Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hi guys - Our Duchess (Dane y/o front amp in July, 4 rounds carboplantin) had a set back last week and am wondering if anyone else has any additional wisdom to add.
The quick background: Last week (I was out of town) my husband noticed her out of her routine when he came home one night. Later there was a hesitation to go up the stairs or do much along with shaking, whining and a few random yelps. After a day, he took her to the vet. We hadn't seen this behavior before nor did we see a fall AND we are going through a renovation. We wondered if it was anxiety because she is a bit of a sensitive one. We have closed off rooms and there are new people in the house making noise (we stayed with her a few days to see if she was bothered and they said no).
Last Thursday, he took her in. The physical exam showed no problems, the xray showed two small tumors in her lungs (SIGH), but he said SO small, shouldn't be affecting things. Watched her all day and she played and showed no signs of the anxiety, shaking and whining/screaming. I got back on Sunday, and she was not good. Couldn't even get up to greet me, but was excited. Up to this point her mobility was alright, but she was hesitant to do stairs. My husband wondered if she'd fallen on the stairs and it was mental. Monday morning I got her up to go to the bathroom (that is a Dane for you) and her attitude about moving was BAD - serious growling, etc. I left her be and then she got up and her back legs weren't working. Not crossing, but like she couldn't get them to do what she wanted. We called vet and got her in. They've consulted with the oncologist and still see nothing obvious. They think something is pressing on her nerves - a bulging disc likely (though tumors of spine a very unlikely possibility too). They wondered if she'd fallen or something. Either way, same treatment. We started her on Previcox and Gabepentin (at night) and her shaking and general discomfort is gone. Her back legs are still not working.
One of the vets is also certified in acupuncture and did that on her yesterday and recommends in a week (or sooner if not better). She cautioned that the first few days after the treatment the dog would seem weaker. Today - that is definitely true. It is like she can't move her hindquarters at all. (I'm a bit of a mess!) Her spirits are good. I told the vet I am very concerned about her being in pain and she said she understood, but that you can still see the fire in the dog's eyes and not to count her out. I HATE the idea of going down that road, but as we all likely feel, the most important thing is that she's comfortable.
Has anyone else experienced something similar? I'm going to ask vet about chiropractics too. We are in the Kansas City area if you know any...
Eating and drinking are alright. Potty is not - she cant really stand on her own. How do we get her to go? We get her outside with much ago and she is wagging her tail and looks happy, but then the nervous shakes start in when she can't go be.
She'll walk a little with the help of a towel (we don't have a harness) and so we're trying to encourage that.
Wooooshh...just writing this was cathartic. Thanks.
The magnificent Duchess, our Great Dane, brought us here. Diagnosed early July, 2014, Duchess had her front, left amp a week later. She handled her four rounds of carboplantin like a champ. She earned her wings late January 2015. A royal reincarnated into a wee-dane, she was bursting with personality and demands. We miss her a lot and are very thankful for the time we had with her. We welcomed a new rescue Dane into the family in March - Maverick! We're thankful he doesn't realize we'd meet all his demands if he put them out there.
Okay.......B R E A T H E.........YEP, IT HELPS!! Deep slow breaths in...exhale s@owly......B R E A T H E......B R E A T H E.......
Duchess has a lot of GOOD signs....A LOT!! Eating, drinking, wagging and, as the vet says, Duchess stil has the fire in her eyes!! You've ruled out anyth i ng "bad" as best as possible, so it does sound like it is some sort of spine...disc...muscle thing...all treatsb@e with the meds you are using plus rest...no more stair climbing for awhile if possible.
Nkw as far as peeing...she is going, right? Otherwise, you need ro get her in to jave the vet show you how to express jer bladder...but she must pee.
And as far as the lungs, that doesn't sound like an issue at all.
Many have jad similar issues and acupuncture does seem to help, but it takes several sessions to kick in . And yeah, the healing lrocess usually appears worse right after the first session or so, but after that I think you'll start to see improvement.
You and your husband a GREAT ADVOCATES for Duchess! Hang in there! This journey is full of bumps in the road, scares, ups and downs.
Try and stay in the mome t....sloil...love...lots of pictures....B R E A T H E....get out the chocolate...and stay connected!!!
All paws crossed over here for sweet Duchess!
Sending love and hugs!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle
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!
Hahahaha. Thanks! You are making me smile and laugh. And you are right. I'm also laughing at myself because I said "quick background" and it wasn't.
Think she went pee yesterday at the vet. Nothing for us. She's been known to hold it for a few days in protest. But I just don't know how she'll go when she does if she can't crouch. Just talked to the vet and she walked me through how to put pressure on the bladder. Otherwise, tomorrow she goes in for them to help.
I'm very hopeful that that acupunture helps. Duchess is interested in things and you get her "sparkle" here and there. Even barking at other dogs from inside the house like she is going to "go get them.
The magnificent Duchess, our Great Dane, brought us here. Diagnosed early July, 2014, Duchess had her front, left amp a week later. She handled her four rounds of carboplantin like a champ. She earned her wings late January 2015. A royal reincarnated into a wee-dane, she was bursting with personality and demands. We miss her a lot and are very thankful for the time we had with her. We welcomed a new rescue Dane into the family in March - Maverick! We're thankful he doesn't realize we'd meet all his demands if he put them out there.
Hmmm. It sure sounds like she is getting some really great care and having that acupuncture should help tremendously. The vet is right; usually with acupuncture you'll feel worse before you feel better, which is why it takes a few sessions to see some real relief. Your acupuncture vet should be able to refer you to chiro but I'd stick with the acupuncture for a while before going that route, just to pinpoint whether or not that treatment is working. Add too many things in and you don't know what works.
You can add pumpkin, olive oil or some bran flakes to her food to encourage her to go.
Did the vets say anything about at what point a referral to a neurologist might be a good idea? Not saying you need to now but just in case? I hope not!
Instead of a towel, do the old canvas grocery bag trick.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thanks, Jerry! And good thinking about the pumpkin, et al.
We have a grocery bag that I used when she was recovering and have been switching. I think we keep using the towel just because the vet mentioned it. I thought I was so clever when I did that to the bag. And we didn't sleep for about a week, so I was surprised something clever came out of it. Great advice - it does work better. My mind isn't quiet settled yet with this news.
She hasn't mentioned a referral yet, but did say that if we can't get her moving right by the end of the week, we need to regroup.
The magnificent Duchess, our Great Dane, brought us here. Diagnosed early July, 2014, Duchess had her front, left amp a week later. She handled her four rounds of carboplantin like a champ. She earned her wings late January 2015. A royal reincarnated into a wee-dane, she was bursting with personality and demands. We miss her a lot and are very thankful for the time we had with her. We welcomed a new rescue Dane into the family in March - Maverick! We're thankful he doesn't realize we'd meet all his demands if he put them out there.
Awwww lots of hugs coming your way. We all know how the worry can make us scattered. Hang tight, I like the way your vets are thinking, they sound great.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Just to clarify...she can poop right...just not pee? I think the pumpkin Jerry referred to is more for poop issues
Another crazy thought...wonder if the shaking when she tries to pee and can't is due to any sort of kidney/bladder stones...or even a UTI? This could be going on in addition to muscle/disc issues. Just throwing things up against the wall and see if anything sticks!
Glad that the pain meds seem to be working...that's another good sign. Barking at dogs...yeah...another good sign!! Hang in there, may take a bit to figure things out and get the right trratment, but sounds like you're on the right path!
Stay in the moment with Duchess and savor those wonderful moments of sparkle!! Let nothing rob you of your time together...Duchess sure isn't!!
Some people even pour wine over their chocolate.....each to their own...but worth a try!!
(((((((((((((((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))))))))))
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle
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!
Thanks, guys!
We finally had both bowel movements last night, but both a struggle. I think it is because she just cant crouch and so she refuses. The #2 was when we had her outside trying to put pressure on her bladder and it all just came out as she was standing. #1 happened right when we got inside and she was on her bed. She does not like not being able to crouch to do it, even with the sling.
We did have to laugh, there was so much liquid that it seeped into our unfinished basement (old house) as well as soaked her bed and washable rugs (no cares there!) As we were loading laundry, we noticed the puddle. We knew she had to go!
Enjoying every minute of it! We have another treatment and I'm hopeful she'll continue to get better. It seems like there is a small change in her ability to walk as of yesterday afternoon. We were supporting her less. By the end of the day, we were back to nearly all support. She was tired.
Fingers crossed!
The magnificent Duchess, our Great Dane, brought us here. Diagnosed early July, 2014, Duchess had her front, left amp a week later. She handled her four rounds of carboplantin like a champ. She earned her wings late January 2015. A royal reincarnated into a wee-dane, she was bursting with personality and demands. We miss her a lot and are very thankful for the time we had with her. We welcomed a new rescue Dane into the family in March - Maverick! We're thankful he doesn't realize we'd meet all his demands if he put them out there.
Awwww you have a GREAT sense of humor, that will carry you very far!
Glad to hear she went and her mobility is improving. That's fantastic news. Paws, fingers, toes & tails crossed for more pawsitive changes.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
YAAAAAAAAAY FOR POOPING!!!!!!!
YAAAAAAAAAY FOR
EEING!!!!!! YAAAAAAAAAY FOR SHOWING A LITTLE IMPROVEMENT...THAT EQUALS HUGE IMPROVEMENT ON THIS JOURNEY!!!
Continue to celebrate each moment with sweet Duchess, even if it's peeing in the bed or pooping in the floor! On this journey we love EVERYTHING our dogs do!!!
The meds, rest and acupuncture all should be helping little bit by little bit. Glad you're already seeing a glimlse of improvement. Heck, she has to feel better being able to pee and poop! Yiu two have certainly mastered the "art of bladder expression"! Good job!
We're all cheering for sweet Duchess...cheering loudly and non-stop! Can you hear us??
Sending lots of hugs and healing energy.
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle 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!
It seems we aren't going to win this battle. We have a wonderful vet who is fighting right alongside us. But she has asked us to consider what is best for the dog. Duchess has made no.progress and at this point she would expect to see some...she suspects a spinal tumor because of this, especially given all of the information available to us. We are not going to do an MRI.
Unless we see progress tomorroe, we are not going to let her continue like this. It isn't fair.
The magnificent Duchess, our Great Dane, brought us here. Diagnosed early July, 2014, Duchess had her front, left amp a week later. She handled her four rounds of carboplantin like a champ. She earned her wings late January 2015. A royal reincarnated into a wee-dane, she was bursting with personality and demands. We miss her a lot and are very thankful for the time we had with her. We welcomed a new rescue Dane into the family in March - Maverick! We're thankful he doesn't realize we'd meet all his demands if he put them out there.
I am so sorry! This is such a hard place to be in. Just know that you have done everything possible for your girl and she knows that. Know that you have support here. Hugs, Lori, Ty and gang
TY GUY, Best Black Lab ever! Diagnosed and had amp in January, 2014. Kicked MRSA's butt. Earned his angel wings on April 16, 2014. Run Free my boy and don't forget a shoe. Ty is a proud member of the " April Angels". Ty sent us Daryl, a Tripawd rescue in Sept. of 2016. Daryl is 5 +or -. We are also Pawrents to Chandler, a Border Collie mix who is 15 and 1/2, Lucy, a Corgi who is 7, 2 minis, 2 horses, and a feisty cat named Zoe. Zoe had a non skeletal Osteosarcoma removed in July 2015. No Chemo, she was at least 16. She is going strong although she is now completely blind. She is now close to 20 and her hobbies are eating and sleeping in front of her personal heater.
You will always do what's best for Duchess, just like you have every single day and she knows this. She knows she can count on you to give her THE most selfless gift of love we can ever do my our dogs...and that is to release them from an earthly body that no longer serves them.
Unfortunately, we've seen this piece of crap disease go to the spine seemingly more and more. AND, many times a pinched nerve, or strained back, or disc issues do happen sometimes too. They both present pretty much the same way. We will continue to hope for a better tomorrow for Duchess.
Whenever the time does come, you will be there by her side celebrating a wonderful life and surrounding her with your loving energy.
Shhhh.....this is kinda' gross and our little secret, okay......shhh....in addition to giving my beloved Happy Hannah steak, ice cream and five M&Ms, I gave her a serving of deer poop, her most favorite of the food groups! Guess I'm trying tk say, make every second she's still with you a celelbration. At this point in her journey, staying in the now, in the present, is a great gift to give to both of you.
Whenever it is her time to crossover, and we all hope it's a long time from now, she will be greeted at the Bridge by the happiest dogs and cats one could ever imagine! Jerry is there ro pass out Purple Hearts for Bravery and then the lawty begins!! They all run and play and frolic through the fields, roll in mud puddles and n ever have to bathe! The Angels give relaxing massages and tummy rubs every evening before bedtime.
As Jerry always says, this part of the journey is but a blink of an eye comlared to the thousands and thousands glori i us days of beautiful memories shared between you!
We are here for you and with you. We understand...ohhh how we understand.
Surrounding you with love and peace
Sally and My Eternal Light Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle 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!
Sally - that was so beautiful.
And yes, we just said goodbye to our beautiful, gregarious princess who ruled our lives. One of the toughest things we've ever had to do, but it was what was right for her, not us.
And we did love her always. So there is a lot of peace in that and many, many memories.
We fought right alongside her, but also had to listen to her. Thank you to all for your support over this last year. We got 8 more months with her, and that was invaluable.
The magnificent Duchess, our Great Dane, brought us here. Diagnosed early July, 2014, Duchess had her front, left amp a week later. She handled her four rounds of carboplantin like a champ. She earned her wings late January 2015. A royal reincarnated into a wee-dane, she was bursting with personality and demands. We miss her a lot and are very thankful for the time we had with her. We welcomed a new rescue Dane into the family in March - Maverick! We're thankful he doesn't realize we'd meet all his demands if he put them out there.
Oh gosh, my heartbreaks and the tears are flowing.. I'm so very, very sorry.
Know that Duchess IS running free now, feeling so darn good to get rid of her earth clothes. That cral disease could not touch her Spirit, it could nit invade her Soul and it certainly could never, ever break the eternal loving connection you will ALWAYS have!
Please stay connected to us....I'm afraid it gets a lot harder before it gets better. For eight splendid months your whole foucs, your whole routine has centered around your beautiful Duchess. The void, the silence will seem unbearable and the waves of grief will hit you like a ton of bricks. Eventually, slowly, the good memories will start creeping back in. Duchess will make her presence known and you will feel her by your side.
Just as you felt privileged to have her in your life all these years, she felt just as privileged! Duchess lived a life of meaning and purpose and she inspired everyone she met! DUCHESS TOUCHED LIVES!! DUCHESS MADE A DIFFERENCE!! She will ALWAYS be a Beacon of Hope for all dogs here, but especially larger ones!!
When you can, please share more stories and ohotos of your magnificent Duchess.
Duchess will never be forgotten here...EVER! I shall light a candle in her honor tonight.
Surrounding you with Duchess's eternal grace
Sally and My Eternal Light Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle
I do jave a visual that gave me a smile through my tears. I bet as she was heading up to the Bridge she stopped and swuatted and peed and pooped about a hundred times! That must have felt sooo good to her!! In fact, it just started sprinkling here! Is it rain....or could it be...??
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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