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Our 175 lb Mastiff, Atlas's story
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Member Since:
29 June 2018
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13 July 2018 - 5:16 pm
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Atlas's surgery went well today. Just talked to the vet and he was already trying to stand, though he's too groggy from all the medicine. They've moved him to recovery for the night and will let us know if we can pick him up tomorrow. He had a bad reaction to the codeine we tried after the aspiration so along with the fentanyl patch he's going to give him the Gabapentin. I'm very happy about that. I feel like I can breathe now! Can't wait to have him home, though I know it's going to be a long couple weeks. Thanks for all the support!!

On The Road


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24 September 2009
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13 July 2018 - 5:49 pm
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That is fantastic news, soooo glad to hear he's on the road to recovery! Thank you for the update, please keep us posted and holler with any questions.

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

Virginia



Member Since:
22 February 2013
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13 July 2018 - 9:30 pm
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YAAAAAAAAY FOR THE  MIGHTY ATLAS!!!😄😄   I know you are so relieved!!!

You get some good rest, okay?  Atlas is seeing pink elephants and is in really good hands!  Now don't  be surprised  at all of they keep him a second  night.  Sometimes  bigger pups need an extra night or two after this MAJOR surgery.  And no worries if it takes several days to take a few steps...also "normal" for larger dogs.

4ealky glad yoire getting the Gabapentin too.  After the Fentynal patch wears off, maybe you  can conbince him to give you Tramadol  too.  It works hand in hand with the Gaba.

HAPPY DANCE GOING ON ALL OVER TRIPAWD LAND!!!

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!

Member Since:
29 June 2018
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14 July 2018 - 12:46 pm
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Atlas is home!!!!!laughingSo far, so good. He's actually hopping pretty well with the help of a sling, and he's pretty alert. He was so happy to be going home, he actually ran up the ramp into the truck, which I think shocked the vet. I'm so proud of our boy, he's such a trooper and is now resting comfortably. It really helped seeing all the pictures on here, I wasn't even that shocked by his missing leg, just happy to have him back with us. Now to get through the next few weeks without any complications. *fingers crossed*

On The Road


Member Since:
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14 July 2018 - 1:32 pm
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We are proud of him too! So glad things are going well. Hope you have a relaxing weekend, please let us know if we can help answer any questions. If you'd like to share photos, here is a forum post that explains adding images to the Forums.

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

Virginia



Member Since:
22 February 2013
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14 July 2018 - 9:39 pm
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HIP HIP HOORAY!!   ATLAS IS A TRIPAWD MACHINE!!!clap  I know you are soooo thrilled  to have him home!  And mobile already (with sling help counts).  WOW!!

Drinking  and peeing  are import.  Don't  worry too much about eating and pooping at this point.  

If I recall, he's coming  home with the patch.  That can make them a bit whacko  and confused  sometimes, so don't  be alarmed IF that happens (and it may not).

Stay connected  and keep us updated.  Recovery  is no picnic  at first.

Hugs  and a great big smooch to Atlas🤗

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!


Member Since:
22 August 2008
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14 July 2018 - 10:07 pm
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Good news!  Since he is a big boy keep an eye out for a seroma at the surgery site.  I wrapped Tazzie and put a tshirt on her.  Not all dogs get these but it seems more common in the giant breeds.

Pam

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16 July 2018 - 7:23 am
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Thanks, Pam... will watch for that. So far, so good. His appetite is back to normal and he's already pooped. big-grinHe does get tired making that trip to go potty but I know it will take time to build up the strength and get adjusted. Our main problem is he doesn't like being confined in the gates in the livingroom, so he's complaining a lot while staring at us and making us feel guilty. When we go in and sit with him, he's all wagging tail and content. How long did you guys keep them confined? Until the stitches come out?

On The Road


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16 July 2018 - 9:34 am
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Wow, eating and pooping? YAY! poopicon_png

How long did you guys keep them confined? Until the stitches come out?

That's a good guideline, since you really don't want him to do anything that would break a stitch or pop a staple.

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet


Member Since:
21 May 2016
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16 July 2018 - 2:39 pm
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Hey there 😊

I'm late for the pawty but just wanted to say wohoooo to Atlas, SOOOO happy he had his surgery and is recovering so well 👌🏾

Will be following his progress and cheering for you both 😀

Sending much love and XL cuddles to your cutie pie 😘🐮💫✨🌟🌹

Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-) 

Member Since:
1 October 2017
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16 July 2018 - 8:27 pm
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Atlas and family,

That is just the most awesome news! Please keep your gentle giant quiet, stink eye looks or not 😉  Many of the giant babies can have unwanted complications that set them behind by weeks. 

Routing for you all, so glad that he had such a strong and happy will. Keeping him quiet until his incision is totally healed, even if that's a week or so after suture/staple removal will definitely be in all of your best interest!

Hugs,

Jackie and Huck ❤️

Hugs,

Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry

Huckleberry's Blog


Member Since:
22 August 2008
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16 July 2018 - 8:48 pm
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I have to admit that I slept downstairs on a mattress next to the dog for the full 2 weeks!  Mastiffs do not like to be away from their people but if he does stairs too soon then he might pop some sutures.  I would keep him confined at least 10 days....

Pam

Member Since:
29 June 2018
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17 July 2018 - 8:29 am
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So true. We also have our mattress in the living room right beside his cage. But, that's not good enough for him... he's a talker/complainer. We've had to let him lay by us for a bit every few hours to keep him from trying to push over his gates. He's literally standing there butting the gates with his head. Yes, STANDING. Sigh... my heart. Next hurdle: His fentanyl patches wear off sometime tonight, so hopefully the pain will still be under control with the gabapentin. I also have tramadol if we need it (which the vet surgeon says doesn't work for this kind of pain) or codeine (which gave him diarrhea & knocked him flat on his butt) so hard choice.  

Besides Tazzie, Eurydice was one of the other bigger dogs on here who helped make this decision easier. If she could do so well with her lanky, tall frame I knew Atlas could, too. What an inspiring life she had! big-grin

Virginia



Member Since:
22 February 2013
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17 July 2018 - 9:00 am
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OH ATLAS!!  Making me smile ear ro ear over here!!  Good thing your hoomans  let you out of that jail cell!  I do believe  you would barrel  your way out of there eventually!!!

I've  had dogs all my life (I'm  not ancient, but old) and nothing seems to disturb them more than having their sleeping  habits disrupted.  My dogs have   ALWAYS slept  with  me so, like Tazzie and Atlas, I put a mattress  downstairs and slept with mh Happy Hannah (and my other doggy) that way for almost her entire  year and two months.  As a rear legger,  she was never able to go up the steep stairs in my home (old home). 

So my for whatever it's  worth, if letting Atlas out to sleep with you keeps her calm and reassured, I think that's  a good way to help her heal. 😎

Hopefully  the Gaba will be enough to keep the edge off.  As you've  already seen from the site,  obviously   most Vets here believe  Gabapentin  AND Tramadol  work well together in their own individual  way while complimenting  each other.  Is the Gaba prescribed  three times a day (every eight hours)?

Sounds like Atlas us doing really,  really well!,   And YAY for standing!!!

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!

Member Since:
29 June 2018
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30 July 2018 - 2:21 pm
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Well, Atlas made it past the 2 week mark and things are going fairly well. He did get a slight topical infection in one spot that had to be treated and re-stapled. So, we're not quite out of the woods with healing yet but he's on antibiotics. He also had his first chemo on Thursday. So far no loss of appetite or sickness. As far as being mobile, he's having no issues with that. He even climbs up and down on the couch now without any issue, though the first time he did it scared us. That's where he's happiest, so we let him up there.

He also did get some fluid build-up under the surgery site, so he's wearing a thunder-shirt to compress the area. Yes, they do make thunder-shirts big enough! laughing

Posting a pic from IG (cuz it's the easiest way lol) This was Thursday, after chemo.

https://www.ins.....soesposito

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