Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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I just wanted to update on Comet's status. IT GREAT NEWS! She is almost back to normal with her face seeming normal and her stumpling very little. I thought it was a miracle…until I googled the antibiotic that she got for her stomach!
Metronidazole can cause neurological problems!!!! I stopped giving it to her on Sunday and my mid-day yesterday she seemed fine. I scheduled an appt with the specialists for Wed. But I may cancel it.
I honestly thought I lost her. I thought her mind was gone. Seriously, I thought she had a brain tumor, she was so strange acting, looked so strange and started falling. Then she started panting and drinking lots of water when she moved around. She was acting puppy-like too. On Sunday, I took her to Petsmart to meet up with Rocket and daddy doing puppy training. When we got into the enclosure where Rocket and daddy were training Comet saw a ball on a rope and started playing with it. That is unusual because 1) this is a dog that used to poop down the aisles of Petsmart from being so scared! 2) Only real tennis balls are acceptable to play NOT fake tennis balls on a rope!
I'm still guarded but for this moment – my baby and death are not thoughts on my mind!
- Commy's very relieved Mommy
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.
The kind of news I love to hear. Keep on rockin' Comet.
Shanna & Spirit Trouble ~ Trouble gained her wings 3/16/2011, a 27 1/2 month cancer survivor, tail wagging. RIP sweetheart, you are my heart and soul. Run free at Rainbow Bridge.
The November Five - Spirits Max, Cherry, Tika, Trouble & Nova. 11/2008 - 3/2013 An era ends as Queen Nova crossed the Bridge.
Yeay! We are all relieved for you, what terrific news.
We had no idea that Metronidazole can cause side effects like that, thank you for letting us know what you've found. Do you happen to have a link to the info you found that you can post here? Now we have it (metronidazole side effects) here in our records so future pawrents might be spared the agony that you both went through.
Let us know if you do decide to take her in. But until then, yipee! We're dancing the hoppy dance for you guys!!!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
That's great news !!!
Yah Hay that's exactly what we all wanted to hear.
Here you go:
METRONIDAZOLE: BEWARE OF NEUROTOXIC SIDE EFFECTS
It is also under the name Flagyl. Mind you, this is an uncommon side effect but I have found that Comet isn't common with anything: diskospondylitus and an ossifying epulis growing in her lower jaw - isn't all too common either.
-------
Spoke with prescribing vet and she spoke with specialist vet. They don't think Comet's ailments are from the antibiotic. They think the probs resolved on their own. That's fine, but I live with her and she was loopy. I didn't even know her for days. Now, she is her old self. Spunky vs. Space Cadet that couldn't walk and had a paralzed face with red eyes!
Who knows who's right. But I won't be putting her on metronidazole anymore and the prescribing vet thought that was a good idea, too.
Will wait to cancel the appt to see how she is today. In the meantime...I'll be celebrating!
(Really, I'm not an idiot. I just can't get used to this new keyboard which is too small, making my typing very laborious. Sorry, if my sentences are typed in broken English!)
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.
Yea Comet!!
Good move to look up the side affects- a good thing for all of us to remember. Sometimes our pups are on so many meds and supplements its hard to keep track.
And I'm sure Caira Sue will back you on the tennis ball thing- NO SUBSTITUTIONS!!
Karen and the pug girls
YAY COMET ! That's wonderful news your girl isn't a space cadet anymore and she is back to her spunky beautiful self once again.
Jo Ann & Tasha
Tasha 8 years old, First cancer diagnosis 6/26/09, Last cancer diagnosis 9/26/09, Amputation 10/01/09, Loving our girl moment by moment.
Tasha lost her battle and became my Angel on May 4 2011. Forever in my heart….
I'm so glad to hear that Comet is OK now!!! Everytime we'd use metronidazole (Flagyl) at our clinic for the first time in a dog, we were always told to tell the clients to look for any neurological problems... that it was very rare... but always be on the lookout for it. I've never seen it happen personally... but I'm so glad that Comet has recovered...
Whew!! That must have really scared you!!!
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!
Scary stuff! So glad you got it all figured out - phew! Well done, Commy's Mommy.
Gerry has been a tripawd since 12/16/2009.
He was a shelter dog with a mysterious past and an irrepairable knee injury.
Videos and pics of Gerry's pawesomeness can be found at: http://gerry.tripawds.com
Great News. I am so glad your got your Comet back!
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.
Was Comet on a high dose of metronidazole? I have seen some dogs (usually tiny dogs or some of the herding breeds) react neurologically if the dose is high or if the meds have been given for more than 7 days. If she needs intestinal meds again you could try amoxicillin or Tylan powder.
Pam
Thanks guys for all your comments! I was so scared for days, as additional symptoms kept popping up. I think we are out of the woods.
Pam, I don't think it was high. She was 36lbs at the time of the RX (and she is an 11 1/2 year old retriever/corgi mix - I think). The RX was 250mg 2x per day. I had a 14 day supply but stopped giving it to her after 8 days. (according to what's left over in the bottle) She was also on FortiFlora spinkles for about 5 days. Plus, she got some Gentamicin/Clo ointment for her ears.
She is also on 250mg of Cipro for disko 2x per day, too (since Oct). She is also taking 75mg of Rimadyl per day. Periodically, I throw in a tramadol that I cut to about a 1/3 of a pill (50mg pill). She can't walk on a whole tramadol. 1/2 of one makes her sleepy.
The othro specialists vet who treats her for her disko and the dislocated scapula deformity thought it was the disko causing some neuro problems with her good front leg. He thought the paralysis of the face/lip; Horner's (same side of the deformity) was idiopathic. Th lip is still a little low on the one side but so much better. She is walking so much better. She was walking drunk, panting and drinking water like crazy when she started walking around. What scared me the most was she seemed so out of it mentally. Plus, I couldn't read her emotions with the lip paralysis.
The only thing that changed was that I stopped the metronidazole. And within 12-18 hours she seemed back to normal with just some slight stumbling. Right when I thought I was facing death, she snapped out it!
As I told the prescribing vet, it doesn't really matter what caused it - she is fine now!
Again, thank you guys! She means so much to me. And I appreciate your warm wishes for her good health.
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.
We're so glad Comet's feeling better! Yay! Please give her a hug for us.
Holly and Holly's mom
Holly joined the world of tripawds on 12/29/2009. She has a big little sister, Zuzu, who idolizes Holly and tries to make all of her toys into tripawds in Holly's honor. And she's enjoying life one hop at a time!
http://anyemery.....ipawds.com
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