Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hi all, this is my first post so I apologize if I give way too much info and struggle getting to the point. My fur baby Jake is a 10yr old blue Weimaraner who was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in his left front shoulder this past April. At the time, his primary vet recommended amputation immediately based on xray alone and I was scared and sought a second opinion from a veterinary oncologist.
The specialist felt that his lesion was small enough that we could try radiation and chemo first before surgery. I couldn't believe how well he responded to treatment initially, he stopped limping and it was like the cancer never was. Then, at the end of August he began limping again and his shoulder/leg muscles appeared to atrophy, his oncologist ordered new xrays, we tried different meds but the limp continued to get worse and his pain returned. We couldn't figure out what was happening as the lesion appeared stable on xrays, his lungs have remained clear and there have been no signs of metastasis anywhere in his body since his initial diagnosis. But last week the oncologist ordered a CT and we finally found the source of his pain and why the limp had returned; the cancer had spread to the muscle in his shoulder.
So we made the decision to amputate instead of pursuing more radiation which would likely weaken the bone further and increase the chance it would fracture and require amputation anyway. I didn't want to wait for his leg to break and have to seek surgery under such traumatic circumstances. So my Jake had surgery this past Friday 10/16/20 to remove the pain, he stayed overnight at the hospital and his team of vets, surgeons and vet techs have been beyond amazing.
We are now post-op day 3, exhausted from the stress, lack of sleep and worry and I've been on this site non-stop ever since just trying to find comfort in knowing I'm not alone and that we will get through this. He's been very comfortable so far, I think I'm doing well managing his pain so far, although he was given a 72hr nerve block on the day of surgery with something called Nocita which has likely worn off by now.
So now I'm nervous because I want to make sure he stays comfortable. Coming home the day after surgery he was more active than I thought, but the vet said it was likely the adrenaline of seeing me and coming home. They gave me a sedative to use on top of his other meds (Gabapentin, Carprofen, Antibiotics, Famotidine), in case he was restless. I wanted him to rest and he did seem anxious so I gave him the sedative Saturday night, but by Sunday morning he was so gorked out he could barely walk on his own without help which I know is to be expected. Last night the sedative had worn off, he was able to get around without help, go potty on his own and we both got a little more sleep last night which was wonderful.
Today he seemed more like himself, he actually wanted to play with his toys, lay outside and enjoy a little sun, he's eating well, drinking water, not on his regular potty schedule quite yet, he's pooped once since he's been home but has peed at least twice per day so far. But he was so active today I was worried he was overdoing it. The only time I've noticed pain so far is when he's tried to bark or sneeze; he does a little bark/yelp and tonight he's panting a little. I worry he's having a bit of pain and anxiety as the nerve block has worn off and we're staying with my mom as I live in a second floor apartment and she has a single story house making potty breaks much easier on him. He's much more restless this evening but he's had all his pain meds as of now and seems to be getting more comfortable just anxious, so I gave him just a 1/4 amount of the prescribed sedative as giving him the whole pill seemed to strong.
Anyway, I'm probably rambling at this point due to lack of sleep, but hopefully I've painted a good picture of where we're at now and any advice would be welcome. I'm trying my best to stay positive and calm for my boy and thank everyone for sharing their stories as they've been giving me so much hope that things will only get better from here on out.
Hi Jake and family, welcome to the club nopawdy wants to join! But we are sure glad you found us. Your future posts won't need to wait for approval so post away.
Sounds like you have got his medication and recovery dialed in. GREAT job! Really! I love that you observed his reaction to the sedative and adjusted the dosage. Jake's vets are giving him the latest pain medications which makes for a much better recovery. Nice! My best advice is to
- Check out Jerry's Required Reading List for some articles about life on three legs
- Keep his activity dialed way down until stitches come out
- Make sure your house is Tripawd proofed. Do you have a harness to help Jake up and down the stairs? Do your floors have traction ?
- and make an appointment with a canine rehabilitation therapist who can show you how to keep Jake strong and injury-free! Remember, the Tripawds Foundation can pay for your first rehab visit !
And of course ask any questions that pop up OK? We are here for you! Don't forget to post photos of Jake, we would love to see him.
This is how adding images to the Forums works.
- Upload pics to a photo sharing site like imgur.com or your own Tripawds blog!
- Right click and copy the Image URL or just copy the image if you’re on a phone
- Return to your Tripawds Forum post and paste the image URL (or the image itself) in your post. It should automatically appear.
If you’d like help figuring out the process let me know.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi there! Thank you so much for the welcome and advice, it's been immensely helpful since his diagnosis but especially now that we're officially a tripawd. I will definitely check out the reading list, I do have the dog cancer survival guide that was recommended on this site which has been so informative, but I will be getting the Be More Dog book ASAP to help me remember to focus on living in the moment and staying positive for Jake. Where we're staying now has been tripawd proofed, we've got lots of carpet runners and rugs on the floor so Jake has an easier time gripping on three legs. I can't believe how well he's doing just 4 days after amputation already but of course I have my own moments of anxiety and nervousness about every little thing he does. I feel like I'm watching him so closely, overanalyzing every movement and noise he makes but from what I've read here that's normal.
Yes I do have a harness for Jake that I got when this started to help him get around when he was limping so much, it's called the Joyride harness, but now that he's a tripawd I think I'll need to look into one that's more supportive like the ones I've seen here by Ruffwear once his stitches are out. He also still has a drain in place so right now we're using a soft sling that goes under his belly but I've only needed it when he was a little wobbly from the meds. I'll definitely looks into rehab for Jake, I want to make sure he's strong so that his right front leg doesn't sustain any injury from overuse. I live in Southern California and his specialist recommended a rehab place that's not too far. I assume rehab could start once his stitches are out and he's not so gorky from the pain meds.
Last night was a bit rough for some reason, not sure if it was pain or just anxiety, or both. He's only tried to bark twice and both times it causes him to yelp, poor boy. I would think he's just sore and any quick chest expansion for a sneeze or bark might hurt a bit, but that's the only time he's vocalized pain really. But last night he seem to just be awake and looking around, not able to relax so I first gave him 1/4 of the sedative, which didn't seem to help much after over an hour so then I gave him another 1/4. He seemed to relax a little after that, but every time he woke up to look around so did I, maybe just unfamiliar surroundings? Maybe anxiety? I've also gotten a little nervous that he's only pooped once since coming home and getting him to pee is hard. He's drinking plenty of water and we're feeding him boiled chicken and rice which he loves but he's only peeing twice a day so far which is so much less than he used to. But I know that all these changes and the meds are likely responsible for that, I'm just worried he's holding it too long and/or he's constipated, so hopefully I can get him to poop soon. He's figured out how to squat and pee, but his one poop was a little tricky trying to balance; he likes to do the walk and poo instead of staying put, but on three legs this is a bit harder. I know he's tough and has already figured out how to get his center of balance so far. Even little accomplishments are a success and there's lots of cheering and clapping so I hope each day just keeps getting better.
As far as the pics go, I'd love to share pics and videos I've taken so far, but I am a little technically challenged. I went ahead and signed up on imgur.com so now I'm just trying to figure out how to upload and share. I think I can figure it out, we shall see, lol. But thank you so much for the support and help, I am beyond grateful for the kindness and love I've seen on this site. It's stopped me from feeling completely overwhelmed and I can't thank you enough.
Awww hang in there, I promise it does get better. What you are describing sounds totally normal. And bravo to you for having your home ready and reading up on what he needs to be happy and safe on three.
Regarding the pain/anxiety. During recovery, the symptoms can indicate either! It's crazy, sometimes too much pain meds look like too little, and vice versa. Stick to the dosages your vet prescribed for a better outcome. It can also help both of you decide if he needs more or less. It can be hard to tell the first few days. Let your vet know if those dosages are not working.
Regarding pooping: It really happens! Speed things along by adding pumpkin pulp, steamed squash, or olive oil to his food. And yes, pain medications really mess with bodily functions. Just make sure he's urinating and drinking water to stay hydrated, that's even more important than eating is at this stage.
He is such a gorgeous boy! And he IS making progress as you can see. Keep celebrating those little things, they all add up to recovery. 
We are in SoCal too right now! What clinic are you working with?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
As you can already tell, YOU ARE. NOT ALONE!!! We unders all the emotions, the exhaustion, the stress, the fear, the overanalyzing...yeah, we understand it been we've all been there!!.
Pat yourself on the back for do such a great job of making Jake's temporary home a safe one.
Being in different surroundings, trying to heal from MAJOR SURGERY, adjusting to three....yeah, all that can cause some restlessness and a whine here and there. Actually the whine from barking could just be a little pull on the drain when he puffs up to bark. Doesn't sound like anything to worry about. Actually, based on everything you've described about Jake's recovery it sounds like it's going very well!!.
All the hospital meds are out of his system and sometimes the pain meds have to be tweaked a bit. It sounds like everything his working fairly well. Yes, the sedative can really knock dogs out for quite a long time, and it does not for pain.
What is the dose of Gabapentin and the frequency? How much does he weigh? It may be that the dose can be given a little closer together. Of course, only make changes with Vet approval.
Now, YOU have to get some rest!! Lack of sleep makes everything worse. Jake needs you to have a strong, confident, pack leader energy!. Jake will pick up on your energy and he needs reass that everything is okay dokey OK👌
We are here with you right by your side! Remember, recovery doesn last furever. Jake really does seem to be ahead of the curve though. He must continue to take things slowly for these two weeks-ish. It takes about two weeks to recover from the major surgery itself. It takes about one month to adjust to the new gait and get into the flow of balance and momentum.
Get some 💤💤💤 and update when you can.
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!
Oh my goodness I can't tell you how much I appreciate the support, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed again last night when Jake started to act a bit anxious again. The clinic we're working with is the Veterinary Cancer Group in Tustin, his vet is Dr. David Bommarito, they have been the most amazing, caring people I've met; and I can't believe the technology and treatments they've made available for Jake. They even participate in and work with other center and universities for clinical trials and the most up to date cancer treatments available. The center who performed the amputation was Veterinary Surgical Specialists, right next door to the cancer group; and his surgeon is Dr. Tony Cambridge. I honestly can't say enough about the doctors and staff at both facilities. The night Jake stayed at the hospital, his nursing staff sent me pictures and text updates throughout the night letting me know how well he was doing, it was so reassuring.
So last night I had an idea to give him 1/2 tablet of the sedative (Acepromazine 25mg) much earlier because it seems to take a while to kick in and he'd sleep better the next day instead of the night when we would all like to sleep. But wouldn't you know it, the sedative kicked in pretty fast for some reason and of course getting him out potty when he's dopey is tricky; however the good news is he finally pooped last night YAY!! Poor boy was a little stumbly trying to balance while he did the walk and poo. But afterwards he seemed so much more comfortable and wanted to get in his spot on the couch for the first time, I didn't let him jump of course but it's like he knew to be careful and let me lift him gently. Thank goodness he slept pretty well last night and we only got up a few times to change position and he actually got up to pee too, I've never been so happy!
He's still a bit picky with food, and he figured out my game with the pill pockets pretty quick; it's weird because he used to love pill pockets before the surgery and I had no problem giving them to him. Now I just have to do the jam where I place his meds one at a time in the back of his throat with a little massage of the neck and afterwards he gets a cookies which he nummies up. I'm so thankful he's been eating and drinking well this early on in his recovery, and getting around pretty well too. Although yesterday I made sure to keep him a little more quiet than the day before.
Other good news, he had a bit of swelling in the neck area kind of like a turkey gobble, the vet said we could remove the netting that was basically acting like a sweater to protect the incision site and hold the drain in place. They told that based on his drainage amounts we can come in today to have it removed as well, I can't wait! Oh and his meds he's currently on: Gabapentin 300mg twice a day, Carprofen 100mg 1/2 tablet twice per day, Buprenex Suspension 0.3mg/mL every 8-12hrs for the first 5 days then as needed for pain, Pepcid 20mg 1 tablet per day in the morning and lastly his antibiotic Rilexine 300mg tablet 2 tablets twice daily. Jake weighs about 70lbs and prior to this had no health problems to speak of, he's a very healthy 10 year old happy boy and seems quite content today wearing a t-shirt instead of the netting, lol. I can't wait for the drain to come out.
I'm still trying to figure out how to upload pics and videos so forgive me for the delay, I got the imgur app to see if that's easier for me to upload stuff here since my computer seems to be rebelling on the upload front. Wow I'm just so happy we had a better night and he seems to be recovering so well, I have so many happy tears and can't thank you all enough for helping me through this. We might actually go home tonight and start working on feeling a little more normal. I'll keep working on trying to get some pics on here to show off my beautiful wonder weim : )
Yay I think I just figured out how to include pics and vids! I hope this works : )
Awwww LOVE that boy! He's sooooooo handsome and those eyes make my 
melt like butter!
So glad that you both had a better night, what a relief for everyone eh? His pain management is spot on, sounds great. And oh my dog your vet team is pawesome, like the BEST EVER! We love the folks at VCG, even interviewed their founder Dr. Rosenberg many years ago. She was a pioneer in vet oncology, you're working with one of the best clinics out there so I hope that also helps you feel better.
May I share Jake's photo in our image gallery? He's irrestible!
Cheers to a great week ahead. Let us know how it goes.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Aww thank you so much for the compliments for my boy, and sometimes I think he knows how handsome he is, lol. The drain came out today, Dr. Cambridge was very happy with the incision site and said he's doing amazing recovery wise. I'm so thankful and happy, more happy tears! And yes absolutely you may share any of Jake's photos or videos in the image gallery. I would love to help give the same hope and encouragement to others on this same journey, it's helped me immensely seeing others stories and pictures : )
Okay, I'm head over heels in love with this handsome boy! Those eyes just melt my heart ❤
It sounds like JAke is handling recovery exceptionally well👍👍Pain meds seem spot on. And yes, the sedative you are using is very ppwerful! Hoping you wont need it anymore.
Keep these great updates coming! LOve the pics and video...mpre!!
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!
He TOTALLY know's he is a knockout! That latest picture he's like "Can we PLEASE just get on with life? Sheesh!"
One of our Jerry's best friends was a Weim name Winston. We've been suckers for that breed ever since!
Glad that things are going well. His bounce-back is remarkable and makes us do the hoppy dance 
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Awwww thank you so much for all the love, we both need it. We finally came home last night to my apartment and slept together on the couch, it's a very low couch but he knows to wait for me to lift him up. He's quite used to being carried, it was something I did when he was a puppy and since it became tough for him at times getting up my stairs I usually carry him up and down the past few months as needed. Jake doesn't mind one bit and I've gotten pretty strong doing all the heavy lifting, lol. He also has the most awesome bed from Big Barker that he loves and as soon as we got home he seemed much more relaxed, no sedative needed and got right in his bed. We pretty much slept through the whole night, yay! and omg he pooped literally the moment we got home too, praise Jesus! lol. Today was my first day back to work and Jake was back at my mom's being well loved during the day. I work as a nurse at an outpatient surgery center so I'm thankful my knowledge has helped me out a bit in terms of medications, what to expect, and what to look out for post-operatively. I was definitely not on my game today since we're both pretty tired but it felt nice to get a little back to normal. Jake seemed happy to get back to his routine too, although he is still pretty mellow and resting a lot which I'm glad for. I can't thank you all enough for the support, I still have a bit of guilt and the what have I done feelings but each day is getting better and we're both adapting well to this new life so far. Working was quite tiring for both of us today, I think we'll be calling it a night early and cuddling up together soon : )
Okay now this is new, he's breathing really fast, he's cozy on the couch, even laying in the incision site. He's eyes are closing like he wants to sleep, he is in no apparent distress, I don't know if maybe he's warm but it's not hot out, he's not panting, just breathing fast. He's not nervous, not scared, doesn't appear anxious, but this rapid breathing is freaking me out. Should I call his surgeon?
Hey sorry I missed your posts last night. Did he get any more restful later on?
The rapid breathing could be a sign that his pain is not under control, maybe because he got too much activity and movement at your mom's house while you were at work? Check with her to see how much he's doing in the daytime. How is he now?
Oh my gosh by the way, the vision of you carrying Jake around is just so adorable! He's a BIG dawg!
P.S. Yay for nurses! You're our hero
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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