Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Our 11 year old Bichon is 2 and 1/2 months post op (front leg amputee and 5 weeks of radiation). Cancer (giant mast cell tumor of soft parts) is gone as far as we know. It would probably take another MRI to really know. Two things are strange:
1) When laying down, she frequently twitches or jumps as if there was a sharp (but quick) pain. I can rub her side, and she doesn't usually react, but she may sometimes twitch even if I lightly touch the area...(almost as if I scared her).
2) She no longer eats food/snacks off the floor. We have to hold it up off the floor or make sure the food bowl is elevated a little. We can gently push her nose to the floor without any pain reaction (that we can detect). Our regular vet explained this away as '..she is just getting her balance..', but she had no problems with this one week after front leg amputation.
Anyone else experience anything like this?
All I can think of is that perhaps there is possibly some nerve pain after the amputation... Ask your vet about gabapentin! It's a wonderful drug for nerve pain...
Do you have a blog for your baby yet? We'd love to see some pictures of your sweetie!!
Angel Jake's Mom
Jake, 10yr old golden retriever (fractured his front right leg on 9/1, bone biopsy revealed osteosarcoma on 9/10, amputation on 9/17) and his family Marguerite, Jacques and Wolfie, 5yr old german shepherd and the newest addition to the family, Nala, a 7mth old Bengal mix kittie. Jake lost his battle on 11/9/2009, almost 8 weeks after his surgery. We will never forget our sweet golden angel… http://jakesjou.....ipawds.com ….. CANCER SUCKS!
Regarding the issue of eating food/snacks off the floor, without any additional information, I might have to agree with the vet. Cherry's bowl has always been elevated because of issues regarding potential torsion. However, when she is eating (which is not always consistent), she will eat biscuits off the floor while laying down. If you hand her one when she is standing, she will lay down before eating. Also, she drinks her water from a dish on the floor. So, if you Bichon will not take a favorite biscuit or jerky treat from off the floor while laying down, then you might have other issues otherwise, I would just follow her lead. Cherry is one year post amputation and definately prefers to eat from an elevated bowl for balance reasons.
Cherry has also had isues with uncontrolled twitching. It was was so bad when she was on Tramadol, that we removed it from her pain-killers. She continued to have this problem to a reduced degree when ever she had chemicals in her system. (Chemotherapy, pain-killers, anti-nausea, anti-vomit, appetite stimulants.....) Even now that she is chemical free for months, the twitching comes back whenever she is not feeling well. For us, it is more effective at letting me know that she is "under the weather" than a thermometer. Jake's Mom is right in suggesting you ask you vet about other drugs. We need to be very pro-active when it comes to their care.
Paws Crossed and Sending Pawsitive Thoughts,
Bob & Cherry
jakesmom said:
...perhaps there is possibly some nerve pain after the amputation...
Yes perhaps, the symptoms do sound similar to Phantom Pain . You may find this post in the Tripawds Downloads blog helpful:
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Our stories sound similar, Zoe is also a front leg amputee from a mast cell tumor that grew up through the soft tissue of her leg. She is 3+ months post amp. She also had that occasional twitch and yelp at first, I immediately asked the vet about Gabapentin, it seems to help, the twitch stopped very shortly thereafter. I would definitely ask the vet to give it a try. If you don't mind me asking did they do radiation first and then had to amputate?
I would agree that this is probably phantom pain and gabapentin often gives very fast relief. Your little dog would probably need 100 mg twice daily but your vet will need to write you a script for it (gabapentin is a human drug). I would try it for 2 weeks then as needed.
As long as you do not detect neck pain in any direction then I wouldn't worry too much about the eating thing. Small breeds like this are prone to intervertebral disc disease which would cause pain when the neck is moved but more likely it is just easier for your dog to eat that way. My dog Tazzie preferred eating while laying down after she became a tripawd although she did at times drink water from her elevated dish.
Pam
I can only say that I agree with what everyone else has sad. Emily also ate on an elevated stool after her amputation. I had read that they use their heads to help balance so it makes it easier for them not to have to reach all the way down to the floor. Emily did not have twitching but I was going to suggest gabepentin because other's have recommended it.
Try to make an avatar. I would love to see your baby,
Debra & Angel Emily
Debra & Emily, a five year old doberman mix, who was diagnosed with an osteosaecoma. She had a right rear leg amputation on May 19, 2009. On November 10, 2009 she earned her wings and regained her fourth leg.
Thanks for the replies thus far. We'll ask our local vet about the drug. (N.C. State Vet School did the surgery/radiation, but we only go down there if absolutely necessary). Her twitching can sometimes be quite frequent (3 or 4 in a minute - then none for an hour or so). The twitching only seems to occur when she is resting. I believe I have located the sensitive "nerve", near the neck, just forward of the surgery site. When rubbing this spot, I can usually cause the twitch.
In her case, radiation came after surgery. They have also recommended chemo, but we've pretty much decided this is enough - at least until we see some energy come back. We aren't sure why, but she seemed more mobile 1 week after surgery than she does now. 2 weeks after surgery, she was easily walking a few blocks. Now she says no thank you...and just stares off into space.
We'll try to get that blog started...we've got some catching up to do!
A quick update on this. Our local vet conferred with NC State (where the amputation/radiation was performed). The specialists down there believe it is a disc problem (wish I had taken notes because I don't have the details). At any rate, they prescribed prednisone, and this has been the difference between night and day. She is feeling great and lots of energy (side effect of prednisone possibly). We'll visit the local vet later to get more details and long term prognosis.
I'm still not sure if this disc problem was a side effect of the amputation, or something she did to herself after the surgery.
I'm sure it is possible for the strain from the amputation to cause a disc problem, I know some on here go to doggy chiropractors. I'm glad the Pred is helping. Zoe took Pred as part of her chemo for MCT, she did the same thing she was running all over the place when she started taking it. They say it makes some dogs feel euphoric. I'm just glad it helps. Keep us posted.
The last update on this. We had to keep her on 5mg of pred until she was euthanized this week. She just couldn't catch a break. She never became very mobile or comfortable on 3 legs and the cancer came back in her lungs (and who knows where else). While working the past few months to keep her comfortable, she had a stroke (we think). No doubt about it, cancer is ugly and tough to fight.
We are so sorry to hear this, but thank you for the update. Please know that by sharing your experiences, you are certain to help others looking for information to help them face the same difficult decision whith their own dogs. Peace.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
That is so sad and heartbreaking. I am very sorry for your loss. She looks like she was a sweet, precious baby.
Comet - 1999 to 2011
She departed us unexpectedly January 23, 2011 at the age of 12 1/2.
She was born with a deformed front leg and a tripawd all of her life.
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