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.
Join The Tripawds Community
Learn how to help three legged dogs and cats in the forums below. Browse and search as a guest or register for free and get full member benefits:
Instant post approval.
Private messages to members.
Subscribe to favorite topics.
Live Chat and much more!
Register
Log In
Members
Add Topic
Offline
(Continuation of earlier thread: http://tripawds.....-were-new/)
Tomorrow we go for suture removal and oncology recheck (and possible first chemo). Our boy's been doing surprisingly well. The only hiccup was a couple nights ago I gave him Rimadyl and Gabapentin only an hour after Tramadol, when I usually waited 2-3 hours. I assume that's why he was panting a lot that night.
Since he hasn't seemed to be in any pain aside from that (like, ever. Fatigue, yeah. Pain, thankfully, no.), I've started cutting his Tramadol. Twice a day, I used to give him 2 Tramadol, then 2-3 hours later the Rimadyl and Gabapentin. Last night, I gave him 2 Tramadol in the morning and none at night, just the Rimadyl and Gabapentin. He seemed a little restless during the night. Tonight, I gave him 2 in the morning and one at 9pm. Will give him Rimadyl and Gabapentin around 11:30pm and see how he does.
Shortly after I gave him the Tramadol tonight, my daughter went looking for Koda and found him up on the guest bed.
Doofus.
I'll post an update after our visit tomorrow. In the meantime, this is what an Anatolian Shepherd whose front left leg was removed nine days ago looks like when he's on a bed that isn't his (no matter what he says)...
Mom of Koda, 150 lb male Anatolian Shepherd age 6 1/2 (DOB 10/4/09).
TPLO both knees - one 11/2012 and the other 2/2013;
Underpants-ectomy (a/k/a blockage removal) 8/2013;
Osteosarcoma in front left leg diagnosed 3/1/16;
Joined Tripawd Nation 3/4/16
Forever missing Koda's big brother, Sully (a/k/a James P. Sullivan), our first Anatolian and the Original Big Man (tm), who passed at age 10 1/2 from degenerative myelopathy on 6/27/13.
Isn't he big enough that any bed he is on becomes his by default? So glad that things are going so well!
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
Awwww Koda, you can take a snooze on our bed anytime!
Can I ask why you're giving the medications far apart like that? Just curious if that was something your vet recommended and maybe I'm missing something. It's always been my understanding you can give all 3 together at the same time. I know I'd go a little crazy trying to keep track of when to administer.
p.s. Thanks for staring a new topic here! Makes it so much easier to follow your journey 🙂
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Can I ask why you're giving the medications far apart like that? Just curious if that was something your vet recommended and maybe I'm missing something. It's always been my understanding you can give all 3 together at the same time. I know I'd go a little crazy trying to keep track of when to administer.
Hey Jerry,
No, the vet didn't say anything about giving meds all at once. My kids and I are all on various meds for ADD/ADHD and other fun things, and we just don't like how it feels to have everything hit at once. I have a log on the kitchen counter near the pill bottles to keep track of everything -- meds, times given, reactions, etc. I don't know whether there's a medical reason Koda seemed agitated when I gave him the meds closer together, I just assumed so from personal experience.
We're not going to the vet today after all -- his biopsy results aren't in, yet, so we're going Wednesday. If I think of it, I'll ask about the timing of pain meds to add to our collective knowledge bank!
Mom of Koda, 150 lb male Anatolian Shepherd age 6 1/2 (DOB 10/4/09).
TPLO both knees - one 11/2012 and the other 2/2013;
Underpants-ectomy (a/k/a blockage removal) 8/2013;
Osteosarcoma in front left leg diagnosed 3/1/16;
Joined Tripawd Nation 3/4/16
Forever missing Koda's big brother, Sully (a/k/a James P. Sullivan), our first Anatolian and the Original Big Man (tm), who passed at age 10 1/2 from degenerative myelopathy on 6/27/13.
When we brought Otis home, we had a med schedule laid out by the surgeon, and not with the convenience of the humans in mind. Perhaps it was because he had started some meds in his two nights at the emergency vet? Not sure, but the first two weeks, I was giving some kind of pill every few hours. I was actually really glad when the antibiotic fell off the schedule - I think it was 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., convenient, but with the Rimadyl at midnight and noon, and then Tramadols every 8 hours, it became a bit much. We kept a log - each night, I wrote down the med schedule for the next day - I was having a really hard time keeping track of it in my sleep deprived state.
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
Ah OK, as long as you're used to it. I know I'd lose track in a day! Yeah I'd love to hear what the vet says.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Awe ...looking good Koda!
I agree, Christine, that he probably takes over pretty much any bed ...and I bet you can relate with Otis! lol
Donna
Donna, Glenn & Murphy
Murphy had his right front leg amputated due to histiocytic sarcoma at 7 years old. He survived 4 years, 2 months & 1 week, only to be taken by hemangiosarcoma at 11 1/2 years 6/12/17
Read about Murphy's Life on Three Legs
Koda got his sutures out yesterday! No chemo because his biopsy still isn't done -- the bone they sent was so dense, it still hasn't broken down enough to get a slide.
The doctor is happy with his progress, says he can go on walks as long as he wants, now, and that he's probably ready for the staircase. (I'm still not ready to let him go up, 'cause I can't support him if he rolls down!)
Here's a video from yesterday, a couple hours after he got the sutures out. And a funny still shot from the video, 'cause he looks happy. 
(The doc said he doesn't need to wear a shirt any longer, but I might put one back on him until the swelling goes down more. He still has a floppy "boob" that he messes with -- you can see how it distracted him when he was running.)
(Not sure I'm inserting the video correctly... If not, here's the link: The Running Man )
Mom of Koda, 150 lb male Anatolian Shepherd age 6 1/2 (DOB 10/4/09).
TPLO both knees - one 11/2012 and the other 2/2013;
Underpants-ectomy (a/k/a blockage removal) 8/2013;
Osteosarcoma in front left leg diagnosed 3/1/16;
Joined Tripawd Nation 3/4/16
Forever missing Koda's big brother, Sully (a/k/a James P. Sullivan), our first Anatolian and the Original Big Man (tm), who passed at age 10 1/2 from degenerative myelopathy on 6/27/13.
Great news, and he looks so happy! Will they be able to get biopsy results back eventually?
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
He really does look happy!
It sort of just looks like extra tissue rather than swelling, but that's just from looking at the video .. you see it in person. I wonder if it bothers him because when he's running like that it sort of pulls? There's still going to be some pain ..it hasn't been that long yet. But Koda looks great!
Donna
Donna, Glenn & Murphy
Murphy had his right front leg amputated due to histiocytic sarcoma at 7 years old. He survived 4 years, 2 months & 1 week, only to be taken by hemangiosarcoma at 11 1/2 years 6/12/17
Read about Murphy's Life on Three Legs
Ugh...cantw see video, not a facebooger and my tavlet won't let me see the other video you imbeded. Ugh! But I love th photo of him! Hr is so cute and he looks like he's smiling!!
YAAAAAAAAAY FOR KODA GETTING STITCHES OUT!!
I'm certainly no vet, but this is just from my experience being here. It's best for a tripawd to take several shorter walks during the day than one or two long ones. If Koda sits down to rest, he's probably already overdone it. Some vets say it takes approximately two weeks to recover from the surgery itself, and about one month for joints, muscles, etc to adjust to the strain of adjusting to three legs. I think youre wise to still be careful with the stairs.
I LOVE the picture of Koda OWNING "his" bed!! I want to come over and snuggle with him, but there's no room!
So glad Koda's sparkle is coming back, and it still gets better!!
Lots of 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!
Wheeeee! Oh Koda look at that huge smile! I can tell you're not worried about that floppy skin. Your people won't need to worry either, when the fur grows back you won't even see it.
Nope, can't see the video here, Facebooger doesn't let users embed video in other websites. I say, start your own YouTube channel my friend! That way you can embed videos here and in your blog to your heart's content. AND you'll be a YouTube superstar! It's suuuuuper easy! Have your people PM me if they have questions OK?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I have a YouTube, but it's acting glitchy right now. Let's see if it works with Dropbox...
Mom of Koda, 150 lb male Anatolian Shepherd age 6 1/2 (DOB 10/4/09).
TPLO both knees - one 11/2012 and the other 2/2013;
Underpants-ectomy (a/k/a blockage removal) 8/2013;
Osteosarcoma in front left leg diagnosed 3/1/16;
Joined Tripawd Nation 3/4/16
Forever missing Koda's big brother, Sully (a/k/a James P. Sullivan), our first Anatolian and the Original Big Man (tm), who passed at age 10 1/2 from degenerative myelopathy on 6/27/13.
Hmmm.... Glitchy how?
When in YouTube, take the "Share" link of the video you want to embed, copy it, then paste it on a line by itself when you come back here.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
"Glitchy" as in it won't let me sign in -- the page keeps blinking and reloading. I've tried closing and opening a new window, but still the same thing. I'll keep trying...
Mom of Koda, 150 lb male Anatolian Shepherd age 6 1/2 (DOB 10/4/09).
TPLO both knees - one 11/2012 and the other 2/2013;
Underpants-ectomy (a/k/a blockage removal) 8/2013;
Osteosarcoma in front left leg diagnosed 3/1/16;
Joined Tripawd Nation 3/4/16
Forever missing Koda's big brother, Sully (a/k/a James P. Sullivan), our first Anatolian and the Original Big Man (tm), who passed at age 10 1/2 from degenerative myelopathy on 6/27/13.
1 Guest(s)
