Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Koda celebrated his 10 month ampuversary last week and he seems to be doing well (I am always so afraid I am going to jinx us when I write that)...
Zac and I have a holiday planned for next month, we will be heading to parts of Europe and then over to the US to visit Zac's family and well of course stop in Vegas. But there is a part of me that is feeling guilty and scared of leaving our boy as it was in July last year he was diagnosed and it was the last week of our trip back to the US last year.
My house mate has already told me she is a nervous wreck thinking about us not being here and we have had the chat that I fully trust her to be with Koda and make the best decisions and of course I will be ringing her every second day to check on him, but I am praying that he doesn't think we have abandoned him and he doesn't give up that fighting spirit in the time we are away...
I have set up Skype so I can talk to him and see him... I don't know if I will freak him out even more though as he will respond to me calling him but he doesn't seem to see a person on teh computer screen, my girlfriend and I tested it the other day and he had a worried look on his face trying to find where the person calling his name was. Bless him 🙂 Has anyone Skyped their pooches while they have been seperated????
I know the guilt is starting to play on me, as it is getting colder here and Koda badly needed a bath, (and we have had overcast weather so I hadn't had a nice sunny day to do it) I took him down to the Doggy pamper parlour and asked the guy for a price list. He said they did a $20 dollar wash which was a wash and blow dry, I didn't want him to be cold and uncomfortable at all. I asked him was there a more "deluxe" pampering.... I then explained that my dog needs the works as he has 3 legs and has cancer and needs a delux bath wash as he won't be around forever to have one... The guy was nice and sincere and he then explained to me that the $60 pamperings were for dogs like Poodles or dogs who needed their coats thinned (or whatever the process is called...) So we went with the $20 wash and blow dry and he was all cuddly again. Guilty much????
I know that we have to continue on with our lives and things can't stop for our animals (I know they do though 🙂 but one would think I was on count down with our trip being less than 3 weeks away but in a weird way I am not... I am excited about going but I know I will not see Koda for 4 weeks and that part is killing me.... I am so lucky though that he can stay in his own house and he loves our housemate and her son and they spoil him all the time. I just hope and pray he doesn't think we are abandoning him... Our cat will be here with him and they cuddle up together.
Just after we get back we will have plenty of reasons to celebrate as it will be 12 months post amp!!!!!
I posted on one of Magic's posts that Koda has also made a chokingnoise on a couple of occasions (reminded me of a cat coughing up a furball) and I am praying it was not a cough. Hard to tell as he put his nose down as if he was trying to cough something up???? Koda has his check up and needles before we go away and I am tempted to do lung Xrays then as we haven't done them in 4 months. If we were to ever find any lung mets I want to start his medications straight away (similar to the Metronomics)... So I am wanting to find them at their earliest stages.... I think he just sneezed then but whenever he makes a noise like that I am hoping it is not actually a cough. When a dog coughs do they cough with their mouth open or closed and is it a moist sounding cough????? As if they are trying to cough something up????
Well thanks for reading and listening to me waffle on. This is me trying to talk myself out of feeling guilty
Storm and of course Koda:)
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Four weeks is a really long time to be away from a pet that has had the kind of health issues Koda has. I understand your guilt. I would be in a panic. I chose not to go on a trip to New York in August because I didn't want to leave Trouble at the kennel for 15 days. Hubby can make that one on his own, I'll stay here with my baby! We become super attached and probably overprotective of the cancer dogs.
You are lucky Koda will be at home during your trip. Yes, I'm sure he will miss you, but his surroundings won't change. I have to kennel mine, and while Trouble loves to go to the kennel - it isn't like her being at home. If I could leave Trouble at home with someone to care for her, I wouldn't be nearly as apprehensive about a long trip.
It will be hard for you, but go and enjoy your trip. Koda will be just fine at home with your friend.
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.
Happy 10 month ampuversary Kod!!! 
I can just imagine how you're feeling about leaving Koda alone for a couple of weeks... But Koda seems to be doing fine... and will be in his own home with his own cat... and with people that he loves.
My hubby and I have never both left our doggies alone (even before the cancer)... Whenever we'd go back home to Montreal to visit our family, only one of us would go at a time... and the other would stay home with our babies... But that's just us... Guess we're just weird like that... 
Just make sure that your friend has all the vet emergency tel #'s... and do the Skype thing... Try to enjoy yourselves on your vacation... You deserve it!!! I don't think that animals can tell time too well. One week or 4 weeks might just feel the same to them. I know that whenever I'd leave my house for just an hour to do some shopping... Wolfie and Jake would be so excited when I'd come home. As if I'd been gone all day... or for a week! Silly doggies... 
Angel Jake's Mom
Jake, 10yr old golden retriever (fractured his front right leg on 9/1, bone biopsy revealed osteosarcoma on 9/10, amputation on 9/17) and his family Marguerite, Jacques and Wolfie, 5yr old german shepherd and the newest addition to the family, Nala, a 7mth old Bengal mix kittie. Jake lost his battle on 11/9/2009, almost 8 weeks after his surgery. We will never forget our sweet golden angel… http://jakesjou.....ipawds.com ….. CANCER SUCKS!
Storm said:
... well of course stop in Vegas.
Perhaps you'll get a chance to meet Comet! 
Regarding the cough ... when Jerry's mets got really bad, it sounded moerw like a deep wet hack. Regarding the guilt, try to Be More Dog and enjoy your travels kniowingthat Koda is in good hands. And as for Skyping with pets, what will we think of next!?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
My Mom understands how you feel. She felt guilty just leaving me at home when she and Dad went out running errands (but it worked in my favor because the would always come back with a treat for me!).
What I can say is this: to us dogs, four weeks is the same as four hours. It really doesn't matter to us, because we can't add or look at days on the calendar. So your four weeks might seem like a long time to you, but to us, as long as you come home with the same amount of love as you had when you left us (and some treats help too!), we'll keep on loving you with the same gusto we did as before.
We live in the now. You must too. Go out and experience life, enjoy yourself and know that it's what we dogs want for our humans. Please don't feel guilty, because you know, I don't even know what "guilt" is but it sure sounds bad. And we dogs definitely don't want our humans to feel bad.
Skyping...what a great idea!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hoppy 10 months, Koda! You are pawesome!!!
Have a fantastic vacation Storm - what a trip! You just remind Koda that someone needs to stay home and protect the house and since he's kicking cancer's butt, you know he's totally up for the job and you really appreciate it. That's what I do when I feel guilty about leaving my dog behind. I ask them to do something for me. Yoda I would ask to watch the house. Gerry I ask to hold down the couch, in case the earth's gravity starts to weaken or something.
Gerry has been a tripawd since 12/16/2009.
He was a shelter dog with a mysterious past and an irrepairable knee injury.
Videos and pics of Gerry's pawesomeness can be found at: http://gerry.tripawds.com
wow, Koda is doing so so good. I am so impressed and he will get to stay home and be with people he loves in a house he is familiar with and his cat to cuddle up to. Not saying he won't miss you, but just think how happy he will be when you walk through that door.
Try not to worry (ha, listen to ME saying that) and have a great time on your trip. Remember your human families need to have connections with you too, so look at it that way!!
Thanks all for your kind words. I am very fortunate that we have a wonderful housemate who loves Koda as her own and that he can stay here in his own surroundings on his own bed and not have to go to a Kennel. It is probably the only thing holding me together about leaving him right now. I am going to give her every phone number imaginable and she will have my parents number and my brothers (as he lives close by) in case a decision has to be made. I will leave the phone number to all of the hotels we are staying at in case she has to get a message to me. But hopefully we won't need all of that!!!
Gerry's mum, what a great idea, I will start telling Koda straight away about his responsilbility of looking after the house while we are away. I am sure he will give me that look where he tilts his head to the side as if to say "what are you trying to tell me woman???"...
I sure hope that he can't tell the length of time. And we are going to use Skype so I will get to see my baby, I think that is going to do more good for me than Koda 🙂
Koda told me that I so didn't make him look cool when I said that he cuddles up with the cat 🙂 Just to get the story straight, he does chase any other cat besides ours. I told him that he values family 
Well we are off to go and spend some time in the yard. Zac is mowing the yard and Koda is lieing out on the grass enjoying the warmth of the sun.
Thanks again for all of your support and help...
Storm and Koda:)
Take it from Comet's Crazy Mom...GO! My husband and I have only taken 2 vacations in 11 years - thanks to having Comet. I regret it. No one can touch her and she's so afraid with out me, I just won't do it. Everyone, including my vet knows I will not leave her alone for more than a few hours and I would never let her spend a night at the vet's. But it's my issue mostly.
The first time we took a vacation, she was a puppy and we had a house sitter - and no, the sitter never was able to touch her in 7 days! And the second vacation was to hideous Acapulco and my mom house sat. (it sounded so wonderful - we even had a casita with our own pool) Well, I was distraught with worry on our trip to Acapulco and because it was so nasty (and expensive) - we only stayed two nights and flew back.
Comet really did fine without me when my mom watched her. She struggled the first night and went upstairs and slept in her bed while my mom and Rugby slept in the downstairs bedroom. And she slept upstairs until noon! My mom got worried and sent Rugby to go get her. She had a rough night but she was fine. The second night, she slept in the bed I made her by my mother. But my mom said she worked on her bed by fluffing and scratching it for 15 minutes trying to get it right. I had put my robe in it with her.
Comet really was fine. It was crazy me that wasn't. And truthfully, I've coddled her too much over the years. She would have been a better dog, had I not let the fear of her getting hurt make all my decisions. She and I feed each other's fears. We make a terrible pair! I always believed that I am the one and only one that can protect her! But then again, I'm a control freak!
My point to this long story...you can't stop living. Don't let fear dictate you. Koda is not going to think you've abandoned him! He's going to be fine. And unless the planes stop running because of volcanoes, you can always catch a flight home if you need to!
Yes! You can come see Comet here in Vegas! And while you're here, be sure to take a drive and see what the foreclosure capital of world looks like! 14.2% unemployment rate sure doesn't have a pretty face!
Comet's mom
Comet - 1999 to 2011
She departed us unexpectedly January 23, 2011 at the age of 12 1/2.
She was born with a deformed front leg and a tripawd all of her life.
Congrats on your ampuversary Koda!! YIPPIE!! YAHOO!!! WOW!!!
Jerry is right - guilt - what a HORRIBLE feeling!!! And you know what? Our fur babies would NOT want us to feel that way AT ALL! They are live in the moment and always be hoppy kind of souls.
We had a 10 day trip to Switzerland planned and it was scheduled for over a year when we had to amputate. Wow - the guilt of going on THAT trip!! Zeus was about 3 months post amputation and I missed his last chemo treatment, but he (and Buddy) got to stay in their own home and my dad came from Ohio to Maryland to stay with my boys for me so I could at LEAST try and have a good time. And you know what? I actually had a great time and probably needed the stress relief as much as I did hate to be away from Zeus. Now, I do admit that I ran up my phone bill calling from there to the U.S., but it's what I needed to do to make sure everything was OK. I love the skype idea!!!
We are told by so many that dogs don't understand time...which is probably why they are so able to live in and enjoy the here and now much better than we can. It sounds like Koda is in wonderful hands and you should go on your trip without guilt or worry. Learn from Koda and live in the moment....enjoy your vacation and look forward to the moment that you are reunited. JUST in case - you can always hop a plane home....you have that option if you need it, but it doesn't sound like you will with how FABULOUSLY your boy is doing
Much love and safe travels,
Heather and Spirit Zeus
Heather and Spirit Zeus - Our life changing journey…from the earth to the heavens…one day at a time…always together
Comet's mum, I had heard Vegas was seeing a lot of foreclosures this time last year before we headed over, but now that 12 months has passed I guess it is getting worse. How far out of town do you have to go to see it, not that I want to see that negativity of people losing their homes but I had a friend ask me did I see any of it during our last trip and I hadn't. When you are in Vegas as a tourist it is hard to imagine residential areas around there, but all of those people working in the casinos, driving cabs etc have to live somewhere. I hope I am not sounding naive here but it is so true.
Heather, the sucky part about a trip away for a holiday is that I don't want to spend it counting down the days until it is over so I can see Koda as it is meant to be enjoyable and where you wish it to never end. I know once we get on that plane I will be excited for it and I have started to feel excited, although I know I have a lot to do between now and when we go away.
I will be fine, well mostly fine 🙂 I will see him via Skype so that will help!!!!!
Storm and Koda
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