Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hi,
Our dog had a front leg amputated on Tuesday and it is now Saturday morning. We brought him home Thursday evening. That evening, he seemed happy to be home and got up and walk/hopped over to places on his own (close by) a few times, like his water bowl or the pantry for a treat. Yesterday, after the first bathroom outing and meal, he barely wanted to move at all the rest of the day - we pretty much had to carry him outside with his harness, although he used his legs a bit once we got going, and did stand on his own to pee and even pooped.
Has anyone experienced going “backwards” like this? It is almost like he’s depressed, and we feel terrible. We are worried that his remaining forelimb can’t handle the weight (his weight is appropriate, but he’s a lab mix so it is still a lot of weight). He did fall a couple of times when trying to get up or down before we could get to him, so maybe he is scared to try?
Thanks in advance. Oh, he also has a seroma and is on Gabapentin for pain.
Hey there! Try not to panic, it’s not too unusual for a dog to have challenges like this so soon after surgery. We call it the “post-op crash,” which happens a lot around the 5 day mark. Plus we often expect too much too soon, especially when they come home so bouncy.
Tell us more...how old is he? Why the amputation? Was there a reason your vet kept him 3 Days? Is he on anything else besides gabapentin? What was his physical health like before surgery? And what are your floors like, are they slippery? Oh and what about his appetite? Is he eating and drinking and eliminating ok? Sorry for all the questions but it may help us help you figure things out.
My first guess is the gabapentin May be making him too dopey, it does affect some dogs that way. But do call your vet with your concerns, it will help put your mind at ease.
Thanks for joining us! Oh and one more question...what’s your dog’s name?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
YAAAAAAAAY FOR EATING, DRINKING, POOPING, PEEING!!!!😁😁
Yes, ditto Jerry! This is BERY early in recovery from MAJOR surgery!! The hospital pajn meed are now out of his system and, as Jerry said, he's feeling the "crash".
In addition to just having major surgery, he's also learning to adjust to three legs. That means lots of stiff sore muscles and, yes, some faceplants, especially for front leggers. And the first couple of stumbles can temporarily shake their confidence, as well as exasperate sore muscles.
And yeah, we see seroma arpund here a lot. All his drug high "bounciness" when he first came home probably didn't help! Keep an eye on it and keep your Bet in the loop.
He may also be experiencing pain. Often dogs come home with Gabapentin AND Tramadol, as well as Rimadyl and an antibiotic. How often is he given the Gabapentin? Check with your Vet. He may need additional pain meds...or more frequently...or less frequently! Crazy, right?
REST, REST, REST AND MORE REST!! Try gentle massage up and down his spine, and especially neck and shoulder area before getting up for potty and afterwards. A warm towel from the dryer over his back may feel good.
Hard to be patient, but recovery doesn't last furever!! Stay connected and let us know how things are going.
Hugs
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
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!
His name is Bo, and he’s 7.5. The amputation was for squamous cell carcinoma metastasis on the same leg where he previously lost a toe to it. They couldn’t get good margins without amputation because of the depth and location, and the hope is to stop it from getting elsewhere. They did say he might have a harder time because he wasn’t in much pain yet so he hadn’t already been leaning on his other legs, but he had an ortho check first and was fine/cleared.
He is a couch potato by nature, so he may just be tired. I will ask about other pain meds - they kept him longer in the hospital to wean him off his IV meds (he had fentanyl and Rimadyl there).
I just hate to think we maybe made the wrong choice for him.
I forgot to answer the part about the floors - we do have wood floors but we bought a bunch of rugs and runners, so he has a path. I think we will need more, to help him turn around easily.
Eating, drinking, peeing and pooping fine!
Almost all of us wondered "What have we done TO our dogs?," those first couple pf weeks pf recovery. Slowly but surely, Bo's sparkle will come back. Slowly but surely Bo will start enjoying some of his regular routines. Slowly but surely the tail wags will reimerge. Then, you will soon be saying, "I'm so glad I did this FOR my Bo!"
So being a couch potato during recovery is a good thing. Second guessing yourself this early is "normal" Just continie to be upbeat and confident around Bo and be sure and give him it's of praise. He'll get through this...and so will you!
And yeah. double check with your Vet about his Gabapentin dose amount and frequency. Since he's not on any other pain meds and not taking Rimadyl anymore, watch for signs of pain.
Take care and get some rest! Caring for a dog recovering from major surgery is exhausting. .for both of you!
Hugs
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
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!
Ah OK so Bo's situation sounds pretty straightforward and not at all complicated. Glad to hear you have traction and are keeping an eye on him.
I would let your vet know what's going on, and try your best not to worry. We all felt like we may have made a wrong choice during those first few days, it's a worrisome time. 99.9% of the time, our worry turned out to be for nothing, promise!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Just an update - it seems like the medicine was making him very drowsy. We tried adding more Gabapentin and Tramadol (as directed by the vet of course), and it made things worse, so we backed off again. Now that he’s just on Gabapentin twice a day since he has less pain, he’s pretty close to normal during the low medication times. We were so happy when he came to greet us at the door waggin his tail like old times. Staples come out Tuesday.
Thanks!
Oh good! Glad to read this!!
I can remeber rhe first time my Happy Hannah greeted me at the door with her stuffy all slobbery and slimy. Best greeting ever!!!
Looking forward to hearing about more delightful "normal" moments to come!😁
Hugs
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
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!
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