Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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OK.... I'll channel my inner Sally .... deep breathes ... it is VERY hard to see them drugged and out of sorts but it gets better. Some dogs DO have a harder time navigating their new stance but they learn. Dogs are amazing. .. the 4th leg was always a spare anyways! 🙂
The key here is going to try really hard (and it's hard, I do know that) to treat Max normal and act like all is normal. It will really help him and show him that you are all strong! I tried really hard not to let Shelby see me freak out.
The first couple of nights were great and then things went to HE!!. But we did get her on some doggy valium and it helped her (and me) get rest ... I had to embrace a tough-love approach.
Hang in there and vent w/us... that's what we are here for!!! IT gets better!
Hugs,
alison with spirit shelby in her heart (and little jasper)
Shelby Lynne; Jack Russell/Shiba Inu mix. Proud member of the April Angels of 2014.
October 15, 2000 to April 8, 2014
Our story: Broke rear leg in June 2013 - non-conclusive results for cancer so leg was plated and pinned. Enlarged spleen in September 2013 and had it removed and was diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma and started chemotherapy. Became a Tripawd January 8th, 2014 and definitive Hemangiosarcoma diagnosis. Three major surgeries in 7 months and Shelby took them all like a champ only to lose her battle to cancer in her brain. We had 8 amazing extra months together and no regrets. #shelbystrong #loveofmylife
Now how's that for synchronicity? Here I be my friend!!
Let me answer your last question first. WHISPER is a dog who just now...just now...started getting up on his own and walking. I need ro go bax and check the dates, vut it's five or six days past surgery at least.
I'm talking with someone now who is on day three and her dog just now sat up on her own for the first time. Still holding her up to pee and only standing for that. All this is an improvement as she could do neither the first day home!
I know...KNOW...this is so scary rhinking your dog won't be able to do this or that. We humans...if we can't SEE it, we just aren't convinced it can happen.
What we have ro reme during recovery, every teeny weeny tiny winy little improvement is HUGE!!! HUGE!!! Yiu just said he stood on his own for a few seco ds...HUGE!! And yes, that calls for a YAAAAAAAAAY FOR MAX!!!
And the otjher YAAAAAAAAAY is he's showing a WILL to try and take a step, even if he doesn't succeed! He just needs time ro figure things out. And right now through his drugged haze it's hard for him to figure out how to adjust, vut he will!!! He absolutely will!! Every dog figures it out in their own time. Yes, some faster than others and many, many, slower than others.
Vets say it takes about two weeks to recover from the MAJOR surgery itself and the actually mobility adjustments take about a month!!
And think avout it, on top of everything else he has his two humans standing eight beside him while he's trying to do his private bidness wrappi g some silly sling around his wee wee! No wonder he's "panicking", he's trying to escape the lunacy of the whole scenario!!
Now, TRY and sleep whil Max is sleeping. You might not get much for a few days..
A d lictures when you can!! No, ot of Max....of you with yiur chipmunk cheeks!!
(((((((((((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))))))))))
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle too!
I'll try and pull of some links of dogs who took several days at least ro get mobile. I'm very daft when it comes ro computer stuff like that!
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!
Checking up on Max (can't wait for email ;). So sorry it was a rough ride home. Hold him close. Love, prayers, and hugs.
And once again you have all come through for me. I feel soooo much better knowing our issues are not out of the norm. Sally, Max is about 110 pounds. I thank each and every one of you for all your feedback. It helps so much knowing you are all there to cover my back. Paula has offered me the use of her harness to try so I will be texting her in the morning. If he doesn't have to work my husband has offered to drive down in the morning to pick it up. If that works we will immediately order our own. She has been such a saint in her support to me. You all have!! I am so thankful I found tri-pawds ahead of time. Sally I don't know how you got thru it the first 6 days yourself without it. You are way stronger than myself! But I will get there day by day stronger each one. This is an endurance run slow and steady will win the race. Bob had decided he needs to be here with Max and me so he will be requesting time off. Timing is good he can take Thursday and Friday and have the holiday weekend off. I never told you guys but this is my second marriage so John is Bob's stepfather. He paid off Bobs house when this all started with Max so Bob could concentrate on getting Max better and free up that house payment money to use on Max if needed. I am truly blessed with good men in my life. My son had moved out to Colorado many years ago to join his best friend Mario who had moved there from here and loved it. Shortly after he got out there Mario got bone cancer and died in 1 1/2 years of you got it lung cancer. That's where it spread to. Bob was devastated to loose his best friend and eventually moved back here to WI. Then Bob himself got colon cancer and that is when his friend gave him Max so he had something else to focus on besides the fact that he had cancer. So there is a history with Max and cancer. Now his dog having cancer I'm sure Bob is wondering if he'll ever catch a break. I tell you this so if sometimes I come off as crazy mom worrying about Bob you'll know why. Again THANK YOU ALL!!!
I have a question. Last night Max got up on his own and we knew he had to tinkle. It was raining quite hard so I gave Bob a Cool Whip container to see if Max would go. He told Max do your business and Max went. It was VERY dark urine though. Is that normal does anyone know? We will probably call the vet here shortly on this but I just wondered if anyone else had this. Of course going on the grass maybe no one else noticed it (cause I'm guessing most of you don't have your furfaces pee in a cool whip container on a regular basis). On the upside YAAY Max got up on his own. He took a few stumbling steps and went down with Bob helping him down. What a celebration THAT was! So far we have just been laying a t-shirt over his incision and he's not tried licking it so thankful there. Also might I ask how often we should be offering water? When Max does drink he will drink like 1/4 of an ice cream pail full he's a huge drinker. I just want to make sure he's getting enough water. All in all I think Max had a pretty good night. He will sleep for a few minutes then wake up then sleep again. No like hour long naps but he's only whiney when he needs to go to the bathroom so we're very lucky there. He seems to be taking all this in his usual stoic fashion. Thanks guys!
Wow! You and Bob certainly have had your share of challenges and heartache. So sorry to hear that Mario crossed over..and from this piece of crap disease too.
Now this was years and years ago, but my Granddaddy was "diagnosed" with colon cancer at 83. The doctors at the time did NOT "encourage" him to go through with the surgery and all the "aftercare" removing colon entailed. The "suggestion" was that at his age there probably wouldn't be much time left anyway. Granddaddy had other plans! He proceeded with the surgery, continued working in his wood shop, maintained his home and three acres all by himself (with the help of Grandmama) and crossed over gently in his sleep at the age of 96!
Proof yet again, diagnosis, prognosis, statistics...don't mean squat!
Okay, Go ahead and get Max's urine checked, blood work, etc. for your own reassurance. .ost likely all the drugs are causing it. Could be some dehydration too. When you pull the loose skin up at the back of his neck does it spring back quickly? If it goes back slowly he could be dehydrated. And yes, let him drink as much water as he wants on a consistent basis.
MAX GOT UP ON HIS OWN!!! YAAAAAAAAAY FOR MAX!
We knew you could do it! Slowly but surely Max is recovering!!!
I'm glad he rested a little bit better last night...again, slowly but surely!
And am I reading this right? You have Max trained to pee wee in a cool whip container if it's raining???
Thanks for the update and we look forward to more....and PICTURES!!!
Try and get some rest when you can!
Love and hugs to all!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle 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!
I am no vet (or doctor) for that matter, nor have I ever actually seen my dog's pee since it's usually in the grass BUT I think dark urine usually indicates dehydration which would make sense with the drugs that Max has been on and the hospital stay. Has he been drinking? I am glad he was able to pee for you!
HUGS!
Shelby Lynne; Jack Russell/Shiba Inu mix. Proud member of the April Angels of 2014.
October 15, 2000 to April 8, 2014
Our story: Broke rear leg in June 2013 - non-conclusive results for cancer so leg was plated and pinned. Enlarged spleen in September 2013 and had it removed and was diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma and started chemotherapy. Became a Tripawd January 8th, 2014 and definitive Hemangiosarcoma diagnosis. Three major surgeries in 7 months and Shelby took them all like a champ only to lose her battle to cancer in her brain. We had 8 amazing extra months together and no regrets. #shelbystrong #loveofmylife
whoops...
Hi Max!
I meant to post this here...and accidentally posted it in the wrong thread (too many windows open... too much multitasking and I confused myself... )
Here is what I accidentally posted (In Whisper's forum post):
I read this late last night and wanted to reply, but was entirely too tired to reply at the moment.
In some ways, you' story sounds very very very much like my sweet lovable Jersey-boy! Mr. New Jersey, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma a few months ago and I decided to remove his pain. (Hi only tumor was in his left hind ankle, so he lost his left-hid leg)
The thing is.... Jerz. is an elderly gentleman (12-13 human-years) and definitely has a touch of arthritis...
Unlike many of the dogs you'll see on this site ... those that jump up and run around on day 3... Jersey was not able to do anything without me holding/supporting him for about 9 days. These first days were terrifying because I thought that he'd never be able to walk again... and thought I had made a huge mistake. In retrospect, there were clearly reasons that contributed to the initial delay.
1.) he knew that I was terrified of him walking around... and I would literally panic every time he stood (or struggled to stand). So, he learned that he shouldn't "get-up" because I was afraid.
2.) He'd get up and fall.... and I would completely panic. Which made him more terrified of falling and even getting up. He eventually stopped trying. We have a lot of tile/wood floor in out house... so I went out to a store and bought every inexpensive (ugly/non-matching) runner that they had to give him a stable path on the wood floor.
3.) I worked on controlling my reaction to seeing him get up ... be unsteady and fall... and instead I encouraged him to try and gave a lot of praise... (the DOWNSTAIRS part of my house has nice padded wall-to-wall carpet... so I kept him downstairs to help HIM build confidence with getting up... and also controlling my reaction to seeing him move around.)
4.) I realized that he NEEDED to be OFF the leash to better maintain his balance. So I purchased the webmaster harness so that it was easier to grab him if I saw that he was falling/off balance...and completely ditched the leash. This actually also helped me psychologically because he CANNOT fall as long as I am holding the handle AND I am not inadvertently pushing him off balance @ the neck (by pulling the leash). He is still really terrified of even trying to go up the stairs (although he goes down the stairs completely fine)... There are also times when I know that he needs to pee... or that he wants to move... i use the harness to get him into a good position to stand and I can help him to stand if necessary. The only time he doesn't wear the harness is when he gets in human-bed, for the night.
... the harness has been a back-saver as it allows me to give him as much/little support as he needs to go up the stairs (before the harness... I would just carry him... he weights 80lbs!). Hands down... this was the best investment I got after his surgery...
Here he is, in the harness (peeing on my neighbors flowers... smh! Naughty!):
5.) I realized that he did a lot better moving around outside... so i'd put him in the backyard and let him run around with my little dog. Sure he still falls, but the unevenness of the ground helped him work out the balance and the ground is always damp (soft) in the back yard. He loves to be outside and is really active outside.
6.) His arthritis is really bothering him. We've started him on a low dose of Rimadyl, adequate injections and a liquid glucosamine and chondroitin supplement. He still has good day and bad days... but he does really well on his good days (ie. he gets up to greet EVERYONE who walks through the door). On his bad days he lays around and doesn't fully extend the hind leg when he's hopping around ... and he moans when he lays or squats to poo. (I think the rimadyl can be increased... we go back to the vet next week) But we're stilll 'figuring it out'
7.) I massage and stretch that hind leg... I move it through its full range of motion and massage....he absolutely loves this.
I'll let you know if I can think of anything else... but you're still really early in your journey. It's too early to stress... give Max some time to sort it out.
Ok I couldn't get on to post all morning. Kim thank you so much for your post! It helps so much to know others experienced same issues. Your post brought up so many points to consider and I'm sure I will refer to it often. Your insight and what you have learned has helped me so much. Now if I can get Bob to relax....... The vet called back and wants to take Max off the gabapentin for a day. He said sometimes that can make them anxious. If that doesn't work he will try anti-anxiety meds. So today he will be on 150 mg of tramadol 3 times a day, 100 mg of carprofen 2 times a day and his 1500 mg of antibiotics 2 times a day. We'll see if that's the key or not. Sally don't all dogs wee wee in a cool whip container when it's raining???? Oh yea vet said dark urine is normal after surgery. It's the drugs coming out of their system. He's really been drinking a lot so I don't think he's dehydrated. Now if he could only sleep more thank 5 minutes at a time.
Forgot to add Angel Paula has borrowed us her harness to try. Hubby drove down to get it and Angel that she is met him in Shawano. You people never cease to amaze. Thank you Paula I think I will owe you my entire 401 K before I'm done. That's ok I'll move to the ocean then and live on the beach with all my furfaces
Hi Linda, I"m glad you were able to get back into the Forums, don't hesitate to contact us at all if you have issues again, you have our #. And yay Paula for passing along the harness!
I'm so glad everyone here was able to help you keep calm, and that your vet is working with you too. It's hard not to panic, we all did it, everything, even peeing, becomes magnified 1000 times in a situation like this. If you ever feel at all that something's just not right, never hesitate to call your vet. They sound great. Max is in good paws.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
All things considered Max had an outstanding day. When we took him out at three he was able to get up and take a few steps. It wasn't pretty but he prevailed. Then we let him just lay there in the grass for a few minutes. He did a bunch of vocalizing not sure what that was about but was pretty well spent when he got back in. So far his pain seems under control but you never know for he's a pretty stoic fella. I'm watching him closely now that his gabapentin has been taken away. I certainly don't want to go backwards due to increased pain when that is controllable. Sally I loved hearing about Grandpappy. Guess he showed them and then some hu? I'm glad he got to live his life on his own terms. Paula's harness seems to be helping him immensely and we have ordered our own today. Again thank you Paula for "sharing". John was totally amazed at Nitro's running ability. He told Bob all about how amazing your dog does and your experiences to get where you are today. Thanks to all that have shared their videos. It shows us where we will be someday and the videos of the dogs just going a short ways and struggling show me we are doing ok for 2 days post op. Until my dying day I will remember Sally saying if this was done to a human they'd still be in the hospital on a morphine drip. That's my new mantra. You are all so wise I just wish you all wouldn't have had to do this journey yourselves with your loved pets in order to get that wisdom.
Yay for pawgress! That's awesome he moved about yesterday. How is he doing today?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Max is doing AWESOME so far today. Twice today he has gotten up and hopped 4 to 5 steps. He doesn't seem as shaky as before. It looks more fluid. He still stresses on going outside. It's almost like he's fighting the harness but he's not ready to do it on his own so he'll have to put up with it. Both in and out. Seems confused to which way to go. He's still is not sleeping so the vet has ordered some "puppy prozak" to try. Hopefully that will help him get in a deep REM sleep which he needs to heal. Last night was a little tough he started licking incision so I put his cone on and he pretty much freaked. Wouldn't settle so after Bob fell back asleep (he was up the night before all night) I took the cone off and stayed up with him. He'll fall asleep but it's only for maybe 10 - 15 minutes and then he's wide awake again. Bob thinks it's anxiety so ergo we'll deal with that issue and try the meds. We're starting to get a rythmn going here so that makes it easier. He has not pooped since Wednesday late but maybe we'll get some today. He's eating and drinking well so all in all we seem to be doing ok.
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