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Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat

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Feeling unprepared for my TriPawd to come home tomorrow - suggestions?
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Palmer, Alaska
Member Since:
22 January 2017
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27 January 2017 - 10:53 am
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Thank you Paula and Donna. I really need the encouragement right now.

Boone is actually eating well - almost full meals now on day 3 post-amp. He has some redness along his chest that concerns me. I think it's because he's so deep chested and is refusing to lay on any of his beds. I put a t-shirt on him last night but I don't think it helped. A friend suggested a fleece belly band set up to help take the pressure off when he lays down.

It also seems he has fluid building up in a couple of spots. I only did the cold/warm compresses the first day thinking that's what I heard the vet tells us on discharge. I have a message to the clinic this morning.

And getting him to go out to potty has become a challenge. I took him out this morning but he's just being a stinker. Stands there and then turns around towards the door. Ugh. Our weather this week hasn't helped - feet of snow, which we cleared, then a major melt down with rain and now freezing temps turning everything to icy slush. I broke up the biggest patches in his yard and put down kitty litter for traction and he seems confident on that. Once it gets light I'm going to try again.

Thanks, again!

Jeanette & Boone

Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
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27 January 2017 - 11:14 am
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BOONE! I don't blame you one bit for turning around and heading back inside! You are dealing with such a mess weather wise, not to mention recovering from MAJOR surgery, while adapting to three legs!! Ugh!!

Sometimes dogs often seek out the coolest spots to lay while recovering. That may be why he's avoiding the beds.

Check out the linkd here on seroma and see if that sounds like Boone's fluid pockets.

@ove that he's eating like a ROCK STAR!! Many dogs don't feel well enough to eat at first.

I'm hopping over to Boone's blog now a d read about his "glimmers":-) 🙂

Hang in there!

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!

Green Bay, WI


Member Since:
18 May 2014
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27 January 2017 - 11:51 am
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Another trick to use when dealing with ice is Chicken Grit....any farm supply store should have it, and Amazon for sure does. My vet recommended it, and it works amazing. My whole yard has been ice covered this year, and this pretty much saved Nitro's life.

Paula and Nitro

p.s. You will discover that Donna and I are often interchanged by folks here - we say we must be "twins separated at birth" 🙂

Nitro 11 1/2  yr old Doberman; right front amp June 2014. Had 6 doses carboplatin, followed by metronomic therapy. Rocked it on 3 legs for over 3 years! My Warrior beat cancer, but couldn't beat old age. He crossed the Bridge peacefully on July 25, 2017, with dignity and on his terms.  Follow his blog entitled "Doberman's journey"

http://nitro.tripawds.com

"Be good, mama loves you".....run free my beautiful Warrior

Palmer, Alaska
Member Since:
22 January 2017
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27 January 2017 - 3:30 pm
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So Boone is just not wanting to potty today. The last time he peed was last evening around 7PM (it's 1:30 in the afternoon now). I took him out around 11 on leash in his fenced in yard and thought he was going to go, so I scrambled to get his makeshift sling (the canvas shopping bag) under him, which made him freeze. I don't dare not use it b/c last night I wasn't quick enough to get it under him and he face-planted which made me feel HORRIBLE sad

Any other suggestions on how to help him balance? Tried telling him it's ok to pee like a girl dog right now but apparently he's not buying it.

Thanks, everyone.

Jeanette & Boone

Member Since:
2 December 2016
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27 January 2017 - 4:28 pm
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You are doing a fantastic job as is Boone!!! It sounds as if it is so early in his recovery that sleeping is very much his best bet and he may not understand this getting up to go out to a world of ice that makes him face plant:(

Would there be any way possible to put pee pads down at this point until he is more comfortable getting up and around? 

Sometimes the bigger boys have bigger bladders. Literally, mine just came home from surgery and slept in the truck-long story- almost 18 hours and even then did not want to get out to pee. 18 hours!!!

Sometimes the drugs make them forget that they need to but, in the end, what goes in must come out so maybe Boone just needs more time and is comfortable not peeing as often right now? 

And, every once in awhile, they may need help remembering how to and the vets can prescribe a drug for that. I think it is bethanechol? 

Hope to hear about Boone's Austin Powers moment soon! 

Michigan
Member Since:
2 April 2013
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27 January 2017 - 5:02 pm
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Murphy has always pretty much just stood & peed ... all of my male dogs have, I think it has something to do with how old they were when they got neutered.  But when we go for walks Murphy will try to pee on a tree & it cracks me up when he decides he has to lift his left leg - because then he only has his left front & right back to try to balance & it doesn't work well laughing  A lot of dogs hate to be helped - they seem to do the same thing, just freeze up.  I think someone on here took their dog to the corner of the house & helped him lean against the house to go. 

In Michigan we've mostly just had rain ..blah..I keep saying that we have a back yard full of poop soup right now lol  We need it to freeze so we can get it cleaned up!  Not much snow for us this year, yet.

Donna

Donna, Glenn & Murphy 

Murphy had his right front leg amputated due to histiocytic sarcoma at 7 years old. He survived 4 years, 2 months & 1 week, only to be taken by hemangiosarcoma at 11 1/2 years 6/12/17  
Read about Murphy's Life on Three Legs

Donna.png

Palmer, Alaska
Member Since:
22 January 2017
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27 January 2017 - 5:11 pm
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midnighter94 said
Murphy has always pretty much just stood & peed ... all of my male dogs have, I think it has something to do with how old they were when they got neutered.  But when we go for walks Murphy will try to pee on a tree & it cracks me up when he decides he has to lift his left leg - because then he only has his left front & right back to try to balance & it doesn't work well laughing  A lot of dogs hate to be helped - they seem to do the same thing, just freeze up.  I think someone on here took their dog to the corner of the house & helped him lean against the house to go. 

In Michigan we've mostly just had rain ..blah..I keep saying that we have a back yard full of poop soup right now lol  We need it to freeze so we can get it cleaned up!  Not much snow for us this year, yet.

Donna  

Great idea, Donna, on finding a corner for him to lean on. If he'd figure out to lift the left rear he'd be fine. I may have to try that trick, there's a spot just outside the gate that would work. I managed to catch him as he went off balance yesterday morning but I just wasn't quick enough last night. It's starting to snow again so maybe we'll get this nasty ice and slush covered for some grip.

Jeanette

Member Since:
31 December 2016
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27 January 2017 - 8:03 pm
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Glad to hear Boone is home and on the road to recovery.    

Otis was not a fan of the sling at all.  He peed a few times the first few days with me helping with the sling.  After that he would just freeze if it was on.  

I think when he has to go, he will have no choice but to go.  Is it possible he is too medicated and doesn't really realize he has to go or how badly?  Can't wait to hear he started peeing like a champ.   We celebrate the peeing, pooping thing around here A LOT lol

I'll have to look into chicken grit.  The ice here today is a nightmare!

Otis - 121 lbs pre amp - 114 lbs post amp and now 118 lb Great Dane - English Mastiff X.  Started limping on 12/24/16.  Diagnosed with Osteosarcoma 12/28/16 - amputation of front left leg on 1/6/17.  Stitches out and 1st round of Chemo on 1/19/17.   2nd round of Carboplatin on 2/10/17 - 3rd round on 3/2/2017.  4th round was scheduled for 3/22/17 - however due to low WBC postponed - 4th Chemo completed on 3/28/17.  Had breathing difficulties, stayed in Tufts ICU overnight.  Due for 2 more rounds of Chemo but we are opting to go with homeopathy with Dr. Loops instead.

Palmer, Alaska
Member Since:
22 January 2017
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27 January 2017 - 8:59 pm
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He FINALLY went. I think he just needed someone other than neurotic me to take him out 😉. Hubby took him to the garage side of our house that has a little grassy spot. He said Boone braced himself against a snow bank and just peed. Phew! Boone picks up on my nervous energy and I've been a wreck since the osteosarcoma diagnosis.

On the upside Boone is eating really well and attempting to chew on a bone. He has a lot of redness on his chest so I'm icing it. 

Thanks so much, all of you, for the unending support & encouragement. Boone and I appreciate it.

Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
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27 January 2017 - 9:57 pm
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YAAAAAAAAAY FOR PEE PEE!!! Good job Boone!!! Don't eat the yellow snow though, okay? 🙂

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!

Palmer, Alaska
Member Since:
22 January 2017
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28 January 2017 - 10:07 am
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Another small victory this morning...he finally pooped! My hubby texted me the poop emoji while I was out walking with my neighbor and we both let out a little cheer. Funny the things we celebrate now. 

Boone seems to be a little down this morning and the redness has spread. Is this normal? Just wondering  if I need to get him to the vet to check for infection. Incision area looks good except for where I think he's popped a staple and there's some bleeding. The redness is in places beyond the incision area which makes me wonder if there's something else going on.

I know he's probably overdoing it right now. He only seems to have one speed when we take him outside, even on leash.

Thanks as always for your help 🐾😊

Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
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28 January 2017 - 11:32 am
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A d YAAAAAAAAAY FORpoopicon_png

Great victory!!!

Can you send a picture to your Vet of the redness and maybe post it here too? Obviously we aren't Vets, but it may look "familiar" to us...or not! The Vet may need to take a look at that popped stitch if it's bleeding.

BOONE!!! YOU SLOW DOWN CRAZY BOY!!

Check this link out Admin just posted! Maybe it's worth a shot??

http://501c3.tr.....ext-a-vet/

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!

Member Since:
20 October 2016
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28
28 January 2017 - 1:05 pm
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Your baby can beat this!  Enjoy every day and  do the next right thing.  You've got this!!!

Green Bay, WI


Member Since:
18 May 2014
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28 January 2017 - 2:53 pm
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Nitro developed some wicked bruising in his groin area (he's a front amp) - purple, red, you name it. It subsided after about a week.

Paula and Nitro

Nitro 11 1/2  yr old Doberman; right front amp June 2014. Had 6 doses carboplatin, followed by metronomic therapy. Rocked it on 3 legs for over 3 years! My Warrior beat cancer, but couldn't beat old age. He crossed the Bridge peacefully on July 25, 2017, with dignity and on his terms.  Follow his blog entitled "Doberman's journey"

http://nitro.tripawds.com

"Be good, mama loves you".....run free my beautiful Warrior

Palmer, Alaska
Member Since:
22 January 2017
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28 January 2017 - 4:11 pm
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Thanks Paula. That's where Boone is starting to develop redness and bruising as well as the armpit of the right leg (his left front was amputated) I'm a bit neurotic I'll admit, so I took him to the 24 hour clinic where he spent the night after his surgery.

And like all of you said, it's all normal.

the bleeding/oozing is not from pulled staples, just the fluids eekimg out. I need to start cold/warm compresses to help move it along.

He only picked at his breakfast today but I think part of that was from not pooping since Wednesday 😉 He's gone a couple of times now so hopefully he'll eat a good dinner tonight. 

We're getting another beautiful blanket of snow today so I'll try to get some pics of him outside. 

I can't say enough how lost I'd be without this forum, the resources or your support and encouragement. 

Thank you 💕

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