Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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One step forward, two steps back. He was having such a good day yesterday, but yesterday evening seems in pain at his surgery site, then started panting. After we took him out around 7 and gave him evening meds, he just couldn't get comfortable. He and I were probably up most of the night. He finally got some sleep, but this morning was shaking when we went to put the harness on him to go out. He's on a number of meds, and they are staggered, so I'm not sure what the issue is - whether he needs another one, needs more of something, etc. But I think we are getting behind the pain curve. He's still eating and going to the bathroom just fine, just cannot seem to get comfortable. I'm waiting to hear back from his surgeon, hopefully we can adjust something and find a plan where we stay ahead of the pain curve during this period. It's so rough to see your pup in pain and not be able to help. 🙁
Which meds/dosages is he on and when are they given? Also, is he sleeping and contained most of the time? Generally after the hospital meds wear off, there is a dip.
Pain sucks, and can sneak up. This is major surgery and if we had to try all of the things our wonder dogs do in less than a week or two, I doubt many of us- I know I couldn't- would do as well as they often do.
If he has all of the regular meds- Gabapentin, Tramadol, maybe a NSAID, it sounds as if the dosage amount may be off. Did Mosby come home with a fentanyl patch? I am sorry for the rough go of it but once the vet adjusts and adds meds, things will get better quickly.
Mosby IS a wonder dog and you guys have done a fantastic job of keeping a close eye on him. Hugs and PyrPaws to the Mosby and you!!!
Yep, getting the timing and dosages of the meds can be tricky! On top of that, the Tramadol can sometimes .ake some dogs all restless and panting...just like pain symptoms! Ugh!
EVERY dog js different when jt comes to recovery, med doses, med reactions, pain reactions, etc. Unfortunately, sometimes it is a little trail a d error. It maybe that sith Mosby, the staggering isn't the best approach, or maybe minimal staggering.
The harness itself isn't aggravating the surgery area or anywhere else in him is it?
Hiw js the edema looking? How bout the swelling arpund the eyes?
Although my Happy Hannah was mo ile and eating okay, it was days and days of her beiu restless and just couldn't get comfortable and slept very little. Just like people, surgery recovery is rougher on so e dogs than otners, especially the larger ones sometimes.
Sloooow and easy. Rest and potty breaks. The first week or two...full of ups and downs....a good day....a less good day...a good day, etc. Soon it will be ALL good days!!!!!! PROMISE!
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!
He's on Gaba (300mg 2x day), Traumeel (homeopathic, 1x day), Tramadol (50mg 4x day) and Meloxicam (NSAID, 7.5 mg 1x day). He also has cold therapy 3x day. The tech I talked to thought maybe it related to him coming off of the trazadone (we actually do have a rx for it and can refill it) but I asked her to ask the surgeon. Tech called back and said that the surgeon couldn't adjust his meds without seeing him, because it could be an infection or a strain. That clinic is actually out of own so we could go tomorrow, but the surgeon is leaving town, so they said we could also consult with our local vet and take him there if needed. So that is what I am doing.
Other than being very "conscious" of the suture site (is that normal?) he actually has been decently comfortable since around 8:45 this morning. Although his new trick is to move beds on me every time I step out of the room and then look at me like he's innocent. We went out for our noon trip outside - he got up in "harness" position when he saw me bring it over and was patient even when I put his head through the wrong hole the first time.
The edema looks better (the swelling in general is looking good), and his eyes look better. We adjusted the straps some to make sure the harness isn't bothering him, but we also really barely touch it when he goes outside anyway - it's there if we need it, but he doesn't really need support.
Thanks for all the suggestions and feedback! So glad we're not in this alone!
Hello! Saying "welcome to the forum" here is always tinged with sadness because we all know what you are going through
. For myself and my dog Fionn, the first week was SO hard. Many ups and downs, but slowly the downs went away and it was all UP. There is a crash after all the anesthesia meds wear off and Mosby's right at that pint now. Sounds like he's doing really well for this point in his recovery though! Fionn is a front amp and we couldn't use a harness until his incision was healed and he hated the sling, so I am glad you are able to use the harness and he is so smart to help you put it on him! Btw, Fionn laid on his incision right away (outside and in some rocks so it freaked me out) and this seems to be normal for all of them- well not the rocks perhaps.
They do get all sorts of swellings/bruisings post op. Glad to see Mosby's puffy face is better. Lots of rest and just trips to potty for now. Based on other stories, I think it is hardest to keep the naturally active dogs from doing too much in the beginning. Fionn is a lump so he was all about resting, but others with more active dogs, and it sounds like Mosby is one, have a harder time. Too much too soon causes it's own problems though.
Fionn has a blog where I logged each day for the first 2 weeks as a general guide for others preparing or already going on this journey. Every experience is different, but at least you can see you're not alone in the struggle, and it IS a struggle for awhile. The link is in my signature
.
Keep us up to date on Mosby's progress!
Nancy and Fionn
Nancy- mom to the FABULOUS Fionn. He rescued me in 2015 when he was 6.
Right front leg amputation at age 7 for osteosarcoma 10/6/16. Taken too soon 6/12/17. Read about our journey here:
http://fionnsjo.....pawds.com/
OKAY!! GRRRREAT UPDATE!!! I know it's hard for you to see, but it really, really is a good update!!
The swelling is better, he was ready to go out, he's moving freely from bed to bed.....ALL GOOD!!!
Yes, some dogs are very aware of the incision, and some no to much! Again, nust an individual doggy thing. The stitches can be annoying to some.
Forgot he was kn that sedative. Yeah, that czn hzve so many bizzare effects, and som after effects too. Glad nesw off of that. It doesn't sound like he needs that "therapy" at all!!!
Now, let's talk about a little therapy for Mom, Don't forget to B R E A T H E!!!! Don't forget to eat CHOCOLATE every few hours!!! It works beautifully for stress! TRY not to hoover and TRY to relax and let Mosby work through things at his own pace. He reaw is doing quite well for this early in surgery. Quite a "normal" recovery. It's sooooo hard to be patient. All this recovery stuff is brand new and scary and yucky! It seems like it will last forever!!! Yel! We all get it! Been there!
The pain meds seem to be a good mix and good dosing times. The Vet may, or may not, suggest a bit more Tramadol with each dose, but lessening the frequency. With an increased dose, maybe just three or two times a day. Sometimes that bit of tweaking makes a difference. AND your revuw Vet can do that over the pho e, most likely!
Thanks for the update! Cheering for ya' Mosby! You're doing great...And so is Mom! 🙂
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!
You are right in the 3 to 5 days post op where so many see what seems to be a step back.
He does sound like he is in pain- how much does he weigh? I am not a vet and you should always use the doses the vet tells you but the tramadol sounds like there might be some room to increase the dose unless he weighs less than around 45 pounds.
Hang in there!
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Mosby update.
Yesterday was much better. He just got increasingly mobile during the day. He is still "aware" of his suture site, but hasn't messed with it. Sometimes it twitches, but generally you can touch it and it doesn't seem to bother him. He sits for his harness, goes outside nicely, and his balance just gets better and better. Eating, drinking, pooping great. Overall seems very happy. Yesterday he played "musical bed" game every time I left the room for a minute. And one time he looked up at the other chair across from me and looked back at me as if to ask if he could jump into it (he loves that chair, but knows he's not allowed) and I told him absolutely not. We had previously been feeding him in bed so as to keep him resting, but were deciding whether to let him try to stand at his feeder for dinner. We thought it was worth a try, so I went into the kitchen to fix his food. Somehow this three-legged dog sneaked past my mom and husband, into the kitchen, off the numerous runners we have and onto one of the few spots of hardwood floor to watch me prepare dinner. I was so scared he'd fall! They came in and grabbed him, and as soon as I put his food down he almost ran to it and had no trouble standing to eat. His ability to stand and balance is just great. My mom was so impressed (she flew into town to take care of him this week so we can get back to work). So, fingers crossed he keeps getting better. He definitely knows the leg is missing, but is reasoning through how to adjust. I am so amazed by this guy and his resilience and full of so much love for him. Thank everyone for the support and advice, and I hope you all had a great holiday weekend.
Thanks for the GREAT update!
Murphy is a five year old Lab/Chessie cross. He was hit by a car on 10/29/12 and became a Tripawd on 11/24/12. On 2/5/13, he had a total hip replacement on his remaining back leg. He has absolutely no idea that he has only three legs!
UPDATE: Murphy lived his life to the fullest, right up until an aggressive bone lesion took him across the Rainbow Bridge on April 9, 2015 and he gained his membership in the April Angels. Run free, my love. You deserve it!
GRRRRREAT update indeed!!! Grinning ear to ear over here!!! 🙂
Looks like he's almost ready for a snooze in HIS chair!!! Can't wait for that picture!!!
And Mosby, you have a wonderful Grandma!
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!
Oh that is terrific news! What a classically great recovery.
Your Mom is pretty pawesome for coming out to help her Granddog. Tell her the Tripawds Community says she rocks!
Here's to a relaxing, recovering week ahead.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Yes, his grandmom is awesome! We are so grateful and know he's getting lots of TLC every day. She reported that when he went out this morning, he was ready to run down the hill (we are on 5 acres that he thinks are his 5 acres), luckily the leash and harness keep him in check. She later reported she shared some of her eggs with him. So ... I think he's doing well. Not sure if I mentioned it, but I finally figured out how to give him all his meds without having to shove them down his throat - he eats them in marshmallows. Probably not the best thing for him, but I don't care. It keeps him happy.
Yay for Mosby! Marshmallows - what a great idea. You'll discover that most of the tripawds get extra special treats all of the time - for my guy, I figure what the heck, he's got cancer and he can have what he wants (in moderation of course) 
Mosby sounds like he is doing really, really well.
Jeez, talk about ups and downs. This evening, Mosby has a knot in the center of his "thigh" muscle in his left hind leg. I'm afraid it's a tear or pull of his muscle from trying to support everything. I've texted a picture to the vet to see if we need to bring him in. Hard to tell if it bothers him since he's on painkillers. I hate to think he's already hurt the other leg this early in the game. 🙁
Deep breaths!!
Most "normal" dog owners don't even react when a random knot shows up! But this journey isn't "normal" a d we don't react "normally" with bumps around here!!
So some more deep breaths!!! This could be soooo many little things!! It could be a bite...very likely a bite of some sort. It could be one of those "bump knots" that we get sometimes from bumping into something,sort of an internal bruise bump that doesn't really show much color on the outside.
Just a case, but I would think an injury of some sort would show up as painful and a very noticeable attempt at a limp, in spite of pain pills.
Anyway, glad you sent a photo to the Vet. Keep us updated, okay?
A d YAY for marshmallows!!! Hold out for Smores next time Mosby!! 🙂
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!
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