Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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I had no idea Dakota is a stoic dog. He's a big weenie most of the time. Turns out he's been suffering with some tremendous pain in his back and hips. Now I feel like a turd.
We have a friend (my daughter-in-law's sister) who is a new veterinarian. She knows Dakota but hadn't seen him since last July. She was recently visting here with her family and, professional that she is, she decided to give Dakota a good going-over while nuzzling him on the floor. She was pretty surprpised to find several really painful areas. Really, really painful areas. Her recommendation was acupuncture.
This does explain more why Dakota behaves the way he does. It's so hard to know if it's age or pain, though, when the dog is 10 and already had some arthritis before amputation. But there was no doubt when she palpated one area of his back that he was in extreme pain. He tried to bite her, and then he stopped and looked terribly embarrassed. It was purely reflexive.
One thing I've noticed and wondered about: When Dakota lays on the floor on his side (either side), the back leg that's on top will tremble a lot. It generally stops as he dozes off, but when he first settles down to rest, that leg is pretty active. Does anyone else see this in their dog? Does anyone know if it's also part of the pain, or if it's just something else? I thought it was fatigue due to the difficulties amputation bring. I'm finding that I'm questioning myself more now.
I have a call in to a highly recommended vet who does acupuncture both in her office and as home visits. Bonus points for it being a woman! We'll see what happens.
Shari
From abandoned puppy to Tripawd Warrior Dude, Dakota became one of the 2011 February Furballs due to STS. Our incredibly sweet friend lived with grace and dignity till he impulsively raced over the Bridge on 12-15-12.
Dakota's thoughtful and erudite blog is at http://shari.tr.....pawds.com/
Oh, poor D-Dawg! I hope the acupuncture helps.
Keep us posted.
Jackie
Abby: Aug 1, 2009 – Jan 10, 2012. Our beautiful rescue pup lived LARGE with osteosarcoma for 15 months – half her way-too-short life. I think our "halflistic" approach (mixing traditional meds + supplements) helped her thrive. (PM me for details. I'm happy to help.) She had lung mets for over a year. They took her from us in the end, but they cannot take her spirit! She will live forever in our hearts. She loved the beach and giving kisses and going to In-N-Out for a Flying Dutchman. Tripawds blog, and a more detailed blog here. Please also check out my novel, What the Dog Ate. Now also in paperback! Purchase it at Amazon via Tripawds and help support Tripawds!
I hope the acupuncture helps too! Poor guy! Old age can really creep up on you. As for the leg trembling, we've never had that with any of our dogs, but one of our cats does that all the time. Fergus is about 7 years old now. Whenever he lays on his side, one of his legs will tremble. I have to admit, I've never paid enough attention to notice if it was the top or bottom leg. Usually I just touch the leg, and he stops. I have no idea what it is, or what causes it. But it stops quickly when I gently touch it, so I never gave it a second thought really. I hope the acupuncture helps out your boy!
Hey Shari, don't feel like a turd. You are doing your best and that's what counts. The acupuncture should make a big difference, it usually does. Keep in mind it takes at least 3 to 6 sessions to see big improvements, but I know that for me, it took one session for me to let out a big sigh of relief! I felt so much better.
As for the trembling...havent' seen it myself, but I imagine that it's the same kind of reactions humans have when they've been sitting in one position for too long. You know like when you sit with your knee bent a certain way and when you unbend it, it's a few seconds of painful sensation? Relaxing into a good position can be like that too.
Let us know who you find and if you like her remember to include her in our Veterinary Referrals forum topic. We have a lot of members in Colorado.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Dogs really are their own worst enemies for hiding their pain when they are in a safe and loving home!!
Magnum's top leg would tend to quiver a bit when she was lieing down. I thought it was due to tight muscles and would gently massage the muscle. I have no idea if that was what was wrong (and I don't think it was all due to her hip metastasis because I'm sure I remember her doing it when she had 4 legs). But the massage did seem to help.
Karen and Spirit Magnum
Magnum: 30th May 2002 to 5th May 2012. Lost her back left leg to osteosarcoma on 5th Sep 2011. Lung mets found on 20th Mar 2012 but it was bone mets in the hip that ended her brave battle. Magnum's motto - "Dream as if you'll live for ever, live as if you'll die today" (James Dean). Loyal, loving, courageous and spirited to the end. My beloved heart dog, see her memoirs from Rainbow Bridge ...... http://princess.....pawds.com/
I felt like a huge piece of turd when we found out Bud had another break in his wired together leg..... I think that constant pain became an awful normal for him . The vet told us that Goldens tend to be stoic with their pain. I don't care what that DNA test said, Dakota looks alot golden to me. So, forgive yourself!
Hope the acupuncture works well for him! Perhaps you can do the home visit...acupuncture for Dakota and a cocktail or two for you!
An old dog of mine (Karsen, a chow-lab mix who is a quadpawd! :), and who is a rescue so not sure about age, but 15 or so), and who has a lot of back and hip arthritis and pain has been having leg trembling a fair amount recently. I thought it was just muscle fatigue or weakness. But, a client of mine (who brought his dog into the office yesterday) said, after I noticed his dog doing it while standing, that he has been told it is pain. So, I'm not sure. But, yes, I have seen it. Karsen doesn't seem to be in any particular pain when it is happening. And yes, it is the top leg when she is resting on her side.
I rather thought it might be muscle fatigue because getting around is getting pretty hard for her nowadays (in spite of Metacam, Tramadol, and Gabapentin). I had used the k-laser treatment with her (http://www.k-la.....eterinary/) and thought that helped quite a bit with her back pain. I tried acupuncture once but then my vet started taking the only day off that I could get her in for that so we only had the one session. Besides which, that was about when Duke got the osteo diagnosis and his care started to consume all my time. These dogs, I tell ya! 🙂
And, don't forget that when they are palpating they will get a pain response even if it isn't generally terribly painful. Duke has a bulging disc but it doesn't usually bother him. If you press on his spine to check, however, he will show a strong pain response. Our osteo diagnosis was a week delayed because a sub vet for mine thought it was his back causing him not to use his leg because of his pain response when she applied pressure. I wish that were all it had been!
Hope you find some solution for Dakota be it meds, acupuncture, k-laser, massage, or a combination package! 🙂
Shari,
Rizzo is a rear leg amp and whenever she lies down and starts to relax she trembles that back leg big time. She trembles the back leg big time when she standing still and it seems to have gotten a lot worse in the last year. I attributed it to weakness and age. Even when she is dead asleep she trembles....all three legs.
About six months ago she was put on two different pain meds as she began waking up (only at night) with terror screams like from a nightmare. I took her to the vet and he felt it is from pain and since I've been medicating her she still trembles but does not wake up with night screams. Those night time screams broke my heart. My husband and I have anguished about medicating her but she does not act doped up. If she acts doped up we have both promised each other and Rizzo to help her cross. I am considering trying accupuncture too.
I wrestle with this. How much pain she could be in? Right now she sleeps soundly at night, although trembles, and is happy and playful during the day. When she doesn't have that bright eyed look, that's my signal to ask the vet for his opinion again. I'm soaking in every minute I have with her these days as I realize how fast things can change.
So that's my long answer to your question......yes I do see it my dog too. Sure sounds like Dakota's tremble is the same as Rizzo's. Poor guy. He is lucky to have you. Let me know what you find out.
All our Best,
Suzie and Rizzo
Jack Russell born in 2001. Mast cell cancer found Dec 2009 and right rear amputation. Five rounds of chemo done before all treatment stopped. Living life to the fullest!! Read my story at http://rizzo.tripawds.com
Sorry to hear my buddy is hurting.
We have "friends" who have a dog who's getting up there in age, but a few years back, he blew one of his rear ACLs and then a few months later, the other one. For one reason and another (too expensive, dog is too old, bs, bs, bs) they didn't have the surgery he needed to repair either one. When he lays down, his legs tremble. When he's standing, not as much, but I think that's because he's carrying his weight on them, and that keeps the trembling to a minimum.
I'm guessing that Dakota is trembling from pain and/or weakness in the legs. Could he do swim therapy??? That might help strengthen his muscles, along with the acupuncture to alleviate the pain...
Rio's momma, Micki
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~ ~ Rio ~ ~ |
I have noticed for a couple of years now (well before the amp) that Zeus' back legs will shake occasionally when he lies down. Usually the leg on top. For a long time I worried that it was something neurological, but after a year or so with absolutely no other symptoms and no worsening of the shaking, I quit worrying.
Lisa
Zeus was a Husky mix diagnosed with Osteosarcoma at age 11. A visible lung met and suspicious spot on his liver meant a poor prognosis-six weeks was our vet's best guess. We decided to fight for our boy and his right front leg was amputated on 12/1/11. We did six rounds of chemo, changed his diet and spoiled him completely rotten. We were blessed with 10 great months after diagnosis. Against the odds, the lung met remained a single met and grew very little over those months. A wonderful furbaby with the most gentle spirit, he fought with a strength that we never imagined he possessed. We have no regrets...
http://zeuspod......pawds.com/
Please keep us updated on the acupuncture for arthritis! Recent x-rays from the foxtail adventures indicated Chloe is starting to develop some arthritis in her lower lumbar region. She is 11 and she's been a tripawd for nearly 2 years. I know I would be interested in starting Chloe on some acupuncture when her arthritis starts to progress a bit more. Judging from her current activity level, I never would have known. Plus it confirms her need for the joint supplements I've been making her take for the better part of a year now 
.
-Nicole
Chloe became a rear amp tripawd on 7-29-10. Another tumor was removed on front leg 2-20-14. Found 3rd tumor on neck 2-2015, but she's still kicking cancer's butt at age 14. Chloe's blog
Can't wait to hear about the acupuncture!! I have been bookmarking sites about that alternative left and right. Pegz isn't shaking...except when she is zonked out and dreaming....but knowing how these guys try to hide pain, I want to be prepared.
Keep us posted!!!
DD...no nipping, except for MB's
Awww, Shari tell Dakota Dawg we're so sorry he is hurting. My mama sez acupuncture is da bomb! She feels ever so much better since she been doing it. But i bet it works the same fur dawgz. So let us know how it goes OK?
xoxox,
Travis Ray and the OP+1
You're not allowed to feel like a turd! This is just how they operate....it's one of the reasons this disease is so obnoxious - they hide the pain until it's already progressed! I never knew if Holly was in pain - I was always nervous that she was uncomfortable and we just didn't know it. I remember telling the vet when she started whining in pain that I knew it must be really, really bad pain if she was showing any signs, because she was just so stoic and would hide it for as long as she possibly could.
Clyde does that trembling leg sometimes when he lies down - it used to freak me out a little, but I have never seen any other signs of pain in his legs, and it does usually go away if I put my hand on his leg for a few seconds.
I really can't say enough good things about acupuncture. Even though Holly didn't get enough sessions to really have an impact on her pain, it had a great effect on her. We only had 2 (and she had another one scheduled for the day we let her go, which would have been 3 in one week!). It just relaxed her SO MUCH. It was the most relaxed I saw her throughout her illness. She just let go...it was wonderful to see. Plus, I felt like it was a really special bonding time for us. The first time, she put her head in my lap and I was able to just gently stroke her while she relaxed and slept, and it was so great to just have that quiet time together when we weren't worried about chemo or meds or anything at all, really. We were just there in the moment together. I wouldn't give those sessions back for anything! The second time was after her front leg was paralyzed and her spirits were definitely down, but it really did give her a boost. She seemed refreshed and actually tried to do things for herself. During and for a couple of hours after that session were the best times she had during the days between when she lost the use of that front leg and when she let go.
I hope it helps and that Dakota is feeling less pain in no time!
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