Tripawd Pain Management Tips for a Better Recovery
Discover tripawd pain management tips to support a better recovery and keep your three-legged pet happy and healthy.
Jerry’s first posts from his osteosarcoma diagnosis and amputation surgery recovery in late 2006, and discussion about caring for new canine amputees.
Discover tripawd pain management tips to support a better recovery and keep your three-legged pet happy and healthy.
When Gabapentin is not working post-op, here’s why Pregabalin for Tripawd amputation pain might be a better remedy for nerve pain.
How can Sensory Re-education help ease nerve pain in dogs after surgery? Find out with Ilaria Borghese on this episode of Tripawd Talk Radio.
Take the 2023 Tripawds Quality of Life Survey for cats and dogs, to help pet parents know what to expect after amputation, or when adopting.
Constipation is a normal amputation surgery side-effect in cats and dogs. Here’s how to know if you Tripawd isn’t pooping for other reasons.
One of the most worrisome things about a new Tripawd’s recovery is constantly wondering: is my cat or dog’s amputation bruise normal or not? Today let’s look at some before and after photos of bruising. Hopefully these will put your mind at ease.
First you should know that bruising is normal. It’s a side effect of amputation surgery. A big bruise happens because skin, muscles and tissues have been cut in order to remove the bad leg.
The amputation site becomes traumatized by the leg removal, and bruising appears soon after surgery.
A cat or dog’s amputation bruise looks worse before it gets better. The day after surgery, skin around the incision area will start turning into an angry, dark purplish color. Then for about the next five days, the bruises will lighten into shades of green, yellow, and light brown.
A dog’s amputation bruise looks bad, but don’t panic. But most bruises will fade over the next two weeks.
Does this look concerning or just bruising?
There’s not much you need to do about the bruising within the first three days unless your vet instructs you to do otherwise. Gentle heat and ice therapy can help minimize discomfort 72 hours after surgery. According to animal massage expert Wendy Richardson, you should wait until three days after amputation surgery to apply heat and ice therapy.
It’s even better today. Almost no red and a lot of the area is a very faint yellow now.
It’s a Tripawd’s amputation wound care that’s more important. But you don’t have to obsess or go overboard to keep it sterile. Just keep the wound area clean, don’t bandage or apply topical medications unless your vet tells you to.
Most amputation incisions need minimal care during recovery. But you do need to watch for signs that something is not normal, such as:
Is there any gross, cloudy, or stinky fluid draining from the incision? Normal drainage (a “seroma“) has a pink color, but is clear and doesn’t smell. If you suspect the discharge is not normal tell your vet.
If sutures or staples fall out, this might be a sign that your dog’s incision is infected. The skin cannot heal, so the sutures or staples fall out. Also, if you see a wide gap (larger than ¼ inch) between the wound or tissue sticking out from the wound, call your vet immediately.
Again, this is probably a seroma, which is a combination of blood and bodily fluid buildup that drains at the incision site. Seromas usually aren’t serious. Sometimes they need draining in a vet’s office. But tell your vet your dog is having one, just to be safe. And do your best to prevent a seroma by keeping your dog calm for at least a week after amputation. To much activity can ramp up the immune system and lead to excess fluid buildup.
Wondering what you can expect two weeks after amputation surgery for your dog or cat? Here are 10 common recovery situations pets experience.
Curious about how a dog heals after amputation surgery? Banksy’s Tripawd healing story shows how he recovered, in a guest post by mom Mary.
How one vet tech is helping dogs’ amputation surgery recovery by making it easier to use a sling and recovery shirt.
When can new Tripawd cats live with other family felines? Learn how to introduce new amputee dogs and cats to other pets in the home.