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 all--
I'm thankful to have found this site. So much useful info. Anyway, Kenya, a 7 year old sheapard mix (45lbs), was diagnosed with cancer in her front left leg. She had the lef amputated yesterday and is home today. When I picked her up at the vets, she got right up and walked out with no problems. Once we got home, I had a soft cushy bed made for her. She has been there and doesn't really want to get up. I have had her get up once to drink some water and to try to go to the bathroom outside. I'm guessing that she is like a human....wants out of the hospital and just wants to rest at home. Is it typical for them sleep alot once they are home and not really want to do much? I'm just a big worry wart. Any info or words of wisdom would be helpful.
It is not unusual that they sleep lots the first few days after surgery. (Genie slept soundly for hours, that I frequently had to check if she was still breathing!) Let Kenya rest well. Just make sure she is hydrated. If she is too tired to get to the water dish, use a syringe to inject water to the corner of her mouth every so often.
Wish Kenya have a speedy recovery!
Thanks so much. This is helping me to not freak out. LOL. She had a little drink of water a bit ago and I'm going to cook up some lean ground beef and chicken for her in a bit to see if she would like to eat. She seems to be resting comfortably right now. She has had a very long week. First the biopsy of the leg, which wouldnt stop bleeding and then the surgery. I just feel helpless I guess.
Doug
Don't worry about the sleep. I think you will find most of the folks here experienced it after surgery. When Trouble came home, I put her water bowl right next to her bed where she could get to it without having to move too much. She was up and about within 3 days and I moved the water back to the kitchen. She's been good to go from there on.
You've found a wonderul place for support and info. The folks here can get you through the next few days like a trooper.
Wishing Kenya a speedy recovery and lots of happy days ahead.
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.
Hi Doug
My Cemil is an Anatolian Shepherd, about 140# now, and I was worried because he slept so much and seemed so fatigued. He's 2-1/2 weeks post-amp and still sleeps most of the time. Everything is okay, and it just seems that dogs, like people, recover at different rates. He eats and drinks and goes outside to potty, and rests. That's his life right now. I read a lot of posts here and thought he should be up and hopping around by this time, playing with the other dogs and such, but that's not his style. So, I'm here to tell you that resting is okay. It took a lot of words from the others to make me stop worrying-- acceptance feels much better.
I join them in wishing Kenya a speedy recovery.
Cemil and mom Mary, Mujde and Radzi….appreciating and enjoying Today
THanks for the reassurance. Its times like this I wish she could speak human words..lol. I could only hope for half of the courage that our furry friends have. Really amazes me. She is the one with the amputation and I'm the one freaking out. One other thing also, she was leaking a bit of urine when she first got home. She didn't have to pee because she did it before she left the vet. It has since stopped, so I'm hoping it was just stress related. By the way, I'm so tired and stressed that the little math quiz before posting was a bit tricky for me last time. 🙂
Doug and Kenya
Doug,
Don'ts stress, the hard part is over. From here on it is recovery all the way. Take this time while she is sleeping to catch up on your own rest. You will hear her if she needs you, just like having a baby in the house. I don't know about the incontinence she's experiencing, but I'm quite sure I've seen posts here about it, and maybe Pam (the resident vet) can give you some insight as well.
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.
How do I get in touch with Pam about the urinating thing? Again, thanks for being patient with me. All of my friends are telling me I am being a bit overboard. They just don't understand what its like to actually go through this. Worrying about every sniffle and moan, questioning if it was the right choice, hoping for happy days ahead etc.
Doug and Kenya
Hey Doug, you can start a topic in Ask a Vet forum.
Kenya could be too much doped up that her bladder is temporarily a bit relax.
Hi Doug,
Our Wrigley will be 4 next month- is also a Shepherd mix (60 lbs) - also had her left front leg amputated in Dec. She had a large tumor removed from her scapula and was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma.
I think it is good that Kenya is resting quite a bit- it will really help in their recovery. Wrigley was probably a bit more active than she should have been the first week and had a few problems- too much fluid building up that required an emergency room trip. All turned out ok- but freaked me out.
Is Kenya on pain meds? I am guessing so, and these make them very tired from our experience. Wrigley was on Tramadol 3x a day and was very groggy. As soon as she went off the energy level increased. So alot of the behavior could me related to the meds.
Hang in there and do try and get your rest too. Kenya needs you to be in top form to help with her recovery. You are on your way -
We wish you a speedy 2 weeks.
Seanne and Wrigley
Seanne and Angel Wrigley
Hi Seanne and Wrigley--
Glad to hear you guys are doing well. Kenya is not on any pain meds. However, she doesn't seem to be having much pain at all. She has drunk some water and ate some lean ground beef and is napping again. We are going to try to go potty in a bit, but I live in Northern NY near canada, so the ground is very dangerous for her right now. I may try using puppy pads for the first couple of days, which probably won't work because she refuses to make a mess in the house.
Doug and Kenya
I thought puppy pads would be a great idea, too, but Trouble refused to have any part of it. She made it out the door each and every time. Maybe you'll have better luck than I.
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.
Good morning all--
Kenya and I made it through the first night. I slept on the floor next to the bed I made for her as she wasn't thrilled about me going to far from her just quite yet. She slept well. No crying or anything. The urine issue seems to have stopped as well. She is drinking water and eating the lean ground beef I cooked up for her. She is looking forward to having scrammbled eggs and beef for breakfast. Again, thank you all for your support and guidance. This can be such a lonely and scary time, for me and kenya both.
Doug and Kenya
Greetings from another tripawd parent, I am glad to hear you made it through the first night. I have a 4 yr old Lab, Paris with a right front amputation done on Jan 5th. She had 2 rough weeks, but that is a distant memory now. What does matter is that Paris is doing well, happy, smiling and playing! She will have her 2nd chemo on Wednesday.
The week we brought Paris home from the surgery, we had 20 inches of snow in northern Indiana! We shoveled an area for her, but she insisted on plodding through and finding just the right spot out in the deep snow. I think they are smarter than we are, they really do know what they are capable of.
I hope that Kenya continues to heal and do well.
Gineej & Paris
Grateful for every moment we had with Paris…..no regrets!
Honoring her life by opening our hearts & home to Addy!
Hi Doug and Kenya!
My 11 year old Labrador, Shadow, had his front left leg amputated 2 weeks ago. It is NOT unsusual for them to not want to move around much the first couple weeks. Shadow just got up to eat and use the restroom, and laid on his bed the rest of the time. We are 14 days post surgery, and Shadow is finally getting back to his old self. The such a traumatic surgery for their body can really throw their bodies for a loop and she's probably just taking it easy so her body can heal. Just hang in there, everyday gets a little better. This is what all the wonderful people here on this forum told me, and they were right!
Tina and Shadow
Tina and Spirit Shadow
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