Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
Tripawds is your home to learn how to care for a three legged dog or cat, with answers about dog leg amputation, and cat amputation recovery from many years of member experiences.
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I can certainly understand your "second thoughts" about this hospital. I can almost guarantee everyone around here has silently been doing the same thing.
After your Tuesday appointment, do not hesitate to get another opinion immediately if things aren't looking more promising and more clarification of EXACTLY what you are dealing with.
Regardless of what led up to this point, it seems they are on the right path for treatment now. Goodness knows we are all hoping that's the case!
You jave a lot on your plate, but we really appreciate you taking the time to update us. We are all checking in on Ollie...a lot!
Love and 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!
3-Pointer Oliver said
That's at least comforting, even though we are starting to get concerned about this hospital now that we've been through these many complications at once. I'm sure they did everything correctly, it's just hard not to second guess what's been happening.
Can't blame you. And medicine with animals has that added challenge of them not being able to articulate to us precisely what they are feeling. It does feel like you have their undivided attention, though, and once he seems stabilized, you could seek an outside opinion.
Do they have a client or patient relations staff member you can talk to about concerns when you're past these crises?
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.
I will not hesitate on Tuesday... the urgent care staff leaves a lot to be desired, but the client care for surgery is excellent. I will certainly bring up my issues with them. Chief of ER looked at Oliver today, said that the wound looked better, but he was in a lot of pain. They gave him another pain medication before he left. We had to lay him down when we got home and Barrett is currently trying to keep him down when he tries to pop up every half hour or so. When he's up, he just drools everywhere and looks really anxious 🙁 I just hate seeing him like that!
Very frustrating that you are still getting so much pain. The poor little guy needs to sleep to heal.😟
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.
I'm so sorry, I would be frustrated too and feeling low as well, nobody can blame you. Geez I'd be a crying mess! But here's what I know: Friendship Hospital is an AAHA-accredited practice, which means it's the top of the line as far as protocols and practices. You can't get any better than AAHA hospitals, here's a post that explains why:
Why Your Pet Should See an AAHA Accredited Vet
Of course you're wondering "Why us?!" and I would too. Unfortunately, even with the very best providers, things can happen. For example, one time Wyatt Ray had an infection that even the docs at Texas A&M couldn't figure out! Seriously, they have some of the best freekin brains in the nation and they had no idea what was going on! They never did, and we had to be satisfied with knowing that at least he was healed when it was all over.
It's frustrating to no end, I know. But what you can take comfort in is knowing that your hospital has everything in place to deal with these obstacles and overcome them. Truly! I wouldn't say that if I didn't mean it. This will be behind you eventually and you can get on with life. Ollie has age and health on his side, and you have us so vent, yell, scream and as Sally says, drink up! and we will be here for you OK?
Please keep us posted.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Checking in....You are In our thoughts big time!
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!
Jerry, thanks for reassuring us during such a difficult time!
We think we have finally turned a corner ... his swelling and discoloration has gone down tremendously, so it's definitely an infection. Our surgeon believes he angered an infection that puppy was successfully fighting when he had to go back in there for the nerve surgery. He is now able to go 2 days with the tie-on bandage, rather than have to get it changed every day. So, tomorrow, my friend and I will take him to get his bandage changed, and if all goes well, he wont' need another bandage change all weekend. Then, they're hoping it clears up and he can get the bandage removed when he gets his stiches out on July 14. We see the oncologist on Monday, so I will keep y'all posted!
Thanks for keeping us in your thoughts 🙂
So RELIEVED at your news. Come on, Ollie!!!!! No more recovery hiccups!!
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.
Hey guys!
Just wanted to get an opinion on whether this was normal. Oliver's back femur "stump" moves sometimes. He will be lying down and that femur wil kick backwards a few times in a row. They did leave part of his femur in, but I'm just wondering if this is typical for tripawds or something to ask our vet tomorrow when I take him in for his bandage change.
I can only say that some of he mass of muscle left forward of Pofi's front leg amputation did flex or jerk sometimes and my surgeon told me it might. She said the muscle tissue left behind that really wasn't serving purpose anymore would start to atrophy and there is less bulk there than there was just after amputation.
So it doesn't seem so odd to me that there would be some muscle twitching that moves the femur remnant, but someone with more direct experience will likely see this soon.
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.
Clyde moves his what I think is his shoulder? I'm not entirely sure he still has a shoulder, I should probably ask. But whatever it is, it moves - like right now, he's chewing a bone that he would usually brace with the leg that's no longer there. When he first grabbed the bone, that shoulder/thing moved as if he was trying to move that leg forward.
Very typical. Wyatt is seven years past amputation and his stump still twitches when he dreams or tries to scratch with his invisible leg.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thanks, everyone, that makes sense! Oliver was in such good spirits when I took him to the vet today to get his tie-over bandage changed. Unfortunately, that means sedation and feeling crappy for 24 hours, but if all goes well, no bandage change until Monday!
Yay! Glad he's feeling better.
Ooooh tie over bandage? We had to deal with those once, can't blame ya for taking him in to have the vets do it. When Wyatt Ray had one, it was an hour each way to his clinic so we had to learn to do the bandage change ourselves. Not fun. See:
How To Change Tie-over Bandage On Dogs
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Well, it is a bummer that he has to be sedated for the bandage change, but it is super fab to hear that he is now capable of bouncing back to "good spirits"! This seems like a huge, huge improvement and proof things are moving in the right direction.
Hoping for a good report and no bandage change till Monday!
Edited to add: I've just looked at Jerry's link showing what a tie over bandage is and how to change one and whoa, that seems way beyond my skill set!! Kudos to you for handling for Wyatt!!
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.
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