Tripawds Three Legged Dog & Cat Forum Archives

…in October. Afterwards, we discovered his remaining hind leg has a luxating patella. Likely from birth, grade 1/4.

He also has nerve pain or phantom limb pain, walking backwards etc, which has mostly disappeared now at 4 months post surgery but still remains somewhat. He refuses oral medication,…

…. My questions are:

whether anyone else's pet had a disability in the remaining leg, and if so, how you handled it
whether anyone else observed phantom limb / nerve pain / walking backwards for 4 months post surgery, and if it eventually went away entirely
any other advice or insight you may have

…

My cat Luna had amputation surgery in March. She had been doing mostly well except for some litter box issues until two weeks ago when she started having…

…under cabinets and in cabinets. She is very strong and uses all her weight to push forward. One time it was the laundry room she went crazy in, climbing up on some boxes and trying to get on the washer. Sometimes she races up and down the stairs but not like she used to with the zoomies - she…

…different clinics). She had a normal urine culture, CBC and stool sample.  None of the vets is sure what it is - they've all speculated that it's phantom pain
. When I read in the forums about phantom pain
, it seems to present differently. Has anyone had anything like this happen with their cat? I…

…a behavior specialist but I wanted to ask here on the forum first.

Thank you.

Caryn

 

Has anyone seen anything like this in their cats? 

…home.

Your post has been approved and now others can chime in with some feedback.

The pain you are describing, does ot fit the description  of phantom limb pain?  It's basically a quick jolt of sharp pain put of the blew....lasts for less than a minute... but leaves the cat or dog frightened…

…to sleep" so to speak. If you can, try massaging him before he tries to stand, just in case it is some sort of leg cramp.

Anyway, residual  phantom limb pain can occur even a couple pf mo ths out.  Does the Gabapentin  resolve the issue when he is in it??

I know I'm jumping around s lot, but

…all,

Misa is a rear leg amputee cat- her surgery was about 2 years ago, and we adopted her shortly after. She was a street cat in Cuba who was left in bad shape on the steps of a clinic, she’d most likely been hit by a car. 

Two months ago, she woke up one morning yowling…

…right as rain, but she’s now experiencing the same symptoms and we are doubtful that it’s an infection. 

We have Gabapentin on hand from our other cat who has cancer, so gave her .4ml last night. She’s been sleepy since, and while it does appear to have dulled the pain, her stump is still…

…neurologist for next steps. Based on what I’ve read on the forums here, this kind of episode is not uncommon for Tripawds, in terms of experience of phantom limb pain and spasms. Wondering if pain management
until it passes is the most humane/common course of action, or whether this long after the…

…surgery these symptoms indicate a larger issue that we need to investigate.

Many thanks in advance. 

Mary 

…had to find your first post. It looks like Ivy's  amp was due to an injury/accident. I'm sorry Ivy is having a rough time!! It sounds like phantom limb pain or the cyst is sitting on the nerve causing this.

We have seen several members have reactions to internal sutures, but  4 months

…had this covo with our vet for the site -how many hours before we should have them phone or head to the vet if they have not peed?

She said "a cat should pee 24-36 hours. Most importantly, making sure they aren't straining and not producing or producing very small amounts. Cats with stress…

…can get sterile cystitis "

I would phone my vet and get their input on her having these pains again, I would want to know more about WHY. Phantom limb pain comes and go; this is lasting all day again. I'm not understanding what continues to happen. We should have seen progress with her 100 mg Gaba

…hours. I'm glad you phoned the vet to keep them in the loop. You know what you are doing & Discovery thanks you for being such an excellent advocate for her. 

I think it is a form of phantom limb pain when this happens. No one seems to know EXACTLY why. I think it only makes sense we cut the

…on Senior Kitties 11 years old & up - forum posts and blogs are listed.
We sincerely apologize if you have a senior cat and we missed your post or blog. We did our best by memory and searching if there was no age provided it’s not included. If you know of any we…

…missed, please post below.

If you’re new here with a Senior cat. Please add your forum link post and or blog here. Please add the age of amputation if it’s not in your forum title. I put the age in (Green)
…

…
It will help other members in the future. We appreciate it!!!

Amputation on a Very Old Cat
 

11 y/o kitty diagnosed w/fibrosarcoma (injection site) (11)

Freak out / panic attacks post surgery (11)

Anything I need to get for pre…

…post amputation surgery for cat? (11)

Cat - over a month after amputation (11)

Izzy's tale continues (aka Izzy's tale of seven toes) (11)

Help! I've been told that my cat needs to…

…have her rear leg amputated (11)

11 yr old cat, diagnosed with sarcoma in front leg, need advice (11)

2 weeks post op and still frightened of everything. (11)

Am I making the right…

…decision to amputate limb on overweight older cat (11)

Recovery Tips for Senior Cat Cindy? (11)

Surgery today 5/5/2021 (11)

11 year old cat 2 weeks post surgery questions (11)

Large Cell and Small Cell Gastrointestinal Lymphoma - Cat (11)

One week till surgery! (11)

Help for…

…a newly front right leg amputation for a large long haired part-maincoon 11 yr old kitty. (11)

Maceo Cat's Cancer Journey (Blog) (11)

Post-amputation biopsy revealed that tumor was lymphoma, not osteosarcoma (12)

12 year old cat - too old for…

…

New tripawd kitty mom - mostly looking for cone/e-collar and stair blocking recommendations (12)

Patient with no litter box (12)

12yr old cat - forelimb amputation (12)

Binx Day Zero. He's probably fine. I'm not. (12)

Cat amputation recovery question - muscle spasms? (12)
…

…
About to bring home my recent tripawd (12)

6 week post front leg amputee (12)

My senior cat is undergoing amputation surgery in 2 days. In need of help and answers! (12)

A New Member of the Club Looking for Support - Cat Soft Tissue…

…Feline Sarcoma Tripawd-to-be (12)

Hind Leg Amputation with no overnight stay (12)

Last night was terrible, cat freaking out (12)

12 YO Cat with Osteosarcoma, Phantom Pain: Help! (12)

Henry Blue Eyes - A THREE LEGGED CAT BLOG (12)

My 12 YO cat Rudy is Having His Front Leg…

…Today (12)

Soft tissue sarcoma and amputation (12)

One-Eyed Jack intro - Surgery in 2 Days (12)

Bone Cancer Diagnosis for our Beloved Cat.....(12)

Leg amputation due to VAS; metastisis to lung + SRT ?(12)

Older indoor shy cat, amputation likely, overwhelmed and need…

…advice... (12)

Recovery is rough. (12)

Newbie here! Cat recovery  (12)

Rita -- a new kitty amputee (12.5)
 

Midnight: 13 y.o. cat rear leg amputation, vaccine fibrosarcoma (13)

Midnight’s…

…Amputation (Blog) (13)

Rocky's Recovery and question about stretching (13)

13 Year Old Cat Amputation Decision (13)

Tuxedo's 13 Birthday Celebration :-/ (13)

My beloved cat needs amputation and I'd appreciate guidance (13)

Sky…

…Blue's Journey into Tripaw (13)

Feeling awful for my cat who's just come home after amputation - Need some support (13)

First Day Post Op Lounging in Litterbox (13)

Quality of life for a 13 year…

…old Devon Rev Cat with suspected Osteosarcoma (13)

Fear in cats with recent amputation (13)

Will My Senior Cat Still Be Able to Jump?  (13)

Seeking advice to help my 13 yr old cat 2.5 wk post op recovery (13)

Feeling like a paranoid idiot calling vet…

…so soon. (13)

Our Jimmi, 14 year old cat with Osteosarcoma and pulmonary MTS (14)

FHO surgery for tripawd cat? (14)

Kitty with nerve sheath tumor having partial amputation.  Anyone have experience with this? (14)

My kitty is likely to be entering…

…the Tripawds community soon. 14 accident (14)

Pkitty Catnanigans (Blog) (14)

My kitty is likely to be entering the Tripawds community soon (14)

Sky Blue - 1 year later (14)

My tiger - only…

…option: amputation – Worried (14)

Decision to amputate?... 14 y/o kitty with fibrosarcoma (14)

Recurring soft-tissue sarcoma in 14 yo cat - vet says to amputate (14)

New front leg amputee 14-year old cat will not urinate (14)

Kender’s Tripawd Journey  (Blog) (14)

Cajun…

…Kitty  (Blog) (14)
 

First day home - front leg amp, 14yo cat - having trouble comforting him (14)

Awaiting diagnosis for my kitty...so happy to find these forums! (14)

New tripod mom to 14 yr old…

…black cat. Having issues with walking (14)

Forelimb amputation due to osteosarcoma - Big setback after 48 hours (14)
 

Long overdue update on three legged kitty, Jerry (14.5)

Cannot find…

…relief for this post amputation problem! Need help! (14.5)

Seamus has joined the club. 14 ½ (14.5)

14 year old cat recent amputation recovery time (14.5)
 

Snuggles 15 days post surgery he gets weird attacks (15)

Deciding on Amputation for 15-yr old cat…

…Squamous Cell Carcinoma (15)

15 yo cat Lynx - front limb amputation tomorrow (15)

15 yo cat - amputate or put to sleep (15)

Senior cat amputee (15)

More post amp after care issues for Jerry (15 year old cat) (15)

9 months post amputation update - Tripawd Cat Jerry (15)
…

…) Journey of Max as a senior tripawd (osteosarcoma) (15)

Amputation Surgery for Suspected Lymphangiosarcoma (15)

Helping a fifteen year old cat recover (cancer, right foreleg) (15)

UPDATES ON LUANNE, A TRIPAWD KITTY - (Blog) Just a chill cat who lost a foreleg at fifteen (15)
…

…
When to start introducing stairs? (15)

Newbie to community: Bailey the 15 yr old VAS survivor kitty (15)

The stumbly tale of a rockin’ old cat (Blog)(15)

Kanaka (Blog) (15)

Little Miss and her Three Legs (Blog) (15)

Recommend to Amputate or Not? (15)

Tips on how to…

…(mentally/physically) for my kitty's amputation? (15)

Recent diagnosis, facing front leg amputation recommendation, (15)

15 Year Old Cat w/ a Sarcoma (15)

whether to amputate 15 yr old cats leg? (15)

My senior cat, Jolie has osteosarcoma: looking for advice (15)

16 year…

…old kitty in terrible pain awaiting amputation (16)

Scout's Tripawd Experience  (Blog) (16)

Resources for deciding? 16 year old cat (16)

16 year old cat post-amputation  (16)

Front-Leg amputee cat with mysterious wound (16)

Litterbox Woes (16)

Possible amputation…

…for 16 year old cat (16)

16 yr old feline amputation due to being hit by a car, advice? (16)

Large cat mobility minus back leg (16)

Nini Love - (Blog) A senior cat’s journey of amputation (16)

Lameness in remaining leg - senior rear amputee…

…cat (16)

bringing home Tristan today (16 yo, rear amputation) (16)

16 year cat amputee (16)

Sweet Pea  (blog) (16)

thoughts on long-term effects of Miralax and Gabapentin (16)

GeriatricGinger (blog) (16)
…

…
Possible cancerous mass in 16 1/2 y.o. hyperthyroid cat- worried about anesthesia for biopsy (16.5)

One week post op (16.5)

Newly tripod 16 year old! (16.5)

One Year Later - Front Leg…

…Amputation; Elderly Cat (16-17)

17 yr old bullied by younger cat (17)

They want to amputate, im scared (17)

Cat - Yowling after amputation (17)

17 Year Old Cat Rear Limb Amputation/Hemipelvectomy - Possible Injection Site Sarcoma (17)

New senior cat…

…a single step on three legs (18 last post)

Tabby's recovery is not going well (18)

Second thoughts on amputating Tabby's leg (18)

SENIOR CAT PITTENS (18)

Pittens  (Blog) (18)

our 18 y/o kitty's tripawd journey (18)

need help (18)

18 y/o Strummer amputation advice pretty…

…please (18)

New Tripawd kitty and struggling (18)

Stanley – Senior Cat with Soft Tissue Sarcoma  (Blog) (18)

So grateful to have found this group - Freddy - 18 yo Cat (18)

19yo Kitty; Rear Leg Amp.; Two Days…

…Post-Op; Incontinence Questions (19)

Rita -- a new kitty amputee (17-20)
 

New tripod mom to a very old cat. (20)

20 year old cat, round cell tumor back leg, amputation or euthanasia? (20)

Elderly cat going in for hind leg amputation tomorrow. Kindly ask for advice or…

…words of encouragement. (20)

Feeling lost. Amputation on very old cat? (20)

20 year old cat new tripawd (20)

Senior amputation (20)

THE GRANDE DAME  (Blog) 22 years old & newly tripawed! (22)

22 years old but newly tripod

…
Constipation is a normal amputation surgery side-effect in cats and dogs. But there's always a chance your Tripawd cat is not pooping because of other reasons. Usually the cause is nothing to panic about. So before you do, ask yourself a few important questions.

…

…

Purrkins' Recovery Litterbox (Image @purrkins)

Questions to Ask If Your Tripawd Cat is Not Pooping After Surgery

It's not uncommon for a new member to post because their cat is not using the litterbox after coming home from…

…to always talk to your vet about your concerns.

While you wait for your vet discussion, here are some pawesome questions to ask about your cat's litterbox habits after amputation, all of them courtesy of Purrkins' mom, Holly.

Think About Your Cat's Pooping Habits

Why is your…

…cat not using the litterbox?

Did this just start happening, or has it happened before?

Is your cat straining to poop, vomiting when pooping?

Do you notice if your cat's poop is hard and dry?

Are there poop balls outside of the…

…:"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} -->

Now Consider Your Cat's Litterbox Situation

What is the literbox setup?

Where is your cat pooping? In the vicinity of the box? Somewhere else?
…

…

How many litter boxes do you have in your household? If you have multiple cats, do you have at least one litter box per cat?

What type of litter are you using? Has the litter type or brand been changed recently? 

Is the litter box covered? If so,…

… take the lid off. 

Is the box big enough to comfortably turn around in for your new Tripawd cat? Is there easy access Can your cat hop in and out easily with no issues? 

What about the box location? Is the litterbox located in a high-traffic area in the home…

…? 

Is the box in a place where he would feel trapped when pooping? If you have other cats, your new Tripawd cat might be thinking they can ambush him in the box.

When cats feel the most vulnerable, it takes longer to poop. 

Is your cat…

…

Once you know the answers to these questions you can have a productive chat with your veterinarian. They may prescribe an over the counter cat laxative to move things along. If your cat is still constipated, they may want to do some tests and possible a different motility drug to get his…

…poop moving.

Keep your vet in the loop, and you can always ask the community for support in the Tripawds Three-Legged Cat Forum.

A big thank you to @purrkins Holly for her terrific insight on three-legged (and four-legged) cats!

More Tripawd Cat…

…Litter Box Help

LItter Box Tips for Tripawds Forum Discussion

Find Tripawd's Best Cat Amputation Guide at Your Fingertips!

…still THINK this was pain-related and very common in rear leggers to have phantom limb spells and NOT have enough pain medication through recovery. Gabapentin is always used for this and should always be sent home with our cats for recovery.

Please try to breathe. I know…

…how stressful this is!! Let's SEE how the medication changes go since she did well on the Zorbium ( transdermal) before this will tell the vets more.

We are jumping the gun on you not being…

…able to handle her.  You usually can, yes? They won't send her home in a state—one step at a time.

Can you usually medicate her with liquid or pills? How food-motivated is she?

I haven't heard if she is eating in the clinic. What is the clinic saying other than she

… I'm sorry, Discovery, and you are going through this. 

I agree with Sally. It sounds like she had a phantom limb attack. I'm betting she was toward the end of her meds. What was she sent home meds mgs and duration, frequency of meds? I can ASSURE you she will…

…meds were

14 days Gabapentin 100 mg capsule – one capsule by mouth every 8 hours
12 days Buprenorphine 0.3 mg 0.25 ml every 8-12 hours

 All cats are individuals, and it is not one size fits all on pain meds. Sadly, cats STILL get the short stick on pain management
!!!

Hang in there; we

…Scott's hooman chimed in with good insight and so e good questions.

What you jave described does indeed sound like phantom limb pain.   It happens suddenly and a cat (or a dog) jumps up suddenly,  will cry out in pain and try and "run away" from the pain.  It usually lasts…

…less than a minute  (thankfully).  It happens when the brain is still  communicating to the nerves and they are still firing off signals to a leg that is no longer there.  Hoomans with amp describe it as an electrical shock jolt.

…over. I can feel the muscles next to the missing leg twitching. This goes on for maybe a minute and then he seems ok again. Does this sound like phantom limb pain or??? Anything I can do? He used to be such a social affectionate cat and now he doesn’t seem to want attention at all.

…of pawing you to get a proper feeding!  Even of your're  sick with a cold the Princess must have her breakfast when she decides it's time😂.

If a cat or dog suddenly jumps up, yelps or cries, and tries to "-run away from the pain", it's often phantom limb pain.  It "only" last for maybe less than

…in close touch with your vet.  As this is both distressing to you and to him.  If it is pain, it also is something which can be addressed with medication.

While every cat is different, Tuxedo was on buprenorphine 2x a day for 7 days following his amputation for comparison purposes.  But he never…

…

Is the growling/hissing a constant thing or is he "fine" for a while and then suddenly starts, like if jolted or startled?  I ask that because of phantom limb pain not just post amputation pain usually starts in around the time major surgery meds clear the system.  Or at least that was how it was for…

…my mother.  She would be fine, then almost screaming with pain, not in the incision region, but seemingly coming from the missing limb.  These episodes would subside some in 15 or so minutes.  But there seemed to be no warning when one would strike.   If you and your vet think it…

…is phantom limb pain causing a lot of his acting out, maybe the dosage of gabapentin needs adjusted, as in humans at least, it was far more effective in dealing with

…and welcome.

I'm sorry your boy is having so much trouble!

Is he on any pain medication at this point?  Did the accident include any other injuries?   One possibility is that he is in pain.

HERE is some information on identifying…

…if your cat is in pain.

While most dogs and cats are off pain meds 4 weeks out it could be that he needs them a little longer.

Another thought:

How did he behave between the accident and the…

…what is going on.  It doesn't happen often but once in a while we hear about a pet who had an internal stitch cause a problem or there could be a phantom pain
issue.

HERE is some information on Phantom Limb Pain.

HERE is a Forum Thread on Litter Box Issues.

Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls and

…to you and CC! I'm sorry that you are dealing with phantom pain
, it's a complex situation and extra challenging with cats.

So, who on earth is telling you to put him down? Whoever they are needs to keep their opinion to themselves unless they are pain management
…

…? If the muscle is only twitching and he's not showing a behavior response to the twitch, it's likely that this is normal for an amputee's residual limb. Our Wyatt's stump twitched the rest of his life but it was not phantom pain
.

If CC is having phantom pain
symptoms, then it's time to approach…

… It can't hurt to at least try the onsior for a few days to see if it helps "reset" the nerves. The three-day recommendation for it is what the medication was approved for in the FDA studies. Many vets use medications off-label to address unique situations. Your vet can tell you when using it for…

….

There is also a rehab therapist in Cottonwood but try PAH first.

As for CBD, no studies have been shown that it can be effective to treat phantom pain
. See our recent stories about CBD and cannabis veterinary medicine:

https://tripawd...../cannabis/

Did you see our most recent…

…stories about osteosarcoma in cats?

Charlie the Osteosarcoma Cat Beats the Cancer Odds!

Osteosarcoma Metastasis in Cats Not So Rare After All

Also check out these rehab success stories about cats:

Tripawd Cat Rehab Relps Tri-kitty Athena

Free Feline Rehab for…

…Three Legged Cat Fergie

Three Legged Cat Walking Backwards Benefits from Free Feline Rehab

…sunbeams on our yard! I had her on a leash just in case she wanted to move a lot, but luckily she was happy to walk a couple of meters and then catch some z's in the sun. I've read on phantom limb pain and don't think she's experiencing it. However, I saw her shaking/shivering a couple of times

…place... why did she lose her leg to begin with? And what caused the eyesight and fever? 

While it's certainly possible that she can be having phantom limb pain, are there signs showing that she is having it? Typically we see phantom leg pain
symptoms in cats like sudden yelping, jumping, and

…! My cat, Tampa Boo, just turned a year old (I have had her for about eight months now) and her front right leg was amputated about seven months ago. Since…

…then, she has stopped eating on her own and will only eat when coaxed (even then she does not eat much, and she is even on appetite stimulant medication). She did stop using the litterbox (she would use it when I put her in it) and, since being on gabapentin, she has used the litterbox on her…

…(she looks disheveled not dirty). However, I have done bloodwork, and everything is coming back healthy. According to the doctors she is a healthy cat. After a recent conversation with the vet, he suspects she may be suffering from phantom limb pain. He prescribed gabapentin, but I only give it to…

…with). The first day I gave her the dose (in the afternoon) it took me a several minutes to rouse her. I am going to call the vet about the medication and my concerns regarding it.

Having a cat with an amputated leg is a new experience for me and I want to help her as much as I can, but I'm…

…not sure how to best help her.

For those who have experience with cats who have had phantom limb pain, could this be what she is struggling with? 

…should check out:

Best (and Worst) Pet Amputation Pain Drugs

Simbadol™ is a highly concentrated injectable version of buprenorphine, used in cats. One injection lasts 24 hours and must not be dispensed to a pet owner.

Nocita™,  is another injectable post-op pain medication veterinarians…

…can give to dogs (and provide off-label use for cats). It lasts approximately three days.

Trazodone and Zonisamide work well to ease anxiety and allow your pet to relax.  

Carprophen (Rimadyl…

…that decrease inflammation in the body, allowing it to heal. For dogs who are sensitive to NSAIDs, Galliprant® (grapiprant) is a good option. For cats, short term use of meloxicam or ketoprofen is safe.

Tapentadol is a newer opioid that complements the effects of the previous types of medications. If it sounds like ‘Tramadol,” that’s because it ‘s a new and improved version of the drug. Tapentadol is just starting to be used in…

…be as effective than morphine, and much more helpful than Tramadol at controlling pain in dogs.

Gabapentin reduces nerve pain and helps prevent phantom pain in cats and dogs.

Amitriptyline is another drug for both species that can help reduce phantom limb pain, as well as anxiety.

Amantadine is…

…also shown to be an effective pain reducer.

When is the big day? Be sure to check out Cool Tips for Tripawd Cats
if you haven't already, it's also filled with tons of great tips! Stay tuned for feedback from others.

… Furmily. Your future posts won't need to wait for approval so please post away.

It does sound like the bone spur (?) may be acting up again. Cats are so good at hiding pain, it might have been bothering her for a long time and she's just now showing it because it's really bad.

Don't wait to…

…is showing pain the way you are describing, she needs to get seen asap. es it's tough to get into a vet clinic right now but if you firmly communicate that your cat is in serious pain, it will be easier to get seen. What's going on with the previous vet who saw her? It would be good to start…

…there. But if you want to message me your location I can try to find you some clinics. There are also some low-cost general care clinics out there and you might want to check out this financial…

…resources for vet care worksheet to see if you qualify for any.

moves her numb like an arm so I know she has phantom limb issues. 

Unless it's accompanied by odd behavior like yelping, walking backwards, and sudden jolts to run away, it's probably not phantom pain

…out, underneath the skin still but it’s…poking from the inside. Sometimes when she jumps off things she will land on that shoulder, almost as if to catch her fall? She     moves her numb like an arm so I know she has phantom limb issues. 

Is it possible she dislocated her shoulder or something?

…and welcome to you and Oscar. Sorry you had to join our club!

So what pain medication is he on? How much, and how often?

Cats are masters at hiding pain, and many times we miss pain signals
. Backwards walking is definitely one of them. It often happens when the severed limb nerves are "misfiring" and sending confusing signals to the brain. This causes pain. It could be phantom pain
, which doesn't happen constantly but…

…suddenly and acutely. So, that's why it might seem like he's not constantly hurting. 

See:

How to Help Amputee Cats Walking Backwards
Stay tuned for feedback from others!

…worries. 

1. As far as covering her poop, yes, that's NORMAL; it's not painful; they are just doing their business as they always have w/o the limb. The brain still sends signals to that arm. Purrkins still does this five years, six months post-op. That's entirely different than phantom limb…

…pain. 

2. Gaba can be an appetite stimulant for some cats. I had the same issue with Purrkins brother. Not Purrkins. That is what's happening with the feeling starved.! If you're feeding a wet diet, I…

…get a pheromone spray, spray that in the vicinity and see if that helps. Can't hurt! 

So you have some references to look at; here are pain indicators 

&

FELINE GRIMACE SCALE 
Here is a qof life scale to look at for the future!!! https://my.vetm.....eScale.pdf

Hang in

…help or suggestions would be appreciated. Crybaby had FHO surgery then complications with that caused him to have a leg amputation a month afterwards. Everything was good with recovering considering until maybe 8 weeks afterwards…

…2 weeks 1 doses every 12 hours then another 2 weeks with 1 dose every 24 then every other day until we got him independent. He just had a bad phantom limb pain attack as seen in this video. What can we do?

…trembling be phamtom limb pain in kitties?

Our surgeon advised that phantom limb pain is totally real for cats and prescribed gabapentin as needed for it.  Immediately after surgery, my tripawd kitty was trembling as the pain meds wore off, so it seemed…

…that seems to handle it. Otherwise, she's acting normally. 

Any other advice for pain relief this far after surgery?  And any experiences with phantom limb pain a month or more post surgery? 

Many thanks hive brain!

…sarcoma discovery, he had only been to the vet once in several years because he has to be fully sedated to have a minor visit. He had a senior cat exam about a year ago and most things were looking good. He just had an IBD flare up and she wanted to keep an eye on liver levels. A few months…

…wasn't too concerning to anyone. It took a special feline anesthesiologist two attempts to get him out for his amputation surgery.

He's a lovely cat, just not at the vet. So most of his vet visits are me explaining things until something really needs to be looked at. I assume during the…

…to surgery he was jumping on counters and even the top of doors on occasion. So the jumping has been cut out of his life the past few months.

The phantom limb issues seem to be largely confusion with him. He forgets how to walk, you can see the missing limb surrounding muscles moving. He flops all…

… he also chewed some hair off the area with the missing leg (a few days ago). I had been told by his vets that the gabapentin "blocked" the phantom issues and if they occurred to give him a dose. But I think you all have more experience collectively, so I wanted more advice.

thanks again!

…said

Hi there and welcome.  

My cat Tuxedo had his rear leg and partial pelvis amputated over 4 years back.  Sorry about what maybe a late response but I am not on here often as he is…

…doing his normal happy adorable/annoying cat things these days.  So if you wish to contact me, it is best to leave me a private message through the site.  I did want to chime in here. …

… Following Tuxedo's surgery he was never on gabapentin and other than a few isolated incidents, never seemed to show having any phantom limb pain like you described.  However, after stitches and all bandages were finally removed, he became a grooming fiend.  He would at times lick away…

…this year, when his vet prescribed gabapentin for him.  The vets rationale was that it was possible that Tuxedo had been experiencing isolated phantom limb pain episodes all this time.  Well I do not know if that is right, but I do know that after a couple weeks on gabapentin, no more over grooming…

….  At his last checkup, I inquired about taking him off of the medication and the vet was hesitant to do so.  She said that if it is working and at a low dose, Tuxedo would likely be better on it that risk the episodes…

… in my long winded manner, I am saying, if the gabapentin is working, I would not be in any rush to discontinue it.  Because it seems that some cats may experience phantom limb pain far longer than it might be anticipated, though perhaps on a lower level.  Obviously I am not a vet, but wanted to…

…
Hugs and best wishes

Dawna, Tuxedo, Lilly, and Angel Dazzle

  

Hi everyone - This is my first time posting but I did read the tripod book for cats prior to Monster's surgery, and it helped prepare me so much that I can't express my gratitude for you all. Monster is 16 and had rapid growing…

… I'm not sure if the amputation caused his internal bits to change positioning a bit. And not sure if others have had this experience? He is an IBD cat so food options are very limited. And coming out of surgery, he was slow to pee, very slow to poop, and even got syringe fed. But it seems like all…

…of those memories disappear once you are past them.

A few weeks in, he got stressed, and completely forgot how to walk and started having a lot of phantom movement of his muscles on the right side. I gave one dose of gabapentin from his post surgery meds and he woke up normal.

Fast forward another…

…and normal. A week later, he's eating his regrowth of hair right over his hip joint. And he's never been an over-groomer.

As his name might indicate, Monster does not like the vet and most vets have rejected him over the years. His surgeon and the staff at Blue Pearl in Louisville have been…

…concern about him going on gabapentin long-term because he hates meds and it is messy giving him a liquid, but it does seem to work to shut off that phantom pain
receptor in the brain. He's old and I'm always aware that kidney issues in old cats can pop up at any point. Any advice is appreciated.

…there and welcome.  

My cat Tuxedo had his rear leg and partial pelvis amputated over 4 years back.  Sorry about what maybe a late response but I am not on here often as he is…

…doing his normal happy adorable/annoying cat things these days.  So if you wish to contact me, it is best to leave me a private message through the site.  I did want to chime in here. …

… Following Tuxedo's surgery he was never on gabapentin and other than a few isolated incidents, never seemed to show having any phantom limb pain like you described.  However, after stitches and all bandages were finally removed, he became a grooming fiend.  He would at times lick away…

…this year, when his vet prescribed gabapentin for him.  The vets rationale was that it was possible that Tuxedo had been experiencing isolated phantom limb pain episodes all this time.  Well I do not know if that is right, but I do know that after a couple weeks on gabapentin, no more over grooming…

….  At his last checkup, I inquired about taking him off of the medication and the vet was hesitant to do so.  She said that if it is working and at a low dose, Tuxedo would likely be better on it that risk the episodes…

… in my long winded manner, I am saying, if the gabapentin is working, I would not be in any rush to discontinue it.  Because it seems that some cats may experience phantom limb pain far longer than it might be anticipated, though perhaps on a lower level.  Obviously I am not a vet, but wanted to