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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Griffin looks fabulous and so happy! I loved hearing about his day Stacy. Good luck!
Griffin looks fabulous and so happy! I loved hearing about his day Stacy. It looks like he's smiling in the picture. May he get stronger every day!
Thanks, Connie! Any update on Jake?
Griffin lived an amazing life for 11 years! Diagnosed with osteosarcoma on March 17, 2020, Griffin's right forelimb was amputated on April 2, 2020. Ten days later he was running and playing fetch! Lung metastasis discovered in July 2020 did not slow down Griffin and he lived joyfully for the next 7 months, passing peacefully at home on February 11, 2021. https://griffin.tripawds.com
Griffin, we have poop already too?? YAY FOR 
!! We love to celebratearound here!!!
And YAY for eating too!! He's really doing so very well.
Yeah, the leg shaking is not surprising. It DOES take a huge amount of effort to hop of three at first, even for just SHORT potty breaks. So the trembling is most likely tiredness, issuing muscles in a different way, as well as maybe a little pain. Good for you for being so aware and taking him back in for more rest. You are an excellent caregiver for your boy!
Keep on keeping on handsome!! Slow and easy though.
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!
Hi Stacy
YAY for Griffin seeing how well he is doing. He looks so great. I am so happy for you guys. Love seeing the photos.
Griffin was very restless overnight but today (3 days post-op) has been a good day. Griffin is not back to normal in terms of his appetite, but he is drinking lots of water and continues to take his meds. He urinates regularly and pooped both this morning and afternoon. He continues to practice how to get up and down - still a work in progress, but getting better each day. He was interested in exploring a bit this morning and I have included a few videos for your enjoyment (please excuse him taking care of business a few times!).
Griffin lived an amazing life for 11 years! Diagnosed with osteosarcoma on March 17, 2020, Griffin's right forelimb was amputated on April 2, 2020. Ten days later he was running and playing fetch! Lung metastasis discovered in July 2020 did not slow down Griffin and he lived joyfully for the next 7 months, passing peacefully at home on February 11, 2021. https://griffin.tripawds.com
Hi Stacy. How are you and Griffin doing? He really did look wonderful in his picture!
Jake is great. I went for a long hike today and he had lots of fun. He isn't limping yet, the oncologist says he will within 3-6 months and there's a 10% chance it can spread. We want to do the operation so we get it before it spreads. But it is hard because he runs normally right now. If it wasn't for the 10% gamble of it spreading we would wait until he was limping. I think I'm still in a little shock this is even happening, he's only three! But we will proceed...I'll find the date tomorrow (probably Thursday or Friday).
Is Griffin alert and walking a bit or snuggly and mostly resting? You seem like a great mom (:
Hi Stacy, after I posted the previous note your post came up. Griffin looks like he's is doing wonderful so far! I can't wait to continue to see his progress. After this virus he will be back at the hospital putting such smiles on the kids faces (:
Hi Connie! Griffin has mostly been resting. The first 2 days it seemed like he was still groggy from the meds given at the hospital, but after walking for a bit this morning, he knocked out for 3+ hours from exhaustion! He has been moving around more in the house today, finding different spots to rest on the rugs. I think he's just tired of being in bed!
I don't know anything about soft tissue sarcoma, but I would imagine your decision is made so difficult if Jake doesn't seem to be in any pain yet. Griffin was limping and not able to do the things he loves, like playing fetch. Osteosarcoma spreads rapidly, so in some ways I guess my decision was made easier knowing there wasn't really much of a choice if I wanted to give him a fighting chance to live the quality of life that he has lived for the last 10 years.
Please continue to post updates about Jake and reach out if there is anything I can do to support you through this!
Griffin lived an amazing life for 11 years! Diagnosed with osteosarcoma on March 17, 2020, Griffin's right forelimb was amputated on April 2, 2020. Ten days later he was running and playing fetch! Lung metastasis discovered in July 2020 did not slow down Griffin and he lived joyfully for the next 7 months, passing peacefully at home on February 11, 2021. https://griffin.tripawds.com
Griffin Update - Day 5 Post-Op
Griffin has been recovering very well, peeing and pooping regularly, getting around better every day, and eating (with coaxing) each day. However, the last 3 nights, he has been very restless and unable to settle down, panting but not seeming to be in pain. Yesterday I emailed his surgeon to ask for help and he suggested taking Griffin off all of his meds (hydromorphone, galliprant, and gabapentin), so I did not give him the evening doses. Last night was the worst, with shaking and heart pounding (similar to how he reacts during thunderstorms) until 4am. However, today is a different story and he has done well. He was acting uncomfortable around noon and I gave him one gabapentin. His surgeon agrees that keeping him on gabapentin every 12 hours might be the tweak to his meds that he needed. Griffin had been on galliprant and gabapentin for 2 weeks prior to surgery, so I'm wondering if the hydromorphone (an opiate) was causing the issues. Fingers crossed that we have an easy night tonight - I need some sleep!
Griffin lived an amazing life for 11 years! Diagnosed with osteosarcoma on March 17, 2020, Griffin's right forelimb was amputated on April 2, 2020. Ten days later he was running and playing fetch! Lung metastasis discovered in July 2020 did not slow down Griffin and he lived joyfully for the next 7 months, passing peacefully at home on February 11, 2021. https://griffin.tripawds.com
I think you are spot on about the opiod!! I missed that he was taking that.
Now that you've taken that out of the equation, still stay alert for pain signals . I hate that he was in such pain when the Vet took him off everything. In addition to the Codeine ,Codeine maybe causing g so e issues, all the hospital pain meds are out of their system usually by daymthree and that when pain management becomes more important.This early out he still is dealing with pain from the MAJOR surgery! IF needed and with Vet approval, you can do the Gaba more frequently if twelve hours is too long a stretch for him
The bruising from the pictures doesn't look bad. Glad you sent it to the Vet for reassurance.
My Hapoh Hannah was very restless and whiny for several nights until I got the meds tweaked just right. And yes, sleep was non existent!!
Hopefully you've got some good sleep in your future....starting tonght!! Ypi ate doing such a good job!!!!
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!
Hi Sally! Thanks for the support - you always are so positive in your posts!
I don't actually think Griffin was in pain last night because aside from the shaking, he had acted restless and out of sorts for the previous two nights when he was on all the meds. I looked up side effects of hydromorphone and they can include panting and hyperactivity. And after 4am this morning, Griffin was fine until about noon, which was when I gave him the gabapentin. He has been more alert today, which could just be because it is day 5 or because the meds are clearing out of his system. Either way, I'm keeping a close eye on him and I remain grateful that the surgeon remains so accessible to me, checking in each day and answering all of my questions.
Side note - I'm doing my part to support local restaurants in NYC and ordered dinner in for tonight. Griffin jumped up barking and rushed to the front door at the sound of the buzzer, just like old times! 
Griffin lived an amazing life for 11 years! Diagnosed with osteosarcoma on March 17, 2020, Griffin's right forelimb was amputated on April 2, 2020. Ten days later he was running and playing fetch! Lung metastasis discovered in July 2020 did not slow down Griffin and he lived joyfully for the next 7 months, passing peacefully at home on February 11, 2021. https://griffin.tripawds.com
Hi Stacy! Hannah looks great! I wish I could be more help with advice, etc but I cannot seeing as you are a bit ahead of me in the journey. However, I can be a cheerleader (: You seem so on top of things and the surgeon seems wonderful and very responsive. Griffin has a great support team. I wish you a good nights rest and Griffin also. So nice to see an update! Hang in there...
He's such a sweetie, I'm happy you got the medications dialed in. Yes, an opioid can definitely make a dog behave like that. Our Wyatt Ray cannot tolerate oral opioids, he behaves in exactly the same way when he's taken them. Your vet is so awesome to keep checking in on things and helping you manage his recovery, especially at a crazy time in history like this.
So is the gabapentin doing anything weird to his behavior? We usually don't see side effects in members, other than sleepiness.
Barking at the delivery person is a definite sign he is on the mend too. That's so wonderful! I hope your food was fantastic. It must be so surreal to be in NYC right now. Hang in there and stay strong and healthy! We are cheering for you and Griffin from across the country 🙂
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
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The gabapentin seems to work well for him with no side effects. For the 2 weeks between his initial diagnosis and surgery, Griffin was taking both gabapentin and galliprant. In the last few days before surgery as his discomfort increased, I increased the dosage of the gabapentin to the upper limits of what was prescribed (600mg every 8 hours), but for the most part he had been taking 300mg every 12 hours. He has been comfortable all afternoon and I really hope that continues tonight!
Things in NYC are surreal indeed. This was actually the perfect time for Griffin's recovery as I am working from home and we are under orders to stay indoors except for occasional exercise, so I'm content to hang out with my boy 24/7 and binge on TV viewing.
Griffin lived an amazing life for 11 years! Diagnosed with osteosarcoma on March 17, 2020, Griffin's right forelimb was amputated on April 2, 2020. Ten days later he was running and playing fetch! Lung metastasis discovered in July 2020 did not slow down Griffin and he lived joyfully for the next 7 months, passing peacefully at home on February 11, 2021. https://griffin.tripawds.com
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