Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hello all,
Jack has been home for a few hours and overall he is doing very well. He can definitely walk although he becomes very tired very fast. He is overall very happy. He has been somewhat restless. He definitely seems a little stressed out and has cried a little even . Overall I feel as though he is doing pretty well. He still has a morphine patch attached to him. I will say that he has been spitting up water if he drinks to fast. This normal? Glad to have him home. He has really been wanting to go upstairs but I wont let him quite yet. Hopefully this stubbornness is a good thing.
Erin and Jack
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I bet you are glad to have Jack home. It is going to be pretty stressful though. The pain medication can really make dogs act very strange. Good luck with with recovery. No matter how you feel once in awhile, you did the right thing for Jack.
Debra & Emily
Debra & Emily, a five year old doberman mix, who was diagnosed with an osteosaecoma. She had a right rear leg amputation on May 19, 2009. On November 10, 2009 she earned her wings and regained her fourth leg.
I'm so glad Jack is home! He'll definitely be acting weird for a while... first recovering from his big surgery... then the meds. He will definitely tire very easily... Jake still gets tired easily... but is doing better each day/week.
Just remember he is pretty drugged up on pain meds... so he is half-way (or all the way) in la-la land! He'll probably be like that for several days, or at least for as long as he is on his pain meds. Are you or someone else, going to be staying home with him for the first couple of days? Do you have a sling or towel that you can use to help him walk as he learns the art of 3-legged walking (while high as a kite)?
I hope Jack has an easy and quick recovery... Keep us posted!!!
Jake's Mom
Jake, 10yr old golden retriever (fractured his front right leg on 9/1, bone biopsy revealed osteosarcoma on 9/10, amputation on 9/17) and his family Marguerite, Jacques and Wolfie, 5yr old german shepherd and the newest addition to the family, Nala, a 7mth old Bengal mix kittie. Jake lost his battle on 11/9/2009, almost 8 weeks after his surgery. We will never forget our sweet golden angel… http://jakesjou.....ipawds.com ….. CANCER SUCKS!
Glad to hear Jack is home and it sounds like he is doing as well as can be expected. I'd cry out too, if I were on a morphine patch. whining, pacing, and panting are all quite common for dogs sent home on the heavier pain meds. Try to remain strong so jack can follow your lead.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thanks guys...Yeh I am going to be using a towel here. I took off his tshirt he was wearing because he was getting tripped up. He is definitely acting odd but after reading everyone's posts I was expecting that. He is crying every now and then which he NEVER does. He cried when he saw me from excitement..again never does that. So we will see. He is also peeing a whole whole lot when we go out.. and he has been super thirsty
Erin and Jack,
Would have to say that everything sound pretty good at this point. Chemicals do have a very major effect on many. I do know that they were very helpful, but things really did not show major improvement until the chemicals were gone from the system. It will be at this point the Jack will be able to feel the new normal. The urination is a good thing and the thirst is to be expected considering the medications. At this point the pain-killers are needed so hang in there.
Crossed paws and nothing but pawsitive thoughts sent your way,
Bob & Cherry
Sounds pretty normal.. Sounds like you and Jack are doing pretty good. I know when Shilo first came home she drank and peed a lot too. As a matter of fact her first pee was in our livingroom, she was sad she didn't make it out. But she peed A LOT... I thought first "oh my is she ever going to stop peeing" then I thought "Man, am I am glad she did that before the new carpet was installed" which by the way was done 2 days later. 
I wish I had found this site earlier in Shilo's walk. You are fortunate in that sense so you knew a little more about what was normal. That in itself is a savior. Those first few days are really tuff.
I see you mentioned crying out. Shilo is not a whiner/cryer either and she would cry out, usually when she turned a certain way. So sounds pretty normal too .
Shilo had a hard time with the pain meds but, I probably would have held out a little longer if I known then what I know now. The strange behavior is completely normal. She had very strange behavior too, it will pass and you will see more of him when those icky pain meds wear off.
Please keep us posted we are all here for you!!
Shilo diagnosed with osteosarcoma 9/4/2009, amputation 9/9/2009. ShiloAnne lost her battle 11/23/2009 where she regained her fourth leg and is patiently waiting for her parents to join her. We will always love you baby girl.
So glad to hear a good update. Sounds like thinks are off to a normal start, if there is a normal 🙂 You mentioned taking off the tee shirt because he got tripped up. If you have it on to protect the surgery site, you might get him a childs's shirt. Trouble has a 4T that fit her just great and kept the dirt out of the wound as she wanted to lay outside on the cool ground.
Shanna & Spirit Trouble ~ Trouble gained her wings 3/16/2011, a 27 1/2 month cancer survivor, tail wagging. RIP sweetheart, you are my heart and soul. Run free at Rainbow Bridge.
The November Five - Spirits Max, Cherry, Tika, Trouble & Nova. 11/2008 - 3/2013 An era ends as Queen Nova crossed the Bridge.
Hello
Well, first night down. It was a rather long one. Jack did some crying but from what people say that is normal. I do need to get a different size t shirt... he is really wanting to lick the staples so that will be today's task. He sort of calmed down and was able to get a comfortable spot right around my alarm is going off. I will be working from home for the next two weeks and staying with him so we will see..Thanks for all the good advice everyone
Erin and sore Jack
Hi Erin and Jack! It's good to hear things are going well. As for the t-shirt, what I did with Cemil's was just to gather it up (the bottom edge) in the middle of his back and put on a rubber band, like a pony tail. That's what they did at the vet's and it works pretty well to keep it tight around his tummy so it doesn't trip him. You can tuck the "pony tail" in to make it look neater.
Keep on healing!
Mary and Cemil
Cemil and mom Mary, Mujde and Radzi….appreciating and enjoying Today
Good to hear Jack is home, each day gets better. The stubbornness or whatever makes him want to do the things he's accustomed to is a good thing. We keep Big Dog off the satairs as well. Do as much normal stuff as possible to get back in the routine. T-Shirt: We cut the bottom and left sleeve off of some plain white t-shirts and sewed the sleeve opening. Not the Kiss shirt, he sleeps in that and a couple of other good ones. However, Mary and Cemil’s idea is awesome. Why didn’t I think of that?
Our Doc has us paying attention to constipation due to the painkillers. We asked if we could give Polo chicken broth occasionally to help with that, he said it was fine. We give him some (organic, low fat, low sodium) every now and then. He loves it, who doesnt?
Glad Jack’s home. Polo and Mike
Polo Jones, Golden Retriever, Shalimar FL
Hello All,
Chicken broth is a great idea!!! Jack has actually been eating fairly well. He ate more than half his plate today and I will tell you seems like he is much more interested in snacks 🙂 I am spoiling him and now he is starting to turn his nose up at his Nutro Ultra (great food by the way) The pain patch comes off tomorrow so I am interested to see how he reacts.
His mood seems a little less sressed than yesterday. He is very very low key and laid back normally so I was happy to see him calm down. He does still get up and follow me when I leave the room. And if I head up the stairs he will cry...
I have been placing warm compresses on his main site of where his leg was taken ..he seems to like it. Does anyone else do this? He definitely has not gone to the restroom yet however........has had..... gas that has sort of .... resulted in a small BM on his bed. Not to sure on that. I still think it may have to do with the pain medications.
Stay well everyone
Erin and Jack
Hi Erin
Warm compresses on the incision are good-Cemil's vet told me to do that to keep it soft and able to drain.
It's pretty distressing when the dog won't pee or poop, but it's pretty normal for the first few days. I think several people have posted about it, so find those posts and read them if you're inclined to worry. And you can always ask the vet.
Hang in there...it gets better.
Mary and Cemil
Cemil and mom Mary, Mujde and Radzi….appreciating and enjoying Today
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