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Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat

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Nicholas, 8 year old Newfoundland goes in for surgery tonight (Newf, Newfie)
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8 August 2023 - 6:13 pm
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Sunday August 6, 52 days post op Still tired but the swelling is almost down so he lay around most of the day.

Monday, August 7 53 days post op Feels better. We took a long walk in the afternoon along the river, about the equivalent of walking around a city block, and he did well but lay down at the end.

Tuesday, August 8 54 days,  Nicky's therapist says he's moving well but found sore muscles on his lower back. We think the vaccine cyst developed Friday morning during swimming, making his movement painful and caused him to pull a muscle as he was backed into the pool. So then on Friday he was experiencing lower back pain along with pain from the large swelling.... no wonder he whimpered and hunched over when he moved! I feel awful for not listening to him. He didn't want to go back in that pool again!  He had quite a lot of medication right after the surgery, so this is the first time he has actually experienced pain from all this. I'll still order the carprofen and see how the metronomic therapy goes but I know I will not put him through pain like this or disorientation from drugs again. He is just too present a being. Anyway, now he feels wonderful and bouncy after his massage.

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The Rainbow Bridge



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9 August 2023 - 9:20 am
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Aww glad he feels better! Don't beat yourself up, this is a learning situation for us and most people including myself make mistakes along the way. You got him to rehab which is terrific! It's great to have a credentialed coach isn't it?

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13 August 2023 - 3:02 pm
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Tuesday, August 13 59 days post op, over just over two months. I didn't do anything about ordering the metronomic carprofen last week because I wouldn't have been able to see how he was tolerating it considering his back muscle pain. He sees quite recovered from that and the Yale cyst, at least he does not adjust his position when I press on those areas. So we will see about the order on Monday. My instinct says no, but we'll give it a try.

My vet has known Nick since puppyhood, and his reaction at the beginning of this was, "he's a strong, healthy dog and he'll recover physically from the amputation, but sometimes giant dogs just give up. He's such a character, such a sweet dog (until he isn't), you may not quite have the Nicholas you know back afterwards." So I've paid attention to that warning and been very careful to keep Nicky's spirits positive, to cheer his progress, to give him choices to think about, and to thank him when he contributes to our family (welcoming strangers, barking at the "bad guys" in the side field, standing to help me get up) Still, we've had a week with no progress markers, and he's shown very little initiative to explore on his own or even "newfervise" Truman's carpentry outdoors. He's decided he won't deal with the front steps, (back issues?) thus cannot come up for dinner so we eat outside with him. Loves outings in the car with us.  Great appetite, lets me know when it's 5:28 and time to start cooking as usual. Newfs are thinkers and problem solvers, and his world is so restricted at this point that he has no problems to solve.

And then there is moving that giant heavy boned body around. His legless weight has gone from 130 to 124 with no treats.(!) I notice that when he's on smooth ground like the cemetary he moves faster and the momentum makes it easier to run than walk slowly, but aside from boring up and down the driveway at home there isn't a big safe place to run like that.

However, I have to stop worrying and remember what it is like for black Newfs when the temperature is in the 90's and maybe take him to the dog park at 7 or 8AM, keeping in mind the bloat/torsion no excercise and hour before and after breakfast rule.. He used to spend the day from 9 to 5  on the tile floor in our bathroom when it got this hot! We sent our therapist a picture of teenage Nicky licking his cow friend's nose and she said, "I thoroughly enjoy Nicholas.  He is a giant, gentle, loving soul and such a joy to be with." Really, among all the worderful dogs we've had, Nick is just different. 

Thanks for letting me use this Forum to journal, and for all your responses,

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New England
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13 August 2023 - 3:17 pm
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As far as having no problems to solve, have you thought about feeding his meals using a puzzle toy? My dogs get very excited when I serve up dinner in a puzzle toy. I have quite a few, but I'm not sure any in my collection would accommodate the snout size of a giant breed like Nick. My dogs are in the 35-40lb range. Tempest has given herself a fat lip trying to shove her snout into a puzzle toy that was a little small, so size definitely matters. 

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13 August 2023 - 3:36 pm
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Thanks for Tempest's feedback!smiley2 Now I remember that pre op we put an earthenware cup upside down in his dish so he had to move the cup around to get his food, and I'd stopped doing that during his recovery. So we'll put it back. I've just got to remember these details to make life a little more challenging and rewarding for him. I could try a snuffle mat with some of the kibble too. 

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13 August 2023 - 4:04 pm
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Snuffle mats are great with kibble! Although you might need a couple mats to make a meal for a newf challenging! 

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Colorado
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14 August 2023 - 11:08 am
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To add on to mischief's comment I LOVED finding different mental stimulation games. Other things that I did was Ellie was saving up smaller cardboard boxes and you take one small box put some food in it, close it up, put it in another box with a little food and close that one up- so they have to figure out how to get into it and if it's their style rip it up in the process (which wasn't ever Ellie's style, so not sure why I was always so excited about that prospect, haha). There's a video on it somewhere, I'll see if I can find it.  I also started teaching her a few new skills that weren't super active like "touch" it was a cool way for us to bond a bit, she gets mental stimulation, and fed win win win!

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Virginia



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14 August 2023 - 1:52 pm
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Hijacking the thread a little:

Whitney...ues, hope you can find that video and post!  Gonna try that with my blind Merry Myrtle..  She likes tearing up boxes  but does ot way to quickly.  Finding a treat in each box may slow down the process a little.  

Now, back to Nick.  Only "dog people" understand how perfectly  "normal" it would  be to move our"dining area" outside so we can eat with our dogs by our side. 😎

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!

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14 August 2023 - 2:13 pm
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You are all great cheerer uppers! I'll try the box trick. We took Nick on a dog park excursion at 8AM this morning and he was so bouncy and happy, met some new friends, charmed everyone. Was a very good boy off leash. So I just have to get going in the morning and then he can sleep off the rest of this hot day and I won't feel guilty about no exercise. It does mean I have to get up a six and feed him so he can wait an hour but that's very doable in this awful heat. It's supposed to be over 100 today, unbearable for West Coast Oregonians.

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Virginia



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14 August 2023 - 2:24 pm
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  I have to get up a six and feed him so he can wait an hour but that's very doable in this awful heat.

 

Hahaha.......Again, only dog people know the lengths we go to for the love pf our dogs.

 

And this is so true:

    I have to stop worrying and remember what it is like for black Newfs when the temperature is in the 90'

Without question the heat takes it's toll on all"beings"

 

    a picture of teenage Nicky licking his cow friend's nose a

   Okay, we need to see that pocture please---!

Give yourself a pat on the baxk.  You're  doing great!!!

Hugs

Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!

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!

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14 August 2023 - 3:50 pm
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Nicholas and the cowsImage Enlarger

Nicholas is about a year old here. He just wanted to love everything within reach,,, dogs people cows... sometimes to their distress!

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Virginia



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14 August 2023 - 4:18 pm
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We sure did need a smile making picture and Nicholas  and his BFF cows delivered😎

  Absolutely  one of the most adorable pictures evvvver!  And to see "puppy Nick" as a youngster so precious.

THANKS!!!!!!

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!

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14 August 2023 - 5:15 pm
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I finally followed the instructions and it was easy. Here is a picture from Nick's Newfie Swim party.

Can you find the three legged Newf?

 

Newf party at no name lake 2023Image Enlarger

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Colorado
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15 August 2023 - 8:01 am
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It took me a while but is he on right next to the man looking down?  I'm honestly not 100% confident in that!! Haha, he really does blend in.

Loveeeee this photo, what a fun cool event!

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Virginia



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15 August 2023 - 8:09 am
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Suzanne, don't give us the answer to the puzzle yet. I'm still trying to figure it out. I'm trying to count the legs of the one that sort of in the middle standing but I can't make my screen large enough.

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!

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