Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat

… 

Pam, if you're still reading this thread, I need your help. Atlas's surgeon will not give him the gabapentin because he doesn't believe dogs get phantom limb pain. He's only prescribing codeine. I am fuming right now & wondering if he even likes dogs. I've found a couple of articles online saying they do

…over activated to sensation and interpreting it as pain. She has always had some over sensitivity to certain types of pain and showed signs of phantom limb pain. I think the developing arthritis and then the fall she took pushed her over an edge. 

She got sedated for the x-ray and she seemed to be under

… (i know you saw the BUT coming) but it might be a good idea to ask your doc for some gabapentin. It is such an important medication for avoiding phantom limb pain and it can make a big difference in recovery. It dulls the nerve endings that are still trying to send signals to the brain. 

In the meantime

…Carol - no, you're not nuts , you're a mom who is worried about her boy. The phantom limb pain idea is probably spot on, and the gaba should help with that. I wonder about your vet's suggestion of a 20 min leash walk at this point, however. I

… here, many people have reported it.  I do not recall ever hearing it definitely attributed to any cause.  Though, it is likely a combination of phantom limb pain and muscle memory.  Since the bulk of the surgery pain is in the past by this point and most kitties are getting back to being active they just try

…the carprofen has lessened the effects of the gaba?  Tani was always on both so I don't have experience with just gaba.

It does sound like phantom limb pain from what you describe- some have more trouble with that than others.  Maggie never had phantom pain
. 

You might try keeping a log of her

…leg amputated three weeks ago when the cancer became worse. 

He has had some big ups and downs in the last three weeks - vomiting, dehydration, phantom limb pain and struggling with the pressure on only one back leg. 

He is currently taking pardale, amantadine and gabapentin and still seems to have pain

…so that they don't have to climb unnecessarily. 

You may want to ask your doc about gabapentin. It is an excellent drug to help ward off phantom limb pain. Huck was on it for about 2 1/2 weeks and it made a big difference. 

I'm glad he's eating, drinking, and eliminating for you. Maybe slowing him

…upstairs so that they don't have to climb unnecessarily. 

You may want to ask your doc about gabapentin. It is an excellent drug to help ward off phantom limb pain. Huck was on it for about 2 1/2 weeks and it made a big difference. 

I'm glad he's eating, drinking, and eliminating for you. Maybe slowing him

…on it seemed like Purrkins adjusted to it.

Maybe she just needed a lower dose? What pain was she showing you? I am wondering if she was having phantom limb pain or the luxating patella pain?

I can only imagine that scare falling off her ramp. There are times we have to weight these things out and pick the

…goodness it was empty but it was set. I demanded it be removed and it was, at least for the time I was around. 

Theo sounds like he's having phantom limb pain. The buprenorphine helps with post surgical pain, but the gabapentin helps with phantom limb pain. It actually works on the nerve endings that send…

…Huckleberry and many others here. 

Huck was on buprenorphine and gabapentin, given with some time in between, for about 2 1/2 weeks. He did have phantom limb pain and it made a huge difference. After staple removal and healing of the incision we took him off. I believe you may have to lower the dosage a bit…

…before cutting them off. He's great now and does not have the phantom limb pain. I hope this helps you.

I'm so sorry this has happened to your boy, but you couldn't have found a better place for support and understanding for

…a long acting antibiotic injection and his meds were different being a cat. Although the pain meds were different, gabapentin is important to avoid phantom limb pain. 

Traction is also very important. Some of us use yoga mats, puzzle mats, throw rugs, anything to make sure they don't slip on slick floors. If

…than we do!!! Of course their threshold is higher than ours, but pain is pain after such major surgery!! 

Here is a hooman discussion about phantom limb pain that Stewie started with a hooman friend of his who had her leg amputated due to bone cancer...

http://tripawds.....t-of-view/

They

*** Sorry, all the search terms matched were in html attributes (such as image source) and are not displayed in the results excerpt

*** Sorry, all the search terms matched were in html attributes (such as image source) and are not displayed in the results excerpt

…your sweet Tempy is having these issues.   I know it's hard to watch and not be able to help.

Take a look at the links phantom limb pain phantom pain
and see if this sounds like what's happening.  The Gabapentin is usually the best treatment.  How much does she weigh and what is his

*** Sorry, all the search terms matched were in html attributes (such as image source) and are not displayed in the results excerpt

*** Sorry, all the search terms matched were in html attributes (such as image source) and are not displayed in the results excerpt

…is still bothering him.  There's a little swelling, but the vet today thinks it's just a small lipoma after aspirating some fat cells.  I suggested phantom limb pain and she said "Maybe."  I asked about Gabapentin and she's going to confirm we can give him that while in the vaccine trial.

Anyone have

…that any place could take a limb and not see the need for pain meds. You'll also probably want to ask about gabapentin which is a great medicine for phantom limb pain.

Do you have access to a large crate? You would be able to monitor her bathroom habits much easier and will know for certain what her urine

*** Sorry, all the search terms matched were in html attributes (such as image source) and are not displayed in the results excerpt

…you don't mind, I would suggest you talk to your doc about giving her some gabapentin for her amp. It is a great drug to ward against phantom limb pain.

Sheesh I'm starting to feel like a drug pusher here! 

I'm not into unnecessary medications. Most of our furkids experience this problem, and

…is given to help treat and ward off phantom limb pain which is very common in amputees. It's generally started just before surgery and continued during recovery.

It's a great drug, but it's also…

…to Cookie's doctor. Even if you get a prescription and don't use it (probably not likely) if the need arises you will want to have it on hand. 

Phantom limb pain

…hopping on!

Snuggles 15 days post surgery he gets weird attacks

Cat displaying strange behaviour after amputation

My Tripawd Boskers

Feline Phantom Limb Pain

Cat- post amputation strange bahavior

Hang in there your not alone!

Hugs, and chin scrachtes to Corbin

Holly & Purrkins

…THROUGH QUITE AN ORDEAL!!

We have a couple of really good kitty experts who will chime in when they see this.

One thing that comes to mind is phantom limb pain, although it only lasts generally less than a minute.  I suppose the residual effect could carry on longer though after the nerve pain has stopped.

…hear what the surgeon has to say tomorrow.  The one thing that does concern he is he can be a huge drama king, and I worry he’ll go nuts if he has phantom limb pain, or just tenderness in general.  I’ve seen a lot of people say that an amp surgery seems to be an easier recovery than a tplo, but I don’t know if

…big difference now is that he does not jump and it does not seem painful. 

How old is Bowie? It is hard to tell if it is discomfort in general or phantom limb pain. What is his gabapentin dosage? You might want to speak with your vet about getting him something to go with the gaba for pain. One of the ladies

…for no reason! This is a major surgery they have removed a limb and cut a lot of nerves, muscle and bone.

It does sound like she is experiencing phantom limb pain (episodes). The brain is still sending signals to the limb to move that is not there, firing all those nerves. This does happen more in rear leg

…as I said to cover his poop. Purrkins has a twitch that has never gone away since the amp. We got a farabloc
blanket to help him and it has.

Phantom limb pain you will know if it happens Purrkins had episodes where he was sleeping and he would jump up out of nowhere like he was struck my lightening and

*** Sorry, all the search terms matched were in html attributes (such as image source) and are not displayed in the results excerpt