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New tripawd Mum needs advice
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Member Since:
18 August 2016
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18 August 2016 - 3:27 pm
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Hello all 

New to this site and desperate for some advice. 

My 8.5yr old Rottweiler cross underwent front left leg amputation ( including shoulder blade) two days ago.

Last night was his first night home and he has been yelping in pain ( 3 times). Have called the vet and they advised not to overdose him with pain meds.

He has a drain in which I'm monitoring , any advice for first few nights home ( what to expect etc) thanks soo much 

Beanca and tripawd Juvey

Livermore, CA




Member Since:
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18 August 2016 - 6:34 pm
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Hello and welcome, your future posts will not have to wait for approval.

I'm sorry you are dealing with cancer, but you have found a great place for information and support.

First- how much does Juvey weigh and what pain meds is he on?  Getting the pain meds adjusted just right is one of the hardest challenges right after surgery.  Is he yelping out of the blue?  Is he panting or showing other signs of constant pain?

Many pups experience phantom limb pain for which gabapentin is often prescribed.  This type of pain typically shows up as sudden yelps after which the dog settles down.  If he seems to be in constant pain then he is not getting enough pain meds and you should talk with your vet again.  My pug Maggie came home with a fentanyl pain patch, tramadol and an anti-inflammatory.  Many pups now are also routinely given gabapentin as well.

The first couple of weeks can be full of ups and downs so don't get discouraged!  You might check out The Required Reading List or download one or more of the ebooks from the Tripawds Library. Both have lots of information on what to expect with amputation and recovery.

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

 

              Maggie's Story                  Amputation and Chemo

Member Since:
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18 August 2016 - 7:04 pm
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We came home with the patch, Rimadyl and Tramadol.  We did have to work with the vet to adjust the Tramadol dosages, and for a while I was staggering the pills (2 Tramadol, and then the third an hour later) to prevent a crash as the dosage wore off.  Obviously, critical that you listen to your vet, but don't be afraid to advocate for Juvey if you feel the pain is not well controlled.  Many dogs on this site added the gabapentin as well.  

Also, make sure also that he does not do too much.  I presume he spent one night at the vet?  He still has hospital meds in his system so may try to overdo it.  Sleep, and short leashed potty breaks are ideal right now.

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.

Virginia







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18 August 2016 - 10:22 pm
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Hi Beanca and Juvey!

Sorry you find yourself here. Under the circumstances, however, there is no better place to be for support understanding and information. You are in the right place. You Are Not Alone!

Good advice already.

Okay so I can certainly relate to what you are experiencing. I don't think my Happy Hannah slept more than 3 hours the first couple of nights home. She whined, she was restless, she was just miserable. I was really doubting my decision a d thought I had made a horrible .mistake.

Yes, getting the pain meds balanced is important. Of course, they do wo ders for managing pain, but they can make dogs a littl whacky sometimes!

Is Juvey mobile yet? Able to do potty breaks? Eating yet? Drinking? Pooing, peeing? Actually pooping may take a few days as the meds can make them a little constipated.

These first several days are rough for many of us. No sleep, mentally, physically and e.emotionally exhausted! Yep, we can relate!

Slowly but surely Muvey's sparkle will come back bigger and brighter than ever! You will soon realize you did this FOR Luvey and not TO Juvey!

STAY CONNECTED...TAKE SOME DEEP BREATHS...EAT CHOCOLATE, it helps!

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!

Member Since:
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19 August 2016 - 1:40 am
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Thank you so much for the replies!

He weighed about 43.5kg before the admittance to emergency hospital ( was there for over a week) as two other vets turned him away for a bicep tendonitis issue and we wasted 3 weeks trying Carprofen and tramadol until we knew something wasn't right !  

Post op he weighs 37kg and due to his size I do need to keep his weight down.

He gets up to pee with no yelling , the times in which he has yelled is when he is lying flat and nothing is obstructing or knocking him. No poo at this stage, he eats/drinks fine with a bit of coaxing ( wants me to hand feed) 

Currently he's on Amoxyclav (1.5 tablets twice a day) , 40ml of Metacam and I have Gabapentin once every 8 hours as optional.

He's got two Patches as well 

I just hate hearing him in so much pain when I thought the surgery would eliminate it.

I have been giving him an ice pack on his scar which he seems to like 

Just going through the emotions of guilt of what I've put him through , heartache of hearing him upset. I feel terrible 

thanks  so much everyone I'll post updates xx

Beanca and Juvey 

Minneapolis, MN
Member Since:
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19 August 2016 - 6:57 am
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Hi, Beanca and Juvey:

Sorry you are feeling conflicted - most of us will tell you you will know and fully believe this was the right decision in the near future.  Recovery can be rough - it is major surgery and all of us hurt some after procedures like that.

Talk to your vet about the right levels - I take it the patches are Fentanyl? - but if he is crying out when lying down, then the residual surgery pain is not quite managed yet on current levels of meds.  My guess would be this is phantom pain and the drug that will best address that is Gabapentin.  If it were me, I would not be using the Gabapentin as optional at this point.  It should be given every eight hours.  My dog weighed about 5 kilo less post op than Juvey and he was taking 300 mg of Gabapentin every eight hours for two weeks prior and two full weeks after surgery.  It can take a few days, I believe, of regular dosage, until it is fully effective at setting that nerve pain.

For reference, that may sound like a lot, but I know that for Pofi's weight, there was still actually room to increase that dosage a bit if it had been necessary (it was not, but we had discussed the safe range).  After two weeks post op and no apparent pain at all (he was also taking Rimadyl/Carprofen 75 mg 2 x daily and Tramadol 100 mg 3 x daily) we cut out the Rimadyl and went to 200 mg Gaba 3 x daily and Tramadol 100 mg 2 x daily.  The next week no Tramadol and Gabapentin at 100 mg 3 x daily for a few days, then 2 x daily and then we stopped.  

Best thoughts for continuing improvement for Juvey!

Lisa, Minneapolis

On October 27, 2016, nearly 6 months after amputation, and 18 months since his cancer likely started, we lost Pofi to a recurrence of Soft Tissue Sarcoma in his spine quite suddenly.  His canine sister also succumbed to cancer on March 1, 2019 - we lavished her with our love in the interim, but life was never quite the same without her only real canine friend. Cliff kitty had to leave us, too, suddenly, in August 2019. Lucia kitty grieved all these losses, but helped us welcome two new Lurchers into our home and our lives, Shae and Barley.

Blog: Pofi, Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor Amputation

Member Since:
18 August 2016
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19 August 2016 - 7:16 am
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Thanks all 

After taking Juvey to the vet to remove his drain they checked him again for pain and nothing apparent appeared.

Now he's back in bed and I've given him one 300mg Gabapentin as the last one he took was more than 12 hours ago. I will now give him one tablet once every 8 hours as opposed to optional.

Hope he has a better second night 

night from Sydney-Australia 

Beanca & Juvey 



Member Since:
21 May 2016
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19 August 2016 - 8:49 am
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Hi Beanca and Juvey heart

My girl is a 68kg Great Dane (77kg before amputation) and got her front leg (and shoulder) amputated 3 1/2 months ago.

I can totally relate to what you are going through, all of us had our doubts and heart break looking at our babies struggling after the surgery.

It is very early days for Juvey so be very patient and time will fly past you, before you know it he will have his stitches out and everything will improve from there.

You've got great advice concerning the meds so I won't add to it.

Do you have a good harness?

What I've done with Eurydice was she wore a t-shirt to protect the wound (until stitches removal) and a soft harness over it at all times.

Of course, she is much bigger and heavier than your boy so I wouldn't have been able to help her out for pee and poo without it.

Also, have you got mats down if you have slippery floors?

Traction is really important for tripawds as if they slip whilst adapting to life on 3, that can be a confidence killer.

Really good news he is eating, drinking and peeing.

Poo can take a bit longer, Eurydice's first poopicon_png was around day 5 after surgery.

Hang in there, you can do this and so can Juvey!

Sending you a big hug and lots of pawsitive energy and a big cuddle to your cutie heart

Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-) 

Copperas Cove, TX
Member Since:
12 May 2016
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19 August 2016 - 9:19 am
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Hi there, as you can see there are many of us who have been in your shoes.  I can honestly tell you it gets better.  My baby Bandit was fond of a cool pack on his incision.  He would lay there for hours with it.  Hang in there.  Bandit and I are rooting for a speedy recovery!

Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
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19 August 2016 - 10:07 am
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Glad the drain is out now...that's progress!

You mentioned the two patches. They can cause a lot of whacky behavior, crazy whining, confusion etc. When are supposed to be taken off? Many noticed less crying once the patch was off.

My Happy Hannah didn't have the patches, but she did have the TRAMADOL ( 2 - 3 times a day) and GABAPENTIN ( 2 times a day), along with the antibiotic and Rimadyl. Definitely talk to your vet about pain management with the pills, especially once the patches are off.

Yes, and with your vet's guidance of course, we are not vets, do start giving the pain meds in a more consistent basis. Once the pain gets ahead start, it's much harder to get under control. Did the vet give you Tramadol?

I KNOW it's hard to see this recovery phase! In fact, it was about three weeks before I could finally feel comfortable saying I did this FOR my girl and not TO her! We've all been through this and all of us responding to you can tell you were are so glad we did this!! And you will be saying it soon! It's so very, very early in this recovery from MAJOR surgery!

Ha d feeding, chicken, steak, macaroni and chesse...whatever it takes for now! Let us know when the poop occurs. We celebrate anything around here

Keep us posted and TRY and get some sleep when you can!
can

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!

Michigan
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2 April 2013
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19 August 2016 - 8:15 pm
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Murphy didn't have a fentanyl patch, but he did come home on Rimadyl, Tramadol & Gabapentin - though I don't remember the dosages on them.  Do try to make sure that you are giving his medications around the clock for adequate coverage.  The ice pack is great.  You can also massage gently around the incision to help re-absorb any excess fluid that might have built up. 

The first couple of weeks after surgery is such a huge roller coaster of emotions!  I remember doubting that we had done the right thing.  Murphy seemed like he was in pain, he wouldn't eat, I wondered what we did to him.  But then there was everyone here - people who reminded me that we didn't do this TO Murphy, we did it FOR Murphy.  It's still very early in Juvey's recovery - can you imagine if you had had your leg removed?  It will get better! 

Keep breathing, keep medicating, keep advocating smiley

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

Donna.png

Member Since:
18 August 2016
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21 August 2016 - 4:52 am
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Hi all 

A quick update on Juvey, he's much happier with the drain and patches removed but still no poo after Day 3.

He has the occasional Yelp from pain in which I'm trying to soothe him with an ice pack.

I have kept up the Gabapentin every 8 hours but was wondering if I could include the Tramadol too. 

He's sitting up for a few minutes here and there but is generally very exhausted and seems sad ( Mummy guilt kicking in ) 

Beanca and Juvey 

Member Since:
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21 August 2016 - 5:29 am
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Talk to your vet, but we did do tramadol every 8 hours.  Actually, for days 5 through about 8, I staggered the dosage - total 3, but gave 2 and then one hour later gave the 3rd to prevent a crash at the end of the dosage.after the staples came out at day 10, we eliminated the midday dose, and we told that we could begin lessening the other doses depending upon his needs.  We used some through week three, but by the end of the week, it was just 1 pill before bed.

Otis was also really quiet at this point in the recovery.  Remember that Juvey has had major surgery, the hospital meds are starting to wear off, but he is still on a lot of meds, and learning to get around on three is hard work.  He is using muscles differently, so they probably hurt.  He also may from time to time try to use muscles which pull on the incision, resulting in pain.  He will adjust to his new gait.  Exhausted now is normal - the best thing for him is rest, with just short, leashed potty breaks.  The next couple of days might be really hard as the hospital meds wear off.  But, most dogs improve amazingly when the staples come out, so keep that in mind as light at the end of the tunnel.  

I bet poo comes today or tomorrow.  Some folks use canned (unsweetened) plain pumpkin to help that.

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.

On The Road


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21 August 2016 - 6:58 am
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Sounds like he's making really good progress! I know it's hard to see that when you're in the middle of recovery, but from my view it sure looks normal. Definitely talk to your vet about adding the tramadol. Others have taken both at the same time but your vet may have Juvey on a different schedule.

In addition to the ice pack, very gentle massage can help. Here are some posts with info & tips:

http://tripawds.....?s=Massage

Oh and yep, poo will happen soon I'll bet. Steamed squash can also help, or a little olive oil in his food.

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

Minneapolis, MN
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23 April 2016
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21 August 2016 - 10:25 am
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If you can contact the vet, I would ask about Tramadol 3 x daily for a while, though I am pretty confident this should be safe.  We did it and it was prescribed that way, when he came home the schedule the vet outlined for Gaba and Tram was the same - I had to give him both an hour after coming home and every eight hours after that (which we did for two weeks).

Lisa, Minneapolis

On October 27, 2016, nearly 6 months after amputation, and 18 months since his cancer likely started, we lost Pofi to a recurrence of Soft Tissue Sarcoma in his spine quite suddenly.  His canine sister also succumbed to cancer on March 1, 2019 - we lavished her with our love in the interim, but life was never quite the same without her only real canine friend. Cliff kitty had to leave us, too, suddenly, in August 2019. Lucia kitty grieved all these losses, but helped us welcome two new Lurchers into our home and our lives, Shae and Barley.

Blog: Pofi, Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor Amputation

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