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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HOME SWEET HOME!!! WELCOME HOME MURPHY!!!
No worries about not eating or pooping for a bit. Drinking and peeing are important. And rest is really good....even if it's because he's whacked out in drugs!
Slow and easy for bowl. Murphy just had major surgery, plus he's adapting to three legs. The hospital meds usually wear off by day three, so that's when it may take some tweaking to get the doses and timing of the pain pills balanced right for him. Most dogs come home with Rramadol, Gabapentin, Rimadyl and an antibiotic.
Try and get some rest. When Murphy sleeps, you sleep.
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!
How did last night go? Any sleep for anyone?
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!
Hi Val and Murphy 🌸🐾
So happy to hear he’s home with his family 💕
Hope all is going well and you managed to have some rest.
We’re here, you know it.
Hugs and cuddles 😘🐮💫✨🌟🌹
Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-)
Great news Val, we hope that everything is going smoothly for the pack!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Murphy is doing great. Post op day 2 and he's drinking, eating a little, peeing and had a 
today! They warned us that he would "chatter" with the pain meds and he was making some strange noises in his sleep last night. He slept great, us not so much. We're so pleased with his progress!
Are most members American? We're Canadian and I wonder if there's much difference in post op meds etc. He was sent home on 5 days of antibiotics, 20 days of an anti-inflammatory. He's on a fentanyl patch for pain for 3 days post and then we go to Tramadol.
Yay Murphy!
There are people here from all over the world. I am from the US, most pets go home with antibiotics, anti-inflammatory, pain meds, and gabapentin for phantom limb pain here. Watch for signs of phantom limb pain. You may see him suddenly stop what he's doing, turn to the surgical area and cry or jump suddenly out of nowhere and pay attention to it. Different places treat differently and it's s pretty individual thing. My best advice is to keep in good touch with your vet and monitor for any unusual activity. He may be just fine with the current course of treatment. Keep him quiet. Eat, meds, sleep, quick potty breaks, repeat. Watch the area for swelling, make sure he's well hydrated. Wet food has a lot more water in it and hydration is important right now.
Yay for 💩💩💩💩! Stay in touch and good luck!
Jackie and Huck ❤️❤️❤️
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry 
Update on Murphy. He's post op day 6 now and doing very well. He had a bump in the road a few days ago when he had a pain crisis and had to head to the vets in the wee hours of the morning for additional pain medications. Boy that was a long night for all of us. But, since that time, he is doing remarkedly well. His appetite is almost back to normal. His mobility amazes us! We have a harness on him for support on the stairs but otherwise he hops around on his own. He had lots of people visiting him over the weekend which he just loved and he raked in some nice get well gifts and treats. The only thing he complains about is the cone of shame that he has to wear when we an't watch him at bedtime but he has a fan on the floor with him now so he doesn't get as overheated by it.
Marvelous Murphy is rockin' three! That's a wonderful update, and I'm so happy you got his pain under control. What a difference it makes. YAY!
And 3-paws up to you for sticking to the cone, it's not an easy thing. Good job 🙂
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Some advice please. We are 7 days post amputation. We are weaning the Tramadol and he gets his last dose of Gabapentin tonight. When did you all stop the pain medications? We won't stop them abruptly. He's currently taking 50 mg of Tramadol at 08,12 and 1600 and then 100mg at bedtime. Thanks for your input
Val
Hi there!
Weaning off is definitely good, it might be too early right now. Most of our furbabies are on pain meds and gabapentin for a couple of weeks post surgery then weaned off once sutures are out and they are getting around ok.
Watch for signs of pain: appetite, panting, crying out suddenly, agitation, not being able to get comfortable, sudden attention to the surgical site sometimes followed by aggressive grooming, licking, buying, or crying.
If he needs more pain meds please don't hesitate to call your vet and tell them that you need a refill. This is where many if it's truly have to advocate for our furbabies.
Good luck!
Hugs,
Jackie and Huck ❤️🤗
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry
Yep, I second Jackie’s suggestions. pain management can be tricky even this far out, so just be aware of any signs of discomfort that he’s giving you.
Congrats on your 1 week Ampuversary!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
For sure you don't want to stop the pain meds too soon. My Dobe Nitro was on them for at least 3 weeks post amp; doses and frequencies were less, but he still took them. Also, Gabapentin is helpful if phantom pain starts - which can be 1-2 weeks post amp if I remember correctly. As Nitro neared the end of his life (3+ years after his amp), he was on Gaba 2x a day. My 14 year old westie takes it 2x a day to help with his arthritis...bottom line, this drug can be taken safely for extended periods of time.
7 days is still very early in the recovery period. All dogs are different, and of course I'm not a vet, but I would not have stopped the meds at this point. Like Jackie said, you don't want him in pain. Great news that he is doing so well!
Paula and Warrior Angel Nitro
Nitro 11 1/2 yr old Doberman; right front amp June 2014. Had 6 doses carboplatin, followed by metronomic therapy. Rocked it on 3 legs for over 3 years! My Warrior beat cancer, but couldn't beat old age. He crossed the Bridge peacefully on July 25, 2017, with dignity and on his terms. Follow his blog entitled "Doberman's journey"
"Be good, mama loves you".....run free my beautiful Warrior
Thanks everyone! I know each dog is individual in it's needs but I was just looking for ballpark so this really helps. We'll continue to give pain meds and do a slow ween
How are you and handsome Murphy doing? I hope things are going smoothly for you.
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry
Thinking about you too. But I just noticed that Murphy has graduated to "Treatment and Recovery" so please go start a new topic there OK? That way others going through recovery can follow along too. Thanks!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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