Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Sounds like a pretty good homecoming to me! He's probably just loopy from all the meds, and he WILL quickly learn that one does not have to lift one's leg to pee! 
Kermit is almost 10 weeks past his surgery & I still don't let him do too many stairs. We have a ramp for the 5 steps in the back & any more than that I just carry him up or down... he was never terribly agile to begin with, so it's just not worth the risk to me. So the fact that your boy did ANY stairs on his first day home is pretty amazing to me!
That's wonderful that you actually took your bed apart for him! I had an extra mattress on the floor in our bedroom where Kermit & I slept for about 6 weeks... I actually miss having it now that he's back in our regular bed because he was able to get off the mattress to go out or get water or just lay on the floor whenever he wanted to.
The first several days of recovery seem to take forever but once the real improvement starts it goes by leaps & bounds, keep the faith, you're both doing great!
I think most all of us have felt what you are feeling. I was absolutely sure I had done the wrong thing by choosing amputation for my pug Maggie. The first few days can be really hard- but it is harder on you than Ramsey. Stay positive and you will see little improvements as you go along. Focus on the victories- eating, getting around on his own even for a few steps. The restlessness can be pain, but it also can be the pain meds. Maggie was agitated on tramadol (although my other two pugs take it without any issues). This was a huge surgery and he needs time to get used to his new normal. There are a lucky few pups who seem to take it in stride, but for most of us there were lots of ups and downs and lots of worries the first couple weeks.
He actually sounds like he is doing pretty well. It will get better!
Karen
Yeah Steve, it is gonna be rough for a little while.....and it will be hard to watch him adjust and be hurting for a little while.....and you will be second guessing yourself for a little while.........and when the recovery REALLY starts kicking in...kinda' inconsistently at first........you will KNOW it was exactly what. needed to be done and you will be soooooo glad you gave her a pain free life full of love and joy:-) 
And YAY that eating and peeing are taking place already:-)
If you have a chance, take a look at the "thread/post" that starts with-------
Six days after amputation and SCARED I made wrong decision................hopefully it will help and tons of good responses there that helped me immensely!!
Happy Hannah is now twelve weeks out......a young senior.....Overweight. (120_123 lbs before amputation). And I am thrilled beyond words at how happy and joyful she is....and I am:-) Each day is a true treasure and the bond is not of the earthly world:-)
Just one suggestion that I'm sure you already know, stairs can be very hard at first after surgery and some have pulled stitches out' etc. Really glad you are able to lift.....but are you able to build a ramp? Might help your back:-)
Still will have some rough days ahead as recovery continues......sounds like walking is already being mastered pretty quickly though and that's great:-)
Please keep us posted.
The two of you are so strong and the sparkle will come back......PROMISE:-)
Sally and Happy Hannah
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!
Thanks all for the encouraging words. I just have to hang in there and each day should get a bit better. I have no doubt that it's mentally tougher for me than him. I had him out before and it looks like he's mastered the art of peeing without lifting a leg! I let him lay in the sun for awhile but it was hard trying to get him back inside. Even chicken didn't work as well as I had hoped.
Anyways, thanks again. It's just good to be able to let off a bit to people who have been there, done that.
It IS hard--but seriously, he will bounce back quickly. Even for those pups who take their time getting going again (see Sally and Hannah ), it really is remarkably quick. Think about it--we're amputating a LEG. People take months, YEARS to adjust sometimes. A few days of wooginess (even weeks), while hard to see, are just a drop in the bucket in his long life <3
We didn't have a stair struggle (well, we did...but it was to keep him OFF the stairs), but I did sleep downstairs on the living room floor with Sam for the first week. The first two or so nights (?), as the meds left his system he was whiny/groany/restless. After that, he was totally fine, and I think *I* was the only reason I was down there sleeping with him 
You'll get there...at first all of the little things will seem to take forever, and like a huge disruption (esp. having other pets like you do...which I totally get, as we have two dogs and four cats, and one of those is also "special needs"). BUT you settle into a rythm, and eventually stuff sorts out. I swear
"Let us think the unthinkable, let us do the undoable, let us prepare to grapple with the ineffable itself, and see if we may not eff it after all."
-Douglas Adams, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency
"May I recommend serenity to you? A life that is burdened with expectations is a heavy life. Its fruit is sorrow and disappointment. Learn to be one with the joy of the moment."
-Douglas Adams, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul
Sally, I read your thread. Wow! You and Hannah had it rough. I'm glad everything is working out and the chemo seemed successful. Congratulations to you and Hannah. Thank you for your kind words. It encourages me to stay the course and see this through.
mmrocker13-Sam's a good looking dog. Thanks for your advice. The stair thing is the hardest right now. Hopefully it will work itself out.
Hi Steve and Ramsay, just try to take some deep breathes and read Jerry's ebooks. My big Great Dane Atlas just had his front left limb amputated three weeks ago today due to Osteosarcoma. The main thing I would share is that the pain meds made him act very different that his normal self. Sometimes he just seemed confused, sometimes he didn't want me touching him, other times he was clingy, sometimes he looked just weird like he was hallucinating psychedelic squirrels. But once we got past the two week point and the staples came out and no more Tramadol, he was his old self. I had a ramp made for our four stairs and will NOT let him navigate stairs ever again if I can help it, I'm all about protecting those remaining legs. The other thing I would share is that Atlas fed a lot off my energy and when I started going about the normal routines that he was used to with his sissy great dane, he really started to thrive. (Feeding routine, potty routine, nap time, using words, commands that he knew, etc...) this is all still so new and scary for us all, sometimes I still just burst into tears and whenever I do Atlas lifts his head and looks at me wondering what are we upset about. That's when my husband sends me out to the porch to regroup so I don't upset Atlas. 
Hang in there, it gets easier and you have found the most wonderful group of folks to help you along the way. Don't know what I would have done without them either. Keep us posted on Ramsay!
Patricia & Atlas
Thanks Patricia for your comments. I appreciate your and everyone else's support. This is a fantastic site. Btw, Atlas is a handsome boy. I thought about a ramp but will see how he does once the staples are out and I put a harness on that has a handle so I can carry some of his weight. If that doesn't work, a ramp it will be.
Ramsay did better last night. He also appears to be walking a bit better. Still tried to raise a leg to pee though. I guess a lifetime ritual is hard to overcome. This morning he actually laid on the side of his amputation, but cried a bit when he rolled over to get onto his stomach. I don't know if that will fade or be permanent.
Steve that's a great sign he's already trying to lay on his amp side. Fear not, most dogs will eventually do it without any yelping or pain. It's just a matter of time. Hang in there!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hey Steve,
Maggie was a rear amp and she carefully kept away from her amp side for weeks. Eventually it became the side on which she preferred to sleep. She also developed this move where she would fall into a sit, landing on her amp side, to change directions on slippery surfaces.
I've heard of a few boy dogs here who figured out a way to lift a leg...you never know. Maggie had to spin in tight circles with her nose near the ground before she would poop. She did that from the time I met her at 10 weeks old. She would try and spin after her amp, and fall every time. The pitiful look she gave me just killed me. She kept trying, and on day 6 or 7 she kept her balance and pooped! I hadn't been so excited about pug poop since I house trained her.
You guys are doing great- stay positive, soon Ramsey will be amazing and inspiring you.
Karen
Kermit was re-learning how to lift his leg to pee before his crash down the stairs last weekend... it was so cute to see him learning to balance on 2 legs! And really pretty remarkable when you think about it!
Your boy sounds like he's doing great.
Just one more quickie........For Happy Hannah, laying on her rear leg amp. site seemed to be in direct correlation with her finally getting g off pain meds and the site itself not hurting anymore. For her, it took about three weeks. Up to that point she shied away from leaning towards it while sitting g and always laying on her "good" side. Of course with our perfect dogs there are only GOOD sides:-)
That old life lesson of patience is all rolled up in this recovery period, huh??
Keep us posted when you can!
Sally and Happy Hanna
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!
Karen-Congrats to Maggie for learning to spin and stay upright!
It's still hard for Ramsay to steady himself to poop but so far he hasn't fallen.
Ramsay is still trying to raise a leg. He's pretty wobbly. With time maybe he'll get the hang of it. He also hasn't gone back onto his amp side but I guess with time he'll do so. He still follows me about the house. I try to stay in one room so he doesn't have to constantly get up. Is this a good thing or should I move about to get him used to getting up and walking? He only goes out three times a day at the moment. The vet's instructions were to keep him quiet and confined indoors. On the plus side, he looks to be healing well. There is no redness about the incision. Thanks all for your support.
steve64 said
I try to stay in one room so he doesn't have to constantly get up. Is this a good thing or should I move about to get him used to getting up and walking? He only goes out three times a day at the moment. The vet's instructions were to keep him quiet and confined indoors
I think that keeping him mellow and indoors right now is exactly perfect. As long as he's willing to go potty, is eating and eliminating, that's all he really needs right now. Rest is so healing for dogs and people alike after a major surgery like this.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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