Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Oh, I love, love, love all these pictures! And I love it that Koda is doing SO great!!!! (And I love it that everyone at Koda's house seems to have a GREAT sense of humor! DEFINITELY a good way to get through tough times!)
Way to go, Koda AND Mom!!!!!!!
((((hugs))))xxx from Nancy & Susie
Lol! I love the twin bed! I often thought about getting a trundle bed for me, Zeus and Belle being they loved sleeping with me!
Koda doing great, Pawsome!!!!
Deb
XO
Looking great Koda! Karl is the same color. I'm so glad things are going so good for you. Btw love the chaise chair baptized by puppy. 🙂
Keep us all posted, I've just ordered the Cancer survival book, going to be cramming.
Sweet dreams Koda!
hugs, Karl and mom Julie
Really, really, REALLY loving the updates! I'm so glad everything is going so well with Koda!
He may drain a little more depending on his activity level. Front leg amps tend to develop seromas more than rear leggers. Don't panic if you see some swooshy, puffy looking swelling.
As for his poops...you can try adding some metamucil (just a bit) or olive oil, or even steamed pumpkin, to his food to move things along.
What a sweetie. Looks like he's going to be bouncing back to his usual self in no time at all. Good job to all of you!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Sleeping soundly... Hasn't budged in about 12 hours, except to lift his head to eat pills hidden in tiny homemade pizzas. Yesterday was a big day, what with the car ride to and from the hospital and getting his drainage tube out. He's definitely a lot more fatigued than he's been the last couple mornings since we brought him home. Think I've read around here that that's not unusual.
I've caught him licking his remaining front hock a few times (which has always looked about the same as the one with the osteo tumor). Our hospital and doctors are wonderful... I can't imagine they didn't check his right front leg for cancer before removing the left. Except, I guess I can imagine it, because it's nagging at me.
He was too tired to take his antibiotic and Tramadol at 8am (even in pizza!). I got him to eat them at 11am. I've been spacing the meds out a couple hours, so he'll get Rimadyl and Gabapentin later. This is the longest he's gone without pain meds so far -- it's been just over 12 hours since he had his last Rimadyl and Gabapentin. Still no whimpering or whining, so I'll keep to the same schedule -- ain't gonna fix it if it ain't broke!
Gonna nose around the forums and see what others have said about the licking and fatigue...
Mom of Koda, 150 lb male Anatolian Shepherd age 6 1/2 (DOB 10/4/09).
TPLO both knees - one 11/2012 and the other 2/2013;
Underpants-ectomy (a/k/a blockage removal) 8/2013;
Osteosarcoma in front left leg diagnosed 3/1/16;
Joined Tripawd Nation 3/4/16
Forever missing Koda's big brother, Sully (a/k/a James P. Sullivan), our first Anatolian and the Original Big Man (tm), who passed at age 10 1/2 from degenerative myelopathy on 6/27/13.
Online
Fatigue not unusual at all! Especially after a very tiring day yesterday! Especially around this time in recovery. Completely expected! A day of "overdoing" it in the first week or so, means the next day or so you will see a very tired dog. He's probably feeling a lot of sore muscles and stiffness too. May want ro try some all.over gentle massage.
I've forgotten your pain dose and frequency. Just make sure the pain doesn't get ahead start. Its much harder to control. As you know, dogs are very stoic. Sometimes laying around means they are hurting a little.
Yes, I'm sure the vets checked ALL his legs! And, for whatever reason, my Happy Hannah licked her front leg/paw area a lot!! It seems that is not u common. I think in some cases, it's .aybe because blood was drawn there, or some other thing done at the vet's we didn't see. Or .aybe it's just their way of checking to make sure no ine took that leg away while they were sleeping!
He certainly looks comfy on his great bed with adorable bedsheets! Such a sweeeet boy!
Hugs! 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!
When Otis went into the emergency vet with the fracture, they x-rayed both front legs. Vet said it was both to look for cancer and for comparison (what was normal for him). I would call the vet if it is bothering you. They might have x-rayed both too and you can cross that worry off. Otis did have an IV on the other front leg and gave that area a bit of attention. Might be the same with Koda.
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
Yep, sticking to the medication schedule is best. You always want to stay ahead of the pain.
As for the licking...it could be his carpal joint (wrist) that's tired from the new workload. Keep an eye on it and let your vet know. I understand that osteo doesn't present in two places at the same time, try not to worry.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
It's been just about 3 years and Murphy still licks his other leg. I like what Sally said, maybe it's just to see if it's still there lol
Donna, Glenn & Murphy
Murphy had his right front leg amputated due to histiocytic sarcoma at 7 years old. He survived 4 years, 2 months & 1 week, only to be taken by hemangiosarcoma at 11 1/2 years 6/12/17
Read about Murphy's Life on Three Legs
I'm just wondering if it has anything to do with phantom sensations. Maybe they need to lick the leg that's missing and they're licking it by proxy of a remaining leg?
You know, ♫ If you can be with the one you love, love the one you're with. ♫
Harmony became a Tripawd on 10/21/14 (MCT). She left us way too soon on 11/1/14.
"We miss you so much; our love, our heart, our Harmony."
- Pam, Ron and Melody, Meesha, Doublestuff and Mariah Carey
You know, ♫ If you can be with the one you love, love the one you're with. ♫
LOL!
Active 10+ Pyr mix suddenly came up lame with ACL tear in left rear leg. Scheduled for a TPLO but final pre-op x-rays indicated a small suspicious area, possibly OSA, which could have caused the ACL tear. Surgeon opened the knee for TPLO but found soft bone. Biopsy came back positive for OSA. Became a Tripawd 9/18/14. Carbo6 with Cerenia and Fluids. Pain free and living in the moment. Crossed the Bridge on 7/12/15 after probable spread of cancer to her cervical spine. A whole lifetime of memories squeezed into 10 months. Here's her story: Eloise
Susie licked and licked her left front paw in the first weeks following surgery. We got concerned, as that was what she did with the right front paw before cancer was diagnosed there. And, of course, we got paranoid, thinking that cancer could now be in the other paw. I mentioned it to the surgeon when we brought her in for her two week post-op checkup, and was told that it was probably a nervous habit (I think that could be true, as she had a LOT to be nervous about!). We were offered a consultation with a dermatologist in case it was due to allergies, but declined. Gradually, she has stopped licking so much, but she still licks a bit. Her IV was first placed in the left front leg, too, so I know that leg was sore. (And then they tried a back leg, after the first IV failed.)
I do think she stopped licking that paw as much once she started taking Gabapentin (at two weeks post-op) once a day. But that may have been because the Gabapentin sedated her a little! 
As far as being energetic one day and then crashing the next two days--that was definitely Susie, for at least the first month! Even now, if she overdoes it one day, she's way more subdued the next.
So I wouldn't worry about either of those things. I think they're perfectly normal. But, of course, you can check out anything that's bothering you with your vets.
((((hugs))))xxxx from Nancy & Susie
How's Koda?
I was concerned because Karl was lifting his back left leg, almost limping ( still is) so by the time I got to see the vet on Friday, I Was really needing some kind of answer. The vet said lets x ray the whole thing, from his hip down. Everything looks fine. Amen. Koda is probably fine , but to ease your mind I would call the vet, ( I called them 7 times last week ) oops!
I don't know what the reason is, but even if it's another problem, we will do whatever it takes.
The I V leg was uncomfortable for Karl too. He would lick it so I put on a long sleeve shirt that I cut to the right length.
hugs,
Karl and mom Julie
karl said
How's Koda?I was concerned because Karl was lifting his back left leg, almost limping ( still is) so by the time I got to see the vet on Friday, I Was really needing some kind of answer. The vet said lets x ray the whole thing, from his hip down. Everything looks fine. Amen. Koda is probably fine , but to ease your mind I would call the vet, ( I called them 7 times last week ) oops!
I don't know what the reason is, but even if it's another problem, we will do whatever it takes.
The I V leg was uncomfortable for Karl too. He would lick it so I put on a long sleeve shirt that I cut to the right length.
hugs,
Karl and mom Julie
Koda didn't lick much over the weekend, but I'll ask about it when I bring him tomorrow for recheck and suture removal.
SO HAPPY Karl's X-rays looked fine!!
Post a picture of your sweet boy!!
xo
Julie and Koda
Mom of Koda, 150 lb male Anatolian Shepherd age 6 1/2 (DOB 10/4/09).
TPLO both knees - one 11/2012 and the other 2/2013;
Underpants-ectomy (a/k/a blockage removal) 8/2013;
Osteosarcoma in front left leg diagnosed 3/1/16;
Joined Tripawd Nation 3/4/16
Forever missing Koda's big brother, Sully (a/k/a James P. Sullivan), our first Anatolian and the Original Big Man (tm), who passed at age 10 1/2 from degenerative myelopathy on 6/27/13.
I'll be continuing Koda's updates over here:
Mom of Koda, 150 lb male Anatolian Shepherd age 6 1/2 (DOB 10/4/09).
TPLO both knees - one 11/2012 and the other 2/2013;
Underpants-ectomy (a/k/a blockage removal) 8/2013;
Osteosarcoma in front left leg diagnosed 3/1/16;
Joined Tripawd Nation 3/4/16
Forever missing Koda's big brother, Sully (a/k/a James P. Sullivan), our first Anatolian and the Original Big Man (tm), who passed at age 10 1/2 from degenerative myelopathy on 6/27/13.
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