Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Well, I have to say, Duchess continues to do great! Walking, up and down stairs (albeit hesitant to go down), climbs on the bed and couch - all by herself! She seems happy most of the time and the light has definitely come back into her eyes. Saying that, we are still having food issues. She flat out refuses to eat her dry food - even with gravy or other goodies. she is only eating wet food and boiled chicken - stopped eating the rice last week. She is eating her regular snacks and the little table scraps I do give her (sensitive belly).
She is down to 2 Gaba pills a day. I have noticed that she sleeps most of the day and night - heavily. Also, she has developed a twitch at her incision site - I assume this is the nerves trying to talk to something that is not there anymore.
Duchess is getting her staples out tomorrow and I will ask the vet about these things at that time, but any ideas from all those that have actually gone through this will help greatly.
Thanks!
Oh that's great news!! And STILL so early in recovery and dong this well! 
The twitching is the nerves just adjusting most likely Hapy Hannah did alotof "twitching" at first too!
It takes a lot of energy for big dogs to walk around and I know they seem to sleep really, really well once they zonk out! The gaba may still be having an effect too.
As far as eating, Duchess is getting nutrition with her chicken, etc. and, as long as everything checks out at the vet I'd keep giving her what she wants...thats just me though! Heck through in a little steak and see if you can puree a few veggies in withit.
I saw your post on Otis's thread...well said. Time to love and hug and spoil is what its all about!
Let us k ow what the vet says , okay? I think at the end of the third week going into her fourth, you'll see the sparkle back pretty much full time...and it just keeps getting better!
Take care of you too!! Yo are doing a wonderful job with Duchess and I know she'sloving all the spoiling!
Love and hugs to all!
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!
Thank you so much for your kind words!! I am feeling very overwhelmed with the diagnoses. I know she is pain free and doing great otherwise - its just me dealing with what is going on now. The whole 'react, research, nurse' is mostly over and its starting to overwhelm me. This process is definitely worse on me than on her! 
And I totally agree with the food. I don't care what she eats as long as it doesn't make her sick. I decided not to do chemo as her belly would never tolerate it, so I have her for however long I am blessed.
I will definitely let you know what the vet says. And thanks for the input on the twitching. I have been applying cold compresses to it hoping it will 'calm' them down. At this point I am just guessing.
Sounds like she is doing well, Maggie's stump area twitched for awhile after surgery too, I can't remember how long it persisted. It didn't seem to cause her any pain, or bother her at all, she never reacted to it.
Remember too that Duchess is burning up lots more energy as a Tripawd, at this point in her recovery sleeping is a great thing!
Maggie was quite a stinker when it came to her food, once she got a taste of the 'good stuff' she was reluctant to go back to her regular food (which in normal times she gobbled down). Once she gets her strength back and is off all the meds you may have to force the issue with Duchess (assuming no underlying issues). Maggie was happy to go back to her normal once she figured out that was all she was getting!
Staples out day- yah! Each milestone is cause for celebration and extra treats.
Karen and Spirit Maggie
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Keep us posted on that beautiful girl!!
I think if you keep feeding her whatever she wants to eat and what her belly doesn't have a problem with, I think that is okay in my books. But that is just me. The only thing is that as tripawds, they burn off more energy and calories than regular 4 leggers cause they use more getting around. My Franklin was ok with his food.. and then he started to lose some weight.. so I put him on a higher calorie food with more protein... which helped him with his weight issues..
Sounds like she has adjusted beautifully!! (clapping hands and grinning here)
Now.. it is just our time to adjust.. lol
Christine... with Franklin in her heart♥
Franklin, he was the Happiest Dog on Three Legs! Diagnosed 09/26/2012 with Osteosarcoma, amputated 12/4/2012. Had a wonderful 5 1/2 months painfree until he ran for the Bridge on 5/15/2013. Always in my heart, and always a guardian angel of my pack... You can follow his Tripawd Adventures, before and after, in my blog, Frank'n'Farter!
Hi there,
I was interested to see the discussion here on twitching. Our Dotty had her hind leg amp six months ago and her stump seems to twitch all the time, sometimes uncontrollably. I find myself holding it to see if that helps. Thanks to everyone for their comments, it's good to know it's reasonably common.
Best of luck with your recovery, your pooch will get back to normal eating but it can take a while, especially if they are surfing the narcotic wave!
Victoria & Dotty
Sounds like Duchess is doing remarkably well.
I noticed a real difference with Tucker when he had his stitches (and the dreaded cone of shame ) removed at his two week checkup....it really seemed to raise his spirits.
Tuck is a lab...so food was never on issue for him.....though he is on a diet right now and tolerating that really well.
I have noticed when Tuck tries to dig, the area where his leg was amputated with "twitch" so it may indeed be nerves etc. remembering the function they used to serve.
Good Luck with your check-up!
Linda and Tucker
It's been our experience that the twitching becomes less frequent but still occurs at least once a day or so, it's completely normal.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
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