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
Hello all, just looking to see if this is normal really! My 10 year old whippet lurcher had her front left leg amputated last Wednesday following the discovery of a soft tissue sarcoma. The operation was extensive and the incision goes from her shoulder to right underneath her chest poor thing. She was kept in for 3 days and we collected her yesterday. She is on Onsior once a day and Parvale every 8 hours. However she seems to still be in a considerable amount of pain. She is whining a lot, and yelping when making quick movements or being moved by us to help her up. Once on her feet she actually seems happier but obviously her stamina is low and I can’t keep her on her feet all day, we want her to rest. She has a shirt on which I do think might be irritating the wound. The wound is healing wonderfully I’m totally shocked. She’s eating ok, not great, but she’s always been fussy haha. Anyway sorry for the ramble, I really would just like to know if the whining and pain is normal or if we need to get some additional meds to keep her more comfortable? I’m noticing she isn’t really getting any restful sleep (she slept with me on my bed last night) but every time I wake her eyes are wide open. Thank you so much for any insight you can give, I just want her to be ok, and not be in pain 
Hello and welcome, your future posts will not have to wait for approval.
What is your girl's name?
It looks like you have a pain med, Parvale, and an NSAID, Onsior. I haven't used either of these so don't have direct experience but what you are describing sounds like your girl is in pain.
I would call the vet and describe what you are seeing. Unfortunately the side effects of some pain meds are sometimes hard to distinguish from actual pain. It is not uncommon for changes to pain meds or dosing is needed to get to that sweet spot. You can ask about gabapentin which we often see prescribed- it acts on nerve pain.
Your pup should have her pain controlled and she should be able to rest comfortably, those are so important for a good recovery.
Karen and The Spirit Pug Girls and Boy
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Hi Olivia, welcome. Sorry for the last rough few days! This is normal, but there are things you can do to make it better.
I agree, this does sound like she is showing pain signals and needs additional pain control. Gabapentin is pretty standard for post-amputation pain. Definitely call your vet tomorrow with the list of symptoms and request additional pain medication.
Please keep us posted!
Hi Olivia / Jerry all,
Our 10 year old Daisy is 3 weeks post op Right front leg amputation.
Was just going to ask on here about peoples’ experience of pain in dogs . It’s been suggested to us that pain wise Daisy should be ok now? , can’t get my head around that idea to be honest .However, although she’s been doing brilliantly, had a few yelps today when just lying in her bed so given her 1/2tab paracetamol x 2 doses today, is sleeping 💤 peacefully now .. Not sure where you all are but apparently in UK Gabapentin is 3rd line treatment for use in dogs … but I’ll be ringing Vet Practice… for analgesia discussion as can’t bear the thought of her being pain after such a massive op ..
Hope you get your little one sorted Olivia .. any tips , suggestions please let me know
Thank you
Hi Julie, glad you posted an update.
So at about two weeks out, most dogs pain levels are winding down. However if pain isn't aggressively treated from the beginning, there could be residual pain that lasts longer. All dogs are different so when a vet says that a dog "should be" feeling better, that's not a certainty. I would absolutely ask about Gabapentin. While it may be a third line treatment for many conditions, for amputation pain in dogs and humans it is essential to treat nerve pain. Paracetamol addresses other types of pain, and Gabapentin compliments it by addressing nerve pain.
Here in North America, a vet following modern pain management protocols references the American Animal Hospital Association Pain Management Guidelines. The World Small Animal Veterinary Medical Association Guidelines are another reference tool. Both mention aggressively treating pain for major surgeries like amputation surgery with Gabapentin as a first line. There is good info in there to share with your vet, just search for "Amputation" and also "Gabapentin.
Be strong and advocate. If she is still yelping for no apparent reason, she is experiencing pain from severed nerves. Follow your gut, it's telling you something. Let us know what they say.
Thank you all so much, she does seem more comfortable now - we didn’t get gabapentin but we got tramadol which did seem to really help. She’s really doing well but I am finding that she’s still helping when trying to sit up from laying on her amputated side. The vet has said it’s more from muscle pain where shes engaging muscles that are healing but I wondered if this was common?
Olivia, I'm happy she is feeling better. But I'm sad your vet wasn't willing to prescribe Gabapentin. What was their reason? Just curious?
If she is still yelping when trying to sit up, she is probably in pain. Yes, her muscles are not as strong now and they will get there in time, but right now they do hurt and that pain response should be treated differently with another more effective medication if it continues. I hope not!
Please keep in mind the Tripawds Foundation can pay for your first rehab visit for her (physio). These experts are pros at quickly pinpointing the exact cause of pain and how to treat it. Please consider taking advantage of the program.
1 Guest(s)
