Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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My 10 year old golden retriever/collie mix, Parker, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma last week. We had no idea. He hurt his wrist and it showed on the xray that his bone had been being eaten away. We had no other indication.rnFront right leg was amputated on Thursday, we took him home Friday. He has been eating and drinking fine, is on Gabapentin, deracoxib, and tremeel. He is hesitant to get up, but we\'ve been able to tempt him with a treat and he\'s successfully peed three time.rnThis morning he was lying curled up on left side (incision face up). He then lay back flat on his side, and when he was nearly down he started yelling. The only other time he has vocalized like that was when he initially broke his wrist. We were able to lay him down, pet him, and calm him. He seems to be resting comfortably again, curled up. But we are super freaked out now. Has anyone had any similar experience? Did his incision hurt him? Did he get a neck spasm? Any input is appreciated.
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Hi and welcome to you and Parker. I'm sorry for the diagnosis! It happened so quickly, but really it's a good thing because you got rid of that bad leg and now Parker is on the road to feeling better. For now, I know it's hard to go through this recovery with him. Here's some things to keep in mind:
- Yes, many dogs and cats will behave in a similar way the first few days or even weeks after surgery. Oftentimes that's a sign that their pain management needs fine tuning. It sounds like your vet gave Parker a standard regimen of pain control, but the dosages and timing may need adjusting. For some dogs that means more medication more often, for other dogs it means less medication at greater intervals. Since we don't know your dog, it's best to have a conversation with your vet first to discuss his pain signals and how to manage with the medication you've been given.
- Rest assured that what he is experiencing is really normal. Keep his activity at pretty much zero right now, at least until stitches come out. He needs rest time, and the only time he should be outside is to potty and then back inside. Keep walks leashed and very, very short to minimize the chance of muscle strain. Remember, it's a LOT of work getting used to walking on three legs. He will get there, on his timeline.
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