Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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you know, i just remember having the cool packs, not the heat. we didn't have a really bad seroma , just maybe the size of a small avocado, and not very 'full'... but i only remember using cool for about 10 to 15 minutes at a time, then take a break for about an hour and repeat...
Life is good, so very, very good!!! Gayle enjoyed each and every moment of each and every wonderful day (naps included). She left this world December 12, 2011 – off on a new adventure.
Love Never Ends
shelbysmom said:
Did you alternate between moist heat/cold?
Shelby, we're so glad your home and the other kids are being good to you!
Here our our suggestions for alternating between heat and cold, based on our Bella's Pain Pack review:
- If there is swelling and pain use ice.
- If there is no swelling, but stiffness is present use heat.
- If this is an acute injury (within first 6 weeks) use ice.
- When in doubt, use ice.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
We are so happy that Shelby is home with the rest of her family. We have our paws crossed for you!
I love the new pic! So glad Shelby is home and doing well. It warms the heart.
Thanks again everyone....her vet and I did speak and interestingly, she recommended moist heat. I also have a tube of Traumeel (used a lot in alternative medicine) and that seemed to give her relief.
Should I be this unbelievably exhausted? Granted, yesterday was a busy and chaotic day and the drive back from Tampa-Orlando was a nightmare. (Anyone who has visited or lives in Florida knows the hell that is Interstate 4....'nuff said) Honestly, Shelby's recovery this far seems to be about as picture perfect as it can be.
Me?? Oh Lord, my back is killing me from moving stuff around and today I have told the cat's litter boxes to clean themselves...yeah, that'll happen......zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
shelbysmom said:
Anyone who has visited or lives in Florida knows the hell ...
Oh, we know about Florida highhway hell.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Yea Pam- you sound like you are at the right stage of exhaustion 
.
All our pups have to do is recuperate, we get to worry about EVERYTHING!!! And stress and worry take a huge toll.
Hang in there- you are doing fine.
Karen and the pug girls
Okay gang, now I do have a question.
As I think I had mentioned, Shelby had been on Tramadol and periodically for the past 2 months pre-amputation. Never a reaction to it at all. Today, periodically (2-3 times today) she will yelp and jump up like something has scared her.....but the yelp clearly is a painful yelp. Is this normal? I can't seem to find a particular place that is tender. She does have a seroma but it's not hard and I am doing the moist heat per doctor's instructions.
She was so anxious to go outside with her *siblings* but when we were back inside and I was cleaning the cat boxes in the Florida room, she suddenly did that YELP thing and ran for the door.....I let her out thinking she had to go potty and of course, she was still leashed with me on the other end.
Any ideas?
Oh, and I forgot to add that she didn't want to come back inside and it took a while to coax her back up the 2 steps that she must navigate to get inside and outside.
Hi Pam,
Sounds like it might be phantom pain . I did not deal with this with Maggie- but many have posted about it. I did a search on phantom pain and got this. There is a certain med most people talk about prescribing for phantom pain - gabapentin.
It's a place to start. I'm sure others will chime in.
Karen and the pug girls
I would guess it's phantom pain as well - Denali has been on gabapentin since she came home. The vet just called it in to the local Walmart for me as it's not something they keep in stock. It's not that expensive (around 23$ for 50-some pills). I was told to make sure Xylitol was not one of the ingredients used in the pill (it is in the liquid form) because it is toxic to dogs. I will say - the Walmart lady gave me a strange look when I explained 'it's for my dog' because I didn't know whose name it was under or anything like that.
~~~~ Denali ~~~~
June 9, 2010 OSA suspected
June 17, 2010, July 14, 2010 Clear X-rays – no mets
July 1, 2010 Amputation
July 9, 2010 OSA Confirmed
November 23, 2010 Cancer took you from me - Never forgotten, Always Loved - Forever
Supporting the Fighters, Admiring the Survivors, Honoring the Taken, And never, ever giving up Hope
Well, remember we aren't vets but it sure does sound like Phantom Pain .
Tazziedog, our favorite vet, gave some great advice about phantom limb pain here.
Also, check out Admin's post about helpful tips for managing phantom limb pain in dogs.
When it happens, a lot of dogs get really surprised by it and tend to behave weirdly. In most cases it will go away in a couple of weeks. But again, if you're concerned, call the vet oK?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
So glad to hear that Shelby is HOME!!!
Now the healing can begin!!
Angel Jake and Wolfie's Mom
Jake, 10yr old golden retriever (fractured his front right leg on 9/1, bone biopsy revealed osteosarcoma on 9/10, amputation on 9/17) and his family Marguerite, Jacques and Wolfie, 5yr old german shepherd and the newest addition to the family, Nala, a 7mth old Bengal mix kittie. Jake lost his battle on 11/9/2009, almost 8 weeks after his surgery. We will never forget our sweet golden angel… http://jakesjou.....ipawds.com ….. CANCER SUCKS!
Thanks you guys......I did call the surgeon and for now, she said to up her Tramadol to 125 mg TID. If there was no improvement within a day, she would call in the medication that starts with *G* but I'm too tired right now to remember how to spell it.
Shelby had a rough night....couldn't get comfortable. This morning, she's exhausted and it was about a 20 minute process getting her outside to potty and back inside. She's finally snoozing........I hate to see them hurt. I do have a couple of pet sitting jobs and I hate the idea of leaving her alone but I don't have a choice. As long as she's resting, I think she'll be okay for the hour or so I have to be out.
Her seroma feels very warm so we're not going with moist heat today.......definitely cool packs.
And I have been able to locate another small ex-pen so that I can have two areas set up for her and not have to constantly break down and drag the plastic ex-pen around. My back is doing the happy dance over that!
shelbysmom said:
... the medication that starts with *G* but I'm too tired right now to remember ...
Gabapentin is often prescribed and is known to work well treating phantom pain in dogs. With upping the tramadol though, just be sure not to overmedicate.
Communicate Shelby's specific symptoms very carefully with your vet, as it is often difficult to determine between side effects from medication and actual pain. Tramadol often causes panting, pacing, and restlessness so don't just assume she is in pain. Many dogs cope with pain much better than the side effects from the medication.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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