Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Ella is 12 day's post op and I have noticed that since she has come home from surgery she hasn't or can't bark. AtEll first I didn't think too much of it but now it is making me wonder. She has tried and nothing comes out but a kind of croak and then she lets out a yelp like it hurts. Ella know's the trick 'speak' and I tried to get her to do and she won't- she has always done it on command.
Is this normal after surgery?? I have heard with humans that during intubation there is a chance of vocal cords getting damaged. Is this a possiblility with a dog- could this be why Ella isn't barking?
Any input would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you,
Angie ( Ella's mom)
Angie,
Sounds like you may have figured it out. Hope your Vet can ease your mind about what is going on with Ella.
Spirit JD's mom
JD
One Tough Girl
(1999-2010)
-Diagnosed with osteosarcoma of her left front leg –
-Amputation July 23 2010 –
-The cancer didn't get her, but she is gone-
-She fought the cancer and loved life till bloat brought her down August 29th, 2010-
Now she watches over her mom and two new sisters, the Quad-Paws Serena and Maya
Oh my!
I would get on the horn to the vet for sure! She may need an anti-inflammatory. Regardless, I'd be very upset.
I've always had the worst luck after surgeries for secondary problems. Once was a "winged scapula" (neuro damage to the shoulder blade in which it would pop off my back) after a sinus surgery. And then another surgery, my tongue was stuck under the intubation tube while on my stomach during surgery. It was extremely swollen and had a knot. My tongue issue took my a couple of years to heal completely. And the scapula took about 6 months.
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.
It is possible that she could have tracheal irritation due to intubation but that usually resolves in a few days. Is she a barker? Excess barking at the clinic could have strained her larynx but most dogs are pretty doped up on pain meds after an amputation so that would be rare. I would call your vet!
Pam
Pam.
Ella enjoys a good bark at the neighbors cat and chimes in when the neighborhood dog's are all barking but she isn't an excessive barker. Also she is so shy that I can't imagine her barking while she was at the clinic, that wouldn't be typical of her.
She also in the last several day's has developed a weird 'gulp' I'm now thinking maybe this is related?
I am calling the clinic this morning to have her go in, it's just about time to get her staples out anyway!
Angie (Ella's mom)
You just reminded my folks that I also had a tracheal irritation after surgery, my voice was a little hoarse for a few days afterward.
Let us know what the vet says K?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
The weird gulping could be pharyngitis, which is an inflammation of the soft tissues of the throat. Sometimes we see this if dogs chew on sticks and poke the back of their throat but you said she has had the hoarsness since she came home from surgery. Is she still taking any pain meds? If not your vet might want to start an anti-inflammatory and maybe antibiotics.
Pam
Well, they didn't think seem to be concerned about Ella's non-barking and gulping (it has a little sniffle along with it too) at the vets today. I didn't personally get to talk to the surgeon but the vet tech relayed everything. They said that because Ella is drinking and eating she must not be having pain and in turn could not have had any damage or irritation from the intubation tube.They said perhaps it was allergies- I'm not so convinced of that! That sounds like kind of a far reach?
The vet said we could scope her, but I wasn't prepared to put her through that right now. So I guess we are just going to see what happens over the next few days. Hopefully her bark will return and it won't be anything serious.Fingers crossed.
PAM- Yes, Ella is still on Tramadol and on a low dose of Rimadyl still, also she just stopped her antibiotics yesterday.
On a good note, Ella had her staples out today- YIPPEE- hopefully she will be more comfortable now. Also she seems to be getting more and more back to her old self and she even put a new spin on an old trick. I went to give her a treat while she was sitting, we have tried over and over to teach her to 'sit pretty' over the years but she never got it and it turned into a 'high ten'. Well tonight she sat right up in a perfect 'sit pretty' and held it forever, I guess being short a leg was just what she needed! It was so cool to see her want to do a trick for us, my husband and I nearly cried. I just love these little bits of normalcy.....
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