Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Our girl, Bear, is 2 days past surgery of a front leg amputation and she did very well in surgery. She has been eating well, and drinking like a champ since the surgery. We have her on lots of pain meds and the patch and that seems to be doing well for her. she's even walking pretty well and overall doing very good
However, she is crying..more like "talking and complaining"..about her treatment.. 🙂 She was up most of the night doing this, we know it's not pain as she wasn't doing this at the hospital and she's on a very good cocktail of meds.
Did others of you have this experience? How long until they start to adjust..?
Thanks so much.
George
Hello George, welcome and thanks for joining, your future posts won't require moderation.
Why did Bear lose her leg? She is a gorgeous pup!
Sure sounds like she has great pain management , which is terrific as for managing pain but yes it can cause side effects like anxiousness. She probably wasn't doing it at the hospital because she was suuuuper doped up there with post-op anesthesia meds and such. That's my guess, take it for what it's worth since I'm not a vet. But anyhoo, two days is not a long time and if the pain patch is still on you'll probably see these symptoms continue, and then for at least another day after it's removed (it's great stuff!). Pain meds are amazing but they also tend to cause reactions like this in some dogs. If you are very concerned do let your vet know what's going on. Sometimes a doggie Xanax or Valium can help if she is very distressed.
Hang in there, this is the roughest it usually gets, and soon you'll be able to sleep again!
Make sure there's no other reason why she's anxious too. Check her incision make sure it looks good, or if she has a bandage see if it's snug but not too tight. If you see anything odd let your vet know. And of course keep us posted, we're here to help.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi There,
Glad Bear is doing well!!! My girl, Shelby, had a rough about 48 hours after she came home. Shelby's a rear-amp that had been fighting cancer (and getting chemo) for 4 months prior to her amp (long story). But the meds made her seriously psychotic and I had to remove her fentyl path a few days early and reduce her tramadol. We also put her on an anti-anxiety med - a doggy valium - Trazadone that while it didn't stop the pacing, it did seem to soothe her a bit. Shelby had had 2 prior surgeries and recovered like a champ so it was really hard to witness this behavior but like Jerry said.. .the meds can mess w/their minds. I needed something help Shelby take the edge off since neither of us where sleeping.
I was up for a couple of days w/my girl too and it DOES get better. I am not good on lack of sleep so ultimately, I had to get her the Trazadone and make sure she was in a safe place and close myself off from her to get some rest. Hang in there ... I know it sounds trite but trust us, it does get better. And call your vet as much as you want! That's what they are there for!!!
Keep us posted!
Hugs,
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
Welcome.
My pug Maggie was never vocal on meds- but tramadol sure made her anxious! After a dose she would sleep for about half an hour, then be awake for hours, looking around, wanting to move to other rooms, acting like she was spooked. Eventually she would get really tired and sleep for hours.
Good times!!
Hang in there, 2 days in is very early. She may be better when the patch comes off. The rest of her recovery sounds pretty good.
Karen and Spirit Maggie
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Hi George, so glad your sweet girl Bear is doing well overall. With her crying, maybe she just can't get completely comfortable yet. It is a pretty big adjustment for a little while. Is she part Husky at all? She looks a bit like one in your avatar picture......sometimes I think Huskies like to be "talkative" no matter what the situation! What Jerry said is really great advice about medications, too.
Best wishes to you and Bear on your new journey.....keep us posted on her recovery....
Bonnie & Angel Polly
Thank you all for your kind kind kind replies!! Bear's continues well on her recovery. It was a hard 1.5 years. She started severely limping about 18mos ago and everyone thought it was cancer... she turned out to be very lucky and it was a bone infection..which was completely "cured" with a long treatment of antibiotics. Unfortunately, in late December the limp came back in the same leg and over the last 90 days has gotten progressively worse. Xrays revealed a totally damaged leg--and she was in pain. (Antibiotics were not helping and she was on high pain meds..) So our choices were limited and we chose to amputate. (One of the vets thinks the infection did the damage..another thinks it may have morphed into cancer...we will get a pathology report in a few days and know for sure.)
She is still very vocal, she wouldn't sleep at all. Her wound is good and she's not uncomfortable from anything else... we think it is anxiety.. (she has a fentyl patch, on heavy tramadol and gabapentin as well.)
Thanks again for your suggestions. This is a wonderful forum.
George & Tracy
Hi Bear, George and Tractpy!!
Bear is a cutie pie! Do post more pics when you can!
My Hapy Hannah whined' and cried for several days a d nights staight with very little break in between. She was NOT on the patch. She was restless and could not get comortale at all.. Every dog is different and every recovery is different. It sounds like Bear is having a recovery well within the "normal" range. It's so very hard for us humans to watch- I remember how comp.etelh helpless felt as she begged me t "fix it"! Ugh!
You'll see Bear's sparklw come back slowy but surely! It will be THE ost wonderfjl feeling!
The fact that Bear's earing and drinking well is realy good!
You are doing a great job! This will get better and Bear will be vree from pai !! YAAAAAAY!
We're here for you so let us help you in anyway we can.
HUGS!
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!
The pain meds along with lingering effects of anesthesia usually cause the vocals. My guy was readmitted for some infection surgery this week. I had to go back to his cage as he was still pretty drugged and hooked to a vac pac. He was vocal until I sat with him. Then I heard the Chocolate Lab beside him start. I was told " he is seeing the pink elephants" Vet's exact words. Evidently, they see things that are not really there. Cannot remember if was the Gabapentin or Tramadol that was worse.
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.
Thank you all again for your kind replies. These animals are so sweet.. While she was whining last night...all night.. she make the point to kiss me and kiss me. It just so hard to watch them.
Question.. How long after surgery did you keep your pets on pain meds? We are thinking that the pain meds, patch and others are causing the "seeing elephants" issues...and she miserable. We are reducing pain meds quite aggressively per the vet but worried that she may still be in pain. 4 days post op. (surgery was Weds.)
Thanks again.
George
Hi George and Bear!
Yeah, "watching" thisinitial recovery period is no fun! They just look to you forhelp and all you can domis love them through each moment with soft words and gentle massage.
As you've alreadynheard a lot...every dog is different and tolerance forpain, as well as pain meds, varies greaty.
My HappyHannah did nothave the patch, but many will tellyou once the patch is off (usually about three days AFTER coing home for many), they could see less anxiousness. Now, that said...sometimes "coming off" the patch can still cause some side effects for a day or so. Yeah, crazy!
It IS major surgery sopainis an issue that must be dealth with effectively.....especialy t first when all hospital meds start wearing off. The "catch 22" is that the side effects of too much pain meds looks exactly like a dog experiencing pain!
What does your Bear weigh and what's he on now and when does the patch come off? Many dogs taper off some goinginto the second week and are either off, or n low doses, after stitches are out at avout two weeks. HOWEVER, for my Happy Hannah, I had to put her back on somepain meds well into the third week as she still needed them.....again every dog's recovery is different. For me, I'd rather see her anxious from a little too much meds than in pain from too little.
You will see her sparkle come back and she will work through this yucky recovery time! You are strong and a wonderful advocate for Bear! Hang in there...it gets better!!
Hugs to Bear...and ne to you too!
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!
I would think when the patch comes off Bear will be better. Amp is a big surgery, most pups are on some type of meds for a couple weeks. Maggie was on tram for two weeks, although the last couple of days we were tapering off.
Some dogs do better without the meds earlier, but you don't want to go too far and have Bear in pain. And it is easier to keep pain under control when you stay in front of it.
Karen
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
forbear said
Thank you all again for your kind replies. These animals are so sweet.. While she was whining last night...all night.. she make the point to kiss me and kiss me. It just so hard to watch them.
Question.. How long after surgery did you keep your pets on pain meds? We are thinking that the pain meds, patch and others are causing the "seeing elephants" issues...and she miserable. We are reducing pain meds quite aggressively per the vet but worried that she may still be in pain. 4 days post op. (surgery was Weds.)
Thanks again.
George
We asked our vet the same question. Our dog Rusty had the fentanyl patch removed the day after surgery. Our vet said that he likes to remove those as soon as possible b/c dogs tend to have diminished capacity while they are in place and can somewhat slow recovery b/c it can make them lethargic. Our dog had surgery on 3/18/14 and has been home since 3/22/14 and does not seem to be having much pain. We were given tramadol and some kind of NSAID that we have been giving him twice a day as well as an antibiotic. Of course we all have different vets so opinions will certainly vary!
Yes, yes, please let us know!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
After surgery my dog started pacing and panting a lot. I am quite sure it was due to the massive amounts of drugs she was on. It abated w/in 2 days of decreasing the dose. We didn't take her off because it was still so close to surgery but just dialed it back and she did great! The first week is rough but it WILL get better!
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