Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
Tripawds is your home to learn how to care for a three legged dog or cat, with answers about dog leg amputation, and cat amputation recovery from many years of member experiences.
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Ive been trying to keep up with Sammys pain! The first 2 days he had shots of hydromorphone so he was wacked out. Now his pain meds are previcox once a day, gabepentin twice a day and tramadol every 6 hours. at 4 to 5 hours he gets antsy and by 6 hours he is panting shivering and trying to move his amputated leg. I'm going to call in the morning but have others had this problem?
Hi and welcome, your future posts won't have to wait for approval.
Getting the pain meds balanced can be very tough, you are not alone!
Tell us more about Sammy- what kind of dog? How big is he?
You have the meds most here have been prescribed so you are on the right track. It does sound like his pain is breaking through so his dosage may need adjusting. You are also right on track calling the vet! Working together you will get his pain managed. You could try icing the incision for 10 or 15 min at a time if Sammy will allow it. Don't get the incision wet and use a towel to protect the skin from the cold.
Why the amputation? Front or back leg?
The recovery period is full of ups and downs, hang in there it gets better! I'm glad you found us, we have lots of experience and support to share.
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
Many dogs experience a crash between days 3 - 5 when the hospital meds wear off. And many of us had to work with our vets to increase or alter pain meds. My Otis went from two Tramadol every 8 hours to three, and he still had pain about hour 7, so I staggered the dose: two pills and then one an hour later. He was also on Rimadyl and a fentanyl patch which came off on day 4. Many dogs add in gabapentin which works on nerve pain. So, it sounds like you have the right meds, and it may be a dosage or timing thing. Call your vet, but at least know that what you are seeing is normal. And many dogs perk up when the staples come out, about day 10 - 14, You are in a super intense time, but there is light at the end of the tunnel.
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.
Sammy is a 12 yo 27 pound cocker spaniel. He had his amp to his left rear leg for a pathologic fracture of his calcaneus. the biopsy was not conclusive. Possible lymphoma but oncologist thinks multiple myeloma or solitary osseusplasmacytosis. but we will not know for sure untill his leg is tested. The vet is having us up his tramadol dose. We just lost his grampa Cat on October 7th who lived 24 years. and all of Sammy's life. Sammy spends alot of time in his grampas favorite spot.
Awww poor Sammy. I hope he starts to feel better soon and am very glad the vet is in on what's going on. Hopefully the increased dosage will help. Remember, stay ahead of the pain and don't let it get to the point where he's showing signs that it hurts. Pain that spirals out of control is much more difficult to remedy.
My condolences about Grampa Cat. 24 years? Wow. Amazing.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Are you alternating the medications or giving them at the same time? They really work best if they are spaced out ... for example: You could give the Tramadol at 6am, 12 noon, 6pm & 12 mn; the Gabapentin at 9am & 9pm; then the Pravacox at 3pm. The longest time period would end up being overnight at 6 hours, but all throughout the day you would have a medication being given every 3 hours. Write out a schedule, cross off the meds as they're given to keep track. Especially if more than 1 person is giving them.
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
hi there,
welcome to tripawds, we're glad you are here. we too had pain issues with Charlie post amputation. we did end up having to use gabapentin every 8 hours and switched from tramadol to codeine, since he got quite dysphoric and anxious on the tramadol. and it definitely helped to alternate the pain meds with the gabapentin.
it is so difficult to watch them be in such pain. keep working with the vet and know you are sammy's best advocate. this is the toughest time you are in right now. we did end up doing warm compresses after a few initial days of ice. you can put a wet hot towel in a plastic baggie and lay on the site or we did just above it. just don't let it get wet. the surgeon had us do this 3-4 times a day. and we did end up giving him his pain meds a little ahead of the time period, for example, if it was every 8 hours we would give it to him at 7 1/2 if he was really showing signs of pain.
when you say he is trying to move his amputated leg, is it just like twitching or more than that? it could be the phantom leg pain , which gabapentin really helps. so if he doesn't seem to get better on the tramadol increase maybe talk to your vet about the gabapentin dosage or frequency. we also had to add an additional neuropathic pain med, but charlie's case was definitely not the norm. hopefully it is the post op day 3-5 crash alot of us experince, and he will rebound before you know it!
remember we are all here for you and sammy, keep us up to date on how he is doing. 
mary beth and charlie
Poor Sammy! Donna makes a GREAT point about staggering the meds so they don't all wear off at the same time. I'd also ask the vet about increasing Gabapentin to 3x a day if possible. Let us know if the increased Tramadol is helping?
We're here for you, so check in often!
Amy & Izzy, too
Momma to the world's most beautiful American Bulldog, Izzy!! Lost her front leg to OSA 9/18/15. Diagnosed w MCT in June 2016. Celebrated her 1 year ampuversary with knee surgery on 9/18/16! MCT recurrence in Dec 2016. Happy & hungry til nearly 14, earning her wings on 7/31/17.
Hi there! My Bandit had trouble with Phantom pain and the Gabapentin really helped. You have had great advice. Staggering meds makes a huge difference. Have you tried heat or ice therapy? Sometimes that can bring them relief. Keep us posted. Hugs for you and Sammy. Deb and Angel Bandit
Sammy will start feeling bbetter soon. Managing the pain can be somewhat tricky until you find the right balance...which can change every few days! Ugh!
You and Sammy have a very special Guardian Angel Gandpa Cat watching over you both! On this earth for 24 years, a true Miracle Cat! A great role model for Sammy!
Update when you can.
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!
You've had great advice above, so ditto that, especially staggering the meds. Really just wanted to say welcome and hi and hugs to you and Get Better Soon to Sammy! I'm so sorry about the loss of Grampa Cat.
Meg and Clare (and Elsie Pie) xxx
Ruby, Staffy, born June 2022, became a Tripawd, November 2023, adopted January 2024.
Also Angel Tripawd Meg (aka The Megastar), who died in April 2023, aged 14, after seven glorious years on three, and Angel Staffies Elsie Pie and Bille. In the pawprints of giants...
Hi tried to update earlier this week. I guess it did not work. I unfortunately had to go back to work and have everyone else watching Sammy. He has been doing pretty well. His pain seems ok. He has one day he was weak and tired. He had trouble standing to eat. But the next day he is ok. We are getting his stitches out tuesday.
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