Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hi everyone. It’s been a few months. Duke was doing great for the past two months after his amputation. We saw an oncologist and started an herbal supplement treatment and homemade dog food. However last couple of weeks had been rough on him. Two-ish weeks ago he had seizure like symptoms it was midnight on a Sunday during a snow storm so driving the ER was a little dangerous. Luckily my amazing neighbor came by and helped us through it. He eventually calmed down and was able to turkey baster some pepto and gabapentin into him and he slept the rest of the evening or morning. Next day we went to the vet and he was perfectly fine. No signs of anything wrong. Happy as can be to visit the vet. He hopped right along to see them.
so the last few days to a week he’s been getting around slower, seems hard to get moving. But still wanted to go for walks until two days ago. We made it to my front yard and he didn’t want to move It was like his only back leg was tired and it took a lot to move and he’d end up sitting. So we went to the vet yesterday and only thing she saw was that his spine is sensitive and to increase his gabapentin.
Then tonight another Sunday. Around 550 he couldn’t get up very well so I just carried him to go potty. He couldn’t seem to get his back leg to hold him up. So I held him up to go pee. After he did. He stood on his own for a little bit moving. So I tried to urge him back toward the house. He dropped down to a sitting position and we couldn’t get him back up on his three legs. So I tried picking him up. Struggled some. Had to lay him down to regain some footing and he was stiff. His legs were straight and his head was arching backwards. Not really in control. So I picked him back up and we went inside I noticed his eyes were twitching. He wasn’t really responding to voices. Just stiff arched eyes twitching. And he’d move his limbs like he was trying to get up but couldn’t he stayed like that for about a hr. The. His eyes stopped twitching after that he was more alert and like he “was back” still trying to get up but couldn’t and we went through cycles of heavy panting and trying to get up along with a lot of salivating. Around 1030 I was going to try and get him to go outside but couldn’t get him up. He’s responding and eating treats but when I go to pick him up he gets rigid and I can’t pick him up in a way where he could go to the bathroom. So he’s wearing a diaper encase for now. And hopefully by the morning he regains his movement or whatever it is that’s going on.
I don’t know if this is apart of the osteosarcoma or pain or what is causing seizures he’s never had before. hopefully this will be like last time and he’ll be perfectly fine tomorrow.
anyone ever encountered this?
Annie I'm so sorry things have been so rough. How is he doing this morning? Is he eating and able to stand on his own?
What did your vet say the first time you took him in because of this? I would call your vet back asap and let them know it's happened again. This doesn't sound like typical osteosarcoma, and hopefully it's a fluke but his symptoms need to be checked out right away. Start jotting down everything in chronological order, like when the symptoms started, for how long, and how he responded to treatment.
Give him some extra lovin' from us and keep us posted OK?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Oh gosh, so sorry to be reading this. I know it has to be very scary to watch these episodes. Hoping that you were able to get him to a vet immediately this morning.
Do not leave until you get some answers and solutions. Otherwise, I would get a second opinion as soon as possible. Will be 8 waiting for an update
Sending healing energy and lots of love to your precious Duke
hugs
Sally and alumni happy Hannah and Mary 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!
I'm also sorry to read Duke is having seizures.
Our cat Purrkins, a front leg amp coming up five years from soft tissue sarcoma, recently has been diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy.
Seizures are terrifying to watch! You have been given great advice already. I second documenting when these happen and record(video) if you can, and trust me when I say I know how hard it is to think and grab a device when it is happening. The vet must see what is going on and how long they go on. All and any details are important. We keep a log.
I don't know the difference for dogs' timelines if there is a difference, but we were told if any episode lasts longer than one minute, we are to go to ER.
Purrkins has focal seizures and had to see a neurologist. He had an MRI; he is currently on phenobarbital.
I ditto, do not leave w/o answers, and if you don't get any, find a new vet! Our local vet sent our videos to the neurologist for evaluation; he confirmed focal seizures and wanted to see Purrkins.
These episodes are lasting too long already IMO. There are meds to manage seizures. Gaba may not be the first choice.
Feel better, Duke; give him a smooch from us, please.
Big hugs.
Holly & Purrkins💝💝💝
after the first time this happened he was completely fine the next morning and the vet (oncologist) said she didn’t see anything except a heart murmur but everything else seemed good. (Normal Family vet) Saturday when he went again everything seemed fine except his spine was sensitive. She said he was drastically different from the two days prior sat to mon.
this last time, I did pay attention to the time when it started and ended and did take a video to show it’s hard to explain sometimes what an animal is doing. I dropped duke off a his vet without an appt they do hospital drop offs and work on him between appts. If cancer wasn’t bad enough she (his vet) said she suspected that had had a brain tumor and some word with neurological. Because he didn’t get better by the morning like he did last time. He couldn’t stand up when I’d go to pick him up he was still contorting his body to the right side and not standing. He would just start to panic and kick his legs around and arch his head back. All night he just whined continually trying to get up but couldn’t. I kept trying during the night to get him up to try and go to the bathroom but had no luck. Or in the morning. So she said his quality of life right now is poor and she suspected it would just get worse. Said we could confirm with a mri but it he’d still either stay this way or get worse. So last night had him put to sleep. Hardest decision ever. He was still alert in his eyes. But panic and fear were in them and I didn’t want him to go through that every day or have another seizure on top of that. It’s horrible. I miss my dog. And I know he’s not hurting anymore or feeling panicked or scared. But it still feels awful. There’s this feeling of I forgot something and something is missing. Poor denver was looking for him as soon as I got home. And ran over to dukes bed. Duke will be deeply missed and loved forever.
thank you for all of your support and advice during this entire thing. From the very beginning you’ve been so helpful.
thank you.
Annie, my heart breaks for you, I'm so sorry you had to make that gutwrenching decision. I wish I could find the right words to comfort you but I know right now nothing really can, losing him in such a fast, surprising way is not something anyone with a heart can easily adjust to. Please give yourself lots of time and love, and of course Denver too. Healing happens on your own schedule, nobody elses.
Always know that you did right by Duke, you helped him out of his awful pain and confusion. Now he is free and whole and his beautiful, eternal spirit surrounds you and Denver with love. He came into your life for so many good reasons, the bond that you shared will never be broken, not even now.
I'm so very sorry. If you want to vent or start a tribute in Coping with Loss, we are here for you.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Oh no, we are so deeply sorry to read this. We are gutted for you!
Please know you did everything you could to help Duke! Setting Duke free & ending his suffering is the greatest act of love we can give our furmily. Be kind to yourself, and may all the glorious memories outweigh his last day because that is what Duke would want for you. Duke lives on in you Furever!
You are in our thoughts and prayers!
(((((Sending BIG HUGS))))))))
Holly & Purrkins💝💝💝
Duke could not have been more loved or more cared for. Please k ow thst.
You did EVERYTHING possible to give him the best chance at a quality life. And even though his extended bonus time was way too short, it was to e filled with more spoiling, more tummy rubs, more reclaiming his place on the couch.
And no, you didn't "miss" a thing. This disease is brutal and cunning g and sneaky. It often "outsmarts" the best trained medical professionals. We do see where brain tumors show up suddenly in the form they did with Duke. They fo mu detected and no reason to suspect they are lurking and hiding. It may even have been forming way before the amputation with jo signs and no symptoms
It jas been auch a privilege to get to know your sweet boy Duke. Duke has such an unforgettable personality and he created so many happy memories with you...He was such a good role model for Denver. And he certainly seemed patient with Denver and Rosalie both.
I do hope you can come back and share some of the treasured times you and Duke shared. He would like that. He would like to know your earth time with him fills you with smiles and joy, knowing he lived a life so well loved💖
((((((((((((((((Hugs))))))))))))
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie
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 all so much!! It’s almost been a week but feels like an eternity without him. Denver and I miss him terribly. This disease is truly horrible. I took a picture of him last Saturday of him happily chewing on a bone and 24 hrs later he was suffering through a seizure. It’s insane how quickly his condition changed. I posted on FB having to let him go and the responses I received were so nice to hear. So many people had such great memories with Duke. A lot of people loved him. He touched so many people’s lives he makes me happy to know he was loved so much and was such a great dog to so many people. Even people who just met Duke, adored him. From small children to older adults. Everyone had a good story to tell.
Thank you for your continued support
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