Good Morning all,

                        It is two days after surgery. We brought her home last night.  I'll start posting under the other topic after this post. I have alot more to read too. It's definitely not as easy as I thought it might be. Xena is not wanting to walk at all and is not really helping. If my husband wasn't here to lift all 119 lbs of her I don't know what I would do. She wouldn't walk and then just ended up peeing where she laid for the night. We tried again this morning, got her outside to the grass. She was exhausted. Still wouldn't pee, so thinking of buying the puppy pee pads and just letting her do it while she is laying, until she gets strong enough. She will not eat yet either which makes giving the pills a chore cause usually I would wrap them up in sliced cheese or turkey sandwich meat. She is clamping her jaw shut too when I give them the old fashioned way. So, at this point I am regretting my decision. She is just soo big to not be able to walk. I know she will get the hang of it, at least I am praying that she does! She looks at me too like she hates me. I know I'm seeing things cause she did give me kisses, but I just feel so bad. Ugh, I know I am on an emotional roller coaster right now. I know it will get better. This is just going to be so hard for her. I will keep doing my research in your forums. I know things will get better. For those of you with 100lbs plus dogs, how did you do it? My husband goes back to work Monday and I don't know how I'll get her into the yard if she doesn't help me. We have a little sun room off the downstairs family room. Was just thinking about putting a bunch of pee pads down in there for her so its not a long walk out to the grass. OK...I'm going to read all the recovery threads now. Thank you for listening and any insight you have. Pic below of Xena resting right now.

Lisa & Xena

Thank you all!! I have an update already. You guys are right she is doped up on pain meds. She is taking Tramadol, Carprofen and Amantadine and Cefodoxime; antibiotic. She had no patch when she came home. The vet tech said they had her up walking but with lots of support. You would think they wouldn't release them until they can walk on their own?

But anyway, I had bought some wet dog food that says it tastes like Filet Mignon and Porterhouse steak. Two flavors. I brought down the little container of the Filet Mignon and she perked right up. I opened it and put it in her dish and SHE ATE IT! Doing the happy dance! THEN, my husband and I were outside discussing the the ramp and she had been laying in the middle of the floor. I heard nails on the glass door. Looked around and she was laying down in front of the patio door. She had hopped from the middle of the room. SHE CAN DO IT!! So, after hubby got the ramp done we said come on lets go pee. She got up by herself, We do have a sling, we put that around her, hubby got her down the ramp and then took the sling off so she could pee. She hopped around, doing some nose plants, but found her spot and took a looooong pee. I was so excited to see my dog peeing outside!! I cannot even begin to tell you the relief I feel right now. That this will get better. We can beat this! Thank you all so much for your support. I know there is a long road ahead, but one step (hop) at a time, we will beat it and enjoy our time together. 

Good Morning all - doing the happy "Poo Poo" dance this morning.  She had her first BM since the surgery. 4 days post op today. She is still doing fine. I am still helping to get her out to the yard but then i remove the sling and let her sniff around on her own and do her stuff. She is learning how to balance herself. Still hard to watch when she loses her balance. 

She is being a little bit hard headed with all the pills though. I've read through some posts and you all have said liverwurst is good for hiding the pills? I have tried cheese - that worked before the surgery but no more. Tried turkey sandwich meat. That is hit and miss. If she smells a pill, it's over. Then went to the wet dog food that she has been eating and tried to hide the pills in there. She ate some and then figured it out and now won't eat that. Ugh. I hate having to give them to her by forcing them down her throat. Where do I even find liverwurst in the grocery store? Any other ideas if she doesn't like that?It's rough when she has six pills to take in the morning. I know its only temporary until the end of this week but would like it to be as smooth as possible for her. 

Also was wondering if stairs will ever be an option for a front leg amputee? We live in a split foyer house and it is not tripawd friendly at all. We are renting and when we buy a house we will not be buying one with this layout. There are stairs everywhere. We have her down in the basement now, but the main area is upstairs. The basement is finished and we have a family room down here but cooking and everything goes on upstairs on the main level. Hate being up there when she is down here. She prefers it upstairs; she hardly ever came down here before the surgery. I ordered a stretcher so that we can carry her up and down. She weighs 119 lbs so it'll be tough, but was just wondering if anyone has a large dog who eventually mastered the stairs or is she doomed to live in the basement?

Thank you all for your help and your support. Going to order one of the rough wear harnesses now.

Lisa & Xena