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Knoxx's Amputation Recovery
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Westcliffe, CO
Member Since:
27 December 2018
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22 July 2019 - 10:08 am
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I figured I would move onto the next chapter!

We picked Knoxx up on Saturday morning. And him barrelling through the doors, dragging the tech with such joy was pretty much the greatest thing I couldve imagined. He seemed instantly better and so far, has no issue navigating life on 3 legs. Although I must say.. this XL cone that he must keep on is quite comical. We live in a converted school bus, and its normally plenty big for the 5 of us (2 hoomans, 3 houlas). But this cone is making it slightly more difficult to turn around in our narrow hallway. We even figured we would keep him in a crate, just to keep him from being too mobile.. but not with this cone. So we are doing lots of hanging out on the bed. Which I am totally cool with. He is sprawled out on my lap as I type. 😍😍

The CSU teaching hospital sent us this customized physical therapy list online, before we picked him up. It has suggestions for things you may need, like the Ruffwear harness that I always see reccomended on here. As well as the non slip booties! And then theres instructions on how and when to do cold and warm compresses, a massage to help move fluid along, and some excersizes to help Knoxx's recovery. Some have videos to explain. I was not expecting this, and was totally suprised and excited to have this information. With this being our 2nd amputation, it would have been great to have this the first time. Kudos CSU! Still so impressed with this place. 

The incision sites look great. (Amputation and Neutering) I cant remember exactly when Marleys started to give us trouble, but I am striving for no difficulties this time. 

So, I am trying to stay away from hot dogs, although Knoxx loves them so I did just get a package. But I need something to bribe him to take his pills with. I may just buy some stir fry steak strips and cook them for an easy treat. So far he is eating, drinking, peeing and pooing like normal! Yay. 

The front desk at csu couldnt get us in for staple removal (they stiched his leg, and stapled the lack of gonads) /round one of chemo until Aug 9th which is 3 weeks out. I am going to get a hold of my life saver, Dr. Fernandez and see if we can get closer to the 2 wk mark. 

Knoxx thanks you all for your well wishes this far! 

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Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
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22 July 2019 - 2:32 pm
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WOW!  THIS IS A SPECTACULAR  UPDATE!!!  Eating, drinking, pooping, peeing, mobile???     This early on ???  SPECTACULAR!!!😀😀😀

His hospital  meds ahould pretty much be out of his system  today, so if he has a bit of a crash, don't  be alarmed.   With a Vet guidance,  you can tweak pain meds if necessary. 

A converted school bus is perfect for recovery!!  No way he can overdo!   You can check into an inflatable donut type collar.

Love that CSU have such good follow up tips.  Rarely do we ever get anything  that informative upon release!  You can hold off a bit on the booties, as you may not need them,  if you put down nonslip scatter rugs for traction if your flooring  is slippery.  You can hold off a bit on the harness too so the incision  can heal and use a sling towel if necessary for now.  

For now, just rest, rest, rest, potty, rest and eating yummy food with his meds!

So happy to read this update!!  And thanks  for the extra bonus of the  picture  of his handsome  self!!

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!

new hampshire
Member Since:
26 June 2019
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22 July 2019 - 3:19 pm
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He looks just great! Even with the funny hat😉 so glad to hear that hes doing well! Big hugs, love & rest for that boy! 

CSU sounds like they go above and beyond to make sure you have the info you need! So wonderful to have that wow factor!

         Hugs ❤ Bev, nurse Moe cat, Autumn's Angel Roane & Angel dog Gypsy 🐾

My sweet soulmate Roane was diagnosed with osteo in June of 2019. Had a rear leg amp on July 2nd & crossed the rainbow bridge to be with her sister Gypsy on the first day of Autumn Sept 23 2019.

On The Road


Member Since:
24 September 2009
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22 July 2019 - 4:40 pm
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He looks GREAT! OK maybe not thrilled about the cone but hey, he's home and that's what counts right? Yeah!

As you know we live in our fifth wheel trailer and whenever Wyatt Ray has needed a cone, we turn to this giant soft one. It works great in small spaces and does the job.

best soft e-collar dogs cats

LOVE the instructions and list that the CSU team gave to you! They are the best aren't they? Wyatt gets PT there whenever we are are in the area, CSU is his home base for care because they are just that good. I wish my own medical care was that excellent!

How is he handling the bus steps? Since he is a rear-legger now, he may need help going up. The harness is good for that and as long as you put a t-shirt on underneath, you can go ahead and use it so he doesn't put too much strain on that one rear leg. 

We're sending you lots of healing love from Lake City, just over the mountain (kinda 😉

P.S. Thanks for starting a new topic here. You've got the forums down, lady!

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

Westcliffe, CO
Member Since:
27 December 2018
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28 July 2019 - 6:22 pm
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Hey yall! We have made it to day 10 of Knoxx's recovery and he is doing very well. He is not quite back to his normal self, but I know that is to be expected. He just went through alot. Lots of naps around here!

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Notice all of the marks on the cone from him being a bull in a china shop, or more literally him being Knoxx in a school bus. Lol. Thanks for the suggestions on alternatives. We just decided to rough it. Felt that keeping the big cone would discourage him from too much movement, which it has. 

Rene, yes getting in and out of the bus were our main challenges at first. We rigged up a wooden ramp for the outside stairs, which works great. But the 2 steps inside of the bus are steep and narrow and we couldnt fit the wooden ramp inside of the bus door.. so we ordered a ramp from Amazon. We layered the 2 ramps, but the top one was pretty steep. Knoxx was not a fan. That thing looks like a cat attacked it with all the nail marks he put on the grip tape. Needless to say, we are not subjecting him to that again. So, hopefully it will be of more use in the jeep. Knoxx decided he could handle the top 2 steps as long as we guide the cone, and keep him from crashing. Now, its difficult for me to keep him inside. He just wants to lounge in the shade.

And it seems that we have made it past the stage of worrying about the stiches busting open. With Marleys amputation, it felt like the stiches werent done with the same care. Or it could be the difference in front/rear amputations. She had to be stapled back up after about 5 days, due to her seroma leaking. With all of the leakage, her skin couldnt hold onto the stiches. So luckily the staples helped alot. Knoxx has nice scabs, and we have not noticed a drop of fluid come out. Yay!

Knoxx's mood worries me from time to time, but I have to remind myself.. he just had his leg AND manhood chopped off. He is still on 300 mg of Gab every 8 hrs, and 75 mg of Carprofen every 12. We moved onto the warm compress twice a day, he usually doesnt mind. But he did today, so I gave him a little break. Back to work tonight though! Potty time is still super regular! All in all, as long as he still gives me kisses I feel like we will make it through.

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Our next appointment is Thursday morning! Suture removal and hopefully the first round of chemo. I am a little nervous to start chemo, but I want to kick cancers ass. I can just hope and pray that it is the right choice. 

Those of you that have been through chemo, when did you notice the most severe symptoms? Directly after? The next day? We booked a hotel room so we wouldnt have to drive 4 hours right after.. hoping that gives him enough rest to make the trip the next day. 

On The Road


Member Since:
24 September 2009
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30 July 2019 - 12:21 pm
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LOVE the photos, and the pupdate too. He's made such pawgress in such a short amount of time. The fact that you live in a tiny home is really helping him stay mellow too. Good job Skoolie Mama!

Some dogs will do ramps, some will not. I can see why he was averse to using a steep one, but you guys handled it like a champ and found a way. Once that cone comes off he shouldn't have any big issues other than the usual strengthening issues that will come in time.

As for chemo, generally for osteosarcoma chemotherapy, if side effects happen, they show up either within 3-5 days or at the 10 day mark. Not all dogs will get them though, but CSU will set you up with medications just in case he does experience any. We'll keep our paws crossed that he doesn't.

Do you know if you'll try to get Knoxx into any clinical trials? CSU has so many good ones! 

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

Westcliffe, CO
Member Since:
27 December 2018
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1 August 2019 - 4:25 pm
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Knoxx had his sutures removed and his first round of carboplatin this morning! We brought his Tripawd gf, Marley for moral support. He was very excited when we picked him up. We are now lounging at the hotel and Knoxx is fast asleep. 

Rene, gosh I didnt mention that part, did I?! Yes, we have him enrolled in the live listeria vaccine trial! Adxs31 something or another, I will have to get that info when we are back home. So, he has 3 more rounds of chemo, and then he will recieve 3 rounds of the vaccination. We are very hopeful for this process. I feel like the best part is that amputation and chemo are a requirement for the study, which was our plan anyway, so the vaccine is just a bonus kick in cancers butt!

I also forgot to mention in my last post how hard it is to watch Knoxx try to get comfortable. He just wants to lay on his amputated side, sooo badly. And sitting is awkward too! Poor baby just backs his bum up and lowers it onto me whenever he can. I know that will get better with time, but I cant help but try to surround him with pillows constantly. 

Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
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1 August 2019 - 7:32 pm
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Awww....sweet pictures of uour sweet boy😊

YAY for stitches  out and YAY for first chemo done!!  I didn't  do my Hapoh Hanna's first chemo until week three because  I felt like she needed more recovery  time.  I remember  she slept very well afterwards and actually  seemed  to start really perking up at that point!  Crazy, right?

It took her several weeks plus before she laid on her amp side.  Some dogs do it much sooner, some take a bit longer.  I think part of their frustration  is that they are used to circling  in one direction to "tamp down their nest" and prefer laying on one side more than the other.  That routine is interrupted with rhe amputation  during recovery.   And then Knoxx was "snipped" on top of the amputation!  His whole bum atea is probably  a big OUCH!

Your love and devotion for Knoxx   comes shining  throigh!   He gets a hotel  overnight vacay all expense paid trip, room service, personal  Chauffeur, non stop pampering....yeah, he thinks a chemo treatment  is the best thing ever!!

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!

On The Road


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2 August 2019 - 8:09 am
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Oh wow that's great! Things are moving along quickly and it's all great pawgress. I love that you got him into a trial, he's now an official "science dog" and contributing to the health of sooo many dogs who come down with this disease. Go Knoxx!

Yep, some dogs lay on their amp side sooner than others. He'll figure it out one day and surprise you. Our Wyatt still prefers to lay on his non-amp side, I guess because it's easier for him to get up, but occasionally he does lay on Mr. Stumpy.

Hope you and the pack have a nice, restful weekend!

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

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