Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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For those of you who may not know, my tripawd is a three year old apbt with a rear leg amputation.
She's 15 days post op today, and everything is going well. Except ONE SPOT.
I've only found one or two other topics in here that focus on this and I wasn't able to come to a helpful conclusion so I figured I'd re-spark the topic and see if i can get some help!
So, this spot. It healed up and then my father was babysitting Eva while I cooked dinner and "somehow" she got into it. That was Saturday. We took her to the vet monday to make sure it was fine and to do a general recheck and it was okay per the surgeon. It had some gross coloring so I wasn't into it but the surgeon swore it was fine. Wednesday it popped open again so I rushed her to the vet to have it cleaned out because I was basically fed up with this spot. I thought she had an infection and that's why it wouldn't heal. I mean it's been two weeks and the rest of her suture site is almost completely healed... So this is frustrating, especially because there's little blood dots all over the place.
Come home from the vet wednesday, they cleaned it out really good, said it's not deep at all and all her sutures had healed up fine. She just has a trouble spot because it's right in the crease of her body (she sleeps like an armadillo pretty much in like the most curled up ball ever.) I got her home and they gave me some antibiotics just in case and we went about our life. She wears her E collar unless I'm laying right next to her so I know she's not able to lick at it. About a half hour after coming home, I realized that when she curls up, she cuts into this spot with her darn e-collar. It is NOT healing. Everytime it tries, it gets nice and crusted up and scabby, and she either flicks it off with the e collar, or by some strange stroke of luck, it begins to heal attached to the skin above it (because she's folded into a ball when she sleeps) and then when she wakes up in the morning and stands up, rips it right back open because the scab forms on skin aside from just the opening, if that makes sense. I didnt wanna include a bunch of pictures to make everyone gag.
so what do i do? i've put padding on the e collar. do we need a bigger one? I put a bandage on the spot, it still got popped open because it tried healing attached to another part of her body when she was asleep. Maybe I used to big of a bandage, and should only cover that one little spot so that it can't attach itself to the fur a few inches above it? different type of e collar? Eva won't wear boxer shorts, she's not a small dog by any means, but this damn spot is only about 2mm... It's driving me absolutely insane.
I know you said it was icky, but it would help if there was a picture.
The only thing I can think of is those spray on bandages that protect wounds. Just a thought.
Harmony became a Tripawd on 10/21/14 (MCT). She left us way too soon on 11/1/14.
"We miss you so much; our love, our heart, our Harmony."
- Pam, Ron and Melody, Meesha, Doublestuff and Mariah Carey
harmony said
I know you said it was icky, but it would help if there was a picture.The only thing I can think of is those spray on bandages that protect wounds. Just a thought.
Yea, I'll post one as soon as she's not laying on that side. that liquid bandage might be a good idea, I just don't do anything to prevent healing. I moreso wanna figure out a way to just keep it from touching other things, which kinda makes me think that the liquid bandage would help seal it in. im gonna have to look into that.
Hmmmm....this is quite a "unique" challenge Miss Eva (aka Armadillo imperonator)!
I'm glad it's not a real infection or incision screw up. And yeah, p i ctures don't vother this group at all.
Okay...just a crazy thought...and check with the vet first. Wonder if you could put some vaseline all AROUND the area right up to the edge of the opening to prevent the skin dticking to itself when she curls up.
Good to hear that Eva is doing well overall! Keep us posted!
Hugs to all!
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!
So this is the opening itself. It's fairly closed in this photo compared to other times.
Ahhh . . .I get it now! Hmmm . . . that's a challenge, but I think you're getting it all figured out.
I like Sally's suggestion about Vaseline, but I'm thinking if you used an antibiotic cream that you could slather over the whole area, wouldn't that keep it from sticking as well?
Harmony became a Tripawd on 10/21/14 (MCT). She left us way too soon on 11/1/14.
"We miss you so much; our love, our heart, our Harmony."
- Pam, Ron and Melody, Meesha, Doublestuff and Mariah Carey
harmony said
Ahhh . . .I get it now! Hmmm . . . that's a challenge, but I think you're getting it all figured out.I like Sally's suggestion about Vaseline, but I'm thinking if you used an antibiotic cream that you could slather over the whole area, wouldn't that keep it from sticking as well?
will that slow down the healing process if it gets itself inside the wound? that's why i worry about vaseline, but an antibiotic cream might work better. i don't know what would be safe or not i guess really, so maybe thats why i liked the liquid bandage. ugh i don't know. i can't help but feel like if i was a "real adult" i would know how to handle this stuff better! i never thought i'd go through all this at my age haha. I don't know ANYTHING about this stuff!
Actually, that doesn't look too bad for two weeks out. We've seen much worse!
Please consult your vet with any serious concerns, but do not apply anything to the incision—other than clean water on a sterile cloth—unless directed to do so by your veterinarian.
We have consulted with various vets over the years who have provided information that helped us develop this helpful article:
Amputation Wound Care for Post-Surgery Dogs
If in doubt, keep it clean and wait. Talk to you vet if it gets worse. FYI: If you find the spot unsightly and/or want to keep the area from getting soiled, an old pair of boxers may be worn, with the tail through the flap.
Hope this helps! Please keep us posted.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
ok, from a nurse standpoint I think it looks pretty good! You could probably try putting some triple antibiotic ointment on it with a small dressing on it if you wanted, maybe at night, but it does need to be open to air some of the time, too. Mostly keeping it clean is the most important part. It doesn't look infected at all - the area around it isn't red or swollen and there doesn't look like there's any drainage. So mostly it's just irritated from the positioning and the e-collar.
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
midnighter94 said
ok, from a nurse standpoint I think it looks pretty good! You could probably try putting some triple antibiotic ointment on it
Donna
Donna I didn't know you are a nurse! Cool!
I'm not sure about triple antibiotics for veterinary use. Here's what our Fairy Vet Mother Dr. Wiltzius said about it a while back:
I have never had a problem using Neosporin on dogs although I tend to prefer Silvadene because it absorbs better and has a better spectrum of activity. Do not use an ointment on the incision until the sutures are out unless your vet tells you otherwise since it may delay healing or affect absorption of SQ sutures.
Pam
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Yep, but I deliver babies lol It does come in handy with basic first aid though.
She did say the sutures are out, so it should be ok...but I've used triple antibiotic ointment on my dogs & cats for years on scrapes, cuts & abrasions and my vet has said it was fine...I usually spray the area with bitter apple afterwards to make sure they don't like it off. It's great because it helps keep the area moist and helps it to heal. Years ago I had a cat with breast cancer and a group of the lumps were oozy, so every day I would flip her over, un-matt the hair from it, apply some ointment then spray. We kept her free of infection for months this way.
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
Aww a L&D nurse? How sweet!
Glad to hear you've had experience with the ointment on your pets. You've really had your work cut out for you with all of your pets, we'd love to hear more tips on wound care if you ever feel like writing a guest blog post. Keep up the great pawrenting!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thank you guys so much! It's stayed mostly closed until a little bit ago. About half of it popped open but hey, it's progress in the right direction. It helps to hear the nurses standpoint since I'm the biggest worry wart in the entire universe!!!
I seriously appreciate you guys SO much!
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