Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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This is the second time I've posted on this topic, but since the last post things have gotten more dire.
Morrie, our 11-year-old French Bulldog did great for 3 weeks after his amp. Then he started vomiting small amounts of white foam. After a few weeks he stopped eating -- completely. He has not eaten on his own for 3 weeks. He still drinks large amounts of water. The vet suspected Cushings, but that was ruled out. We have been feeding him Hill's AD Urgent Care plus Tomlyn High-Calorie nutritional gel orally with a syringe, 60 cc, 7 times a day, plus he gets his meds, Cerenia (30mg once a day), Sucalfrate (1 tab twice a day) and Pepcid AC (1 tab twice a day) the same way. If I don't give him the Cerenia, he throws up his food.
Two vets are confounded. Is it possible it is caused by the stress of the amputation? It is a front leg amputation and he, being a bulldog, is very front heavy, so it has really impacted his mobility. Now all he does is lay around and gets up only to go outside to relieve himself and to vomit (he's a great dog). The Cerenia seems to make him listless and uninterested in everything. He is having problems getting up and down the few stairs to the yard and I don't know if it is weakness from not getting enough nutrients, or because he is losing muscle mass from inactivity. If we take him to the street for a walk, he will just stand there. He used to walk around and sniff and pee, and "going to get the mail" was his favorite thing to do.
Anyone out there who has been in a similar situation or can make a suggestion?
I'm so sorry, I was hoping this was cleared up by now.
I can't remember anyone here with these symptoms tied to being a front (or rear) amp.
I think I told you before that my pug Maggie stopped eating but it was due to kidney failure- your vet has checked for that I'm sure. Another pug of mine, Tani, developed inflammatory bowel disease and threw up every day for 3 weeks. A food change fixed that problem. Again that is a pretty basic thing the vets would have checked for.
The weakness is no surprise if he is not active and not eating. Do you have any other pets? are they OK? That could maybe rule out some type of environmental issue.
I can't think of anything else- maybe get a third opinion or try a holistic vet. I know Dr. Loops does phone consults.
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
I am so sorry that you and Morrie are going through this. Can't offer any specific comments, but my thoughts are with you.
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
Hi
I'm so sorry to hear Morrie is having a rough time. I can't offer any specific advice as such but a few of the symptoms you mentioned rang some bells with me. My Greyhound Shamus had simple cyst on his back removed in 2014 and was given, if i recall correctly, an injection of an nsaid after his op. He was also given an oral nsaid (loxicom) to take home. Within 2 days he was vomiting blood so we stopped the loxicom immediately and rushed him to the emergency vet who wasn't much help (it was a weekend and our vets don't open on the weekend) He then began vomiting white foam and wouldn't eat a single thing. He would barely move but was drinking well. When we finally got him to our own vet, he said he was extremely dehydrated (despite the good drinking) and believed he had a strong adverse reaction to the nsaid which may have caused an infection in his system somewhere. The shape he was in we honestly thought we would lose him but the vet admitted him, gave him intravenous fluids and a broad spectrum antibiotic and within a few hours, poof - he came around and started eating again.
I'm sure that your vet would have checked for dehydration/infection and you didn't mention that Morrie was was on any type of NSAID but as this seems to be such a mystery I thought I'd share incase there was anything there that might connect with Morrie?
Thinking of you and wishing Morrie a speedy recovery! Please keep us posted
Hannah, Beau & Family
Has your vet done an x-ray to check for a blockage of some sort? Aside from infection like Hannah mentions, I'm not really sure what else could cause this. I really wouldn't think that it would be stress.
Sorry, not much help, but hoping Morrie feels better soon!
Donna
Donna, Glenn & Murphy
Murphy had his right front leg amputated due to histiocytic sarcoma at 7 years old. He survived 4 years, 2 months & 1 week, only to be taken by hemangiosarcoma at 11 1/2 years 6/12/17
Read about Murphy's Life on Three Legs
Oh wow I'm so sorry, that is a long time. I'm not a vet but I'm pretty sure the listlessness isn't tied to Cerenia, I just went to a seminar that talked about the drug, and that wasn't mentioned as a side effect. His lethargy has to be related to just feeling lousy. I also can't recall anyone having symptoms like this that were caused by the surgery.
What diagnostic tests has the vet(s) done? And what is their plan at this point? I would want to know that.
At this point if two vets in the same practice haven't figured it out, I would want a referral to a specialty clinic, stat. If you have access to a veterinary teaching hospital that would be my first choice. Where are you located? Maybe we can help find a good one for you.
Hang in there, you're doing right by him by asking all the right questions.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I am really sorry to hear this. I haven't experienced anything like this either, wish I had some advice to offer. Hang in there.
I just wanted ro add the links to the precious two posts regarding Morrie. Maybe there will be a clue in there for somebody reading it. We sure could use a "lightbulb" moment!
This is so disturbing and I cannot imagine what Morrie's humans are going through.
http://tripawds.....-cushings/
http://tripawds.....g-tripawd/
Did you mention what our "Ask the Vet" came up with to your vets...the issues that can be caused with deep chested dogs and the anesthesia/tubing process?
We are united in trying to figure out the cause. We jave to get Morrie better and we will!
One more thought. I wo der if any French Bulldog groups on the net, or even breeders have ANY insight to offer?
Sending 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!
Here ks the specific response from our "resident volunteer vet"
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20 March 2016 - 7:20 pm
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Frenchies can have sensitive GI tracts and due to their deep-chested anatomy it is not unusual for them to develop esophageal reflux especially after surgery. Unfortunately this can only be diagnosed with endoscopy.
If your vet has ruled out pancreatitis and other metabolic disease with a blood test and xrays are normal then I would treat with a course of pepcid, sucralfate, and possibly Reglan or Cerenia for nausea. Often 10 days does the trick.
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!
I don't have any suggestions or answers but I wanted to say I hope that Morrie starts to feel better soon. Others have given you great ideas and suggestions. Just wanted to offer support!!!
Shelby Lynne; Jack Russell/Shiba Inu mix. Proud member of the April Angels of 2014.
October 15, 2000 to April 8, 2014
Our story: Broke rear leg in June 2013 - non-conclusive results for cancer so leg was plated and pinned. Enlarged spleen in September 2013 and had it removed and was diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma and started chemotherapy. Became a Tripawd January 8th, 2014 and definitive Hemangiosarcoma diagnosis. Three major surgeries in 7 months and Shelby took them all like a champ only to lose her battle to cancer in her brain. We had 8 amazing extra months together and no regrets. #shelbystrong #loveofmylife
Thank you so much to all who have posted replies.
I should add that the two vets who have seen Morrie are not from the same practice, and one is a holistic vet. The holistic vet consulted with the primary care vet so I would think that she would have asked at least some of the right questions, but I guess that is not a given.
The first vet put Morrie on antibiotics early on, but Morrie doesn't tolerate oral antibiotics well and he threw them right up so we stopped (and told the vet). But what Hannah said makes me think that having him admitted and on antibiotic drip might be an answer. Or a round of shots?
I forgot that the vet also put Morrie on Prednisone, thinking that it might help any inflammation.
Again, thanks so very much. The vets seem to be stabbing in the dark, so I appreciate having all your opinions and suggestions.
I am on the Big Island of Hawaii.
And thanks to the "volunteer vet" for the suggestion about intubation and influx. Makes sense.
Mom2shelby: I appreciate your support.
Oh gosh! Hawaii!! Contact Dr. Dressler. He is co-author of The Dog Cancer Survival Guide . I'll Google and see if I can find a contact number. I actually got through to his practice when I was trying to figure out the best option for my Happy Hannah and before I found this site.
And just another suggestion. Although the second vet was a holistic vet, I would certainly not hesitate immediately to get a other olinion from an internal specialist.. A d to piggyback o. Rene's suggestion...a second opinion from a vet teaching school if there is one near.
Nothing has shown up with xrays....blood work...every test anyone can think of, right?
Have you been able to try the suggestions made by the "volunteer vet" yet?
The drip may be something to check into. Could you call the vet tomorrow...or another vet...and see if that drip is an option?
PLEASE keep us posted. We have all fallen in love with Morrie and are so holing this "challenge" can get handled a d he can feel better!
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!
Been doing a little "Dr. Google". According to a couple of Bulldog (French) sites, vomiting as you've mentioned did NOT show any blockages with a regular xray....only when a barium xray was done. Some sort of blockage thst has yet to be detected a possibility, .maybe??
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!
I'm glad to hear you have vets at different practices considering his case. I'm also thinking that contacting a Frenchies group on the Mainland and talking with others may reveal some clues too.
Good work Sally!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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