Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Cotton is finally eating!! He has not been eating like normal, even canned food with gravy. He had 3 bites of dry food, but that was it, besides peanut butter around pills (which he won't eat anymore).
I finally boiled some chicken, cut up hotdogs, mixed veges, and rice all mixed together, and WOW!! He has never eaten like that before. Even tonight, he ate it cold too. Now we just have to find another thing to give him his pills.
However, he is leaking from his incision. I think its a seroma
. 
The fluid is a little thick and pink. He was whining this evening, which he hasn't done before tonight. He is scheduled for his 1 week follow up on Friday. I called the vet's office on Tuesday, but they said they would call me back but didn't. It's not hot to the touch, but it does feel almost hard. Some of the incision (which was pretty sloppy, in my opinion) looks like it may be pulling apart.
Keep him in your thoughts and prayers, and please let me know if you have any advise. Thanks.
Good for you, Cotton. Keep on eating. You might want to see if you can get some Pill Pockets. Those worked really well for us.
I will defer to others about the seromaossibility, as we didn't have to deal with those.
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!
Dogs are absolutely brilliant at figuring ouy hw to avoid pills! Once they "discover" it in a certain food, they'll boycott the food forever!
Really glad he's eating!! YAAAAAY! Keep on holding out for the good stuff Cottn!! It's working!
Now, as far as the leakage (of course these things only happen on holidays or week-ends),can you take a picture and post it here under "Ask A Vet" section?
It could b that the stitches are startng to give a little...nd maybe that's causing him some discomfort. There jave been situatio s here where a "rogue" stitch came loose and was stickng nto the skin causing so e pain. Does he jave staples? A sign of infection is a realy foul odor coming out of the incision site. Has this been going on since Tuesday? and shame on tne vet for not calling you back owng the holiday is coming up.
I wish could be more helpful and hopefully others will chime in. He's probaly still on an antibiotic, right? The fact that he's eatingis a WONDERFUL sign! I know tat jas you thrilled! I now this makes yo and Cotton feel better!
Try not to worry. I really doubt it's anything at all!
Had to laugh.....my first post here was so ething along the lines of..."six days post rear leg amp. and I fear I've made a horrible decision"! Her incisin worked far worse than those I had seen on the site too. ,Something aout that six day mark! We just celebrated her ninth mnt ampuversary and still moving forward (knocking on wood over here)! THE BEST DECISION EVER!!!
Your Cotton will be fine! He's getting terrific care from you! Yoj are a very diligent mom and a wonderful advocate!
Keep us posted, okay?
Surrou ding you with love and support!
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!
Yippeee for appetite! I tell ya, human food is gooooood medicine.
As for the seroma . They're usually more watery than bloody and very squishy, not hard. Does the discharge or incision smell at all? From what you're saying about the incision it's a possibility that there is infection there but since I'm not a vet please take that for what it's worth. Keep an eye on it. Even an infection usually isn't serious but it's definitely worth a vet visit. I'm sure Friday can't come soon enough.
Have a great Thanksgiving tomorrow.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Glad that Cotton is finally eating. Daisy wouldn't eat her regular mix of kibble/canned food. I too boiled some chicken which she would only eat if I hand fed her.
I used cut up hot dogs to hide Daisy's pills in. The end pieces usually worked best for us. She always managed to slip the pill out of the center section cuts. They are too smart for their own good sometimes. Pill pockets always worked for us too.
Hope the seroma is doing better? I don't have any experience with that as Daisy didn't develop one. I will say her incision was not exactly "perfect". I just think dogs skin is thicker than people's and Daisy's looked kind of rolled up and wasn't a nice straight line with little pooches at the ends. It looked totally different once it healed.
Good luck at your appointment tomorrow and have a great Thanksgiving!
Marla and Daisy
My Two Tripawds...Biscuit 
and Spirit Daisy 
Thanks for all the replies!! We ended up leaving Cotton home (with his cone of shame on) because our Thanksgiving was a massive affair and too many dogs (and people too) that would have too much for him. We took our little doggie, Radar, just so he could have some special time.
The 'seroma ' (or whatever it is) has no odor, good or bad. When we got home, he was ready to go potty, and it dripped on the tile and out to the patio.
When he sat on his haunches, it left a small pool that looked like a small pool of melted pink wax, almost like it was squeezed out when he sits. I am hoping for 'its normal, and we'll drain it in the office' when we see the vet tomorrow morning.
I will repost what the vet says tomorrow.
Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving, and spoiled those wonderful 3 legged friends. 
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