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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Oh gosh, to hear he has been seizure free just on the phenabarb is sooooo enc. Looks like the steroid jas helped too! This kind of improvement is definitely encouraging!!
Bummer the aspiration has to be dealt with. The Bets are really staying on top of things. Derry clearly hss made an impression them. They k ow how to knock down one hurdle and then move on to deal with the next. Ya'll know what? Derry and his Vet team are knocking down those hurdles and soon there will be no more ro deal with🙏🙏🙏
It really does seem like everything is improving. Ues, one step forward at time keep adding up.
We thank you again for updating us. Derry has touched us all💖💖
Hugs
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
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!
Those are all encouraging signs that he is fighting so hard! I picture the vet team so lovingly caring for him, being so gentle with your (currently) very fragile boy. They are angels among us, and Derry is a superhero in his own right. I hope with all my heart your boy pulls through. Thank you for taking time to let us know how things are going.
It has been amazing to read Derry's story. I hope he is continuing to do well and comes home soon! I dont have any words of wisdom but just wanted to send all the positive vibes your way!
We are in a similar boat, our dog Voshkey had a front leg amp Dec 4 and completely out of the blue also had a seizure 2 days ago followed by a second one within 24 hours. The cause is still a bit up in the air. They had us stop Carprofen & put him on bp medication. Right now we are doing ok and monitoring - so far so good, its been over 24 hours seizure free. I hope both fur babies get back to their old selves fast!
It is with a VERY heavy heart and through endless tears I have to say that Derry passed away early this morning with us by his side. We held his paw and talked to him as he crossed the rainbow bridge.
To say we are shattered is an understatement. There are no words, no comfort and no peace. The heartbreak is unimaginable and I don’t know how to go on without him. He never left my side. I couldn’t even go to the bathroom without him.
it was to be his 4th birthday next Saturday. He was also looking forward to the winter season as he LOVED the snow. Our two other dogs are wondering where he is. The house feels empty. He was the energetic one and always getting up to something. You couldn’t go on a car ride without him.
As posted previously, Derry had his first seizure on Dec. 2. Having 2 more right after. He was admitted to the hospital at 4:45 the morning of the 3rd and released that night at 8pm after recovering well and being seizure free. He came home with anti seizure medication.
He received the booster to the Yale vaccine on Dec. 5th. All was good.
He had 2 very small seizures on Dec. 6th.
He then had cluster seizures the morning of the 7th and was re-admitted to hospital where he remained.
if you read my earlier updates, you will see that although Derry remained seizure free he was very sedate and aspirated on vomit. They treated the aspiration pneumonia and changed his anti seizure medication so that he would wake up and be less sedated. Once this was done he started making steady progress. He was put on oxygen and eventually got a feeding tube. He was then taking small feeding off of a spoon and they had him for small tiny walks and a little wagon ride.
We got to visit with him Tuesday night. It was so good to see him awake and they said it was very good for him to see us. He was doing well. Oxygen had been removed and he was doing more eating in his own from a spoon and drinking.
He had been seizure free since midnight of the Friday.
On Wednesday we got great news that he was continuing to do very well and they felt he would be better at home with us to continue his recovery. We were over the moon. Everyone was celebrating. We were going to pick him up at 6:00.
Unfortunately an hour before we were to pick him up they called to say he had had a small seizure. They contacted the neurologist and he was given a few hours of Valium plus a steroid and put back on phenobarbital. They said that hopefully it’s just a small set back and to be expected as his body adjusts to anti seizure medication. The thoughts were still that on top of his osteosarcoma that he was handed a bad hand at being epileptic as well. Apparently common in a Husky. They were really hoping he wouldn’t have cluster seizures. Unfortunately they called two hours later to say he had another small seizure.
We prayed and prayed and begged that he would respond to the meds and come home today.
We got the dreaded phone call just before 7 this morning that Derry had had an episode where his body went stiff and he stopped breathing. They placed a breathing tube in and a technician was pumping his breaths manually. His blood pressure had dropped. They gave him an injection that would help,bring this back up and stabilize him. They told us they didn’t think he would make it and for us to come in.
When we arrived, the ER vet said that although his blood pressure stabilized he was non responsive to his surroundings. He wasn’t really opening his eyes and was only taking a couple of breaths here and there on his own, They were breathing for him and felt he was now suffering and they didn’t think he would recover. Both ER vets agreed, The neurologist came in and checked his reflex around his face to stimuli and there was no response. She felt that this was no longer epilepsy and felt something bigger was going on such as cancer to the brain,
We had to say goodbye. His fight was clearly over and as painful as it was, we had to set him free from suffering. The roller coaster of highs and lows have been insane.
We talked to him, held him and he knew we loved him deeply. He was not alone, The entire hospital has come to know him and they are heartbroken.
After, we were put in a comfort room and they brought him in so we could be alone with him, I was practically having to be dragged off his body. I couldn’t let go.
The neurologist wanted to do a complimentary MRI to see what was happening in his brain,
She has since called to say that Derry was dealt the worst hand. He had a brain tumour. 90% of his frontal lobe was filled. She says this was not spread from the osteosarcoma. In her expertise, she feels it was a primary tumour in itself. A second cancer. This can happen.
Therefore, regardless of his amputation, chemo and immunotherapy vaccine, there was nothing that would have prevented this. She feels it has been there growing for probably the last year and there was no way to know. He had zero symptoms of any kind for this. The seizures were the first symptom and she said that is often the case. He hid it so well. Even with his surgery and chemo, Derry was full of life, went on walks, ate, drank, played etc. The brain tumour regardless would have been inoperable and incurable.
So here we are. Gutted. Heartbroken for the hand he was dealt. Angry about it too. He was the best dog ever and our noise is empty. That sounds strange to say because we have two other dogs and parrots. But it is true.
I don’t know how to move on. I can’t stop crying, My husband and our son are broken too. Derry was the most cuddly dog and full of life and love. He will never be forgotten. Can’t believe he is no longer here. Also, can’t believe he didn’t make it to his fourth birthday next Saturday.
That’s all for now. My tears are streaming and it’s hard to see. It’s hard to cope. I can’t breathe.
Thank you for all the positive thoughts and prayers sent our way. I have no idea how to upload pictures but if you want to see Derry you can find my Twitter (now X) handle @BlueJayLover49
Cry9ng so hard right now, so hard. So gutted and heartbroken. I want to come back. I k ow there are no words anyway.
Right now though, as hard as it was for you to cone here, please k ow we've all been checking in to see how things were going. So thank you. Sharing the events were excruciating for you. Aich an unexpected backstory of what was going on with this brutal tumor.
All I can offer right now is to PM you my email address ao you can send me some photos to post of this once in a lifetime so woth sommich heart and spirit,
I'll just add one thing for now through the tears. Derry knew you were there with him. His Soul knew. His heart knew. He was surrounded by your love♥️
With every fiber of my being I'm sending you love and surrounding you with Derry's eternal light
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
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!
Brenda, his passing is so unimaginable, his life cut so short, my heart aches knowing what you, your husband, son, and the other critters are feeling right now. it takes one's breath away to know that his life stopped so suddenly. I wish I had words that could comfort you. But there isn't anything that can ease this deep pain, other than time and an inner knowing that you went to the moon and beyond for him.
Derry knew how much he meant to you. He entered your life for a reason, and that short time he spent with you will always be part of your soul. Nothing can ever take that away.
Be kind to one another, and know that we are keeping a candle lit for your truly amazing, loving, one-of-a-kind heart dog. He will never be forgotten.
Get ready to see one of THE most handsome dogs in the world. It's wonderful to see the Happy moments memorialized with the lovely pictures of Derry.
He is so content in each one. And goodness knows he was treated like Royalty in his carriage. He was mugging for the camera in that ine.
So snuggled up on all his comfy pillows. He really knows how to 'own" comfort.
The one of Derry and Brenda is sooo swett... so full of love. A beautiful example of the connection that can only be found n unbreakable bond
PRESENTING ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️Derry♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
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!
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!
Ohhhh just beautiful. Thank you Sally, it's lovely to get to know his many sides. What a handsome guy. Huskies are the most sensitive and rugged doggies, and super sweet. Clearly Derry was too.
I'll think of your forever dog, Brenda, and call out for his spirit whenever I spend time with the musher dogs this season. It's so pretty here in Alaska, maybe it's because all Husky spirits end up here, to revel in the snow, to sing, and spread their magic across the tundra.
Love the Husky sentiment Jerry. Yes, I'm sure Gerry will be soing his musher howl as he runs free.
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!
You pain does feel unbearable now and you do feel crushed under the weight of your grief and non stop tears. As much as I wish I could say each day gets vetter, it do7 at first. You are finding each day even feels worse.
Regardless of the circumstances, I think there is an emotional sense of relief when the transition does finally happen. You know Forrest is free from pain. You were with yim and he knew you were with him.
Then you go home to the void and your day to day routine of care and love is no longer there. You get up to dp something and then forget what it was you were doing. You fix something the house to eat but cant eat it. You want to leave the house but turn around and come back because you don't want to leave. You feel completely lost without Derry.
I wrote you aomething in my email and want to repeat here. It may be easy to process it now
....These past few days with so many ups and downs, feeling of hope, feeling of hopelessnes....such a horrific time for you. You are in the worst part of despair right now, the void, the break in routine, reliving the recent hard times......we get it. We understand.
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!
Give yourself room to feel that Brenda. It will take time for your head and heart to reach an agreement. There is no timeline either, so process this at your own pace, nobody else's. After what you've been through, it's only to be expected that you feel this way. If you feel like talking it out will help, a pet loss support group can be really helpful. If you haven't seen our podcast about grief, see:
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