Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Wondering if Zeus' agitation, whining and restlessness is normal this late in the recovery? Amputation was 13 days ago and he has the stitches removed tomorrow. The incision and all stitches look fine. Since surgery he is on Gabapentin (two 100mg capsules every 12 hours) and Tramadol (one 50mg tablet every 8 hours). We brought him home the second day after surgery and he cried a lot that day, but since then he has been mostly quiet and peaceful. He is 11 years old, so we certainly didn't expect puppy behavior, but he still seems soooo slow when walking and a bit off-balance (which I have attributed to the medicines he is on making him a bit loopy/sleepy).
Yesterday when lifting him into the car, he stretched-out his remaining front leg to crawl out of my arms and onto his pillow and almost immediately whimpered and started shaking. I am certain that nothing bumped his incision and can't think of any reason he would have been in pain. Also, last night he was lying on the surgery side and shifted a bit. Again, he started the same high-pitched whining for a minute and then seemed very unsettled for awhile. It's not a loud cry or yelp of pain. Almost a whine from the back of his throat.
Is this the "phantom pain " setting in? Is it normal for him to be so slow at this mark? Also, I would love to know how long other dogs were kept on medication. We've thought about weining him from the pain meds so that he's not so doped up and unsteady, but I don't want to do it too soon.
Any thoughts are MUCH appreciated!
Zeus was a Husky mix diagnosed with Osteosarcoma at age 11. A visible lung met and suspicious spot on his liver meant a poor prognosis-six weeks was our vet's best guess. We decided to fight for our boy and his right front leg was amputated on 12/1/11. We did six rounds of chemo, changed his diet and spoiled him completely rotten. We were blessed with 10 great months after diagnosis. Against the odds, the lung met remained a single met and grew very little over those months. A wonderful furbaby with the most gentle spirit, he fought with a strength that we never imagined he possessed. We have no regrets...
http://zeuspod......pawds.com/
This sounds about the same as us on day 13. It does sound like he is having phantom pains. I don't think there is much you can do about those. For us, it only happend a few times and then never returned.
We were still on Pain Meds until about week 3. I would give Levi the ones that made him "loopy" only at night. The thing that really turned things around for us was a drug called Methocarbamol. Its just a muscle relaxer. My vet said that some amputees have sore muscles from learning a new way to get around. Once we realaxed those muscles levi was like a new dog and he was off all meds shortly after that. I don't know if that is your pups problem but it might be worth checking into!
Levi was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma 7-7-11
Ampuversary 10-14-11
Lung Mets Discovered 1-4-12. Chemo seemed to not be working so we switched to Artemisinin and other supplements. In May, Levi developed a sinus infection and started having seizures. The cancer had moved to his brain. We let him go 6-26-12.
Hey Zeus, sorry you're feeling bad. Dont' worry, many dogs take longer than 13 days to feel good again (That two week thing is a baseline but not all dogs decide they feel better on Day 14).
Ma, is Zeus a vocal dog? Do I see some Shepherd there? If so, we know from experience that Shepherds are a vocal breed, so if he is, he may just be expressing himself more than usual because he's doped up.
If it is phantom pain , the Gaba should be taking care of it. Generally phantom painpresents itself as quick yelps and sudden whining, not a gradual thing. But then again every dog is different. However, there are things you can do to help alleviate any pain. Here is a great post that a member wrote a while back "Phantom Limb Pain in Tripawd Dogs." Also, this general search for phantom limb pain in our news blog has additional tips.
Talk to your vet about cutting back. Most dogs are getting weaned off the meds at this point. When they are off of them, most return to their normal personalities. However, if Zeus is dealing with other complications like arthritis and such, you will want to discuss pain management with your vet, which may or may not involve keeping him on some pain meds. Consider holistic too, such as accupuncture, which has great results for many Tripawds.
Hang in there and keep us posted OK?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Zeus is (you are going to LOVE this): Husky and Welsh Corgi. 
I volunteered with a shelter for several years when we lived in Charlotte and fell prey to the rescuer's curse. A man brought in Dad (full blooded, red and white husky), Mom (best guess is Corgi mix) and seven puppies. We ended up adopting two of the puppies. We lost Zeus' brother, Merlin, a couple of years ago to cancer. He is vocal when he is very excited (excited barking when a visitor arrives or if he sees someone walking their dog down the street) and he has always been very quick to "fuss" at the vet, but other than that he has always been very quiet unless my husband starts "singing" with him at which point he joins in with his own howling.
We tried to start weaning the meds a few days ago. We gave him one Gaba in the a.m. instead of two and he seemed very restless and whining some. We thought maybe it was too early, so we went back to the original dose.
I was guessing at the phantom pain b/c it seems like he whines when he is doing something that he might miss that leg (when I lifted him into the car, it coincided with when his right leg would have been reaching forward; last night when he tried to get up from laying on the side with no leg; this morning whenever he is turning circles before lying down...) Maybe I'm just paranoid.
Thanks for the input. I'll check out the recommended posts now!
Zeus was a Husky mix diagnosed with Osteosarcoma at age 11. A visible lung met and suspicious spot on his liver meant a poor prognosis-six weeks was our vet's best guess. We decided to fight for our boy and his right front leg was amputated on 12/1/11. We did six rounds of chemo, changed his diet and spoiled him completely rotten. We were blessed with 10 great months after diagnosis. Against the odds, the lung met remained a single met and grew very little over those months. A wonderful furbaby with the most gentle spirit, he fought with a strength that we never imagined he possessed. We have no regrets...
http://zeuspod......pawds.com/
Corgi and Husky? Love it!!! I thought I saw Husky in there. We'll have to see a video of his howling when he feels better.
I'm so sorry you are coping with cancer again! Well, at least you are somewhat prepared I guess, but I know that's just gotta hurt. Ugh.
Ok, so if Zeus isn't a vocal dog, then he probably is in pain. If you cut back on the Gaba and then went back, did you discuss that with your vet? pain management is such a tricky thing! I've heard that gaba dosages tend to be tricky, especially when you go off of it, so please ask your vet about how to cut back on it.
It sounds to me like his reactions are a combination of your paranoia (hey you said it!), and that yes, he's in pain from this major surgery but he's doped up, which makes him feel super weird. So talk to your vet about how to cut back on the meds while keeping him comfy. And remember, be strong. Try not to react every time he whines, you have to normalize your life as soon as possible, in as far as not watching him when he tries to lay down, or get up. If you react every time he does, he will see that as a type of reward, and keep doing it. If you don't react, he will start to learn that he isn't "different" and needs to do it himself. It's that tough love thing, which is SO hard right now, but it does work.
Keep us posted OK?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Awww, Zeus is a cutie! Sorry that you are having a tough time right now. I don't really have anything new to offer you- Jerry seemed to cover it all. Just want to encourage you to hang in there. I know it's tough going right now, but it does get better. Hang in there!
Jenna & Spirit Chili Dawg
Diagnosed with OSA: 5/2/2011 Ampuversary: 5/11/2011 OSA returned in hip: 8/26/2011
Chili Dawg crossed the Rainbow Bridge on 8/30/2011 & is now pain free. He was my heart dog, and I miss him every day.
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