Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Krispikritter, It is our Dr. Pam and she was very kind in getting Sammy started with the Gabapentin. She will be Sammy's vet from here on out. I was very panicky when I got in touch with her and she was kind and informative on what we are supposed to be doing.
Emilysmom, I am holding out hope for the two week mark. I think the sleep has been great in calming my frazzled nerves and helping in my outlook. I don't want Sammy to be in pain, so I don't know if taking him off of the Tramadol would be good. He is more spacey now then when he was on the fentynal patch, but he is in more pain now too.
I started a notebook last night and I'm recording when the episodes happen and how severe they are, hopefully this will help when I get more data to determine what is going on. It looks like it is almost regular every 2 and 1/2 hours. Maybe a little one thrown in inbetween.
Holly, Zuzu, and Susan, I went to the store this morning and bought one of those "hot/cold" pocket things and heated it for him, he was pretty doped up so he dropped off to sleep easliy. I now have it in the freezer and will try the cold side. I hope this works, he could use a break.
I don't know if it is from the Gabapentin but he seems sad today. I know that it is supposed to make him sleepy, but he seems to be losing steam quickly and not able to go as far as before. He made it outside, sat for a few minutes, tried to go potty, couldn't do it, then sat again. He gave me a look like it was all too much for him, then I got him back inside.
He also isn't drinking water like he was. I don't know if that is good or bad. He is now awake and wagging his tail when he looks at me. I tried to explain to him what was going on and that the future looks much brighter than the here and now.
Did you guys know that the average dog understands 250 words. I believe it was Harvard (one of the IVY league colleges anyway) that did a study on this. A smart dog understands 350 words.
I hope Sammy understands what I am saying. I think it would help if he knew why things were happening to him.
Thanks for the good words, energy, support, and everything else!
Elizabeth
Diagnosed with osteosarcoma in the right front leg 8/23/10,
leg fractured 8/27/10,
leg amputated 8/30/10
http://sammyand.....pawds.com/
I couldn't begin to say how special Sammy is to us. Living and laughing with and loving this wonderful boy is priceless.
Hi Elizabeth,
It sounds like things are a little better, I'm glad for you and Sammy.
The 'sad' look could be the meds and it could be that he is very tired, maybe a combo of both. Maggie used to try and go potty (she HAD to spin before a BM) and fall and then sit and stare at me, geeze it was heart wrenching sometimes. Those were the times when doubt crept in- did I do the right thing? But she got better- and she actually figured out how to spin again (she was a rear amp).
I know Maggie understood lots of words- as well as where things were kept in the house (leashes, snacks- the dreaded nail clippers). My new boy Obie- is not as advanced, but is learning (Tani is her own story, but she knows the important words!). I think the most important thing at this point is your tone with him. Even if you are saying words he doesn't understand, your tone and body language convey a message. We have said it lots of times- when you are calm, confident, and strong he will respond.
Maggie had a variety of health issues during her last several months, a couple of which made feeding her a chore. She would refuse her favorites all the time. At first I would get very frustrated with her (before I knew what was wrong) and she picked up my frustration and would actually go outside to avoid me trying to feed her. Once I knew what was going on I was careful with my tone and actions. I would put food down for her and if she didn't want it I would say in a happy, calm voice: " you know you are a real pain in the a**, don't you?". I would calmly pick up her bowl like I didn't care and move on to the next thing. She stayed calmer, and I could eventually get her to eat.
I hope he keeps improving and you get more rest.
Karen and the pugapalooza
Wow, how special to be a patient of Dr Pam! I just read through this entire post and wondered how in the world I missed posting before now, but anyway, I'm so happy to hear things are beginning to look up for you two. Phantom pain is a terrible battle to face. It is just strange to me why some have it and some don't. Sending you good thoughts for better days ahead.
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.
Thanks to you both. I am getting the house cleaned up after a week of the "other" issues. It feels good to have the dog hair gone and the kitchen cleaned. I even got motivated enough to make some blueberry muffins. I love the smell of home made baking going on in the house.
Mounds of laundry await me but that gives me time during the washing to sit and read posts. I need to watch how I am acting around Sammy. I am trying to listen to him as he stares at me. In trying to sound up beat I swear he looks like he isn't happy I am not reading his thoughts.
He is being so brave. I tried to get him back outside to pee and he had an episode in front of my other dogs. But the trauma of last time might have made him non-vocal this time. He just leaned into me and his muscle was twitching hard where he lost his limb. I have been noticing that when the episodes happens.. Does that mean something? Could he be having something else going on other than phantom pain ? Is it normal for the muscle to be moving like that?
Anyone else who have dogs that had phantom pain have the shoulder by the amputation site twitches hard during the experience?
Diagnosed with osteosarcoma in the right front leg 8/23/10,
leg fractured 8/27/10,
leg amputated 8/30/10
http://sammyand.....pawds.com/
I couldn't begin to say how special Sammy is to us. Living and laughing with and loving this wonderful boy is priceless.
Did you guys know that the average dog understands 250 words.
See how refreshed you are with some sleep?!!!
Not many of us like the effects of tramadol. I've taken it and it did nothing for pain. And a lot of us see the dogs do better if they have other sources to help with the pain. (rimadyl and the gaba drug) Tramadol may be the reason he is acting sad. Maybe even let it wear off and see how he is and give it on a "needed" basis.
You may want to ask Dr. Pam, but I've heard that benedryl is good if they are restless. It may be the answer to sleep. (take one yourself!)
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.
LOL! The only problem I have with sleeping is my screaming 100 lb. fuzzy boy. Once I get him on the road to physical and mental recovery life will be good again 
Diagnosed with osteosarcoma in the right front leg 8/23/10,
leg fractured 8/27/10,
leg amputated 8/30/10
http://sammyand.....pawds.com/
I couldn't begin to say how special Sammy is to us. Living and laughing with and loving this wonderful boy is priceless.
Oh blessed sleep!!!!!!
I am so glad both you and Sammy had bouts of it and are at least feeling somewhat better.
JD had some of the twitching, but as I said none of the phantom pain . She was put on the Gabapetin immediatly post-amp. The twitching is from the remaining nerves around the area. You know how sometimes we get a twitchy eye, uncontrolable and irritating? It is the nerves telling muscles to move/twitch. Poor Sammy is having the twitching in an area that has just gone through a trauma. He has internal and external sutures and all the muscles and blood vessels are trying to settle in and find their new places. All of this and pain meds working on his brain too. Wow aren't we lucky almost all of the problems start to subside in just two weeks? Can you imagine a world full of sleepless, worried, confused pawrents if it went on for a month? Yikes.
I am so glad you have hooked up with Dr. Pam. She was so very kind to JD and I from beginning to end. Hey maybe We can meet up at her office when you are down here for a visit with her. I would love to meet you and Sammy. PM me if you would like to get together sometime.
Keep hanging in and the baking sounds like a fine idea- hey are blueberrys bad for dogs? Maybe a bit of a muffin would perk up Sammy's spirits.
Hoping for more sleep for you all.
Angel JD's mom
JD
One Tough Girl
(1999-2010)
-Diagnosed with osteosarcoma of her left front leg –
-Amputation July 23 2010 –
-The cancer didn't get her, but she is gone-
-She fought the cancer and loved life till bloat brought her down August 29th, 2010-
Now she watches over her mom and two new sisters, the Quad-Paws Serena and Maya
I read Sammy's surgery report and it looks like the surgeon took the leg at the shoulder joint and left the scapula there. Is that right? It is okay if they did but that could explain why he is having more twitching and spasms. The nerve would have been severed lower down the leg so there are more branches left behind that feed the remaining muscles. He will still heal all right but it is a little different process than if the whole thing had been removed.
If you think he is too out of it you can try slowly decreasing the tramadol dose, and if he is still having spasms remember that you can give the gabapentin every 8 hours if needed.
Pam
I definately want to meet you JD's mom and introduce you to Sammy. I will PM you as soon as I get set on the time. We think it will be the 18th, but nothing is set yet.
Dr. Pam, hello! I don't know what they did with the surgery, he said leg and shoulder but no specific's. I believe he went out of town this weekend but I or you could call and find out Tuesday? If it is me just let me know what you want me to ask.
I will try 3 pills of Tramadol tonight instead of 4. He is still having episodes every 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours but they aren't as intense. Most of them are in the small to medium range. He had a bad one first thing this morning, but otherwise I see improvement.
Sleep is good! Looking forward to when I can meet my pillow again 🙂
Looking forward to meeting you both,
Elizabeth and Sammy
Diagnosed with osteosarcoma in the right front leg 8/23/10,
leg fractured 8/27/10,
leg amputated 8/30/10
http://sammyand.....pawds.com/
I couldn't begin to say how special Sammy is to us. Living and laughing with and loving this wonderful boy is priceless.
Cemil,
I just saw your post, I must have missed it in the interm. Big dog fights are scary! When we first brought Titan home he went at it with two of my 3 dogs. Everyone was fine and then it was mayhem. Sammy ended up with stitches while my girl sheppard and Titan ended up in a grudge match inside the dog house. My husband went in and broke it up. I was terrified until he had our mastiff in one hand and our sheppard in the other dragging them out of our barn.
Someone suggested to me that maybe Titan heard Sammy crying and thought something was getting him and went over to protect him. I didn't think of that angle until it was brought up. That is the one I am hoping happened but I just can't take any chances. Titan gets frustrated with loose dogs in the neighborhood that come and fight with him through the fence. When he can't get at them he will turn on whoever is closest. Sammy is naturally cautious around him, Titan being almost 80 lbs heavier and taller. Plus get hes aggressive when he gets upset.
Is your guy an anotolian sheppard? He or she is beautiful.
Elizabeth
Diagnosed with osteosarcoma in the right front leg 8/23/10,
leg fractured 8/27/10,
leg amputated 8/30/10
http://sammyand.....pawds.com/
I couldn't begin to say how special Sammy is to us. Living and laughing with and loving this wonderful boy is priceless.
Hi Elizabeth
Yes, Cemil is an Anatolian Shepherd. He is the most mellow guy, but when our rescue Mujde came to live with us, she didn't know how to be in a pack of dogs and took him on immediately. Of course, he showed her who was boss. Since then, there have been a couple scuffles, but I did the towel thing and nobody got hurt. I learned this trick with a basenji I had years ago. She always wanted to fight.
I can't imagine going into a dog house in the middle of a fight between a mastiff and a shepherd. Your husband is very brave. I would have turned the hose on them from outside.
I've noticed with my pack that if somebody cries, the others get pretty upset (they're a pretty tight pack now that the pecking order has been established). Maybe that is what happened.
Mary
Cemil and mom Mary, Mujde and Radzi….appreciating and enjoying Today
Duke will come to Trouble's aide if he thinks anything is out of the ordinary. The night I couldn't get her to move from the kitchen, he would keep coming in to check on us. He would nuzzle Trouble to be sure she was safe, and he has growled at me when he thought I was going to hurt her. The display you saw may have been protecting rather than fighting, but I wouldn't take any chances. Always safe instead of sorry is the best approach.
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.
Towels handy: check. I think that is a great idea, better than sticking myself in the mix because they both want my attention and get iritated with each other in competing for it.
My husband is very brave with dogs, he has no fear. We have a pitbull next door who is medium sized and wasn't brought up well. They just left her outside with hardly any interaction. Of course now she has issues. Well she was fighting with our dogs through the fence and we went over to talk with our neighbors about it. She was being very aggressive towards my husband when he got out of the car (that is to be expected, we were on her property) and he just ignored her or told her to buzz off. She then turned and tried to come in the car window to get to me so my husband chased her off. I just shivered and freaked out a little.
Ok, the Gabapentin is wonderful!!! No episodes last night and we both SLEPT through the night. Thanks a milliion Dr. Pam! He tried to go big potty this morning but must be constipated. He hasn't gone #2 in 8 days... He didn't eat while at the hospital though for 4 of the days.
I am looking forward to when we can celebrate a Potty Party. I worry that he will blow up...
Elizabeth
Diagnosed with osteosarcoma in the right front leg 8/23/10,
leg fractured 8/27/10,
leg amputated 8/30/10
http://sammyand.....pawds.com/
I couldn't begin to say how special Sammy is to us. Living and laughing with and loving this wonderful boy is priceless.
It took almost 5-6 days post amp for Chloe to go #2 because of the meds and because she didn't eat much days 1-4. But then one day it just happened! Maybe sammy hasn't figured out how to "go" but I am sure when nature calls him, he will "go". We tripawd parents always celebrate the first poop post amp!!!
-Chloe's mom
Chloe became a rear amp tripawd on 7-29-10. Another tumor was removed on front leg 2-20-14. Found 3rd tumor on neck 2-2015, but she's still kicking cancer's butt at age 14. Chloe's blog
So many things to celebrate !!!
4 days post amp, Gabapentin is working and a big potty - Yippee for you Sammy. Now when that poop finally happens 'Look Out World'
Hope you sleep well and have some nice running dreams where the paws go all crazy with fun 
Angel JD's mom
JD
One Tough Girl
(1999-2010)
-Diagnosed with osteosarcoma of her left front leg –
-Amputation July 23 2010 –
-The cancer didn't get her, but she is gone-
-She fought the cancer and loved life till bloat brought her down August 29th, 2010-
Now she watches over her mom and two new sisters, the Quad-Paws Serena and Maya
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