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Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat

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Cat amputation recovery question - muscle spasms?
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Member Since:
1 October 2017
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18 September 2019 - 1:46 pm
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Goodness,  I'm so sorry this is still happening.  Sending you a hug,  at least you know you have some  wiggle room with the gaba. If you increase and she's too tired at least you can back it off and she'll just be sleepy for a few hours.  

Hugs,

Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry

Huckleberry's Blog

Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
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18 September 2019 - 3:42 pm
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Have you considered  a second opinion? We are all big on having a new set of yese check out things arou d here.Dis you ask the Bet about the possibility  of that exposed nerve I mentioned in an earlier  post?

Hang in there!  This will get figured out!

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!

On The Road


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18 September 2019 - 4:30 pm
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Aww poor kitty! I'm so sorry. Yes I would agree that a second opinion could be very helpful. Has your vet mentioned consulting with another provider? 

The dog that Sally was referring to earlier is Ollie. His amputation pain story is long but the symptoms and unsuccessful therapies you are describing are quite similar. Here is the synopsis of his main source of pain

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

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18 September 2019 - 5:49 pm
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Jerry,

You must have an encyclopedia between your ears! I don't know how you snap that stuff out of thin air!! I sometimes look and look and look for articles, posts, etc before I find what I am looking for, lol. 

Olive's mom,

A second opinion really sounds like a good idea. When I read the last post it almost felt like this part of the journey has kind of dead ended? I am not trying to be pessimistic, but at this point it seems like this person is out of answers. If I were in your shoes I think I would be pushing for more options.

The only thing that stops this (for me) is that she is on such a low dose of gabapentin. I just wonder if you upped it for a dose or two how she would react. I know once pain breaks through that it can be a bear to get back under control. I know you don't want her sleepy, but even Huck slept the first few doses and when he adjusted he was much better and much more alert. I guess in my eyes ( I am NOT a vet) I would leave no stone unturned and at least give it a shot before you plunge forward with a new plan. At least this way you can say definitively that this did not work (if it doesn't). What were the low and high doses that your doctor gave you for a range? Maybe somewhere in the middle you might try and just see how it works. She is just over a month post surgery? 5 weeks or so if I have done my math correctly and most kitties are on a decent dose of gabapentin for 2-3 weeks after surgery. Huck was on it for 3 weeks before I weaned him off. 

I am totally not a pro here, and not trying to push you into something that you are not comfortable with. It is just a thought.

Hugs,

Jackie and Huck sp_hearticon2

Hugs,

Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry

Huckleberry's Blog

Member Since:
6 September 2019
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18 September 2019 - 6:40 pm
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Thank you all for your advice and support...this is all so stressful so we really appreciate it. She had seen an orthopedic specialist before the amputation, and I took her back to see him last week and all he had to say was that it's probably phantom pain , and that he had never seen this type of behavior before (he's the one I told about Gabapentin and he said, "oh, yeah, that would probably work!") So I have an appointment for a third opinion on Monday with a vet who specializes in rehab and does acupuncture, and meanwhile I'm bringing Olive into our regular vet tomorrow to check out her incision because it looks like she has a tiny stitch poking out, and I thought they should all be dissolved by now. She's so miserable, I wish I could just sit with her all day and love on her...

I will definitely check out Ollie's story and the dangling nerve that Sally mentioned, so thank you again for sharing.

You are all wonderful, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Suzi and Olive sp_hearticon2

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18 September 2019 - 7:02 pm
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Oh wow! There is hope,  totally!! I know you mentioned the suture before but I thought that was ruled out.  This is great news ( I know it doesn't sound like that right now)

Im hoping for a suture placed in a sensitive area that will be taken out and give her relief❤

This might yet be an easy fix.  Suture reaction,  or suture on a sensitive nerve.. I'm so glad you mentioned this.  

Keeping fingers crossed and pawsitive hopes for your girlie❤

Hugs,

Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry

Huckleberry's Blog

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18 September 2019 - 7:30 pm
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Yes, she had a different suture poking out before that got trimmed back, and the rest was supposed to dissolve, but this is a smaller thread, and she yowls when we touch it, so I don't know what to think...I just read Ollie's pain saga and it really sounds like the same thing, and the video is similar to what Olive is going through, so I'm going to mention the sciatic nerve issue to the vet tomorrow. I think I will also give her 50mg of the gaba tonight, to see if that helps and helps her sleep...she's so restless, even when you think she's curled up sleeping, her tail is twitching and she's gazing off, not necessarily sleeping.

Thank you!

On The Road


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18 September 2019 - 7:48 pm
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I'm so glad we could give you some ideas and things to discuss with the vets. Your next opinion sounds like a great way to go. Good job!

Don't forget to take advantage of the Tripawds Foundation Rehab Reimbursement Program. It will cover the cost of your first rehab visit as long as the provider is a CCRT or CCRP practitioner. See the link for details.

We're hoping with all we've got that Olive's story turns out great like Ollie's did. It's so cute and kinda weird that they both have similar sounding names!

P.S. Jackie, I dunno, sometimes I have brain farts, sometimes I don't. Today was a day without them!

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

Virginia







Member Since:
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18 September 2019 - 7:58 pm
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Alright, you ARE moving forward, even if it seems like you are standing  still! Glad you are going to your regular Bet, as well as getting a third opinion! Shhh....secret.....I'm  not very impressed with the Surge saying it could be phantom limb pain snd YOU had to suggest Gabapentin!

Now, back to that suture at the incision.  Like Jackie, I thought that had been addressed also.  To me, that COULD explain a lot...especially if she shows pain anytime you touch the incision!!  That could absolutely be causing  hurt!!   And the Vet didn't  notice the stitch????   Said she showed pain probably because of jnfection??

Yeah, REALLY glad you're  getting more opinions! And, of you haven't  already done so, take a video with you.  And take Ollie's video too!

You're  getting closer and closer to cause and solution!!

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!

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6 September 2019
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19 September 2019 - 11:34 am
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Thank you so much for letting me know about the Rehab Reimbursement Program! The bills are piling up, and you just go ahead with whatever treatment you think will help and figure out how to pay for it later, so this will be such a huge help!

Today's vet visit dealt with the tiny suture sticking out, which Doc said is probably not the root of her problem, and then Olive got a B12 shot. She doesn't have a temperature, so she probably doesn't have an infection, but the recommendation was to keep Olive on antibiotics just in case.

We will see the acupuncturist on Monday, and I don't think I've ever wished for a weekend to fly by but I am now.

Thank you all!

On The Road


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19 September 2019 - 2:52 pm
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Oh I'm so glad it will help. I know, these kinds of situations are so unexpected. I'm sorry you guys are dealing with it.

Well it's too bad today's visit wasn't the "Ah hah!" moment but there's always Monday. Let us know how she does over the weekend. I'm hopeful for you guys, because acupuncturists tend to have very good understanding of the root cause of pain. One session usually doesn't resolve it, typically pets need at least 3 or 4 before results start showing, but it sounds like this therapist has more tricks up their sleeve. I can't wait to hear what they have to say.

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

Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
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19 September 2019 - 8:41 pm
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I know you had a lot on your plate with your Vet visit today.  Did you get a chance to bring up the "nerve ending" thing like Ollie had?

So with the suture out and the Gaba started, have you seen any difference at all today?

Sending you extra ((((((((((((((((((((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:
6 September 2019
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20 September 2019 - 5:43 am
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Thanks so much for checking in, Sally. I did mention the nerve thing, and she said that they have to cut through a lot of nerves during surgery, and she was massaging Olive's hip while we were talking and Olive was not howling in pain, so I think she ruled that out. Olive was definitely letting the doctor touch her more than she has been letting us, so we don't know if her adrenaline was just so high that she wasn't as uncomfortable as she normally is, or she was playing tough guy for the doctor 🙂 The increased Gaba is, I think , borderline for her, because she seems almost at the sedation point, so I don't want to up it again yet, but she is still seizing up more often than she is not. I have my fingers crossed for the acupuncture.

Thanks again for checking in!

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23 September 2019 - 4:04 am
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Good morning,

Just checking in to see how you are all getting along? Hope all is starting to smooth out for you. 

Hugs,

Jackie and Huckleberry sp_hearticon2

Hugs,

Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry

Huckleberry's Blog

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6 September 2019
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23 September 2019 - 8:19 am
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Thanks so much, Jackie. We just got back from Olive's first visit to the rehab vet, and she had her first acupuncture today. She did very well with the needles, and he also gave her a shot of an anti-inflammatory. He wants to see her again this week, and he is going to consult with some of his colleagues about her situation, because it's not something he has seen post-op. He agrees that it could be a nerve issue that has to be dealt with by opening her up again, but he wants to hold off and see how she does with acupuncture and anti-inflammatories first. I'm hoping she is comfortable enough to take a nice, long nap today, because she has been so uncomfortable. I know that acupuncture takes a few visits to show progress, so we'll try to stay patient.

Thanks again!

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