Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Harry looks adorable in his onesie. Glad to hear things are going relatively smooth. If the onesie isn't enough while he's healing, the inflatable cones seem to be far less obtrusive than the standard ones.
As for gabapentin pills, they do sell pill pockets that he might think are treats.
Tina and Smore
(with the spirit of Pebbles watching from the Rainbow Bridge)
Smore is my tripawd kitty who adopted me one summer evening. She had an injury to her front left leg and had to have her leg removed July 17th. She was only 3 or 4 months old at the time. Now she moves faster than some four legged cats!
inkpot said
Yeah, I understand that it's difficult to know for individual animals. It just sucks. :/ I do feel like he's doing really well, but knw that things could change and am mainly comforted by the fact that I'm here to watch him.Unfortunately, I'm on my own here. Family is 12 hours away and the few people I know here I work with. I have sick days at work, but not animal recovery days. I can come home at lunch, and I will, and will not book any after school meetings this week...so I'll only be leaving him for four hours at a time.....but that seems scary right now. I suppose I could put him in his cage. I think he sleeps most of the day away when I'm at school anyway. Except when he's dragging my slippers around the flat. . .I' just afraid some unforseen thing might happen while im not on top of him.
You room sounded great where he is just shut the door. Just so he is in a safe place and restricted movement ,he will most likely sleep! He wont be dragging your sleepers around just yet;) I’m sure your not the only who had to go back to work right away maybe other's add some advice.
You have a good plan. 4 Hours away at a time and meds spaced out.
Unforeseen can happen if your are there too. I know thats not comforting just saying. I still worry leaving, but it gets easier.
My family is 6 hours away and its hard . We are it , we just have to make do the best we can. And you are!
Harry had a really good night. Slept straight through, on my bed, progressively taking up more and more room, and I only had to get up at my alarms for his meds. I had to hold his bowl in front of him to get him eating, but he got excited enough about it as soon as he had a taste. Then this morning he got up and did a lap of the room, and peed, and ate some of the dry food that's been in his bowl since I brought him home. I gave him another dose of Tramadol because I'm still really paranoid about pain...but it was after 9 hours this time...and I'm going to space out his next dose further, because he went from being noticeably more alert (and seeming pretty okay) to being very sleepy again quite quickly after. Although he then let me ice his side for fifteen minutes without squirming away....
Some challenges:
I tried soaking some of the dried seepage off his side last night, but it didn't have much affect and I dont want to rub at it
His appetite is not super predictable, which is ok, but makes it tough with the gabapentin. I also wonder whether, now he's feeling a bit better, he has noticed a flavour to it and doesn't like it, so I have had to try some things. A half a spoonful of vanilla ice-cream didn't seem too affected by the flavour for him to slurp up, but he didn't finish it all so I tried syringing the rest in, which went ok. I've also tried mixing it with his metacam and with juice from his food, but it doesn't dissolve well so I'm not sure I'm getting a proper dose in...
I still have these moments where it hits me that he's had HIS WHOLE LEG CUT OFF 
and I get a bit sad. I don't feel like doing anything at all except being his Mama right now. Which is not having a great impact on the pile of work I need to get done this weekend, lol.
But...Look at him go! <3
..............erm, working on figuring out video. To be continued 😛
Sounds like it is all going great and normal! His appetite will be affected from the meds! He's eating , using the litter and moving on 3 thats fantastic!
The gaba we opened the capsule poured all the powder out in a little bowl. Then added a little liquid (the tuna water or sardine water ) (any liquid will work) and syringed it up. The syringe would be around 0.5 ml with the pill powder and liquid. Then syringed to him .
You will get used to seeing him on 3 legs! You have to remind yourself when you get those thoughts. There was no choice it was Harry with 3 legs or Harry in pain and suffering and less time with Harry. Not everyone gets a choice they find it too late or can't proceed for many reasons.
We have to be greatful ,we had a choice and we get to still have them with us for what ever amount of time we are blessed with.
I know we all process things and deal with things differently and in our own time. I just hate to see you be sad for him. Celebrate him!
The video is not working maybe its just my computer?
http://tripawds.....orum-post/
see if that helps you. We do you tube . You do so good I'm sure you'll figure it out! You know how to edit I just figured that out yesterday lol
That worked! He is doing great , your going to be amazed ,each day gets better and better!
Purrkins runs so fast and plays like he has all 4 legs! Its amazing to see! Your going to be smiling ear to ear each time he shows you he is still the same kitty ! He will do a lot better now ,you will see he was in a lot more pain then you realized!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Ha! Done....jeepers
Anyway. Thanks! 🙂 And thanks for your ongoing support. I am mostly happy and definitely glad I made the choice. I know once the big ugly slash is gone I will be totally thrilled. It's just surreal sometimes to think we're actually going through this major thing (and it's going so well! fingers crossed that continues).
Your welcome , happy to help! Yep we understand completely!
We would be lost without the Tripawds site!
I accidentally used my work account for the prior video...so here it is again:
Day 3 - more questions:
1) How long were your kitties on meds following surgery? I'm going to call the vet and ask about how long Harry will remain on his. I know he has the Gabapentin for 5 days, but there was no length of time given on the Metacam or Tramadol. I'm just looking for comparison. I've lengthened out the Tram to every 10 hours.
He's still mostly sleeping, but eating, drinking and peeing regularly. Not getting around tonnes. a little lap of his cage or to the bed once or twice per day, or moving from the closet to his cage. He gave his one remaining arm and left side of his face a good bath this morning and then seemed a bit confused about the other side 🙁
He also started licking his chest a bit (licking the shirt). I don't know if he was going for the stitches or just trying to wash his belly as he normally does, but that brings me to question 2
2) Should I put his collar on him when I go back to work tomorrow? I'm starting to get pretty stressed about leaving him. I went out for half an hour yesterday for the purpose of testing us both out. He didn't seem to notice. But when I'm gone longer, I'm worried he'll figure out how to get under his shirt ............ although he hasn't yet tried to, and the belly licking today was his only effort so far at touching the area. Especially as I'm backing up the Tram and he's becoming slightly more active each day
Purrkins was on Gabapentin for 14 days
Buprenorphine for 12 days.
He was on pain meds longer then most others I had read about. I wanted the same thing as you do, a gauge to go by.
Harry is your gauge.
We were sent home with 4 days worth of every 8 hours and had to go get more. Purrkins was not the average!
Listen to what your vet suggests and watch Harry as you lengthen your time out. Purrkins told me when we got to the every 11.5 hour mark, by not letting me near him and growling and hissing! Thats not Purrkins! I had seen those signs one other time before and knew he was in pain and called the vet right away. You know Harry you will know!
Purrkins licked his onesie also thats normal, he wants all those smells off of him. Another yeah Harry NORMAL!
As for the cone can he get around ok with it? I dont think he will get out of his onesie, but he could. Anything is possible.
I would worry about him scratching with back legs more.
I'd be stressed too!
Yeah, I've been thinking about doing vet wrap on his back paws to be safe. I just feel bad putting all sorts of crap on him when he's just wanting to rest. It may cause more discomfort than help.
I guess he could get out of his cone, too, if he were determined...
I wish I could stay and watch him.
I tell ya' what, it just warms my heart to see how much support we get from our kitty family!! I'm certainly sorry to see the family grow, but the shared information is invaluable! Thank you Holly a dd EVERYBODY!!
Jist want to ditto that Harry should be fine in his room. Four hours is really not too long at all.
I know it's hard to focus on the improvements he's making, but we sure can see them from afar! Be sure and ccelebrate each little sparkle as it comes back!!
You're doing great!! 🙂
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!
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