Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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I took Maddie to the Vet for her 2 week checkup and I thought to take her stitches out. But Dr Jeffries said she looked great and was healing just fine, so he would leave them in and allow them to dissolve on their own.
Well, Thursday evening I had noticed Maddie looking a little deep red/purpleish underneath the incision around to her groin area where she had been swollen and retaining fluid right after surgery. It wasn't that bad and I didn't point it out to the Vet and ask questions because I didn't think about it, and guess I figured if something was wrong with it he would have noted it and said something.
It's looking darker now, like deep bruising and today when I got home I could tell that the incision had seeped a little fluid. It was stained on her skin. She has or had some areas that were kind of hard under the surface of the incision. But I know that is normal. It looks like they are almost gone now. Like they were pockets of fluid they drained.
Is this normal? She doesn't act like it's sore and it doesn't have any odor to it…I checked.
Any help or advice would be great.
Thanks,
Maddie Mae's Momma Kelly
All of Coopers bruising was pretty well gone within the first week and a half and that despite having a second surgery to remove the rest of his leg. I would sure not be a bit afraid to call it to the vets attention - always better to be safe than sorry. I know I always felt silly calling my vet everyday - but it was worth feeling silly to know that Cooper was alright. Hope everything is ok!
Coopsdad
Coopsdad/ Kenneth Blackburn
http://cooper.t.....ipawds.com
the monkeydogs only THINK they have invaded the tripawd state
Thanks. I thought I'd air it out here first. I'll call the Vet in the morning.
Any initial briusing she had seemed to go away along with all the swelling. So I am concerned that this is something else.
But I would still be interested in others experience in this.
Just curious, did you try searching? Post-op bruising is common and has been discussed quite a bit in existing forum topics, complete with photos!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
it sounds like a hematoma, maybe slipped and fell or tore a muscle or tissue some. maybe a little infection trying to set up, is the area warm or swollen. is she eating and drinking okay?
i agree with the above, call the vet and get her back in for a check.
I haven't done a search yet, I'm still figuring my way through here. I just came home and posted right away. I will check it out.
She hasn't fallen that I know of. She is pretty active and has already done some burst of speed running in my sister back yard chasing birds and squirrels. She is acting perfectly normal and nothing has EVER phased her eating or drinking.
Thanks for the feedback.
kellyr2011 said:
I haven't done a search yet, I'm still figuring my way through here.
FYI: You can use the "Search" button above to search all forum topics, or search all Tripawds Blogs here.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Bud bruised all of the way under his incision AFTER his staples were taken out, The vet said it was fine.
However he didnt have any seepage from it. I'd put in a phone call too!
All i can offer is what our vet told us after Gus' surgery, he told us to make sure he wasn't real active for the first few weeks, that alot of activity could contribute to some fluid buildup and the possibility of having to drain it should that occur. After watching that video Maddie might have been a little more active than needed, even though we want to see them get better as fast as we can, I would be inclined to think everything should be ok. I think if there is infection the drainage will be pussy looking and have a bad smell to it, with with the area being warm and possibly swollen, but I'd run it by your vet to make sure, you don't need surprises like that. Good luck, Paws up, Spirit Gus and Dan
My buddy Gus had a left front amputation on April 7, 2010 and lived a great life until July 26,2010
Thanks for the responses.
Possibly she has been more active than she should have been. After the first week, I thought I'd let her decide if she felt up to doing something, and I would monitor her and if she seemed tired, we would stop and rest. Perhaps I should have decided for her for the first 2 weeks and then allowed her to push herself some afterwards....
She has even taken to conquering the stairs! Which as of yesterday I made off limits to her for now.
There is no odor to the seepage, and there has also been no more seepage, it just happened yesterday while I was at work and didn't seep again.
I know that when she was spayed, at about 2 - 2 1/2 weeks she began having a reaction to the sutures as they began to dissolve. I am wondering of this is the same thing. It's kind of reminiscent of that, but on a grander scale. Which considering the surgery it would be a grander scale.
Calling my Vet here in about 20 minutes.
Thanks again 
Gus did dteps the first night he was home and never missed a night, he only used them when he came up to our room to sleep. I would let maddie use them if she isn't doing it much, but thats me
My buddy Gus had a left front amputation on April 7, 2010 and lived a great life until July 26,2010
I did the stairs last night when it was time to go to bed. That nice man at the place my mom takes me, I think she called him Dr. Jeffries, he said it's not looking that bad, and it could be skin pig nation, or something like that changing on me.
And my silly Mom thought I leaked from my scar, but it was very fine reddish/tan looking hairs growing in around it. That's what the odd coloring she noted and thought was stains from wetness.
But because when I was spaded and had reactions to the stiches when they started melting, he gave me some annie botics to take. Just to be safe.
Thanks....
Maddie Mae
Maddie Mae's left rear leg: amutated 3-17-2011 ( Injury not cancer)
Follow her adventures......http://kellyr20.....pawds.com/
Pig Skin? Footbal season is over silly! 
Glad to hear everything is lookin' good according to the doc.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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