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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Cotton is six days out of surgery and has seemed sore today & yesterday. He is going off to sleep on his own (usually he's glued to me). Also he is slow to get up in the morning (usually if I even move in the bed, he's demanding breakfast). He yelped twice today (which is not like him). The yelping killed me as I don't recall him crying out ever (even after any of his other surgeries).
His incision etc. looks good, he's eating well & he has no fever so I don't think it's something that he needs to go in for. I have bumped up his tramadol to 4 times a day again.
I emailed Tripawd Lily's mom as Lily had a similar set back (but a little later in the recovery).
Have any of your angels experienced similar set backs? I would appreciate any of your feedback/recommendations.
Thanks
Ellie & Cotton
One week out of surgery is when I found Tripawds because Paris started crying out, it was awful. For her it was a combination of phantom pain and she was on way too much medication.
It is not unusual for those first 2 weeks to have a lot of ups and downs. Hang in there and give him lots of TLC, better days are ahead. Remember you can always phone your vet and they might have some suggestions. Sometimes Gabapentin will help with the phantom pain issue. It blocks nerve pain.
Hope you get some sleep tonight,
GineeJ & Paris
Grateful for every moment we had with Paris…..no regrets!
Honoring her life by opening our hearts & home to Addy!
We just got Jack back yesterday after sort of the same experience. He was crying out at home and we took him to the vet for a couple nights and he cried out there as well. The vet on duty when we brought him in thought he may have torn or separated a muscle, but yesterday when his actual surgeon was on duty, he was more convinced it was phantom pain since nerves are cut when the limb is taken off. He perscribed 100mg of Gabapentin every 24 hours for the pain, and Jack has just been lounging around pretty content since we got him home. Like Cotton, Jack is 6 days out of surgery (actually, I think today is his 1 week ampuversary!). When we first got him home he was doing a little TOO well and wanted to jump on things and walk up stairs. This led to broken blood vessels and he didn't start crying out until 4 days after surgery. I would call the vet and ask about phantom pain and possible medications. Hope Cotton starts feeling better soon!!! <3
We did notice Lily's change around the same time. It had been going so well but then her other muscles became sore, like everyone said they would, and she retreated to her special crate most of the time. She never spends time by herself so it started to scare us but when we thought about it, it seemed she knew she needed to slow down. And maybe she was tired of this already. One more week, Ellie, try to hang on!
Angel is 8 days out of surgery and she has been more tired than usual. She can't seem to keep her eyes open for long. Last night she seemed uncomfortable and kept changing positions in bed. We stopped her pain meds, so maybe she is uncomfortable. We're just gong to keep watching her. I hope Cotton feels better!
Thanks for your replies. I spoke to the vet this morning and he just asked me to keep in touch re Cotton's status. He explained that the muscle groups that attached the forelimb are now attached to other muscle groups so sometimes subtle movements in the back/ribs can cause the muscles under the incision to be pulled.
Cotton has continued to be depressed and hasn't defecated since yesterday morning (he is normally a poop after breakfast & dinner sort of boy). He has whimpered/cried out a couple more times this morning and lay down about three times when I took him out to pee (less than a 100 feet). It kills me to hear him cry out as he is so brave so I know he must be hurting.
He continues to eat and will take treats but he is definitely not his normal self by any means.
Hope that Jack and Angel have a speedy recovery. Roll on one month out so we can be over all these set backs.
Regards
Ellie & Cotton
Ellie, we're so glad to hear you talked to the vet, I'm sorry we weren't on earlier today. We hope you were comforted from everyone's great feedback. What Cotton is going through sounds really normal to us too, lots of dogs experience this, whether it's phantom pains or muscle pulls. And yeah, it just tears at your heart to watch them go through it, but hang in there, things will get better, it hasn't been long at all really.
The pooping and eating will happen. Remember, pain meds create instant constipation. Some people have added a tiny bit of mineral oil to their pup's food to help things along, and that seemed to do the trick, real fast. And eating, well, dogs instinctively know how to reserve their energy for more important things, like healing.
Try not to look at it as a set-back, but just a natural part of healing after such a major surgery. Keep us posted. We are thinking of you both.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Our fur babies are always so stoic happy and carefree - it's sooooo hard for us pawrents to watch them go through this and yes, the recovery is heart wreching and uncertain and an emotional roller coaster - but all these brave souls on this website are testament that it does get better in a relatively short period of time. Us humans can't recover that quickly. They are amazing creatures, but we need to remember that this was a hug ordeal for them and we need to give them the time to heal. I was very fortunate that Zeus didn't cry out but he panted the entire 2 weeks from the pain meds and I understand the frustration of not knowing how to help them. You are doing all the right things...one day at a time and you are almost there. The pain meds seem to do a number on all of them - it's a bit of a double edged sword, but obviously needed to help them recover.
What did the Vet say about phantom limb pain? Would he consider prescribing the garbapetin just in case that's what his cry is for?
We're sending healing energy your way and hope that these next few days go by quickly and that Cotton is back to his ol' self very soon.
Keep us posted please...
Licks and wags,
Heather and Zeus
Heather and Spirit Zeus - Our life changing journey…from the earth to the heavens…one day at a time…always together
Just spent another evening at the emergency clinic having Cotton checked out. His incision looks fine but he has a hard swelling around it, feels like the underlying sutures are inflammed. He has no fever and is still eating despite being lethargic. The doctors have decided to do no treatment as he has no infection and is already on tramadol & rimadyl. They have decided to hold off on garbapetin for the time being. They recognized that he wasn't his normal self but felt it was part of the healing process. Poor little monster.
Thanks for all your feedback, without it I would be really freaking out about Cotton's behavior. I feel terrible that he is suffering but realise that there is light at the end of the tunnel. He is 8 days out, roll on staple removal!
I took a friend's cat to his vet yesterday & while in the waiting room meet a lady whose sister's dog had a forelimb removed this Monday. The dog was having a bad recovery, crying alot etc. I gave her the web address & told her what a huge support you all!!!
Thanks
Ellie & Cotton
Sorry for the scare with Cotton, but better safe than sorry, eh? When i felt what i thought was a new hard tumor growing soon after Jerry's amputation, the vet informed me that it was just scar tissue.
Thanks for spreading the word!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I took Lily in a few times too because every strange thing she did scared us to death. All those weird bumps and swellings and huge muscles looking different... it really is so scary. Seeing these usually wiggling smiling dogs behaving differently is terrifying. I could never believe that she would hop out of the car and walk through those hospital doors again and again. The staff was so nice to her that that's what she remembered. They were always so understanding of my worries but they could tell it was all normal. And really, Ellie, she was not the same until all the staples were out. It's a rough wait and it feels bad. Tuesday, right? We will all be so excited for you guys.
I hope Cotton gets to feeling his normal self reall soon. Recovery is no fun, for them or for us. Scratches to Cotton and hugs to you.
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 for all the good wishes. Cotton is doing so much better, off pain meds & slowly returning to his old self. He seems to have lost confiidence in the "week from hell". He is reluctant to walk any distance & is learning to chew a bone without his right front to stablilize the bone. We are taking it very slowly but he is definitely on the road to recovery.
Take care
Ellie & Cotton
Cotton will become more confident as he regains strength. And once he figures out he can do anything ... watch out, he will!
Speaking of Them Bones ...
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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