Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Seanna had a back leg amputated a week ago and is still having severe difficulties getting up when she is lying down, and lying down from standing. last night it took about 2 hours with her pacing around and trying and then coming to me for help (I am sleeping in the living room with her). She goes stiff and doesn't co-operate when I try to help, but after 2 hours I had to do something. There are lots of duvets etc laid out on the carpet for her, but she loves her own bed that has a soft cushion round the back. I lifted the back up and sat in front of it with her between me and the bed - then I bent forward and she collapsed on the bed. She was so comfortable that she wouldn't even try to get up this morning, but she eventually managed to get up at 11am when I got her food ready. If I help her this way I am worried she won't learn how to do it herself. She is a greyhound and I am elderly, so I cannot do anything that involves lifting her. Please help - has anyone any bright ideas?
Ohhh I'm so sorry, you're still in the rough phases of the recovery, one week is not a long time and many dogs do experience this kind of restlessness and discomfort. When combined with a lack of sleep for the humans it's really tough.
Oftentimes this kind of behavior is due to pain medication. What is she taking?
Greyhounds can be very, very independent during recovery and many don't like any kind of help. The most important thing is to 1) figure out if this is pain related 2) let her figure things out on her own. The tough love approach is difficult for humans but they DO figure it out. You shouldn't need to lift her, if you do there is likely something else going on.
Here's a video about how to deal with recovery.
When is her follow up appointment?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Seanna IS home and IS on the road to recovery. These first two weeks are just rough but they do get better!!
It sou ds like...and other Greyhound "people" can chime in....it seems as though she's jist still figuring things out PLUS developng new miscle strength where she didn't have it before.
Sometimes too, if the "amp. side" is the side theyused to lay on the most, it takes time to figure out how to "adjust" to laying on the other side.
What pain meds is she on? Does t seem to be uncomfortable as she tries to maneuver? Other than the difficulty laying and standing she's movng okay? Eating, drinking, peeng, pooping?
Yeah, many dogs just freeze when you try touse a towel as a sling or a harness. And it is difficult when it's just yourself and a "woman of wisdom"...I like to se that phrase for us "non-youngsters"!
There are links on here to great massage techniques. You may want to try sme gentle massage before she gets us in the mornng to help, alng with some soft stretching exercises. She also could have a pulled muscle or strain that's slowing her up a touch.
It's still very, very early in recovery...heck, humans would still be in the hospital!!
You're a very god advocate for yojr girl and I know she feels your love. That's the best healing medici e there ks!
Hang in there and stay connected to us. You are not alone, okay? We are here with you!
Sendng you and Seanna hugs!
Sally and Happy Hannah
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
Thanks for both your replies - they are very encouraging. I have had a bad couple of days because on Friday she wouldn't move at all. My neighbour came to help me get her on her feet, but she just froze and didn't move. I was very worried by then because she appeared to have given up, so I rang the vet mid afternoon. The vet asked about pain medication, and she had finished the Rimadyl she came home with, so the vet thought it was pain and came after she had finished with her client. She immediately realised it was a bigger problem than pain - she had a temperature and her the top of the lost leg was hot. We got her onto a blanket and my neighbour, the vet and I got her into my car. When we got there the wound had started to weep (it was dry earlier in the day when I checked), so they treated her, put her on a drip and kept her overnight. As it was late Friday they won't have a result until tomorrow when I have to see the vet again. Since I brought her home yesterday she seems better in herself, but the wound weeped all over the carpet and her bedding, so I hope its not MRSA !
She can now get up by herself, but she hasn't lay down by herself for about 3 days. She did it two or three times when I first got her home, but now walks round and round hopelessly and then comes to look pleadingly at me. I managed to get here down myself three times yesterday, but its very hit and miss and if she gives that greyhound scream I can't carry on. The trouble is she goes stiff and does the opposite of co-operating. I get desperate when she has been wandering round for a couple of hours, and the remaining leg is shaking and puffy. I have tried tough love a few times, but it is not always successful. I am trying it now - my computer is upstairs - so I'm keeping my fingers crossed
She walks well and is not wobbly and she can balance when she wees and poohs. She doesn't want to go far - not even the 5 mins 3 times a day that the referral vet suggested. She just goes into the garden and comes in when she has done what is necessary. Of course, the wandering round the room is exercise, I suppose. She eats all her food and enjoys it - medication is no problem.
Sue & Seanna
Hi Sue and Seanna
It sound like, except for the infection, Seanna is doing very well since she is still very early in her recovery.
My guess (and it is only that - I'm not a vet) is that it is the infection that is affecting her and making her reluctant to lay down - perhaps it hurts and she is still trying to figure out how to do it so it doesn't cause her any pain.
Also, is she taking any pain meds anymore? Tucker, my nine year old lab who had his right front leg amputated five months ago, was on Tramadol and Metacam for two weeks after his surgery. Perhaps you could ask your vet about pain meds in general.
Don't worry too much about how far Seanna walks for now.....it takes a while for them to adapt and she is fighting an infection.....she obviously still likes to go out - sniff around - do her business and come in where she is most comfortable.
Hugs
Linda and Tucker
Oh wow what a ruff weekend I'm sorry! I do think you got the issue pinpointed though, she does sound like she's hurting and uncomfortable from some kind of infection. Was the discharge smelly or greenish, or more like the clear/bloodyish fluid from a seroma ? Sounds like it could be either one at this point, but don't worry about MRSA yet, I'll bet it's not that serious.
Have you tried any warm compresses to help draw the fluid out? That's one thing that's worked for many folks. Or like Dotty's Cabbage Poultice, which sounds and looks a little nutty but it worked for her.
I agree with Linda, she will find her own comfortable pace for the types and length of walks that she likes to take in time, it's still soon after recovery.
Hang in there!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thanks for your replies. Good news! Yesterday afternoon Seanna got down by herself, and has done so several times since then. At the vets her temperature was down (on Saturday they gave her more pain relief and some anti-biotics) and the vet said the little drainage hole that is at the end of the scar means that there is not a build-up of fluid inside the skin - a good thing. She did have a problem trying to jump in the car (although she had done so successfully when I brought her home from the vets yesterday) and fell out onto her bottom, which wasn't good for her operation scar (I think she wasn't keen incase she was going back to the vets again). The vets haven't got the results about the fluid yet, but as she is doing well now they don't think it is anything nasty.
Sue & Seanna
It seems like things are starting to look up. Good news!
As far as getting into the car goes, have you considered getting her a ramp? We had to get one for Murphy (a rear tri), but our old quadpawd, Gus, uses it, too. Neither one of them are very good at loading into the car without it any more. We haven't let Murphy do any jumping since his amp. He did have other concerns than just being a Tripawd, though. There are also steps that you can get to help with loading up, but Murphy doesn't like to do stairs so much.
Kathi and murphy
Murphy is a five year old Lab/Chessie cross. He was hit by a car on 10/29/12 and became a Tripawd on 11/24/12. On 2/5/13, he had a total hip replacement on his remaining back leg. He has absolutely no idea that he has only three legs!
UPDATE: Murphy lived his life to the fullest, right up until an aggressive bone lesion took him across the Rainbow Bridge on April 9, 2015 and he gained his membership in the April Angels. Run free, my love. You deserve it!
Wheeeeeew! That was not a windstorm you just felt...it was a sigh of relief from all of tripawd land!!
GREAT UPDATE!! Every "little" improvemnt is HUGE IMPROVEMENT during the recovery phase!
You are such a diligent mom and I'm so glad you had things checked out as quickly as you did! It sounds like the infection has been part of the problem and now that's on the way out the door! It's still so very early in recovery from such a major surgery, but I bet you'll start seeing her sparkle come back bit by bit.
Now give her a big hug...and yourself a big hug...for a job well done!! I saw tht!! You just gave Seanna a hug! Now you have to give yourself one.....comen...I'm watching!! Yeah, that's it! Made you giggle at yourself too, didn't it!?
Hugs all the way around!
Sally and Happy Hannah
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
Aww that is really really good news. I hope things continue to get better and better.
I agree with Kathi, you really want to try to modify her environment so she doesn't have to jump. A Ruffwear harness is a great way to help her in and out of the vehicle, we find it indispensable for our Tripawds.
Please keep us posted and let us know what you find out about the labwork.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
As a greyhound owner myself, I know exactly how hard it can be to help these dogs with mobility issues! I recently made Sid a back-end sling to help him in and out of the garden after corn surgery. It was really very easy, but does help if you can sew, because you can make it so much neater and smoother.
All I did was take a large sized soft padded bra top (OK, I'm about a 42" bust for bras, so that gives you an idea of what size I'm talking about, though Sid is a big dog!). It is the type which has no hooks, like a camisole, but has a rubbery lining about 1/8" thick. I measured Sid's thigh, and cut a hole in the centre of one cup, a little larger than his thigh, to put his good leg through. I left the other cup unaltered. You might want to cut the other cup out as well, if Seanna has a stump and is still very sore at the op site. I cut the straps off, put it on him and noted where it needed tightening, did that and neatened up all the edges. Sid HATED being helped, and won't tolerate a sling round his belly, but will accept the bra sling - and it was so much easier for me, too.
He's learned, over time, that it's worth letting me help him. These days, being fully healed (his amputation was more than six years ago) he'll let me 'wheelbarrow' him using his stump and supporting under the thigh of his remaining leg. Good luck with helping Seanna!
What a wonderful lot you all are! All that help, comfort and advice is very heartwarming.
The fluid still coming slowly out of the hole is like watery blood - certainly not greenish. Now I DON'T HAVE TO HELP HER at all when she gets up and down. Sometimes she is a bit slow, but works it out eventually. You're advice to leave her to it and harden myself up worked. When I went downstairs to her next, and she started trying unsuccessfully to lie down and then coming and giving me that "help me" look, I turned my head away - and she went and lay down on her blanket!!! (Tough love works!)
Today there was even more improvement. Seanna has only gone in the garden for the last few days (she wouldn't go out front), and immediately she had done whatever was necessary, she wanted to go back indoors. This morning, before my breakfast, she came happily out to the pavement, and we walked about 5mins or so down to the shops and back - and she did a wee, sniffed around and enjoyed herself. Just before my lunch she again was happy to go out front, and we walked the other way down to the edge of a little woodland she likes - about 10 mins all told - and she sniffed a lot and did a pooh. Too far to go into the woods yet, but soon I hope (the whole walk would be about 20 mins)
I have temporarily solved the car problem - I'll not use it. The vet will come to me on Thursday to check the wound and take the stitches out, if he thinks its OK. I do have a ramp which in the past I have tried to use several times, but she won't have anything to do with it. I'm afraid that if I try and she is not keen, she might slip a leg off it and do more harm. I feel very guilty about the harm I have caused re the car.
Must go back downstairs - I don't like to leave her too long.
Sue & Seanna
Sue don't feel guilty, we all learn from this experience, you are doing great. I'm so glad to hear things are getting better, Seanna is so lucky to have a great mom like you!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Everything is going well today. The seroma (I think that is what it is) is not dripping today, and I don't hear Seanna licking to clean herself up. She is not touching the stitch line. The results of the test was E-Coli (don't know how that happened!). This afternoon we walked for 20 mins and went a little way into the woodland. I was going to make it shorter, but Seanna made it quite plain she wanted to keep walking and refused to turn round. She had a wonderful time sniffing everything.
Stitches out tomorrow - and the vet is coming here.
Sue & Seanna
WONDERFUL!!! WONDERFUL!! W O N D E R F U L
Making my day over here! Grinning!!!
Sooo glad she's feeling Better! And YAY for EColi!! Yeah, it's be good to know the source of that. Could be something they tried to feed her while she was in the hospital...who kows! Regardless...YAY!
JAY!! Would love to see a photo of Sid in his "sling"...very creative and sounds like a great idea.
Keep on keeping on Seanna! You're doing great...and so is Mom
Love and hugs!
Sally and Happy Hannah
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
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