Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat

Hi Winston's mom, just wanted to let you know that all of you are in my mom's prayers.  Don't give up on Winston and just keep trying, he will come around.  I wonder if all the drugs is what is causing for him to feel like not moving.  I know that when I came home from the hospital and was on my pain medication I didn't want to move at all either and ate very little.  My mom was starting to get worried like you and started to doubt whether they had made the right decision.  Then after the vet said it was okay for me to be off the medication is like a door opened and I started to be more alert and eat a bit more but not right away.  It has been approx 17 days since my surgery and it is now that I am starting to do some of the things I used to like, like play with the frisbee (and not for long as I get tired really quick).  So give Winston some time and I know that with your patience, love and all our prayers everything will get better.  Lots of licks your way, Kellie

hi winston and winston's mom!

sami was pretty out of it after her surgery and was not interested in food. esp. after her chemo, she wouldn't eat anything out of her bowl. we started to hand feed her and it worked. and we tried different types of wet food,scrambled eggs, and some chicken. eventually she started to get her appetite back. and she would whine and cry so much after her surgery. that lasted a little over a week. she seemed so sad and confused. it took her a month or two to really get back into her groove, she is a 14 year old lab. but right now, she is 4 months post-surgery and she is doing so great! she has so much energy and her enormous appetite is back. she seems so happy again! hopefully it is just that winston doesn't feel well and maybe has an upset stomach from the all the meds. i know it is frightening, but you did the right thing and he will get better. like rene always told me, as hard as it is, try to keep positive. it really helps. good luck, we are thinking of you guys!

-samigurrrl and sami's momma 

Hi Winston's Mom,

My story reads like yours and many of the other stories posted.  I was really not myself at all until I came off of the Tramadol.  My personality came back around 2 days after that. My pawrents questioned themselves and hoped that they made the right decision for me.  My mom found herself on this website almost all of the time looking for the same reassurance that you are looking for. It was really difficult, but she needed patience for me to heal. Just like Kellie, all of a sudden "it was like a door opened". I will be 3 weeks post op tomorrow.  I am myself.  I am happy and running around faster then my mom ever thought I would. I have even needed to be reminded that I have rules.

 I hope that your story plays out like so many others here.

Best wishes to Winston,  Charlie Brown and his mom (Wendy)

Hello Carolyn & Winston,

    I know the feeling. I sleep with my Buster post amp.... since he can't make it up the steps or rather if he does ,coming down a flight of 13 steps make me too nervous. So I've been sleeping in the spare bedroom downstairs , since he is nocturnal and has too go out in the middle of the night and I like to comfort his cries when he shifts his weight. It has created some tension between myself & my boyfriend.  It's been 12 days post amp.... Temporary. I've had Buster 9years and my boyfriend 7 months.... so Buster wins!!!
  Hope Winston is doing better. My dogie is a forelimb amputee and  I have noticed his remaining forelimb is flexed . He is having his staples taken out on Monday & his forelimb checked out as well..PS He also had an ACL repair on his hind-leg over a year a half ago. So don't worry ..... they are stronger they we give em credit for.... I've tried to walk Buster like before but i know he runs out of steam very quickly and I don't want to stress or put too much pressure on him. Another tripawd mentioned that once an amputee a too long of a walk can actually hurt their spine as well.. Truth or fiction?? Another question for the DR...

KIM&BUSTER