I posted a while ago about Nika's initial amputation recovery, https://tripawd.....t-surgery/ - just wanted to update as she is doing so well, all things considered!

We are now 8 weeks out from amputation surgery.  Recovery from the amputation is incredible to see.  We let her set the pace, but when she's feeling good she wants to get out and go! She enjoys 20-30min hikes with her dog pack friends every couple days, several short walks every day, jumping down the 3ft bank above our driveway, gets in and out of the car with only rare assistance, and wants to wade in any creek or mudhole we come across.  The hair on her shoulder is growing back and after ~6 weeks the patch of clipper rash finally healed and she is free of the floppy cone and T-shirt.  She is no longer on regular pain drugs at all, but we have gabapentin and galliprant on hand in case she gets sore from overdoing it.

Nika is 1 week out from Chemo #2.  (Our vet recommended 6 rounds of carboplatin at 3 week intervals.)  Due to her dislike of the vet, chemo is a bit of an ordeal requiring pre-dosing with gabapentin and trazodone, basket muzzle during appointment, and extra sedatives for the IV infusion. Not super fun for her and it takes at least 24 hrs for the sedative cocktail to wear off.

Chemo #1 she handled pretty well, only a couple days off her food, but then she had a bad case of stomach upset at the 2-week post-chemo mark requiring antibiotics and anti-nausea meds.   Bloodwork looked ok so they proceeded with chemo #2, which caused some pretty significant appetite impacts requiring all the tricks to get her to consume anything but cheese.  A week out she is finally starting to resume eating kibble (preferably with some cheese? did someone say cheese?!)

Also at chemo #2 they did a repeat chest xray and it came back clear, no lung mets yet 🙂

More photos:

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