Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
Tripawds is your home to learn how to care for a three legged dog or cat, with answers about dog leg amputation, and cat amputation recovery from many years of member experiences.
Join The Tripawds Community
Learn how to help three legged dogs and cats in the forums below. Browse and search as a guest or register for free and get full member benefits:
Instant post approval.
Private messages to members.
Subscribe to favorite topics.
Live Chat and much more!
Register
Log In
Members
Add Topic
Offline
I think Boone is experiencing phantom limb pain and am wondering what others have done to help their dog? I read the article posted here http://tripawds.....mbpain.pdf which had great tips, but am I reading it correctly that the techniques shouldn't be used until after the incision has healed? So is that after staples are out? I hate to wait another 11 days before giving him some relief.
He's on 400mg Gabapentin 3x day (has been since 4 days prior to surgery) as well as Tramadol.
He seems worse in the morning and in the evenings - lots of licking the carpet/bed where his leg used to be. I try to distract him with a bone (I also need recommendations for something healthier than a Nylabone - he's an aggressive chewer) and that works for a few minutes.
He likes warm compresses so I'll give that a try today.
Thanks everyone.
Jeanette & Boone
jeanetteg said
...am I reading it correctly that the techniques shouldn't be used until after the incision has healed?
This is a precautionary measure, since it is not recommended to apply any direct pressure to the healing incision or get the area too wet. A little moisture from just clean water of a compress is OK if gently patted dry.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Poor Kid. Astro had this same problem for 1 night just before his stitches came out. He woke us up at 1am thrashing and trying to chew on his missing leg. we were up all night rubbing his chest and applying compresses. I upped his tramadol the next night before bed to help knock him out and that seemed to work. Hang in there!
Cheers,
Kat and Astro
How often are you doing the Tramadol? Effie had some real difficulty unless we gave it every eight hours without fail. That, along with regular carprofen, helped her through it.
Boone is getting Tramadol every 8 hours along with the Gabapentin. I did start to taper him down a bit, 100mg at 5am and 1pm then 150mg at 9pm. Maybe I need to go back to 150 mg 3x/day
Has anyone ever tried a thunder shirt to help with phantom limb pain? I don't know that I can try it til after Boone's staples are removed but am hoping for some relief for him.
Thanks
Clyde did a lot of licking too - his bed would be wet where his leg would've been. I would try to distract him, which worked sometimes, but not always. It didn't seem to me like he was really in pain, just processing that the leg was gone. It lasted for a few days, but was gone by the time his stitches came out. I wouldn't try the thundershirt or anything like that until the stitches are gone. You might want to call the vet about his pain med schedule - Clyde wasn't on Gabapetin at all, but the Tramadol messed with his little doggy mind for sure.
The phantom limb pain "generally" presents itself with a sudden yelping and the dog usually tries to get up and "move away from the pain". It usually lasts for less than a minute (again, "generally"), vut the dog can act scared or tense for a few minutes afterwards. Once they shake it off, they're good to go...until, and if, it happens again!
As CLYDE's mom pointed out, maybe it's more about "processing the leg is gone", along with some nerve sensation.
Your Vet can best advise.
Keep us posted!
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!
Thanks Sally and Clyde's mom 😊 Boone has been having sudden episodes of yelping or crying in addition to the excessive licking which is what made me think it was phantom pain . He's still pretty happy, tail wagging and eager for his daily hop. I'll get in touch with my vet tomorrow and see what she thinks.
Has anyone ever tried a thunder shirt to help with phantom limb pain? I don't know that I can try it til after Boone's staples are removed but am hoping for some relief for him.
Nope, the Thundershirt is designed to alleviate anxiety. Phantom Pain is nerve pain so it's a different situation. Many folks find that the Farabloc works well. See:
Farabloc Gives Drug-Free Phantom Leg Pain Help for Amputees
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Latest Boone updates - complete with a tail wagging video 🙂 http://badtothe.....-the-mend/
Oooh thanks for the link, I"m hopping over there now!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Boone had his 45 staples removed today! Wahoo! I told Dr. Wilson she was meeting the "real Boone" for the first time and he didn't disappoint, throwing his orange ring at her several times.
He was an awesome (and patient) patient while Dr. Wilson worked through his quickly growing hair to find all 45 staples. She was surprised how fast his hair is coming back in.
He's been doing so well that I'd almost forgotten he has cancer, but was reminded today when the vet said his lymph node on the non-amp side is ping pong ball sized. Lymph nodes in the rear were normal.
She was encouraging, though. We aren't doing chemo and we're still at peace with that decision. We are using a holistic approach to keep the cancer at bay as best we can and will enjoy every moment we have with crazy Boone.
I'm hoping to get him in for a rehab consultation so that we can build up Boone's strength. We have a great pool in Anchorage specifically for dogs so we'll see if Boone truly is half lab 
.
I'll get a post up on his blog with the latest video and pics.
Jeanette & Boone 
I LOVE, LOVE, LOOOOOVE that Dr Wilson felt like she was MEETING THE REAL BOONE for the first time!! Boone is pain free living a life of fun and loving and spoiling and tail wagging like crazy!! YAAAAAAAAAY FOR BOONE! 🙂 🙂 🙂
45 STITCHES!!! WOW!! Of course, in Boone's world he's getting lots of attention and that's all he cares about! 🙂 🙂
Keep on keeping on Boone!! YOU ARE A ROCK STAR!!! 🙂
Hugs!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
PS....hop over to Boone's b@og for some more cute photos and a fun video
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!
PS....Tripawd Valentine just celebrated TWO YEAR AMPUVERSARY with no chemo (actually, one dose but thenstopped because of flu break out at area clinics).
Copied some of the things she is doing for Valentine:
"Valentine gets chinese herbs from her acupuncturist, and Appocaps, K9 Immunity Plus, K9 Full Flex and salmon oil. Not sure what is in the chinese herbs. She eats a home cooked diet of organic oats, ground beef, broccoli, and a supplement powder of bone meal and other nutrients. She also gets a few spoons of organic yogurt daily."
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!
1 Guest(s)
