Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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So Sierra won’t put any weight on her back left leg. I don’t know what is going on. Front right amputated Tuesday. She has been doing ok with walking out to pee on a sling. This morning her back left leg looked wobbly. Now she won’t put it down at all. That’s the side she has been laying on. I don’t know what is going on. Freaking out. Called the surgeon on Call. Waiting on call back.
Melinda
Okay.....deep breath!! We've seen this typenof thingnbefore this early on in recovery.
It is soooooooo easy for a pup to jave twisted her leg....wrenched her back.....and even strained shoulder muscles show up as weakness in the rear sometimes. Strange but true.
Just try and keep her offmof it for now. Keep her in the pain meds. Try some warm compresses...maybe a warn towel.out of the dryer.
I see your on here now.. Are you aware of even the tiniest slip or twist she maynhave had?
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'll though out one more thng. We've also seen where the muscles are actually cramping causing some tempprary immobility.
GENTLY massage and GENTLY do a slight stretching and see if there is any tightness. Let us know what the Vet says.
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!
Can’t think of anything. She had a very quiet night. Really didn’t move at all. This morning she was walking a little weird on it when we went out to pee. Of course she was pretty normal on it when breakfast came out.
She hasn’t moved since breakfast (7 hours ago) so I wanted to take her out to pee. She didn’t want to get up at all. Once she was up, she just held it up. Everything looks normal.
On call surgeon just called. He thinks she has pinched a nerve laying in one place. Kind of like when your leg or arm goes to sleep. Says keep her shifting around. She slept on that side all night & all morning. So I have her currently on her other side.
Good....glad the Surgeon called back. And yes, we've seen where their leg goes to sleep too!!
As much as she has been on that side it makes sense her leg/back are a vit out of whack.
As yiu do rotate her, just continue gentle massage all up and down her back, hip, shouder, neck.
Is she on Rimadyl (or something similar)?
Just remeber, recovery doesn't last furever!!!
Extra 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!
We had something similar happen in the first couple days when the rest of our pack alerted to a sound outside and Casey tried to hop up a couple steps to help them (he forgot he was a TriPaw). He slipped badly and strained his amp-side hip. I was devastated, but we left him alone for a couple days to let him rest, and it resolved itself in short order.
As a child over 50 years ago, we had a dachshund mix who would wrench her back. The vet's instructions were to let her rest . . . dogs are pretty good at caring for their injuries. He was right.
We're wishing you all the best here, we know these are trying times.
Her back leg just has me really worried. We are at the emergency vet now. It’s the same place where they did her surgery. They share a facility with the specialists. The vet said it seems pretty painful. Waiting to hear more. I can’t think of anything she would have done to tweak it. She has literally just been laying in one spot.
X-rays show something going on in her ankle. Vet said can either be arthritis or chondrosarcoma in that leg too. Waiting on radiologist to determine which. Feel like I’ve been punched in the gut. Could take about an hour for radiologist to read the films.
You are doing the best thing by taking her in. Try not to panic, this isn't all that unusual of a situation, we've seen it before and usually R&R and some good pain management will make things better.
Keep us posted OK? We are sending lots of love and healing wishes your way.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
We are back home. So the good news was the radiologist said not cancer. Because condrosarcoma is a cancer in cartilage, the weirdness in her joints made the vet want the X-rays read by a radiologist who said it is arthritis. And evidently one her bones in her ankle / foot is a bit displaced. Not a new injury. But something that now probably bothers her with this new walking. She added in another pain med to help her. Her daddy is heading to the 24 hour pharmacy to get it filled. I’m blanking in the name. amentodine? Hopefully this will make her more comfortable.
Melinda
mom2sierra said
We are back home. So the good news was the radiologist said not cancer. Because condrosarcoma is a cancer in cartilage, the weirdness in her joints made the vet want the X-rays read by a radiologist who said it is arthritis. And evidently one her bones in her ankle / foot is a bit displaced. Not a new injury. But something that now probably bothers her with this new walking. She added in another pain med to help her. Her daddy is heading to the 24 hour pharmacy to get it filled. I’m blanking in the name. amentodine? Hopefully this will make her more comfortable.Melinda
I'm so sorry you're going through this in addition to everything else.
Can not get her to pee. Has been 20 hours since she last did. We take her out. She refuses to put her back leg down so she just hangs on the sling. I’m at a loss. We try to support her but all she wants to do is lay down in the grass which is wet. Her belly feels quite full. She seating & drinking just fine. She has to need to pee. And poo too. Last poo was Friday morning. I just don’t know what to do.
Oh sweetie 🌺
I am so sorry you are going through such difficult times with your baby ...
Jerry has a link on how to press the bladder so she will pee, somebody will surely publish it here.
Jackie also knows how to do it, I think.
I was told by Eurydice’s surgeon pooing is not as important as peeing so I think you can wait a little longer for that ...
But perhaps it would be a good idea to call your vet and ask him how you can get her to pee and how long is acceptable for poop.
I wish I could be of more help but please know I am sending pawsitive energy your way and am thinking about you both and hope recovery will become easier soon.
Sending you hugs and cuddles 😘😘🐮💫✨🌟🌹
Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-)
This should help you get her to urinate:
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Yes. amantadine should help her start to feel better. It's often prescribed and quite common. Just remember to stick to her pain medication schedule, your goal is to avoid 'wind up' pain from waiting too long inbetween doses.
Glad it wasn't anything serious!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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