Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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My 12 1/2 year old sweet boy, Joey, came home yesterday after a right front leg amputation and hasn't been interested in eating at all. The Vet sent him home with Tramadol and Rimadyl but the Vet has said to hold off on the Rimadyl since he's not eating. I've tried his regular dog food, scrambled egg, cheese, and sweet potato to get him interested but he's turning up his nose at it. I'm becoming increasingly concerned, he's never been the type to turn away food. Any other tips or advice for something that has worked? I'm hoping it's just a passing thing as he's getting acclimated to being at home.
Hello and welcome to Tripawds, your future posts will not have to wait for approval.
Many dogs lose their apatite after surgery- the surgery meds can do a number on them. Is Joey on a pain patch like fentanyl?
Is he drinking anything?
Try stinky stuff like tuna, canned food, maybe some yummy lunch meat. Not long term solutions but will get some calories in him. Others should be along to provide some ideas.
My first tripawd was a pug so eating after surgery was not a problem!
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Peanut butter? Liverwurst? Hamburger? You might even try cooking up some chicken livers and make a broth from them. They mash up pretty easily. It could be the meds, too, so maybe your vet might want to prescribe something to settle his tummy. We didn't have a problem, either, but Murphy was a Lab cross and always wanted to eat. When our old Golden, Gus, had tummy problems we gave him generic Pepcid. Check on that with your vet first, though.
Kathi and the Turbotail April Angel...and the Labradork
Murphy is a five year old Lab/Chessie cross. He was hit by a car on 10/29/12 and became a Tripawd on 11/24/12. On 2/5/13, he had a total hip replacement on his remaining back leg. He has absolutely no idea that he has only three legs!
UPDATE: Murphy lived his life to the fullest, right up until an aggressive bone lesion took him across the Rainbow Bridge on April 9, 2015 and he gained his membership in the April Angels. Run free, my love. You deserve it!
Hi, Karl is 9 days post surgery , right front amp. He did the same thing and still is at times a brat since he's on another fentynal patch.
I can only get him to eat boiled hamburger . I actually place it in his mouth when he's disinterested and then he'll come over for some more. I started mixing In some of his healthy kibble today with some water yet to get him interested I had to activate his interest by placing some in his mouth first. Seems weird, but it works for us.
Hugs , hang in there!
Karl and mom Julie
Eating was our Ellie's biggest post-amp challenge by far. Food would just nauseate her, meaning that if you offered her something she'd start drooling, get this sort of disgusted look and turn her head away. For us, all the smelly things were worse! We had the best luck with very bland, non-smelly things. Plain egg noodles (partially cooked) for example.
Is Joey drinking OK? Ellie didn't seem to have trouble drinking and the vets seemed to almost think it was more important than eating.
Is Joey showing signs of nauseau? For example, drooling heavily when offered food? Or does he just seem uninterested? If he's nauseated, I would try one of the anti-nausea drugs. We used Cerenia. It really did the trick. It was such a relief. When they're not eating, it can be so distressing! So I totally understand how you feel.
Denise, Bill and Angel Ellie
Active 10+ Pyr mix suddenly came up lame with ACL tear in left rear leg. Scheduled for a TPLO but final pre-op x-rays indicated a small suspicious area, possibly OSA, which could have caused the ACL tear. Surgeon opened the knee for TPLO but found soft bone. Biopsy came back positive for OSA. Became a Tripawd 9/18/14. Carbo6 with Cerenia and Fluids. Pain free and living in the moment. Crossed the Bridge on 7/12/15 after probable spread of cancer to her cervical spine. A whole lifetime of memories squeezed into 10 months. Here's her story: Eloise
We had some similar issues (as I also had a dog that never turned away food). What I found with Shelby was that she preferred the hospital food to her home food (kibble). I got creative using chicken broth and other yummy things to get her to eat. And she got a plain burger from In and Out. But once she started chemo, it was a little more challenging sometimes and so I tried feeding her on my bowls (ceramic) vs her metal bowl and she seemed to prefer that. I think the chemo affects their tastebuds as it does with humans ... so eating out of my bowls seemed to help.
Good luck!!!
alison with spirit shelby in her heart
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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You've gotten great advice and, hopefully, some reassurance that this is not unusual.
Reason for amputation?
Btw, love Joey's avatar picture and look forward ro more photos of this handsome fella'!
How's he doing today? How are you doing?
((((((((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!
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