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.
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Hi Claudia,
I know it's hard not to see JG, but I personally believe that visiting a pup at the vet, then leaving without them is hugely stressful for them. My pug Maggie was also at the hospital for two nights, there was no way I could go see her- mostly because it would kill ME to leave without her! Some do go visit, and in some cases of long hospital stays for illness it might make sense. But she is in good hands, let the pros take care of her.
Each dog deals with this major surgery I their own way. Even with a rough start they all get where they need to. In my case Maggie had no medical complications, was walking the day of surgery. Then spent most of 6 weeks in bed being grumpy! I really thought I made the wrong decision, but she just needed a longer time to deal with her new normal.
Also, depending on the meds she is on walking might not be that interesting to her. I had a major shoulder surgery a couple years ago and was on some really strong pain meds. I was completly content to sit in my chair without moving for hours. It took a huge effort to get myself up!
Get some rest and stay positive. JG had a huge surgery and is on some powerful drugs. She will get the hang of things.
Karen and Spirit Maggie
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
HI Liz,
The image in my head of the vet holding the phone so you could hear Roxie howling is HILARIOUS! Just HILARIOUS!! I've never had a howler so I can't say what it's like but I'm guessing it's funny, at least at first. Then it probably gets frustrating. Poor baby. She just wants everyone to know she's not happy. Lol.
Nice to know you're a Jersey Girl too. It's everyone? Lol. I say that because it seems like we're EVERYWHERE! I guess that makes sense though, NJ is the most densely populated state in the country. Love my Jersey peeps!!
Hi Sally,
You are probably right, Jersey is probably high. Lol. I didn't realize how much the pain meds were effecting her even BEFORE the surgery. I've said she was energetic and playful at the vet's office the morning of the surgery and I suspect that's because I hadn't given her the pain meds that morning. Her leg may have hurt, but she was also probably more AWAKE than she'd been in weeks!
I'll do my best to count those sheep tonight. Lol.
Claudia
Hey Karen
That's good advice and I'm sure you're right. You reminded me that I've been loopy after surgery too. In fact, one of the things I LOVED about being in the hospital was knowing I had the opportunity to SLEEP and IGNORE EVERYONE!
How did Maggie act out her grumpiness? Was she just ignoring you or being mean?
Thanks again.
Claudia
Ok Sally and Happy Hannah, here's my first attempt at uploading pictures via photobucket. I hope it works!
<iframe width="480" height="360" src="https://s1349.photobucket.com/user/claudiasbutler/embed/slideshow/"></iframe>
That didn't work. I tried several other ways, not sure what's wrong. SORRY!
Ohhhhhh can I relate!! Keep on...I'm stayingup for this!!
Wish I could help......but I sure can cheer you on
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!
Weeeeeee, running around the Santa Monica mountains in Malibu, California. I love love LOVE it here!
I can't get the pictures to work, other than the one that somehow miraculously appeared above. Lol. Maybe someone can help me tomorrow.
Just heard from the vet again - 10:25pm Pacific
The amputation site keeps oozing / not clotting and the vet thinks that's why Jersey feels weak and won't stand. He thinks it's the combination of Deramax she's been on for 3 months to help with pain, as well as the Adequan shot she had Monday (that she's been taking monthly for 6 years). He said it can take more than a week to get the Deramax out of her system. He thinks she's ok, meaning she's not "bleeding out", but her oozing is not typical for amputated dogs. Fortunately the hospital has doctors on site 24 hours so someone will watch her all night. As for me, I'm scared. Not clotting is NOT good. Isn't there something they can do to counter the Deramax? Why didn't they consider her Rx before the surgery? All this info was in her chart and prescribed by the owner of the clinic!
Gregg keeps saying "SHE'S OOZING honey, NOT hemorrhaging, so stop panicking!" Ugh. I'm going to bed now and will try to count the sheep Sally and Happy Hannah ordered for me.
Claudia
Good morning Claudia...and Gregg,
Hope you get a better report this morning from the clinic. I'm glad the vets figured out what JG's problem was....and hopefully now her recovery will get better every day 
Though Tuck was standing right away - it took him a little longer than expected to figure out where to place his remaining front leg so that he could get moving.....as I said it has now been three months and he is doing great....but that was just one of the little "scares" that I had during the critical few days/weeks after his surgery.
I hope you got some sleep last night.....and if all else fails....there is chocolate, ice cream, chips.....and lots of support right here.
Before you know it your lovely girl will be home.....and you will have lots of time to snuggle with her and celebrate all her firsts as a tripawd.
Linda and Tucker
cbcool said
I can't get the pictures to work...Maybe someone can help me tomorrow.
FYI: Here are detailed instructions for adding photos to forum posts.
The amputation site keeps oozing...
What color is the discharge? Developing a seroma is perfectly normal and they often leak, but bleeding is definitely not good. Dr. Pam's video describes what to look for in seromas gone bad and other common complications.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Of course you're scared...all of us grioawd parente go bonkers at every little "bump in the road"...at first. Then, we jist kind of settle iino a nrw norm of ups and downs and twists snd turns during recovery. You are in one of those darn "down" moments! UGH! Not fun!
She's in a 24 hr. facility so tjat's really good. I can CERTAINLY u derstand your frustration as to why they didn't seem more aware of her "meds" prior to surgery. You can address that withthem later. For now TRY ...yeah, right...and get some rest, okay?
Update is as soon as you can.
And ner picture is BEAUTIFUL!! A wonderfully fun loving photo of a pup throroughly enjoying her life!
I'm thiking you may need even ore than sheep to count and ice cream and chocolate to eat! Do yo dring? If yes, doible the amount.....if no...start!
Se dingnyou hugs and healing emergy,
Sally snd Happy Hannan
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!
Yup, can tell from the magic pic that she's not in Jersey anymore...and is a very happy and beautiful girl! And she will be again once they get their s.....tuff together with her meds. Agreed it seems they should have factored that in; any of those NSAIDS are powerful drugs. We'd given it to Roxie'd short-term last year (before we knew the limp was cancer) with no problem but she got terribly sick in on it in combination with a chemo drug after her amp.
And definitely follow Linda and Sally's prescription for you and Papa Bear: IC, chocolate, and alcohol as needed!!!
Hang tough, fellow ex-Garden Stater!!
hugs, Liz and Angel Roxie Roo (the "Roo Rooooooooo" was how she howled...we had lovely duets that drove everyone else in the house crazy!!)
Hi Jim
Thanks for the photo tutorial. I'm kind of pooped tonight but I'll check it out and load pictures tomorrow.
We saw Jersey this afternoon and there's definitely a lot of fluid around the incision area and also around the belly. The Vet tech said that's totally normal and not to worry about that. I didn't notice the color of the oozing, maybe they cleaned her up before seeing us. They have been talking about it as bleeding though and I think that's consistent with her low blood count - what they call her pcv number. Normal is 37, Jersey was 21 today down from 24 last night. Not going in the right direction. 🙁 A blood transfusion is necessary at a pcv of 15 so of course I'm a little nervous.
Thanks again,
Claudia
Hang in there Claudia, it's rare to have it get to the blood transfusion point. We all have our paws and fingers crossed for you guys.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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