Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Polly is doing "phenomenal"! Thats what ive heard twice from the staff@ her hospital (PESC in San Diego - you guys rock!)- "phenomenall"!
She is home now. She is able to walk withouth help (though we are right there to help her). She needs a little help with a towel to balance to pee - im a little nervious about how she will do when its time for a longer squat, if you know what i mean! She fell over once while trying to pee yesterday. They sent her home with a bright blue bandage covered with hearts and flowers - they were so kind to her and to us.
She still has a fentanyl patch that is making her a little doped up, but she will eat canned chicken - yummy! Right now she is just sleeping peacefully on her new cushy bed. Weve explained several times to our toddler that Polly needs to rest, that the doctors took "the bump" away and she will be able to play again in a couple of weeks. So far so good.
The only problem really is that i set up our laundry room to be a sort of kennel for her - its right off the kitchen so she can see and hear and smell us. The important thing for me was to prevent the combination of new tripawd+toddler+fentanyl. But Polly doesnt seem to want to be in there. We will move her bed and try again the next time she gets up - im not about to make her get up and move when she seems so comfy and so happy to be home. I think she was exhausted. She slept so deeply last night when she got home - i think its partly the fentanyl and partly the whole experience.
Thanks again for all of your positive thoughts and prayers and encouragement. Your support& advice have been so important to us!
Great news! Sounds like all is going as well as can be expected. Keep up the good work.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
TAIL SPINNING YIPPE!!! 
Welcome home Polly - rest up and take it easy!!!
No shocker that she wants to be by everyone...see how she does if you move her bed out more into the open where everyone is. Zeus wanted to be by someone the entire time of his recovery...but we didn't have a toddler,. so I can see where that would be a concern.
Keep us posted - we are thrilled to hear that everything so far has gone so well - many prayers for a continuous successful recovery!
Love
Mom and Zeus
Heather and Spirit Zeus - Our life changing journey…from the earth to the heavens…one day at a time…always together
Glad to see Polly is home with the family. Trouble had her patch removed before coming home, so we didn't have much of the 'dopey' side effect, and judging from some of the dosages of rimadyl and tramadol I've seen here, she was on a relatively low dose. She will likely nap a lot the next few days. Wishing Polly a speedy recovery.
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.
Welcome home indeed, best wishes for a speedy full recovery!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Polly is doing well. I took her in today to remove the bandage. The surgeon looked @her incision & it looks really good. not even much bruising. we got our histopath back & it was a nerve sheath tumor (ick). good news is they got it all. we will still follow up w/ onco but i think we are going to be ok! 🙂
Polly is still on tramadol but not having any trouble w/it. it seemsto help. she doesn't seem to want to move around when it wears off. We are happy to have her home and she is starting to act like herself a little more every day (even tried to dig a little in the yard today..not sure how well that is going to work out for her. If she never figures out how to dig again Im going to feel a little guilty about all the times she and i have discussed how many sleeping holes a dog should be allowed to have...) 
take care everyone and thanks for your support!
That is GREAT news! We are very hoppy for Polly and wish her well in her recovery.
And we're gonna bet that she will figure out how to dig again. Tripawds are unstoppable!
Keep us posted. We are thrilled for you guys!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Polly continues to do well; she is on tramadol, which definitely seems to help. However, she is having occasional sudden, sharp pains. Every so often, and without warning, she will "yelp" like somebody has just stepped on her paw. It doesn't seem to matter what she is doing at the time. It has happened while lying down, while walking, and while being petted. We're not sure if one of the nerves that was cut is still firing or if she is getting pinched by her staples, or if something else is going on. We have discussed it with the vet who didnt seem too surprised but also couldnt give us a definitive answer as to why this is happening nor a guarantee that it will eventually stop happening. We are wondering if others here have experienced this as well and what the eventual outcome was?
Thanks again to everyone for your time & support!
I would have your vet prescribe gabapentin for phantom pain . It is cheap and readily available at human pharmacies.
Pam and Tazzie
Re: phantom pain - Marley's acupuncturist came last Friday and she laid a lab stuffed animal next to Marley and put needles in it's left leg - the same leg that Marley is missing. Sounds crazy, but Marley reacted to it! actually not in a good way - she moaned and seemed uncomfortable. Sounds crazy, but she really did!
hope you are able to resolve the random yelps...
Holly and Marley
so @ what point is it considered phantom pain ? I mean she is only 1wk out of surgery today..
Hi kty8, check out this post about Phantom Limb Pain.
Also, here's a good forum thread that talks about it.
We hope it subsides soon. Keep us posted.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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