Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Thanks Sally! I woke up to this message and got reassured by your experience with Bernie. I guess I worry too much...
And I have good news, Nounouche has woken up and is expectedly groggy, and I even heard a little meow from her on the phone.😊
Hi all,
A little update, Nounouche is home and doing well. Had some to eat and a bit to drink which is good because she didn't want to eat at all at the hospital. I think she's very happy to be home. They did a good job at the hospital.
I'm very proud and impressed by her resilience, she stumbled her way to her litter box laid down and had a pee, then little by little she could walk longer and better. First stumbling and falling, then suddenly up she went and walked like she was born with three legs to a new temporary bed I made her. and we've only been home for 3 hours. She has always been very stubborn and prideful, which is why we needed to put the collar on as she kept licking the incision. She clearly does not like that.
Now I'm just waiting for her to fall asleep so she can heal even more.
Just read your story, wow! Sorry, my online time right now is hit and miss. First thing I thought of was Moira's story, truly amazing and uplifting!
I'm glad your girl is home and resting comfortably.
Recovery can be a bit of a rollercoaster ride so stay tuned. If your floors are slick please get some throw rugs for traction , and some good stinky food and treats in case her appetite drops, which is very common during the recovery period. Right now she should stay confined to an area with nothing to jump on. She'll need lots of rest to heal.
Sending hugs and hopes for a quick and uneventful recovery ❤
Jackie and Huckleberry ❤
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry 
welcome home nounouche!!!!
She sounds like shes doing very well! A little rest and some love and she will be back to her self ❤
Give her a hug from nurse moe cat🐱 who was also stubborn after his tummy surgery last year! Cats!?!
Hugs ❤ Bev, nurse Moe cat, Autumn's Angel Roane & Angel dog Gypsy 🐾
My sweet soulmate Roane was diagnosed with osteo in June of 2019. Had a rear leg amp on July 2nd & crossed the rainbow bridge to be with her sister Gypsy on the first day of Autumn Sept 23 2019.
What a great homecoming! Nounouche is going to back to herself before you know it, these are all such pawsitive signs. YEAH!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Do any of you have any advice about the litter box? Do i help her when she climbs in? She has some difficulties balancing and falls over and just lays there kind of given up. If she has to poop I can't really see her doing that as she used to balance on both her hind legs.. Any advice? Thank you friends.
Did you mention that she preferred to use her high sided litter box? What happens if you switch it with the low sided one? A low sided one is friendlier and can reduce the risk of her tipping over when she falls in.
Have you tried supporting her gently while she's in there? Maybe with a small dish towel under her belly to help her balance?
And believe or not they do figure out how to poop with three legs. She will get there.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
We made a low entrance on one side and Huck leaned on the higher side to keep balanced. That works really well for him.
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry
Good idea with the towel under the belly, I will try that next time she tries, she does get quite cranky when I try to help her though.
@Paws120, did you use a cardboard box or did you cut the plastic? Maybe file it down to avoid sharp edges?
We cut and filed an old box so there was no sharp edges. Then I found a better one, it was very inexpensive, on Chewy I think. I will look for it and send a link. Huck is a right rear amp and he does real well with it. He can lean on it to eliminate either and it's nice and big so he can turn without difficulty.
Hugs,
Jackie and Huck❤
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry
We cut and filed an old box so there was no sharp edges. Then I found a better one, it was very inexpensive, on Chewy I think. I will look for it and send a link. Huck is a right rear amp and he does real well with it. He can lean on it to eliminate either and it's nice and big so he can turn without difficulty.
Hugs,
Jackie and Huck❤
Found the link
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry
EATING AND DRINKING ALREADY!!! PEEING ALREADY!!!! AND WALKING ALREADY???? REALLY???😎
I am impressed beyond words by Nounouche!!!😎
Now, don't get concerned if she back tracks a little in a day or so after the hospital meds wear off. What kinds of pain meds did they send you home with?
So happy to see this update, ESPECIALLY this early on!!
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!
She has a Fentanyl patch which should wear out in 2 days. She's also on Metacam, this she has been on for quite a while for managing the pain from the bad leg when she still had it.
What I've noticed is that she shivers a lot. I asked the vet yesterday about shivering at the stump and he said that was normal. But now this is her whole body kinda shivering not just the stump. As if she's cold or afraid...
Please ask them about gabapentin. I am not a vet, and I know she's older, but most of us control phantom limb pain very well with gabapentin.
Hard to say if the shivering is brought on by the medication in her system or phantom limb pain but it's truly worth looking in to.
Anesthesia takes several days to leave the system and getting pain control under control now can make a big difference for all of you.
Hugs,
Jackie and Huckleberry ❤
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry
Generally body "shivering" is a sign of pain. As far as the stump, "twitching" or "quivering" is somewhat normal at first as nerve endings are adjusting
As Jackie said, ask the Vet to give you Gabapentin and/or Bupumorphine (spelling). Once the patch is off, the Metacam by itself is not enough to manage pain from MAJOR surgery! It's basically an anti-inflammatory. Of course, just to muddy the water, as Jackie said, the shivering could be a "side effect" of the patch itself. Regardless, after the patch is removed, more pain meds almost always are required. Again, MAJOR surgery!
As always, not a Vet and not giving Vet advice.
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!
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