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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Fern has the most soulful face! Recovery is tough, even for those that do well from the very beginning. It is easy enough for me to say hang in there - I'm not the one with my world turned upside down. But believe me, I've been there. Trouble had a pretty uneventful recovery, be in the last few months we've had some pretty good scares. I don't think anyone gets through this experience without having those bad days to deal with.
I know we've said it over and over but some of them just react very badly to the medication. Once she is able to do without the meds you will likely see a big difference. Even Trouble was a bit lethargic while taking the meds.
Sending lots of good thoughts and hoping tomorrow brings a much better day for you and for Fern.
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.
the pictures of fern are just beautiful, even with the incision. the double surgery definitely adds challenges, paws crossed she is feeling better with each and every day.
charon & gayle
Life is good, so very, very good!!! Gayle enjoyed each and every moment of each and every wonderful day (naps included). She left this world December 12, 2011 – off on a new adventure.
Love Never Ends
Today has been bad and good, as you all warned me.
The wound is healing well at the 'ends' but the lowest part is leaking a lot. The drain pot split so our vet dropped in another one and checked Fern over again. Temperature is fine but he thinks there's a slight infection so he prescribed some additional antibiotics. There's a hole in the stitching where the fluid is coming from which is about 5mmx8mm, it all feels a bit like de-ja-vous from last saturday when the skin graft was failing (resulting in the amputation on Monday) which is why my wife and I have been a bit low.
OK, that's the negatives...positives were...
Vet said he wasn't worried about the infection and leaking fluid.
Fern chased (well walked about 3 yards) to fetch a tennis ball in our living room....TWICE!!!
After that exertion she drank some water (ok, we took the bowl to her but....)
She ate her dog food (again it was taken to her and she didn't get up to eat) and even had a few titbits.
Again, I just think we're disappointed after the initial recovery that subsequent progress is slower and worried that we are experiencing the same things we had last weekend.
Thanks for all the kind comments, I read them all to Fern (I'm sure she blushes) and my wife and I find them very comforting. Thank you so much.
The pictures are beautiful. Sounds like a positive update to me. Fortis had an infection and lots of drainage after his surgery as well. The antibiotics cleared it right up. Sending lots of positive thoughts your way.
Fortis'Dad
Thanks for the update. Sounds like fern is on the road to full recovery.
You may think we're being mean with this advice, but the truth is... Fern will never get up on her own to eat or drink if you keep bringing her bowls to her. Just ask Dr. Waldman, a little "tough love" can go a long way to help speed recovery.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I fear this thread is turning into a blog.
We're gona try the 'tough love' thing today and see if she'll feed herself, I think deep down we knew this was the right thing to do but we also thought that it was essential to her recovery that she ate and drank.
Hi Fern & Ferns Dad, Your story touched me as my girl Poppet just had her leg amputated thursday afternoon just gone. The mental anguish just about killed me. The beauty is that i still have my "13"yr old girl with me and time spent together, hugs and cuddles have more meaning now. Sometimes it seems all consuming but things have got better day by day. Be positive, i believe in the power of mental thought and give her some long strokes and a bit of massage, it cannot do any harm. I hope you are all feeling better today. This site is fantastic and the members here are kind and wonderful. I hope your browsing aleviates some of your concern. Wishing your family all the best. Karen & Poppet, Melbourne Australia.
Fern and Fernsdad - if you fear this isn turnign into a blog.... you must not have seen how long I have drawn some of Coopers threads out.
I dont think you have any worries about that, I firmly believe that each member of this group does all they can to help each other and enjoys it too! The tough love thing is definitely a hard one , but good advice, we fought the urge to carry Coops bowls to him too, we found out quickly, when they get thirsty or hungry they get to the bowl one way or another. Thats what makes all these tripawds so special is their will to fight and live. Many pawsitive thoughts coming your way - and dont worry about threads turning to blogs.
Coopsdad/ Kenneth Blackburn
http://cooper.t.....ipawds.com
the monkeydogs only THINK they have invaded the tripawd state
OK, Sunday was a good day....
Fern had 2 wees and her first poo for 7 days !!! (it was almost a foot long!)
We tried the 'tough love' thing and didn't feed her on her bed but at 10pm (UK time) we gave in figuring it would be better for her to have some food and water. Our vet is calling in tomorrow morning so I'll talk to him about it, we're worried that she needs the nourishment to aid her recovery.
Off to bed now, both my wife and I are absolutely shattered, it's been a tough week.
Good night and I look forward to the time when I can talk about a dog other than Fern.
Sweet dreams
Fern is beautiful. What everyone is saying is spot on. The first two weeks are a roller coaster and I don't think too many will argue that it is way okay to "baby" all over your new tripawd. I brought food and water to my boy Opie for the longest time and the food he got was a step above his usual fare.
Opie's incision leaked for a long time. He developed a large seroma and when it gave way, the amount of fluid that drained was disconcerting. He ended up having many of his stitches remain for about 4 weeks. Everyone's journey is different and yet oddly the same. Fern will be lethargic and lazy for awhile, but after about a month she will likely be tearing around chasing balls and not even aware that she ever had four legs.
Hang in there and give Fern lots of spoiling!
Spirit Opie and Earthly Mattie's mom
Oh yea, I remember those days and nights of no sleep!!!! Glad to hear Fern is doing well. The one thing I noticed with Gus was when he came home I thought he was great, but I think once the drugs wore off the vets had given him he kind of came down a bit, we were fortunate in the sense Gus ate on his own and was climbing stairs the first night, and he had all his movements also. It sounds like Fern is doing quite well, but don't be surprised if you think she is doing well then the next day she seems down again, thats the roller coaster this journey takes you on. Gus had issues with phantom pain , started about 5 days post, if you have to deal with it don't worry, it gets better with time, but his lasted about 4 weeks but by the 4th week they were more less mild whimpers, but it still tears you up when they first get it, so just be ready , hopefuly you won't have to deal with it, Gabapentin was the med we gave him for that. Paws up to you guys, Spirit Gus and Dan
My buddy Gus had a left front amputation on April 7, 2010 and lived a great life until July 26,2010
Beautiful girl, just beautiful! Thank you for posting her picture; a person could just melt in those eyes.
Catie -
Birthday – November 4 2003
Amputation – January 13 2010
Crossed the Bridge – June 2 2011
Today was a very good day....
3 wees, 1 poo, one 'get up and drink by herself' and she was a whole lot brighter.
We went to see the surgeon who was happy with the progress and said that the 'leaking' was a breakdown of fat and 'stuff?' from the skin graft operation and it was what he expected.
He gave us some stuff to clean the wound and after 45 minutes of care we had a pristine puppy (ok almost 10 isn't puppy but she will always be our puppy) and she seemed to thoroughly the attention.
I do hope tomorrow can be as good as today, I am hoping we've finally turned the corner (but we are also prepared for a setback if that's what comes).
I sense a good nights sleep.
Today was an AWESOME day!
We never know what's going to be around the corner, but a good night's sleep will help, no matter what. 
Catie -
Birthday – November 4 2003
Amputation – January 13 2010
Crossed the Bridge – June 2 2011
Good sleep is a good thing. Thanks for the update!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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