Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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OK so Shelby clearly likes to keep a bit of drama into our 2 month celebration. I took her out for her walk when I got home for work and she was in great spirits, pulling me down the block (she's fast). Then we saw another little dog so I picked her up as the dog charged us (friendly but you never know). The owner ran after the dog and I said my dog was not friendly (not true but I wanted to protect her). Out of nowhere, Shelby starts shaking and breathing hard ... I figured she was worked up from seeing the dog (which is normal for her). Then she starts to shriek and really shake and goes basically limp in my arms, her neck laying on the side - she definitely was either having a seizure or a stroke.
Now before we figured out that she was iron deficient, she had 2 -3 seizures after over-exerting herself. Her vets didn't think it had anything to do w/her cancer. But I have never heard that sound come out of her mouth except when she broke her leg. I shook her upright and calmed her the best that I could. When she was normal again (this lasted less than 30 seconds) - I put her down on the ground to see if she could walk and she shook it off. We finished our much shorter walk, came home and she's fine now. Eager for dinner, ate like a champ, is chilling right now.
I would love to ignore this but since she's going for chemo tomorrow, I will mention it - it scared me because of the screaming. But since she's seemingly fine right now - I am going to watch her tonight but act normal. She can sense when I am scared. I really want to go out to my car and cry my eyes out but she'll know I was upset. 🙁
The key thing is that she seems fine right now. Just like she was yesterday so maybe it was a fluke thing, maybe she got excited and over-exerted herself ... any thoughts? She's a fighter!
Shelby Lynne; Jack Russell/Shiba Inu mix. Proud member of the April Angels of 2014.
October 15, 2000 to April 8, 2014
Our story: Broke rear leg in June 2013 - non-conclusive results for cancer so leg was plated and pinned. Enlarged spleen in September 2013 and had it removed and was diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma and started chemotherapy. Became a Tripawd January 8th, 2014 and definitive Hemangiosarcoma diagnosis. Three major surgeries in 7 months and Shelby took them all like a champ only to lose her battle to cancer in her brain. We had 8 amazing extra months together and no regrets. #shelbystrong #loveofmylife
Oh Shelby, please don't scare your mom like this! Alison, My first Lab had a pretty significant stroke and what you are describing is nothing like what my Duchess suffered. It took a week or two for Duch to get past the worst, with medication, but she survived it. Duchess also had a grand mal seizure after eating some kind of toadstool in our front yard.....Polly had a short period of petite seizures when her and my other Lab Maggie collided in my backyard and Polly sustained a minor concussion and one or two broken teeth. I am thinking more along the lines of something hurting her physically, pretty bad. It hurt her and possibly really scared her at the same time. Just my guess, but you would know her a bit better as far as her pain thresh-hold. I would definitely mention it to her vet though, maybe she strained something in all the excitement.
Keep us posted as to what may have happened though, I do hope and feel it is something minor.
{{Hugs}}
Bonnie & Angel Polly
Hey Alison. .
I had 2 dogs that had seizure disorders and both would scream like that. It's horrifying but they came out of it. How is she now? My guys were always pretty disoriented after for the rest of the day. Always worth mentioning to your vet considering everything. ..
Miss shelby! Stop scaring your mom already!
Hope you guys are OK..
Lori
Thank you both --- I might have squeezed her too hard when I picked her up and hurt her (she doesn't like to be squeezed hard and I think it's because she can't breathe as well). She is 100% fine now (actually, she is sound asleep after eating her dinner which is normal). It took her a bit to shake it off but she literally "shook" it off... she kept looking at me though, like she was in trouble.
I think what freaked me out the most was when her head went limp to the side (I don't know if her eyes rolled back in her head or what) but I kept shaking her to upright her.
If it happens again tonight, I'll take her to the ER vet but she seems totally normal. She ate all of her dinner, had two BIG burps and seems relaxed. I hate this stuff.... I try and be calm since I know if I get freaked out, it makes it worse on her.
Maybe she knew I was going to go out w/some friends tonight and didn't want me to go since I am in for the night now!
Shelby Lynne; Jack Russell/Shiba Inu mix. Proud member of the April Angels of 2014.
October 15, 2000 to April 8, 2014
Our story: Broke rear leg in June 2013 - non-conclusive results for cancer so leg was plated and pinned. Enlarged spleen in September 2013 and had it removed and was diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma and started chemotherapy. Became a Tripawd January 8th, 2014 and definitive Hemangiosarcoma diagnosis. Three major surgeries in 7 months and Shelby took them all like a champ only to lose her battle to cancer in her brain. We had 8 amazing extra months together and no regrets. #shelbystrong #loveofmylife
Awww that's good she's better. I was away reassured they weren't in pain when it happened even though the screaming made it sound like it. My guess would go limp and shake and lose control of their bladder. . We never could determine a cause. The fact that she's good now is good. Enjoy your night out! Much needed I'm sure! 
SHELBY! SHELBY!! SHELBY!!
Okay...you know the drill Alison......a deeeeeeep breath.....Shelby is fine, no ill-effects, acti g perfectly normal. And GOOD FOR ALISON for keeping her wits about her, staying calm and acting like no big deal! GOOD JOB!
Seems to me yo've already figues thisout...it's related to the iron deficiency seizures she had before. The shriek could have been a combination of pickingnher up in a way that hurt her amp. site, twisted something, pinched something......it could jave been wa ting to beat that dog's butt or run up and kiss her, eitner way, you woldn't let her dwn to do it. Was the yelp before, during the apparent seizure, or after..
This particular chemo is the optional one, right? Maybe just have them run the iron test, r whatever, to do what needs to be done to bump up her iron. The treatment can be delayed a bit if necessary.
Because of her history.....and what a history she has...I would NOT be worried at all!!
AND, sometimes "mature dogs" are prone to excitable sizures so etimes even if they had no prior history. Now, as I say that I'm trying to remember where I read itor heard it! So disclaimer time again...I'm no vet!
She's actng fine ow...you're faking acting normal...all is well in Shelby's world to ight!!!
Love to you both! Maybe she needs you to dress her up and take a picture...then we will all feel relaxed!!
Sally and Haph Hannah
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!
I don't have any advise on seizures or any of that jazz... but I'm super glad she is acting like her normal self tonight! Praying your night is smooth!
Cody and Family
Cody is our 7 year old Australian Heeler mix boy. Diagnosed on 2/20/14 and became a tripawd 2/21/14! We chose a homeopathic approach and he is being treated by Dr. Loops our of NC.
I don't have anything to add other than I'm glad she seems herself again. Enough drama for awhile Shelby girl.
Liberty (Libby) was diagnosed with OSA on 1-22-13. Right front amputation on 1-31-13. No IV Chemo. Metronomic Therapy started 2-19-13 along with supplements and some home cooking. Lungs clear until 1-06-14. She's still her happy, hoppy, bossy self. Living the dog life to the fullest and a proud Winter Warrior. :) RIP my Libby 4-21-03 to 3-19-14
Oh Shelby! You are scaring ALL of us, don't do that!
Well Alison, I can't even guess what it was, but I'd mention it to the vet. I've seen seizures before and they're either so mild you don't really even register that what's happening is a seizure (until it happens again) or, of course the grand mal ones are so bad you just know exactly what is happening. So whatever this was, hopefully it was nothing serious, maybe she was just too freaked out by the chaos? As a senior dog I imagine she's probably more sensitive to these kinds of things now?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Yikes, it's always something. I'd say its a Tripawd parent thing...that we're too overprotective and notice everything, but I've always been that way with my dogs so that explanation doesn't work!
I think the scared, panic attack explanation is a good one, or maybe a fleeting pain for some reason and everything else that was going on confused her and her response was strange. I'm happy that she's acting normal now. Let us know what the vet says!
Hugs,
Carol
My quad pug Tani has had seizures all her life, she is almost 14. She has had 3 stroke like events in the past year. We don't think they are full strokes because she recovers relatively quickly. When she has a seizure she does sometimes vocalize, not shrieking- more like crying. Her legs get ridged and her feet twitch, and she always loses her bladder. She comes out of it quickly but is very tired and a bit disoriented for hours or a day or so. When she has the strokes she loses control of the right side of her body. In the worst one she couldn't get off her side or raise her head. The lesser one she had some control of her right side but couldn't walk in a straight line.
It sort of sounds like Shelby got scared and passed out, do dogs do that? Tani never recovers from her episodes as fast as Shelby did. Do mention it to your vet.
I hope it's nothing to worry about.
Oh, and the shower is a good place to lose it without Shelby knowing 
Karen
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Sorry you had a rough time!
We had an ancient pekingese named Earl (The Redneck Pekingese) who had seizures due to cardiac issues. He had the most interesting heart murmur I've ever heard. You could dance to that beat. Anyway... He would scream like he was being murdered during a seizure, but was absolutely fine later. Sometimes he was tired or disoriented after, but not usually. Though, it would have been hard to tell. Ol' Earl was about 348 years old when we pulled him from the shelter, mostly deaf and mostly blind, and we had him for a few years after that.
He had seizures entirely too often. Our vet told us that it's more common for dogs with the cardiac-induced type of seizures to scream. No idea how true that is.
I'm so glad she's acting like herself. I know how unsettling things like that are!
-Jen.
Cricket's Human said
We had an ancient pekingese named Earl (The Redneck Pekingese) who had seizures due to cardiac issues. He had the most interesting heart murmur I've ever heard. You could dance to that beat. Anyway... He would scream like he was being murdered during a seizure, but was absolutely fine later. Sometimes he was tired or disoriented after, but not usually. Though, it would have been hard to tell. Ol' Earl was about 348 years old when we pulled him from the shelter, mostly deaf and mostly blind, and we had him for a few years after that.
He had seizures entirely too often. Our vet told us that it's more common for dogs with the cardiac-induced type of seizures to scream. No idea how true that is.
I'm so glad she's acting like herself. I know how unsettling things like that are!
Actually that makes perfect sense. I forgot Shelby also had a heart murmur when we went to do her amputation. She had to have a blood transfusion and it was fine. But I guess it's possible her heart murmur could be acting up. It was definitely yelping during the seizure but it's also possible there was a lot of chaos around when I grabbed her and I grabbed her wrong.
This is all such great information for me to bring to our vet tomorrow. Part of me is really glad it's probably not her cancer but then there is the part of me that is like, Oy... another issue?!?
For those that didn't catch me on the forum tonight, I did stay in just to be safe and keep an eye on her. As I said, she was fine once she 'shook' it off. She ate a frosty paws for dessert and has been quite loving and playful. It was so short and she really is fine - not acting off at all.
BTW - love the name "Earl"
Shelby Lynne; Jack Russell/Shiba Inu mix. Proud member of the April Angels of 2014.
October 15, 2000 to April 8, 2014
Our story: Broke rear leg in June 2013 - non-conclusive results for cancer so leg was plated and pinned. Enlarged spleen in September 2013 and had it removed and was diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma and started chemotherapy. Became a Tripawd January 8th, 2014 and definitive Hemangiosarcoma diagnosis. Three major surgeries in 7 months and Shelby took them all like a champ only to lose her battle to cancer in her brain. We had 8 amazing extra months together and no regrets. #shelbystrong #loveofmylife
mom2shelby said
BTW - love the name "Earl"
Earl was his name at the shelter, and it just fit him so perfectly that we had to keep it.
He was a character.
-Jen.
Shelby was totally fine the rest of last night and this a.m. - in fact, she did a kind of "tripawd" twirl in the air. She likes to bounce before her walk (she just gets so excited - still, like a puppy at age 13) and today she was 'bouncing' and she kind of got airborne, twirled and came down. It worries me so much - even though she doesn't go that high! But she was happy and engaged. I'm going to make a list and ask her onco about all that stuff today (heart murmur, spooked, iron levels, etc.).
But this was last night while I was chatting ... reminds me of the ads for "Grey Poupon" - like she's saying ... "Pardin me, do you have anymore Frosty Paws"?!?
Shelby Lynne; Jack Russell/Shiba Inu mix. Proud member of the April Angels of 2014.
October 15, 2000 to April 8, 2014
Our story: Broke rear leg in June 2013 - non-conclusive results for cancer so leg was plated and pinned. Enlarged spleen in September 2013 and had it removed and was diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma and started chemotherapy. Became a Tripawd January 8th, 2014 and definitive Hemangiosarcoma diagnosis. Three major surgeries in 7 months and Shelby took them all like a champ only to lose her battle to cancer in her brain. We had 8 amazing extra months together and no regrets. #shelbystrong #loveofmylife
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