“Living in the Now” is common advice here at Tripawds, and this week we had to do our best to walk the talk after a huge lump appeared on Tripawd Spokesdawg Wyatt Ray’s amputation site.
Wyatt isn’t a Tripawd because of cancer, but when the lump appeared last Saturday, we couldn’t help but have flashbacks to when Tripawds Founder Jerry was diagnosed.
Wyatt is only 2.5 years old, but we’ve seen Tripawds as young as 15 months get diagnosed. After his local vet couldn’t diagnose the swelling, we feared that this awful disease was happening to us again.
Old Shoes Hurt
Fortunately we’re only an hour from one of the best veterinary teaching hospitals in the world, Colorado State University. That’s where Wyatt had three of the hospital’s most experienced soft tissue surgeons looking at his stump this week, trying to figure out where the swelling was coming from.
The wait was excruciating and put us right back into the shoes everyone wears when they first join this community. Wearing them again was painful.
Good News: No Cancer
Tests confirmed he didn’t have cancer, so Wyatt went into surgery on Wednesday for 2.5 hours to uncover the cause. After digging and probing, surgeons concluded that Wyatt’s amputation site was infected from “foreign material” that was trying to work its way out of his stump. The material and infected tissue is being sent out to a lab for evaluation and a final diagnosis.
Wyatt is finally home, high as a kite on Tramadol and looking very spacey, nervous and tired. Here we are once again, taking care of a post-op Tripawd.
We’re a little smarter than we were last time, but it’s still nerve wracking. Wyatt’s wearing a surgical drain that been stitched into his side. The drain looks like a hand grenade and we’re supposed to empty the fluid as it accumulates. This is something new to us.
He’s also on pain pills and anti-biotics, has post-surgery bruising and we need to watch him carefully until we take him back to CSU on Monday to have the drain removed.
The Bad News: Hip Displaysia
We’re thrilled Wyatt doesn’t have cancer, but at the same time, we were devastated to hear the surgeon tell us that he definitely has a good case of hip displaysia.
As a rear-leg amputee, hip displaysia is not going to be easy for Wyatt to cope with as he ages. Some day far in the future, the condition will impact all of us in a big way.
But for now, we are going to take things one day at a time, and enjoy every minute of our young, wild and vibrant Tripawd’s life.
Thank you everypawdy for your concern about this crazy kid. We’ll keep you posted when we have the lab results next week.
I just saw this! I am sure Wyatt Ray will overcome. And very sorry you had to go through the nightmare of worrying about what might be wrong. So glad to hear he is doing better – am giong to search for a more recent update. Big hug to the puppy.
Awww come on everypawdy, you’re getting me all teary-eyed with your super nice comments!
I’m doing better. Not great but feeling better and hopefully tomorrow after my vet visit I’ll be rockin’ the joint. I’ll keep ya posted.
Oh, Wyatt. Yay for no cancer. Boo for hip displaysia…that sucks and it’s not going to be easy managing because, Wyatt, you’re a big crazy, unstoppable dude.
Needless to say, the good news bears repeating: Yay for no cancer. The anxiety-meter must have been spiking through the roof with all that waiting.
Jim and Rene, sending you my very best thoughts and good wishes for Wyatt’s speedy recovery.
Sending hugs from me and high-fives from Riley.
Carmen
Thanks Carmen! Hey, do you know where I can get a reprint of that newspaper article that you were in? We would love to touch an actual hard copy!
Hey Wyatt. My human mom also has hip dysplasia. It bugs her sometimes, but a mix of staying active to keep those muscles strong and daily glucosamine have kept the surgeons away so far!
Im awfully glad to hear that you are cancer free Wyatt! Sorry to hear about the hip dysplasia, that is a bummer! But glad you are home with your pawrents and hope you are recovering nicely! We worried about you! Sending pawsitive healing thoughts your way dude!
Was it “Oddball” on Kellys heroes that said ” HEAVY” ?? Three legs ‘stead of four is in no doubt a concern especially for a german shepherd… This whole scenario with Wyatt hits very close to home with our B00gee. so young that he never knew how to walk before the injury ,, still working on it..Worst nightmare of this is we still do not know the condition of his remaining back leg, ,, He walks with his rear leg working like a flipper,, He has stood up and got with it a few times .. Hope and prayer.. Needless to say Wyatt is receiving a lot of attention from us as his dilema is to close for comfort/ I am fairly new on this site and Wyatt Has impressed me from the start. Super Dogs don’t get sick. They do need a lot of attention and everyone is helping out with that. HURRY HEALTHY WYATT>> B00gee and the ole man
Awww thanks B00gee and family, you make me hoppy. I need that today.
Oh my goodness, a girl doesn’t pay close attention for a bit and all the sexy young dogs do things you didn’t hear about. Sorry about your ‘shaving’ concerns Wyatt but hair or no hair you are too cute! Just want to tell you seriously that we are praying for you and hope you get freed from all your surgery jewelry real soon. Don’t concentrate on your HD because those vets are always coming up with something to help in the future plus you can’t do much to change it at this point. Just get better soon but milk the attention for all it’s worth, like ice cream, belly rubs, you know the drill. XOXO ZIp
You guys are so sweet, thank you for the well-wishes. Wyatt is doing alright today. He certainly doesn’t like the grody drain sewed into his side and the Tramadol is making him nutty, but otherwise he seems to be getting out of the post-op danger zone by the minute. We go back on Monday for a follow up, we’ll keep ya posted.
I’m so happy Wyatt is back home with his folks, right where he belongs. I know this has been tough on you guys but thank goodness he is cancer free. I know the HD is a concern but like Comet said, you can deal with that when necessary. You guys stay positive and remember you have a lot of friends who care and are sending their thoughts, well wishes and prayers.
I’m so glad to hear that Wyatt’s home in the arms of his pawrents (who I know were stressing bigtime).
I am sorry to hear about the hip displasia, but, knowing that and to some degree maybe you’ll be able to at least do some preventable measures to ward it off. If Wyatt ever has to has surgery to correct it, he can just do a lil time in a doggie cart. It can handle even that wild boy 🙂
I know that he’s a bundle of energy, for sure!
For now, focus on the good news. I just know that you guys will get good news from the lab too. As active as your boy is, you may have to make (or have made) a protective sleeve to go over his stump. He’s an active, happy happy boy!
The biggest challenge now will be to keep him calm to he heals up!
Wyatt,
Hearing that the lump isn’t cancer is really GREAT news. Your pawrents will read up on how to help you feel more comfortable with displaysia. They will probably give you some new yummy vitamins and nutrients and do some physical therapy–maybe even in a big pool! Just don’t be afraid, they’ll take good care of you. They help a lot of us tri-pawds and our pawrents. They are awesome people!
Your girlfriend in Cincinnati,
Hope
We’re so glad Wyatt is home where he belongs – that’s the most important thing.
Poor baby boy Wyatt!
I’m so glad you are home with mom and dad. You had us so worried. We’ll deal with other stuff later but for now we just need you noisy and crazy again!
Sending you lots of healing wishes.
The Cometdog Clan
Yo! We had nothing to do with this, I swear! Dysplasia shmasia, ain’t gonna let that get in the way of an Oaktown homie are we? Paws crossed for a speedy recovery!
xoxox,
Codie Rae and the Oaktown Pack
We’re so glad to hear that you’re OK, Wyatt! We’re all rooting for you!!
Awww handsome Wyatt… Chloe sure knows a thing or two about “scary lumps” having had cancer and recently discovering a lipoma on her leg. We hope you have a speedy and uneventful recovery, so you can go back to bossing around your pawrents and keeping the world in order.
Chloe says thanks for the nice comment about her one year video and of course you would be in it since meeting you was part of her journey over the last year! She sends her regards.
-Nicole and Chloe
Izzy here, so glad you are home WD. Mom said that Dad had a drain like you do when he was in the hospital. It is good to have the goop drain out, just leave it alone. Let your Mom and Dad take care of it for you.
I know that I may have HD in my future too. Let’s learn about it together ok?
Izzy signing out.
So glad it isn’t cancer! Sorry you had to go through all of that again. Sorry to hear about the hip displasia though. Chili Dawg was diagnosed with it when he was 2.5 years old but back then he was 4 legged & now he is a front leg amputee. I’m sure you already have him on glucosamine supplements but those have helped hold Chili Dawgs dysplasia in check. Wyatt is blessed to have such great pawrents!
While I am thrilled to pieces that Wyatt is cancer free, I kind of feel angry at the former “owners” of this crazy boy. Once again their neglect and abuse rises it’s ugly head and is most probably the reason for his situation. If he hadn’t lost his leg so young, my reasoning is he probably wouldn’t be facing this now, at such a youthful stage. I am sorry Wyatt for the bad people you once knew. I am so glad though that Jim and Rene have you know.
Celebrate on you great folks, and keep teaching me how to be more dog. I think I am begining to understand what you mean. I’m in the moment, and so glad he is cancer free!
Elizabeth and Sammy
OOPS! I meant, now, not know!
I’ll ditto the “phew!” on the no “C”!!!!! That’s pretty wild about that foreign object trying to works its way out…I’ll be interested to see what they think it is?! But as you thought he does have HD 🙁 That’s sad but can be managed I think? Tougher of course because he’s a Tripawd but…. Get those nice folks over at CARE get a program going for him! 🙂 And remember that link I sent you, Rene, a while ago by a vet..her names escapes me at the moment but if you didn’t keep the link do a search on “Prank the Aussie” and she may come up!
Thanks for the update…been thinking of you guys!
Tracy, Maggie’s Mom
Wow, that’s a killer dysplasia! Wyatt, you are over the top in every aspect of your life, aren’t you? Poor guy. I’m really sorry I made fun of your noisiness the other day. I didn’t know you were going to have to stay at the hospital so long. If I had known, I probably would have made fun of you still, but I would have waited for the Tramadol to wear off.
Hey, you had my back when I visited you and I owe you for that. You’re kind of goofy, but so am I. I love you, man. (Don’t tell anyone I said that or I’ll have to punch you to show how manly I am.)
Dakota
So very happy to hear the news! No “C Word”! Shame about his hips. I am sure you will be able to find him a pool for some Hydrotherapy, it is the best thing you can do for a dog with HD.
We see miracles every day in the water. It will do wonders for his energy level also!
We swim so many dogs that while they have all their legs…they have no hips at all. Leaves us wondering how some of them can walk at all.
Best of luck to everyone in the coming recovery phase.
As always pawsitive thoughts to all!
Thanks for the comment Jill!
“high as a kite on Tramadol” makes for fun times! 😉