Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Okay, we are 6 days post amputation, I think she is doing well, she has started following me around the house a little bit. She is sitting with me in the office right now at my feet, just like always. I am a little concerned for one, that she still has no interest in going outside, (it is very hot and humid here right now). She has been peeing but only about every 36 hours, since surgery and she still hasnt done her other business yet. I have been forcing her to go out, she gets out and wants to go like old times, we get about 2 houses down and she has to rest. I have carried her most of the way back. She is a lab mix and weighs about 1/2 of what I do. My question is should I just let her lay around and wait til she goes to the door? I don't want to overdo it but I also am concerned that she needs to not let her muscles atrophy too much. I just think when I had my knee surgery, a physical therapist came in and forced me to do what I definetely didnt feel like doing. Any suggestions or comments would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Karin and Zoe
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Hi Karin and Zoe
It sounds as though Zoe is doing really well for only 6 days post-amp. My dog lay around like cement for over two weeks. That might be slower than usual but it happens to many. He would get up to pee or poo about once per day the first week. It helped to give him some incentive to get up, as in a visitor that Zoe would be happy to see or a potential short car ride, if she might like that. Even then, Tazzie remained vertically for about 1/2 hour willingly after which the eyelids would start to droop. Just wanted to slumber for over two weeks straight.
Walking two houses down sounds EXCELLENT for that early. You do hold high standards for Zoe, don't you!
Do make sure she is drinking enough water, which should also increase her desire to pee. Mix some canned food or broth into water so she drinks a bit extra.
He was perkier when at other people's home where there was more going on. Tazzie did not start to follow me around the house until this week (week 4/5). Now he follows me more than I remember him ever doing, a new source of concern (the sources of concern are endless, aren't they, a poor tripawd can't win with smother mothers like us!).
Maybe Zoe will be happier to go outside in the evening if it cools down a bit. Does it ever cool down in KY? I am pretty sure that I would not want to go outside in that weather if I were sick.
Susan & Tazzie 2
Hey Karin and Zoe,
Oh, this sounds quite familiar to Yoda and I.
Yoda also went very long between relieving himself. Less so with peeing, but it was generally at least 36 hours between pooping for at least a week after his surgery (might have been longer). I know that may sound better than where Zoe is at, but Yoda apparently pees and poops quite a bit more than most dogs his size, so I was pretty freaked about how much less he was going. The vets didn't think it was a big deal, that it was normal after surgery, but since I was worried they recommended more wet food and/or boiled chicken with rice for a while. I did that and didn't notice a big difference right away, but pretty soon after everything was moving normally and continued to as I gradually got him back on his normal diet.
Because I was worried Yoda would need to go out while I was at work, I also worried when he didn't want to get up and go outside and this was pretty common in the middle of those first two recovery weeks. So I kind of pushed him to go out when he didn't really want to, and in retrospect it wasn't necessary because most of those times he didn't do his business anyway and he didn't have an accident in the house later.
Once out, Yoda did want to take his normal length walks. He would tire out quickly, of course, but he didn't see that as a reason to turn around and go back and was really stubborn about it. I compromised somewhat and just left a lot of extra time in our walks for him to take his breaks, lay in the grass, and sunbathe, but the furthest I'd let him go was probably two or three houses at first, and we built up to maybe four or five houses away by the end of that first two weeks. (They're pretty big lots in my parents' neighborhood though). And it was easier to make that extra time for his breaks when I gave up trying to coax him to go out more frequently than he was willing.
This is how it worked with Yoda anyway – take it with a grain of salt (or some boiled chicken).
Yoda&Mom united: 9/5/06 …….… Yoda&Leg separated: 6/5/09……… Yoda&Leg reunited: 10/14/09 ……… ……………….………….………….……. Yoda&Mom NEVER separated! …………………….….……....….…… Though Spirit Yoda currently free-lances as a rabbit hunting instructor for tripawds nationwide
Thanks for the advice, I know Zoe does seem more stubborn now too, she wants to go where she wants to go and doesn't really listen when I try to get her turned around. Since she has been thru so much I just kind of let her and yes we too are sitting in the neighbor's yard under trees trying to take long breathers. She did go to the door this afternoon to let me know she needed to pee which was a relief, still no #2
. The vet said what others have said on here, to try to feed her pumpkin and not to panic yet. So we will see what happens. Thanks again and again and again for advice everyone
It sounds like Zoe is adjusting really well. It is not uncommon to have several days before the first bowel movement. The walks are great. We have a large yard, so Trouble would walk the parameter and rest as she needed. They seem to really enjoy 'sunbathing' as you called it. Trouble would stay out for long periods of time, just enjoying the outside.
Shanna & Spirit Trouble ~ Trouble gained her wings 3/16/2011, a 27 1/2 month cancer survivor, tail wagging. RIP sweetheart, you are my heart and soul. Run free at Rainbow Bridge.
The November Five - Spirits Max, Cherry, Tika, Trouble & Nova. 11/2008 - 3/2013 An era ends as Queen Nova crossed the Bridge.
Hi Karin & Zoe, Zoe will take her time and manage herself good. Don't panic.
You could try to give her some infusion. For instance the tea Horacia is drinking (cats claw) has the side effect of helping a bit with #2. And she also likes lying around in the sun and moving a little bit at a time.
Keep up the good pawgress!
Spirit Horacia, Castaño, Olympia + human family Cecilia, Georg and Julia - - - Hori first diagnosed 8/6/09, ampu 8/12/09, run over the bridge 9/10/09 – We miss you every day dear girl!
Sounds like Zoe is doing fine - except for maybe the delayed bowel movement. My vet had me give Radar a half cup of "plain" bran flakes each day after surgery as the anesthetic can sometimes cause constipation. Remember - do "NOT" give the kind with raisins. It took a few days but then Radar did his biz and was fine.
For many, pain meds can cause that "I don't want to do anything" mentallity, may upset his stomach or just plain make him feel yucky. He will set his own pace for the most part and things will improve dramatically once the pain meds are out of his system. Radar didn't start really "wanting" to go out until about two weeks (a week after stopping meds). When I did make him go out he would walk a few steps and laydown under a bush until I coaxed him back in.
Hang in there - things get better.
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