Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Good afternoon,
I am new to this site and this is my first post. My baby girl, Jaco, who is an 8 year old black lab/greyhound mix, had her front right leg and shoulder amputated on Tuesday, 10/1 due to level one soft tissue sarcoma. Today is 6 days post op and she still seems really sad and is not moving around on her own and not eating at all, she is drinking water though. I help her get up several times a day with the harness that I bought through this site (which works great!) but she still pees in her bed. I am really worried about her not eating, I have tried EVERYTHING from baby food, low sodium soup broth, peanut butter, dry dog food, can dog food, KFC gravy, ground hamburger, cheese, etc.... All she does is keeps turning her head. I bought a syringe thinking I should try get the baby food at least in her but I am afraid to force her to eat so I have not tried it. I do not know what to do, does anyone have any suggestions?
Welcome and best wishes for Jaco! Your future forum posts will not require approval.
It was nice chatting with you. As promised, here are a few of the notes and links we shared there:
reduced appetite is normal, but usually just for the first few days, if that. prolonged failure to eat may suggest poor pain management
search these forums for plenty of tips for stimulating appetite, and find more helpful tips in the Tripawds Nutrition blog .
every vet is different but many dogs go home on a fentanyl patch, others receive gabapentin...amantadine, and/or tramadol plus an NSAID.
Recent video interview about How Gabapentin works: https://tripawd.....-tripawds/
watch all recent video interviews with pain management expert Dr Robin Downing at https://tripawd.....ag/downing
Find many more pain management articles at http://tripawds.....anagement/
Hope this helps!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thank you very much for the information! I am going to research the links that you sent and i'm going to call her vet regarding her pain management . It is so helpful to know that there is a place to come to to talk about this whole new world!
I've been there. Still am a bit, four months post op. We had to use Entyce, an appetite stimulant. We still use it every 3 to 4 days.
riotfromma, how long did your dog go without any food? Did your vet prescribe the Entyce?
@ginab189 there are two of us in the chat right now if you want to talk.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
So I understand that your pup came home with only an NSAID, I'm glad you chatted with Admin today. Yes, do call the vet and talk about the pain signals that Jaco is showing.
One more idea: is the incision area oozing? Or warm to the touch? If so, she could have an infection that is causing the lack of appetite. That is also something to bring up when you call your vet. Be sure to write down all her symptoms so they know OK?
Keep us posted, we are hoping for good news.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi there and welcome,
We also had a bit of an issue with this, although it was further on in recovery. Every dog is different and im by no means a vet but i would agree with jerry and our admin. In roanes case she wasnt eating because she was in pain. Our vet also had lots of options for appetite stimulants if pain isnt the case.
Your absolutely right about it being a whole new world! Im so thankful for our tripawd family!
If you have time let us know how you make out. We're here to help and cheer you and jaco on!
Hugs,
Bev & Moe cat
Hugs ❤ Bev, nurse Moe cat, Autumn's Angel Roane & Angel dog Gypsy 🐾
My sweet soulmate Roane was diagnosed with osteo in June of 2019. Had a rear leg amp on July 2nd & crossed the rainbow bridge to be with her sister Gypsy on the first day of Autumn Sept 23 2019.
Jaco's incision only leaks a small amount of blood when I get her up to take her outside, it is not warm to the touch. Since my earlier post I have been watching all of the shared links from the admin. and clicking on many more... I think Jaco's issue might be pain, she has that blank stare most of the time as if she is looking through me and her tail when I get her to stand is tucked up high between her legs. Jaco was sent home with just NSAID for pain, antibiotics and trazadone for sedation. The first night home she cried out loud and it broke my heart. When the vet called to check on her the next day I asked about Gabapentin, which I read about from several members of this site, to which I was told I could give her (I had a prescription from my other dog who had lyme disease). So I have been giving her 300 mg of gabapentin 2 x a day for the past 4 days in addition to the other medications, but from reading all of the post it seems like she is not really getting anything for the pain and I only have 2 doses of the NSAID left.
Just knowing there is such a big support family really helps, it has lifted my spirits today. I will call the vet in the morning to advocate for my girl!
Bev, I am so sorry for the loss of your soul mate and appreciate your support!
Gina & Jaco
Good for you for doing your research here and advocating gor vetter paun management!!! To think the Bet just sent her home with a sedative and an a anti inflammatory after MAJOR SURGERY ticks is all off! A human would be in the hos6 for days on a morphine drip!!
How much does your sweet Jaco weigh? Of course, we aren't Vets and not giving. Vet advice, but we can share with you the doses our dogs had and frequency.. Most dogs here are sent home with GABAPENTIN, TRAMADOL, RIMADYL and an antibiotic. All the trazedone is doing is sedating her and probably contributing to the "blank stare". Generally dogs are on pain meds approximately two weeks..some longer, some a bit less..
Her healing has been sort of delayed because she has not had proper pain management . Her energ is going to fighting the pain instead of healing.
So yes, tell that Vet you need enough Gabapentin for another two weeks and you would like to add Tramadol also. They actually compliment eaxh other. You are paying big bucks for all Jaco's care and you are Jaco's voice! Go get 'em tiger!
Hang jn there. With better pain meds you'll see a difference. Please stay connected and update as you can. Looking forward to hearing more avout Jaco and celebrating all the victories!!
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!
ginab189 said
Jaco's incision only leaks a small amount of blood when I get her up..
Blood!?
While some seroma leakage is to be expected, there should not be any blood? Is it dark red? If so, contact your vet ASAP. Or is it milky/pink? Check out the seroma posts for important information about what to look for in seromas gone bad.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Sorry you are going through this, I know it is terribly stressful. Please keep us updated on Jaco! Our dogs had front paw amputations on the same day, so I am tracking with you as well. Though Zig had a healthy appetite at first, it has diminished to just a fraction of what he would normally eat.
Oops. just saw your reply, sorry. He didn't eat for almost 5 days. We tried everything. I wish I had gotten him on it sooner. He was severely finicky for two months, before just refusing food at all. Yes, the vet has to prescribe it. Get it online with their prescription if it works. Much cheaper. He put on all of his lost weight after three weeks of Entyce.
Jaco's vet just called back and she said that she would like blood work on her to check her kidney/liver functions from the anesthesia and medicine given during surgery before she gives her medicine for pain. She said that if they are elevated then Jaco will need IV fluid to flush them out. I am bringing her at 8:15 tomorrow morning fingers crossed!! I do believe that pain is her issue, today she is still not moving around and still peeing in her bed on the pad. The leakage she has is very minor between a couple of staples here and there and it is more pink not deep red. I have gotten her up several times today and walked her outside supporting her with her harness, she is very reluctant to go and we only stay out for a few minutes.
riotfromma - thank you for your reply regarding Entyce, and I am glad that it worked for your boy! I will keep this medicine in my notes if her eating does not improve.
Zigsdad - same surgery, same day what are the chances! What medicine did your vet send Zig home with and is Zig moving around?
Asking more questions than answers, but here I go!
Were there some red flags in bloodwork before surgery that show any indication at all that there were possible kidney liver issues??????? Even IF that was a problem, there were still pain management things that could have been done. Generally all the hospital pain meed arr out of their system within about three days-ish.
Just hard to believe that poor Jaco has had no pain meds from this MAJOR surgery. Sorry you have to wait til tomrrow. Just keep Jaco as comfortable as possible with your reassurance and gentle touch. If there are no alarms going off in the bloodwork and pain meds are still not offered, P,EASE GET A SECOND VET who is knowledgeable in current pain management as quickly as possible!
So,sorry you snd Jaco are having to go thrpugh this. Again, not a Vet and not giving Vet advice, so maybe there is some unknown reason Jaco was not given pain meds of some sort at all, especially with Jaco showing signs of pain, tail tucked, etc.
Extra hugs to you!
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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