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.

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,

Thanks for Tempest's feedback! 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. 

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.

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

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?