More information would be helpful; as asked above, what meds is she on? Also, did she come home from the vet the same day as the surgery? Was she able to stand up and hop on her own before they sent her home? Has she stayed the same so far or gotten worse? Is she eating & drinking? Do you have any kind of harness or sling to help lift & stabilize her?

The first few days can be awful, but rest assured that it does get better. And it gets better in fits & starts, not necessarily on a gradual upswing.

If you're truly frightened that something is horribly wrong, dont hesitate to call your vet, that's what they're there for... But if you can pop back in with some more info we can probably offer some assistance.

Ashley is still taking medication she is on a patch that is suppose to work fro 3 days and tramadol plus an oral liquid. She is not able to get up at all she is laying on her doggie bed and when we want to move her she cries out. Do you think it is the bed she is in should I buy a certain type of bed? I'm trying to pick her up to take her outside to pee and poop. I bought some pee pads to put under her and I think she finally went pee. I feel so awful and helpless please give me as much feed back I hope I did the right decision in keeping her I'm broken in half I do not want to loose my baby but I don't like seeing her in pain I feel like I'm torturing her... 

michele said
 

The first couple of days can be rough.  But as many here will attest to, it does get better.  Do not hesitate to contact the vet.  Depending on how big Ashley is, maybe she needs to be on a higher dosage of pain pills.  We used Tramadol and one other one that slips my mind at the moment.  Did the vet give you pain pill at all?  When you went to pick her up from the vet, did she stand on her own at all?  If Ashley needs assistance in getting up, take a bath towel and use that as a harness to assist her and see how that goes.  I know its hard on us seeing our babies like that, but try to take some deep breathes and relax.  Ashley can sense if you are stressed out.  I know Cadence could feel my tension so I learned to walk away if I got upset or stressed out.  Please keep us updated and let us know how you and Ashley are doing.

I have been communicating with her vet and he seems to say that all this is normal that she has gone through a rough operation and that it will take time. Thank you abouth the advise on the bathtowel I will try as soon as I can get near her she is so scared of anyone touching her  Thank you so much for your kind words...

Okay, I think I can offer some support here.

First, her screeching & whining is most likely a side effect of the fentanyl patch, not a cry in pain. So don't hesitate to pet her & comfort her while she is laying down. Fentanyl can REALLY knock them for a loop and make them act bizarre.
Is that the only med she has right now, or is she also on gabapentin?

Second, two days post op is very, very little. I actually left Kermit in ICU for two whole days because he was unable to get up after the first day, so the fact that she hasn't gotten up yet isn't TOO much cause for concern, though it's probably time for her to get moving. Laying down for too long will keep the digestive tract moving slowly and exercise helps keep things moving, so getting her up tomorrow would probably be wise.

If you go to the "tripawds gear" page, there are a couple of harnesses available. I bought both kinds but the "lift 'em up" one was too big! (if,your doggy was a GIANT schnauzer I'd give it to you but if it was too big on Kermie it'll probably be too big on Ashley.) But the ruffwear harness is great. Kermit is a foreleg amp so I can't be of much use in teaching you a lift and support technique but someone here may be able to offer suggestions.

I don't know if they usually just try to stand up on their own but I'm guessing it'll take a fair amount of encouragement & help from you... And lots of cheering!! NO sadness, fear, or pity allowed!! Sing a silly song if you have to, but don't let her see you sweat!

Last but not least for now, I'll remind you that free advice is worth exactly what you pay for it! So run anything you're unsure of past your vet & if you feel she needs more or different pain meds, ask for them.

It's very early in the process, you're both doing fine. Now b-r-e-a-t-h-e, give your baby a kiss, and try not to freak too much about her whining. Fentanyl is some VERY POTENT STUFF and is probably making her more loopy than painful.

I agree with dharma...the fentanyl patch may be causing the  odd behavior.  Libby didn't have the patch but my dad did and he hallucinated a lot until the patch was removed.  Hang in there, you're doing great and even though it doesn't seem like it, so is your furbaby.  Libby stayed the night at the vets but I was told she did some howling after surgery and that's a side effect of the anesthesia and pain meds.

You may also want to try cutting a reusable shopping bag up the sides and use that as a sling.  It worked great for Libby.

As the others have said, she needs rest and solitude to help with the healing.  The first few days are rough but we promise it will get better.

She will adapt to 3 legs faster than you may think. I remember my vet saying we will be surprised how well she is doing in just a weeks time and he was right.

If you have spent any time reading through the forums you will see a vast majority of pawrents felt like they made a horrible mistake in the very beginning of recovery, but down the road they would do it all over again.

You've come to the right place for support, advice and to vent if you have to.

jerry said
Hang in there. You are a GREAT pawrent, you are strong, and you can get through this. I'm glad you registered, thanks! Your future posts won't need to be approved.

Two days isn't a long time. Put yourself in Ashley's paws, can you imagine how rough it is to lose a leg? Believe it or not, dogs do MUCH better than humans during the recovery process. it sounds like Ashley is on a good pain relief program. Her crying out is very common, many dogs go through that but keep your vet informed about her behavior as you are doing just to be safe.

Remember, all she wants right now is to sleep so she can feel better. As long as she is eating, drinking and eliminating, she is doing great. Allow her to sleep all she wants at this point, she needs to heal and that's how she'll do it. If you feel that something isn't right, call your vet. But chances are, it's just part of the process.

We'll be here to help. Feel free to jump over into the chat room , where you'll usually find people hanging out ready to offer help. If you don't see anyone there, stick around, someone will usually show up.

Keep us posted OK?

amya said
I agree with dharma...the fentanyl patch may be causing the  odd behavior.  Libby didn't have the patch but my dad did and he hallucinated a lot until the patch was removed.  Hang in there, you're doing great and even though it doesn't seem like it, so is your furbaby.  Libby stayed the night at the vets but I was told she did some howling after surgery and that's a side effect of the anesthesia and pain meds.

You may also want to try cutting a reusable shopping bag up the sides and use that as a sling.  It worked great for Libby.

As the others have said, she needs rest and solitude to help with the healing.  The first few days are rough but we promise it will get better.

She will adapt to 3 legs faster than you may think. I remember my vet saying we will be surprised how well she is doing in just a weeks time and he was right.

If you have spent any time reading through the forums you will see a vast majority of pawrents felt like they made a horrible mistake in the very beginning of recovery, but down the road they would do it all over again.

You've come to the right place for support, advice and to vent if you have to.