Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
Tripawds is your home to learn how to care for a three legged dog or cat, with answers about dog leg amputation, and cat amputation recovery from many years of member experiences.
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liked the video - your kids look greyt.
I haven't seen or heard of a bubble of fluid like you describe. I would definitely ask your vet to take a look at it. She may need a drainage tube or some such put in.
Don't worry about the occasional melt down - this is so much to digest and it's a lot of work keeping the stress at bay to help our kids.
hugs
Connie & Radar
Thanks Connie!
I did call the specialty clinic to check & they said it's normal as long as there is no drainage.
Also, I checked with my best friend/vet and she confirmed. She's a good sorce of all things greyhound and she had been down this road too when one of her greyhounds got osteo and she went the amp/chemo route. I'm so blessed to have her.
This morning I noticed the top/front of her wrap is rubbing on the most forward incision and one of the staples has come out on one side. As soon as my hubby gets up, we'll get that wrap off & I'll get that one staple out. I bet she'll feel so much better after that silly wrap is off 🙂
Janie & Calamity http://www.trix.....gspot.com/
It sounds like Calamity is doing well. Bonnie is almost 2 months post amp and going through chemo now. The panting happened with Bonnie and we took her back the next day. They removed the Fentanyl patch and I had a totally different dog. Just like Jerry said, she was "tripping out" on the pain meds. When I took her in, the doctor gave her a shot that was like an antidote to the pain patch to see if that was the problem. Within 30 seconds I had my old Bonnie back so we took the patch off. It is amazing how these guys handle pain on their own. Their tolerance level is SOooo much higher than ours.
I have two other chocolate labs along with Bonnie. One is her brother and one is her mother. It was amazing how well they adapted to her. When she is down, they know it and are careful around her. They even snuggle up to her on the floor when she is napping. When she is back to normal, they know that too and pick on her. It is great to have other dogs to keep yours company and keep her spirits up.
Good luck and keep pawsitive! This is a great site for that.
chris-bonnie
kcgrey said:
I have noticed some blood/fluid pooling at her chest area,
There is plenty of discussion in these forums about a seroma that can form after surgery. It's just healing body fluids that have nowhere to go, and is perfectly normal. It happened to me and my vet drained it once. Some other vets insert a drain during surgery that pawrents can vent as necessary. Yuck!
Love the one floppy ear, and especially the Benny Hill soundtrack. Thanks!
PS: We embed videos on this site so readers don't have to leave and go to YouTube to view them. You just have to paste in the embed code in HTML mode, by selecting the HTML Button: 
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi Calamity
My name is Pogi and I had my leg amputated because it was broken and healed badly. I was already a tripawd when my mom adopted me so she can't give you any advice but we wanted to say hello, welcome and Woof.
It's nice to have you here. You are so pretty! I bet we would have fun in a race. I like to run fast, too!
Calamity has just not had a good day today. Not sure if she is experiencing the "phantom pain " or what, but she will rear up on her hind legs, contort her body and shreik in pain. These episodes only last a few seconds.
She has tramadol onboard and did so good with that yesterday. She's taken tramadol before, so I do not think it is that.
When I take her out, she does not want to go in the yard, but stands at the gate like we are going somewhere. I thought maybe she needed to just "get away", so we walked to the end of the driveway to get the mail. She did not want to come back in the house.
She is eating good and peeing & pooping good.
We just seem to be on the uphill part of this roller coaster today 
Janie & Calamity http://www.trix.....gspot.com/
Hang in there baby! One day at a time ...
Some people have found that Bella's hot/cold pain relief pack helps provide comfort during the healing process. Not sure how Calamity might like it ... just a thought.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I am guessing the discomfort Calamity has might be phantom pain , or might also be simply pain from the surgical site. After all, the surgery was only a few days ago.
Try applying cool pad on her wound, see if that would help.
While laying down, having her amputated side up, place both palms on her wound. Apply light but firm pressure, don't rub. I think that would help new tripawds to become aware again of their body, particulary the area where the bad limb used to be. Massage, or simple long stroke at the back from neck to bum. Also gentle rub on her forehead, temples, practical everywhere.
Cephalaxin is hard on stomach. At 6 weeks post-op, Genie chased after other dogs and landed hard on the amp side on asphalt (my fault!). The almost healed up wound was scraped. The vet prescribed this drug. This drug was to be taken with food. There were 3 episodes in which each time she threw up all her meal precisely 2 hours after the administering of the med. Watch out.
Hope that will help Calamity girl.
Thanks guys! I have blocked the young ones & Trigger off from the living room & she is resting now with only her brother in the room with her & myself. I'll get some ice and try that in a little bit, while things are calm I want to just stay seated.
The massaging is a good idea too. She loves to have her head rubbed! Imagine this, she hates her belly rubbed! LOL!!
She's taken Ceph before with no problems and she is taking it with a meal, I don't think that is the issue.
We'll just hang in here & know that tomorrow will be a better day 🙂
Janie & Calamity http://www.trix.....gspot.com/
Your still early in recovery. I'm not a dog behaviorist however, they know something is different, she will adjust. Just reassure her. Maybe she senses your stressing ... It will get better. My dog cried out in pain initially (he's a husky)... This was a major surgery that needs time to heal. The pain meds may have her feeling out of sorts also. Hang in there...
Kim&Buster
Kim & Angel Buster
"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened."
–Anatole France
After 2 days of these "phantom pain ?" episodes, Dr Lake (my best friend/vet who has had a greyhound with osteo/amp/chemo), Dr Desch & I decided to try gabapentin for nerve pain. She is having these episodes more frequently. We will take her back in to see Dr Desch tomorrow morning, so he can see how she is himself. We may decide to put the fentanyl patch back on her. She did the best when her pain was managed by the patch & small doses of tramadol. Each dog is different and this is what helps her the best.
Her incision looks marvelous! No swelling, very, very little bruising, basically no redness. The healing is happening outwardly.
I just hope we can find something that makes her comfortable...we're all stressed out here.
Janie & Calamity http://www.trix.....gspot.com/
Does your vet think its nerve swelling (neuroma)? I was told warm compresses should help with that... hope the new meds help. I agree even though the outside is healing it may take awhile internally. Hope you feel better Calamity!
Kim&Buster
Kim & Angel Buster
"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened."
–Anatole France
I used gabapentin and amantadine to prevent phantom pain in my Mastiff Tazzie, and she did very well post op. I gave amantadine for 7 days, and weaned her off of the gabapentin after 4 weeks. These drugs work best if started a day or 2 before surgery but it can't hurt to try them now. Some dogs also benefit from either cold or hot packs (depends on the dog).
Tramadol is a pretty safe drug and there is room to increase the dose up to 3 or 4 tabs (given 3 to 4 times daily if pain is bad) but ask your vet before you do this!
I hope she feels better soon,
Pam and Tazzie
Calamity got her dose of gabapentin at 2PM today and I have kept her crated all day to help with this pain that only happens when she is standing. She has only had 2 of her "episodes", one pretty mild and the last one was what I'd call a normal one. But this is so much better than it had been. Whether the new drug or the crate rest is what helped...who knows?
Pam, I have been using cold, then heat almost constantly since she got home. I can't see that either does any good for her.
Tramadol is our friend too. We have used it off & on for almost a year now for her leg pain. She does real well with it.
Pam: what is amantadine and what does it do?
Overall, I feel she had a good day, it was just good at the cost of being crated. She's going to see Dr Desch tomorrow.
Janie & Calamity http://www.trix.....gspot.com/
Calamity was put back on the patch today and given a morphene injection. She has done well most of the day, having a few of her "episodes" and they have not been as intense. She still seeks the comfort of her crate and pretty much stays there.
I'm trying to keep heat on her surgery site most of the time.
Janie & Calamity http://www.trix.....gspot.com/
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