Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Incision healing nice & dry, but seroma slightly larger tonight than this morning (7 days post front leg amp) - what are your experiences with seromas - worst case scenario what could happen overnight before vet appt in am? Athena 70 lb Ridgeback resting quietly super-medicated on Tramadol, Gabapentin, Rimadyl after an over-active first two days. She's comfortable resting in her crate until she gets up for meds & outside-breaks every 8 hours - at which point she yells for a solid minute before hopping around & then eating pills-hidden-in-treats. Thank you so much for advice/experience!
Welcome to Tripawds, your future posts won't have to wait for approval.
I'm sorry you didn't get an answer to your question last night.
How is Athena today? Let us know what the vet had to say about the seroma . seroma 's are usually absorbed by the body, sometimes they need to be drained. It's always best to have the vet check if you are concerned to make sure it's OK and there is no infection.
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Welcome! Your future forum posts will not require approval. Jerry will reply shortly with more in depth feedback, as other members surely will too. Click any of the highlighted "seroma " links or use the Advanced Search above to find more helpful info! You can also search all blogs here for more feedback from members, or consider downloading the Tripawds e-books for fast ansers.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Online
My Happy Hannah had a sero.a...a big saggy bag seroma ! If I recall, didn't start ro show u u til maybe the fourth day or so. Scared the heck out of me! Hadn't joined the site until day six. Basically had no take home instructions and k ew nothing about these.
Anyway, in Happy Hannah's case, it was vig and saggy and would go down some, and then swell back up. If I recall, I took her ro my refular vet a time or two just for reassurance. In her case, there was never any real outward drainage and no sign of oozing infection. Eventually it reabsorbed just as the vet saidnit would. I am not a vet and I'm just sharing my own experience. Consult with your vet ifnyiu have any concerns.
I was up til the wee hours of the morning last night and never saw your post. So sorry, as ai was on there and posting to others. In fact, I was on here rhis morning and your post didn't show up, at least forme, until just now. Just didn't want you to feel like your concerns were just being ignored!
It sounds like overall she's doing as well as can be expected this esrly in recovery. You may try gentle massage and gentle stretching before she gets up. Will she tolerate help with a sling or will that stress her out?
Hang in there and keep us updated when you can. Give Athena a big smooch for us, okay? Would love to see pics when you get a chance.
Sending 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!
For some reason last nights posts just appeared right now. Not even earlier this morning. Must be a glitch. Anyway so sorry no one saw your post last night. I'm sure by now you've seen or talked to vet so you know seromas happen quite often. Some open up and leak and some stay closed and reabsorb or need draining. We had the leaky kind. After about a week or so it stopped. Again sorry we didn't see your post last night I hope all went well.
Linda & Max
Athena sounds pretty energetic, that's great! As others have said, seromas are usually nothing to worry about as long as the fluid is pinkish, more watery than bloody and doesn't have a foul odor. Sometimes a seroma will leak all over the place but it's just bodily fluids working their way out at the point of least possible resistance (the incision). Let your vet know but its probably nothing serious. And try to keep Athena as quiet as possible so she doesn't get another one, they tend to happen with too much activity as you already experienced. Keep us posted!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
linda8115 said
For some reason last nights posts just appeared right now. Not even earlier this morning. Must be a glitch. Anyway so sorry no one saw your post last night. I'm sure by now you've seen or talked to vet so you know seromas happen quite often. Some open up and leak and some stay closed and reabsorb or need draining. We had the leaky kind. After about a week or so it stopped. Again sorry we didn't see your post last night I hope all went well.Linda & Max
I think the delay may be because I just joined last night - first post went through admin approval.
I've just reviewed all the photos I've taken of her belly & incision since her seroma appeared Jan 9 - it seems pretty much the same. No fluid at any point. Incision healing nicely. Debating whether to drive her the hour+ to UC Davis (+the long walk into the building) tomorrow if this is just how it is. She rests comfortably for 4-8 hours, then when she stands up she yelps for about 1 (awful) minute. Then she has a slow walk outside. She sniffs around, eats, drinks, pees, poops. Her daily total dose of meds is 9 Tramadol, 4 Gabapentin, 1 Rimadyl. I know you don't offer vet advice - I'll call them, and see what they recommend.
I guess I just wish we were through this and she could go hiking with me again: don't we all wish that!
Hmmm, maybe you might want to ask the vet about scaling back on the pain meds? She could be suffering from dysphoria, a reaction to the meds. We talked about it last Sunday with Dr. Petty on Tripawd Talk Radio , at 11:32:
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
jerry said
Hmmm, maybe you might want to ask the vet about scaling back on the pain meds? She could be suffering from dysphoria, a reaction to the meds. We talked about it last Sunday with Dr. Petty on Tripawd Talk Radio , at 11:32:
Thank you, Jerry! Listened up to end of your intro, and no Dr. Petty - upload problem or user error?
jerry said
Hmmm, maybe you might want to ask the vet about scaling back on the pain meds? She could be suffering from dysphoria, a reaction to the meds. We talked about it last Sunday with Dr. Petty on Tripawd Talk Radio , at 11:32:
Jerry yes UC Davis contact agrees with your suggestion to scale down meds, prior to tomorrow Thur appt. One less Tramadol tonight - Thank You!
Hi again,
I hope Athena is doing better on the reduced meds.
I wanted to mention to you that we have a pretty active Nor Cal group of past and present Tripawd parents, we meet in Mill Valley a couple times a year. We would love to meet you and Athena in the spring. Keep an eye on the Tripawd Parties forum.
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
krun15 said
Hi again,I hope Athena is doing better on the reduced meds.
I wanted to mention to you that we have a pretty active Nor Cal group of past and present Tripawd parents, we meet in Mill Valley a couple times a year. We would love to meet you and Athena in the spring. Keep an eye on the Tripawd Parties forum.
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls
Hi Karen & the S P G's
Thank you for your sweet invite, so nice to look forward to right now. I will look out for it in the spring.
Took Athena back to UC Davis Community today for meds & seroma check-up. Of course the seroma was smaller this morning after all the worry;-) Vets checked her beautifully-healing incision thoroughly, thorough poke-and-prod around: no pain response at all. Most likely: it's her high-strung breed response that sets her off when she wakes up. Could also possibly be healing nerves, in which case will resolve in 1-2 weeks. Keeping her on Gabapentin, Tramadol (down to 2, 3xday), Rimadyl.
Unlike the local vet which is a battle to get her into, she hopped right in to Davis and was happy to be petted by student & professor who removed her leg last week.
Have made her another batch of fresh chicken broth, & switching from sardines to chicken hotdogs to hide her pills in, just for a change. Cooking up a storm for my humans too. Feeling grateful, and be-more-dog.
I love this Tripawd community - such compassion & kindness.
xoxo Claire
I'm glad the checkup went well! I have been really surprised by how much the swelling and fluid can vary from day to day so I don't blame you for being concerned. I'm typing this as I ice and compress my guy's incision. I'm glad the incision got a gold star from the vet and I hope the new meds levels help with the other stuff.
greydrizzle said
I'm glad the checkup went well! I have been really surprised by how much the swelling and fluid can vary from day to day so I don't blame you for being concerned. I'm typing this as I ice and compress my guy's incision. I'm glad the incision got a gold star from the vet and I hope the new meds levels help with the other stuff.
Thank you - it's a relief.
Proactive icing, bravo you.
Wishing you a quiet, peaceful, not-too-damp night:-)
Soooo glad you are feeling more reassured after the Vet visit. This is such an exhausting time and full of such uncertainty.
I think I mentioned in my earlier post that Happy Hannah had a big seroma and, even after the swelling went down, it did swell up again, so don't be concerned if that happens. Alao Happy Hannah's bruising got a whole lot more "colorful" several days after the surgery.
The Gabapentin shoukd help with the nerve pain.
You are doing a stellar job for caring for Athena! And I know she's loving her ymmy meals too!
Try and get some rest. Recovery DOES NOT LAAT FOREVER! Knowing that you are giving Athena a chance at a pain free life full of more loving and spoiling than you coukd ever imagine...that will stay in yiur heart FOREVER!
Hugs to all!
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!
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