. He normally sleeps a lot and haven't been getting much since his surgery. He slept pretty good last night and never woke up screaming in pain thank god! He was a bit twitchy and agitated today but he had his checkup and the vet gave him a shot to relax him. We don't have any stairs in the house and we confined our living room so he's not having to much activity. He hasn't done the clenching and yelping today like he has been the last two days so I hope the gabapentin is kicking in. His personality is still the same he's super cuddly and definitely his mommas sook 😊 he's eating and drinking same as usual. The pooping he hasn't quite got the hang of but he's getting there.Â
donna1123 said
He weights 59 lbs and he was prescribed 100 mg of gabapentin two pills twice a day Â
Hi, Donna:
So 200 mg every 12 hours? Â Two 100 mg pills twice daily. Just know that you Gabapentin has a fairly wide range for safe dosage and if after two days you think he is still showing pain signs (the yelping or panting abnormally, or getting twitchy or unsettled after 8 hours when next dose is not for another 4), you can ask your vet about changing either frequency or dosage. Â Personally, since he has shown signs of phantom pain , I would ask about switching to 3 x a day, same dosage, for just a week or two to get him through this (again, IF you think it is not really fully managing his pain).
Just for example, Pofi, who had an STS Nerve Sheath Tumor, was about 74 pounds pre-op and 69 pounds post op. Â He took 300 mg every 8 hours for two weeks prior and after surgery and then we tapered down. Â Important to taper down. Â He really had one of the easiest recoveries in terms of showing pain and getting back to relatively normal activity of nearly any dog in this forum and I do attribute that somewhat to his strength, but also and importantly, to very proactive pain management approach of our vet team.
Great to hear he is doing so well - sending lots of love.
Lisa, Minneapolis
On October 27, 2016, nearly 6 months after amputation, and 18 months since his cancer likely started, we lost Pofi to a recurrence of Soft Tissue Sarcoma in his spine quite suddenly. Â His canine sister also succumbed to cancer on March 1, 2019 - we lavished her with our love in the interim, but life was never quite the same without her only real canine friend. Cliff kitty had to leave us, too, suddenly, in August 2019. Lucia kitty grieved all these losses, but helped us welcome two new Lurchers into our home and our lives, Shae and Barley.
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