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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Sally, I'm looking forward to hearing what the doctor has to say!
He was pretty restless last night, got up quite a bit, and sometimes whined a little, but NOTHING compared to the screaming he was doing before. He has been lying down on his own too!!! He did it a few times last night, and he's sleeping in his bed beside me right now, after crawling in and putting himself down for a nap. I really do think that we are on the road to recovery, but of course, we get very tense every time he lets out the slightest whine of discomfort! Paranoia at its finest!
I am not sure if this is applicable, but Pofi had a nerve sheath tumor and so my vets and my surgeon both said that things like the manipulation they had to do pre-surgery to get x-ray and MRI and also perhaps some of the PT we were doing pre-diagnosis and even the initial diagnostics (applying pressure upward under the armpit to see if there was a pain response - done by the rehab doctor / surgeon first and repeated by my own vets a few days later) could really just "jangle" the entire nervous system and have residual effect. It could be that even though the main issue has been resolved, there is still a residual vibrations in the remaining nerves that will subside. Think of a spiderweb and the vibrations throughout when an insect hits it and gets trapped.
Still taking the Gaba, Rimadyl and low dose of Tramadol?
Rooting for team Oliver!
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.
Hmm interesting! I will definitely ask about that. He is still taking all of those meds. We were able to go back down to 200mg of gaba every 12 hours vs. 300mg every 8 hours. He mostly sleeps during the day too, so maybe that's affecting his nighttime sleep schedule. I'm just happy that he seems not to be in pain. He even let me ice him today 🙂
Online
This is HUGE improvement!!!!! Keep a little journal of where he was versus where he is now to remind yourself there IS progress!! The icing....the laying down on his own....far less whining...SPECTACULAR IMROVEMENTS!! 🙂
"Pofi" made some excellent points. He has a other incision to deal with, more manipulations, etc.
Loving these updates!!
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!
You all are so right. He seems to be doing so much better though, so I am very grateful! I'll keep updating you periodically as things continue to HOPEFULLY improve. I hope you all have a wonderful 4th of July weekend!
hester said
It could be that even though the main issue has been resolved, there is still a residual vibrations in the remaining nerves that will subside. Think of a spiderweb and the vibrations throughout when an insect hits it and gets trapped.
I 
this analogy! Perfect!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
This is all such great news. Horrible that he had to go through a second surgery, but sounds like he is on a real path to recovery now. Hopefully soon you can start a new post under Hopping Around with all of the great things he is doing!
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.
Oh, I'm so happy that he sounds so much better! I can't even imagine how you must be feeling!
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
Last night kinda bummed us out a bit. The pup was up every 2 hours or so, whining and even letting out some cries (not as sustained as they were before the 2nd surgery, but the same type of cry). He even tried to sleep standing up, but would eventually lay himself down. I hope that this is just general discomfort or the residual vibrations from the nerve resection... but I definitely have a very detailed log, so I'll be sure to mention this.
I do wish it had been a little more of a consistently restful night - can you talk to someone at the clinic today about the appropriate level of pain meds? This does sound like more "normal" initial surgery recovery, but he did just have a nerve (a major one) resected, so I would think (layperson here, not vet, of course) the nervous system will be feeling some fallout from that for a while. And remember, Gabapentin is the drug that is working on the nerves. Just wonder if a short term bump up in frequency at least might get that whole system calmed down?? At least that is what I would ask about.
Hoping today is better...
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.
Okay, not nearly as awful as before. Still not great, but not as bad. He did eventually lay himself down on his own, right?
Yeah, I would also think some of this whining and restlessness is a result.of the surgery itself. The incision was right above the amputation incision, eight?''That whole area must be so.sore.
Is he off that ACE? As the vet mentioned before, that could cause some dysphoria.
It seems the vet is on the right track as there is definitely some relief.
Lots a and 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!
My heart totally goes out to you and Ollie. You have had such a hard time of this. If healing thoughts could make him better, he would already be healed.
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.
In our very unfortunate and longstanding streak of bad luck, we have been at the ER for 2 hours. The chief of the ER has seen him, sent photos of his sarnoma to the chief surgeon and then they did an ultrasound. Light Bleeding hasn't let up for hours. Will update when they figure it out. Accepting happy vibes.
Happy vibes going your way
Do keep us posted ok???
Sending you a huge bear hug and pawsitive energy, hang in there, we are all here for you !!!!!
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 :-)
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