Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Fuzz and I are now in the 10th week since his amputation. He continues to do well (eats like a pig and gets around fine). Since the mid point of his recovery he still has some occasional mood disturbance and seemingly acts cranky if anyone moves or comes near him (hissing and swatting and then running off). We have maintained a low daily dose of gabapentin for past several weeks (3rd bottle since diagnosis) and I have been giving him around .5 ml per day. I noticed this past weekend a couple what feel like fatty deposits under his skin near top of his midline where incision came together. One is small and the other would be maybe size of quarter.. to me they feel like they in skin or fat and not attached to his muscle or bone. Fuzz had osteosarcoma in his right scapula. I have a call in to the vet and we are scheduled to go for his 3 month follow up right before Christmas but I am just wondering if this could be scar tissue or some type of fatty redeposit. Was definitely not there for first few weeks of recovery. He still occasionally has the issue where he looks like he has to adjust or move the shoulder/leg that is missing so again I wonder if it is some type of swelling maybe in that area. the inicision came up over that area to midlineand then wrapped down shoulder and under chest wall. I tend to panic when I discover things that were not previously there. I can also attest that he has not lost weight and most likely has put on weight because he eats several cans of moist food per day along with free feed dry food. Just wondering how concerned I should be.. my mind keeps saying its nothing because he had very atypical bone cancer that usually does not spread and again this feels like it is in fat/under skin area. He does not like me squeezing and messing too much with it so that too is why I question if it could be some swelling/scar tissue area as it is in area that is right where his shoulder blades would have been aligned. Thoughts?
Hard not to always jump to worse case scenario. Before this journey, we easily accepted that a lump is just a lump and a bump is just a bump....and almost always that is the case!!
It absolutely certainly could be some sort of cyst, or some swelling as scar tissue is forming. Sou ds like there was a lot of manipulation going on during the surgery. No chance of a rogue staple being left in at this point., but never hurts to make the Vey anyway. Sorry that it's still tender and sore for him. Jist wondering out loud.....wondering if these "lumps" could contain any infection pocket???
Stay tune for kitty experts to chime jn, especially on the mood behavior. They pretty much are true kitty experts!
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!
I can second what Sally said: we tend to be super nervous about lumps once we deal with cancer. That's OK, better safe than sorry. Why not make the appointment sooner rather than later just to put your mind at ease?
The reality is that it's impossible to know for sure without seeing your vet for a look and maybe an aspirate. So make the appointment and move forward from there. It could be anything but is probably nothing serious, try not to panic.
As for the mood...did Fuzz ever act that way before surgery?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Have his appoinment moved up from 12/23 to 12/11... soonest available.. surgeon stated that it could be fat or some swelling and most likely nothing to worry nor an emergency but good to get it checked out sooner for my mind... I know he is sick of me squeezing and messing with it. To me it almost feels like some fluid or pocket of fat/scar tissue... it is near the end of the incision.. and that area is getting a lot of work when he walks/runs... will keep everyone updated after appointment.. he is scarfing some moist food (3rd can today) as I type this after he came running upstairs when I headed to my computer...
Good, glad you got the appt moved up for YOUR piece of mind. Clearly Guzz sounds like he doin cery well. Scarfing down his food is definitely a good sign!!
Yeah, I agree with Fuzz, no more messing with his lump!☹ That can only make it sore. And no, Fuzz didn't pay me to say that.or did he??😉..
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!
Good for you! Better sooner than later, you'll sleep much better when you know for sure. We'll keep our fingers and paws crossed that it's B9. Let us know!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
If it makes you feel any better, even though Huck is a rear amp he has never been too keen on my rubbing, messing with, or manipulating the area that his incision was at. His feels rather odd too, but I don't think there are any areas there like you are describing. He is protective of it though, probably always will be at this point.
Because of the nature of the surgery you may be right. It might be some scar tissue from where they put everything together to close up, or maybe there is fluid in there and just isn't wanting anybody to mess with it. Hopefully a quick check and maybe aspiration of the bump will show that it is no big deal.
I totally understand your concern, I think after an experience like we have all been through it is hard not to become a worry wart. Bo pulled something in his leg (never found out what, exactly) and he had this on and off again limp that seemed to last forever. It had to be close to a month before it went away. We were a total mess. He is ok now but my husband and I were totally on the worry wart train..
Please give handsome Fuzz an extra chin scratch for me, and you hang in there
Big hugs,
Jackie and Huck
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry
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