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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My little Abbee is getting stronger. I'm very happy about that.
......But she is now refusing her pain meds...little stinker. How can a 10 pound dog (with one arm!!) put up such a fight and win!!!!? She literally takes her one little arm and wraps around my hand and pulls my hand away..all while clinching her mouth closed where I can't even force the pill in. I've tried everything. Since her cancer diagnoses, she has been getting home cooked meals, so even shoving her pill into a piece of chicken or hot dog doesn't work!..she's still suspicious... Oh well, I guess she seems to be moving well.
We did have a great night. I finally got my first few hours of sleep after almost 60 hours of working my job durning the days and nursing her through the nights.She's worth it though. I just love her.
So happy to see little Abbee is getting better every day, and you are able to sleep better......they can be little stinkers when they refuse to take their meds. Fortunately, I never had that problem with my Labs, they ate/eat anything and everything that isn't nailed down, and then some. Have you tried anything like pill pockets for Abbee? A lot of people find them to be very successful to give meds. I'm sure others here will have some great ideas on how to deal with this problem.
Hoping each day gets better and better for you and Abbee......
Bonnie & Angel Polly
wooohoo! 3-paws up to you, you're both doing great!
Pilling can be a challenge but it pays to stay ahead of the pain so don't give up. Here's a post about how to pill a dog. Let us know which method works for you.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Congrats on getting some rest. As I said on your blog yesterday, we went DAYS w/out sleep and if "baby" doesn't sleep - then "mommy" doesn't sleep either. Brutal!
As far as the pills - we didn't really have that problem either since when Shelby feels like eating, she'll eat pretty much anything. Have you tried cheese? Like a soft cheese that will really mold around the pill? I've never used a pill pocket thing but I have found that if I can get the food to mold around the pill, Shelby would take it (pure pumpkin also works for us).
Good luck!
Alison and Shelby
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
We have been using fresh mozzarella cheese for Gus lately. First a little bite without anything, then a bite with the pill, and another quick bite with nothing. Of course it does help that there is a second dog there who is more than willing to "help".
Kathi and Murphy
Murphy is a five year old Lab/Chessie cross. He was hit by a car on 10/29/12 and became a Tripawd on 11/24/12. On 2/5/13, he had a total hip replacement on his remaining back leg. He has absolutely no idea that he has only three legs!
UPDATE: Murphy lived his life to the fullest, right up until an aggressive bone lesion took him across the Rainbow Bridge on April 9, 2015 and he gained his membership in the April Angels. Run free, my love. You deserve it!
YAAAAAAY for sme sleep!!
Yeah, getting little ja clinching three-legged dogs to do anything they dn't want tois a challenge!!
Try "tossing" the hot dog r whatever to her and then walk away. I sometimes put peanut butter on bread...roll it up i to a small "bread ball", toss it a d walk away. So eti es the "walkng away" helps...so etimes, nope!
Glad yoj got some sleep and hopeful more to come tonight!
Keep on keepi g on..yo're doi g great!!
Hugs and love!
Sally and Happy Hannah
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!
so glad you got sleep! I would try what everyone else has said about trying to hide the pill in food. Works every time for us 
Cody and Family
Cody is our 7 year old Australian Heeler mix boy. Diagnosed on 2/20/14 and became a tripawd 2/21/14! We chose a homeopathic approach and he is being treated by Dr. Loops our of NC.
Oh Abbee, looks like you're getting some spunk back I'm so glad to see this! Can you try a new food that maybe she hasn't had before, that might spark her interest. I used to mix cottage cheese with Jake's food, then add it to his food and he was more than happy to gobble that down. When he stopped being interested in food, we were able to get them in liquid form.
So glad you got some sleep!!
Mom to Tripawd Angels Jake (2001-2014) and Rosco (2012-2015) and Tripawd Tanner. “Whatever happens tomorrow, we had today; and I'll always remember it”
Sounds like Abbee is doing well!
Tramadol is one of the worst tasting meds- it can be really difficult to give. I had luck with cheese. I would use a little piece of cheddar, melt it in the microwave until is was just soft and a little greasy, then wrap the pill and give. Another cheese that worked for me was pub cheese- basically whipped cheddar cheese.
Maggie was really hard to fool. Once she found a pill in a food she wouldn't eat that food for weeks! When she stopped eating I had to resort to stuffing the pills down her, but that didn't always work either. I swear Mag had an extra flap at the back of her throat she could close. I would put a pill back there, rub her throat until she swallowed, then watch her for a min or two. As soon as I put her down she would spit the pill out. The melted cheese worked for a long time though- at least 6 months.
Keep up the good healing Abbee!
Karen
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
I'm so happy to hear she's doing well! Yay! I don't have any advice for the pill taking. I have a lab that has no problems eating anything.
Amy & Libby
Liberty (Libby) was diagnosed with OSA on 1-22-13. Right front amputation on 1-31-13. No IV Chemo. Metronomic Therapy started 2-19-13 along with supplements and some home cooking. Lungs clear until 1-06-14. She's still her happy, hoppy, bossy self. Living the dog life to the fullest and a proud Winter Warrior. :) RIP my Libby 4-21-03 to 3-19-14
Yay for feeling better! Try extra chunky peanut butter - can't tell the difference between the peanut chunks and the pills.
Zeus was a Husky mix diagnosed with Osteosarcoma at age 11. A visible lung met and suspicious spot on his liver meant a poor prognosis-six weeks was our vet's best guess. We decided to fight for our boy and his right front leg was amputated on 12/1/11. We did six rounds of chemo, changed his diet and spoiled him completely rotten. We were blessed with 10 great months after diagnosis. Against the odds, the lung met remained a single met and grew very little over those months. A wonderful furbaby with the most gentle spirit, he fought with a strength that we never imagined he possessed. We have no regrets...
http://zeuspod......pawds.com/
Her independent streak is showing!! My vet suggests cream cheese. All my dogs will eat anything with no problem, but I have used it and it's sticky so hard to get the pill separated and hard to spit out.
Spirit Shooter was a Miniature Australian Shepherd who was diagnosed with a MCT and had a LF amp 1/28/13 at 13-1/2 years old.
Shooter crossed the Bridge on 8/28/13, his 7 month ampuversary and two weeks from his 14th birthday.
Cream cheese has worked for me. He used the take then in the kraft slices. I would just take like a quarter slice and wrap them. Then suddenly he refused that. I am going to try the peanut butter bread ball thing . Until recently though, he just pretty much swallowed anything without chewing. Now I am pretty much resorting to the tampon resembling pill shooter. Don't let her see it though. He sees it coming and the jaws clamps tight.i try to follow any pills with something tasty.
TY GUY, Best Black Lab ever! Diagnosed and had amp in January, 2014. Kicked MRSA's butt. Earned his angel wings on April 16, 2014. Run Free my boy and don't forget a shoe. Ty is a proud member of the " April Angels". Ty sent us Daryl, a Tripawd rescue in Sept. of 2016. Daryl is 5 +or -. We are also Pawrents to Chandler, a Border Collie mix who is 15 and 1/2, Lucy, a Corgi who is 7, 2 minis, 2 horses, and a feisty cat named Zoe. Zoe had a non skeletal Osteosarcoma removed in July 2015. No Chemo, she was at least 16. She is going strong although she is now completely blind. She is now close to 20 and her hobbies are eating and sleeping in front of her personal heater.
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