Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hi all, we are new members to the Tripawd community and thank you so much as my husband and I have been reading and learning so much!
Some background: About 3 1/2 weeks ago, we got the phone call that our sweet and spunky 7 1/2 year old dane named Mysticete, had osteosarcoma. We were on the other side of the country visiting family for another 1 1/2 weeks but our amazing housesitter took fast action and the pain meds were doing great. The day after we got back, we had a consult with cardiology (she had some previously elevated heart enzyme levels) who approved her for amputation and chemo. Two days later we visited our second opinion oncologist me knew that this was our path. I recently left the veterinary field and have been in close contact with the vets and vet techs at my previous clinic. When Mysti started limping slightly on walks two days later, we bumped up her pain meds. Three days later she was limping more so we added in a third pain med. I was getting worried as our surgery date was set for November 5. Luckily, we got a phone call that a surgery had cancelled for Sunday, October 28 and we took it.
Now, we're working on almost 48 hours post her right front leg amputation, and she's doing marvelous. But maybe too good, if that's possible. She is very alert today and seems to want to be more involved in the family's happenings. She is whining but I don't think it's from pain, but because we're forcing her to lay on her bed 24 hours a day. She has a small drain almost where her armpit was and it's been draining a lot today (I think because she's already been on two walks this morning). Has anyone else have/had a pup that has bounced back so quickly? I'm ecstatic that his hasn't shaken her as much as me, but worry she's going to push herself too much. Any advice will be much appreciated 🙂
Hello and welcome, your future posts will not have to wait for approval.
It's great that Mysti is feeling so good but too much activity can lead to problems like seroma . Our surgeon told us that Maggie was only allowed short, leashed potty breaks for the first two weeks post op. Also- lots of early activity can catch up to a new Tripawd in the form or tiredness or soreness, it takes a lot of effort to hop on three!
What meds is she on? Did she come home with a pain patch or was she given a long acting pain med before she came home? We have sometimes seen here that dogs in great pain before surgery feel so much better post op that they are too active... a good problem to have 
. If she did have a long acting pain med it might wear off very soon- so keep an eye on her for pain signs.
We also sometimes see that a pup will 'hit a wall' 3 to 5 days out from surgery, so be aware. It doesn't always happen but no need to panic if she slows down and seems to regress. Of course keep your vet in the loop.
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
krun15 said
Hello and welcome, your future posts will not have to wait for approval.It's great that Mysti is feeling so good but too much activity can lead to problems like seroma . Our surgeon told us that Maggie was only allowed short, leashed potty breaks for the first two weeks post op. Also- lots of early activity can catch up to a new Tripawd in the form or tiredness or soreness, it takes a lot of effort to hop on three!
What meds is she on? Did she come home with a pain patch or was she given a long acting pain med before she came home? We have sometimes seen here that dogs in great pain before surgery feel so much better post op that they are too active... a good problem to have
We also sometimes see that a pup will 'hit a wall' 3 to 5 days out from surgery, so be aware. It doesn't always happen but no need to panic if she slows down and seems to regress. Of course keep your vet in the loop.
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls
Thanks Karen!
We have only taken Mysti out to the bathroom and not even on a leash because she's so close to us or we're slinging her. We want to be there if she trips or looses her balance on our uneven terrain of a yard.
I just got approval to add in Trazodone and Acepromazine to help keep her mellow, but she's been on Codeine and Gabapentin three times a day and Carprofen and Augmentin twice daily. Nothing long term, after the first night.
We have read about the next few days being harder or different, so I guess we'll just be ready for that. Thanks for the reminder!
Hello and welcome! I'm in the Tripawds Chat right now for a little longer, so stop by if you feel like it.
So glad to hear Mysti is doing so well. Tell us how she got her name, it's so lovely!
I'm glad to hear she is doing so well in this phase. I totally echo Karen's insight. Not all recoveries are awful, some new amputees sail right through and that's always the goal. But don't be surprised if she does have a bit of a crash a few days out. Sounds like you have a good grip on pain management and monitoring her activity as well, so good job on that front.
It may do her a lot of good to be seen by a canine rehabilitation therapist soon. Even dogs who do really well afterward can benefit from an assessment, and the best part is the Tripawds Foundation may even pay for your first rehab visit !
We're so glad you joined us, but of course sorry you had to find yourself here. Let us know how things are going.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
jerry said
Hello and welcome! I'm in the Tripawds Chat right now for a little longer, so stop by if you feel like it.So glad to hear Mysti is doing so well. Tell us how she got her name, it's so lovely!
I'm glad to hear she is doing so well in this phase. I totally echo Karen's insight. Not all recoveries are awful, some new amputees sail right through and that's always the goal. But don't be surprised if she does have a bit of a crash a few days out. Sounds like you have a good grip on pain management and monitoring her activity as well, so good job on that front.
It may do her a lot of good to be seen by a canine rehabilitation therapist soon. Even dogs who do really well afterward can benefit from an assessment, and the best part is the Tripawds Foundation may even pay for your first rehab visit !
We're so glad you joined us, but of course sorry you had to find yourself here. Let us know how things are going.
Thanks, Jerry. I'll keep that all in mind.
Mysticete (Mysti) got her name as it is the name of baleen whales and as a puppy, her markings looked like the baleen in baleen whales 🙂
Hi Misty and family 🐾🌸
I love your avatar, that sweet girl of yours is SO loved by her Mom and Dad 💞
I am thrilled to hear how well your pup is doing and yes, there may be a crash between days 3-5 but if that happens it is only temporary.
Misty sure looks like is going to have a smooth recovery and then on to a marvellous, adventurous life with her family.
Keep updates coming and please post some pictures of your gorgeous ballen whale 🐋
Sending you an avalanche of kisses and a tornado of cuddles to your cutie pie 😘🐮💫✨🌟🌹
Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-)
Sounds like your baby is doing great! Mine took a few more days to get going but when he did, he went counter surfing and popped his stitches. So leash walking and trying to keep him down is definitely recommended from my experience. Listen to the community here, they are a wealth of information! My best to you and your pooch!
Just want to add to the welcoming pawty form your beautiful Mysticete! Love the avatar❤
Yes, slooooow and easy for the next two weeks. Rest, potty breaks and more rest.
Hopefully she won't need those two sedatives. They are strong and can really, really whack dogs out . Sounds like she has good pain management that should do the trick.
Keep these good updates coming! Your girl is rockin' this recovery stuff!!
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!
Thank you eurydice, chipandcharm, and Sally (and family)!
We had a quick visit to the vet today as it looked like she had an area in her incision that was coming apart. Luckily, I was more worried than I needed to be and the vet said she looked great and sent her right back out the door! We have been sedating her everyday to keep her resting, but she is doing great on them!
Thanks again, so much!
We love news like this!!! So glad everything checked out at the Vet AND that she is handling recovery like the RockStar that she is!!😁😁😁
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!
Great job on recovery! It really shows in the update. Here’s to even more improvement this week.
Thanks for the education on baleen whales, I had no idea about them. Yes I can see the resemblance!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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