Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Thank you for the responses! : )
I was wrong about my above mentioned food that Henri is eating...it is Hills Prescription ID, from the Vet....for Sensitive Stomach....and he has done really well on that this week. The bad news is that I had to completely stop giving Henri his meds because they were making him so sick. We are coming home from vacation tomorrow so I will have to call the Vet and see what we can do about switching his medicine. I just can not stand to see him sick all the time.
More bad news is that Henri is having a really difficult time moving around. It has gotten so bad that my husband and I are having to carry him down the steps to get him outside to potty. : (
He is also he aving a hard time just getting up...he rocks back and forth and just can not get up...not sure if it is his hind legs or back...I am thinking it is his back legs. Not sure if it arthritis or something else...really really tough seeing him go through this. It takes a TON of encouragement to help him get up and he does not want me to help him and mostly he just gives up. : (
For the last couple of days... we have had to carry him up and down the stairs. My back is SHOT....but we do not have any other choice. I pray this is just a setback and that it is not that the cancer has spread. I am thankful I brought Henri's Tramadol....I have been giving him two tablets at night....This is really tough...just hoping he will bounce back when we get back home tomorrow to the environment that he knows...where it is easier on him to potty outside and he can rest. I think Henri misses his routine.
It is strange...I thought I was doing the right thing by bringing Henri on vacation, there is no way I could have imagined leaving him for a week...but now I feel like I did the wrong thing...as this has been really hard on him and me.
Just looking forward to getting back home and getting back into our routine! SIGH
Oh, Henri, I so hate to hear you're not getting around well, and the upset tummy thing is just horrible. I'm not an expert on goldens, so someone chime in - a friend of mine had one that had horrible mobility issues as she aged. Is this something that is common with the breed?
I am sure everyone will feel better when you are home and back in familiar territory. Sending good thoughts to you!
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.
We're sending lots of pawsitive thoughts and plenty of hugs to you, Wendy and Henri! We're so sorry to hear that your vacation wasn't awesome for Henri - but he knows you love him and that's why you brought him along so don't have 2nd thoughts about that. You would have worried about him if you had left him behind... and this way you could see him and he could see you and even if he wasn't feeling his best, he was with the people who love him best.
Everyone has given such good advice - which I'm sure I'll be using since Holly has gone off her food again with her last chemo. So thanksfor posting...
Wishing you safe travels home, and hoping that Henri feels better once he's back home.
Hugs,
Holly and Holly's mom
Holly joined the world of tripawds on 12/29/2009. She has a big little sister, Zuzu, who idolizes Holly and tries to make all of her toys into tripawds in Holly's honor. And she's enjoying life one hop at a time!
http://anyemery.....ipawds.com
Wendi, please don't beat yourself up, you never could have known that it would be so hard. Like Holly said, all thatmatters to Henri is that he is with the pack he loves the most.
We hope he feels better and your vet has some good things to help him get around more. We are all sending our love and healing wishes.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hey Wendi and Henri:
We're sending you lots of positive thoughts and Golden hugs to feel much better when you get back home. Sorry your vacation wasn't the rest any of you were looking for.
I've had 2 Goldens - Sophie and Keaton (we lost Keaton February 9th this year - he was 14). Keaton had very bad mobility issues for about the last 18 months - deteriorating noticeably and quickly in his last month or so. Different dogs, though, handle things differently. Keaton would not have overcome a leg amputation. Knowing him as well as we did, we would not have made that decision for him. Sophie is a different dog - and at 12 years old, she bounced back very quickly. She has never had any mobility issues, and still has perfectly good hip joints. So, I don't think you can say that Goldens, in general, have mobility issues when they age - as a breed.
Hang in there Henri ! Get well - get moving !
Sending lots of Golden hugs - and lots of licking from Sophie,
Tana and Sophie.
Sophie (1998 – 2010)
"Going Dog" def: living every day in the moment
"It came to me that every time I lose a dog they take a piece of my heart with them. And every new dog who comes into my life gifts me with a piece of their heart. If I live long enough, all the components of my heart will be dog, and I will become as generous and loving as they are."
–Unknown
Wendy and Henri,
I'm sorry that your vacation didn't turn out to be as relaxing as you had hoped... I think it's a good idea that you stopped the meds for now. I would have done the same thing... Hopefully you can get Henri in to see his vet as soon as you get home... He can give you some different meds to help with the stomach problems... and see what's going on with his back and why he's not able to get up on his own anymore. I hope it's nothing to do with his cancer...
Sending you and Henri a big fat hug!! You guys are in my thoughts and prayers... Give that big golden of yours a kiss from me!!
Angel Jake's Mom
Jake, 10yr old golden retriever (fractured his front right leg on 9/1, bone biopsy revealed osteosarcoma on 9/10, amputation on 9/17) and his family Marguerite, Jacques and Wolfie, 5yr old german shepherd and the newest addition to the family, Nala, a 7mth old Bengal mix kittie. Jake lost his battle on 11/9/2009, almost 8 weeks after his surgery. We will never forget our sweet golden angel… http://jakesjou.....ipawds.com ….. CANCER SUCKS!
Oh geez, it seems like I'm always late to the posts in which something does sound familiar to me! Yoda was on Piroxicam and had blood (black) in his stool. Looks like you already got the advice from Pam to keep him on the Pepcid or get him something even more effective and you were already smart enough to stop the meds. The timeline isn't super clear in my head, but as I recall Yoda did have some mobility issues - slow hop - as he was getting over his hurt tummy from the Piroxicam. He also had trouble getting comfortable when laying down and would get up and try again alot. I don't think you mentioned seeing that, but I may have missed it. With Yoda though, had lung met bursts around the same time, so some of his symptoms are jumbled in my mind as far as which was discomfort from the mets and which was from the Piroxicam, but probably the cough with blood in it and trouble breathing were the only symptoms that were really the mets. So I'd blame Henri's problems all on the Piroxicam! And the great news about that is that Yoda bounced back from the side effects of the Piroxicam completely in time - and even though he was having other issues going on.
Hang in there! Sorry about your vacation bummer, but I really think there's good reason to believe he's going to bounce back once his stomach has had enough time to heal. Is it any consolation that I suspect my vacation with Gerry in a couple months could easily be a disaster? And he doesn't even have cancer to deal with (knock wood). Just some hopefully very treatable GI issues that we're figuring out and a dislike of the car.
Gerry has been a tripawd since 12/16/2009.
He was a shelter dog with a mysterious past and an irrepairable knee injury.
Videos and pics of Gerry's pawesomeness can be found at: http://gerry.tripawds.com
Wendy and Henri
Sending many, many positive thoughts and hugs! So sorry Henri is having such tough time right now and he's with those he loves and those who love him. Hope your vet can help!
Hang in there, both of you.
Hugs
Carmen, Catie and Riley
Catie -
Birthday – November 4 2003
Amputation – January 13 2010
Crossed the Bridge – June 2 2011
A little hasty on the send button - that should read, "So sorry Henri is having such a tough time right now BUT he's with ..."
The snow on the ground here makes me stupid.
More hugs,
Carmen
Catie -
Birthday – November 4 2003
Amputation – January 13 2010
Crossed the Bridge – June 2 2011
I'll just add one little thing I've learned with Comet...
If her tummy hurts, she has a horrible time getting around. The hopping just shakes it up even more and that really keeps her down.
Comet - 1999 to 2011
She departed us unexpectedly January 23, 2011 at the age of 12 1/2.
She was born with a deformed front leg and a tripawd all of her life.
Oops - I guess it goes without saying...
Here's hoping that Henri just has a tummy ache and he'll bounce back soon.
Comet - 1999 to 2011
She departed us unexpectedly January 23, 2011 at the age of 12 1/2.
She was born with a deformed front leg and a tripawd all of her life.
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