Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Update: Quick one today. We just got back from the clinic where Sheldon's sutures were finally removed. He's healing up very nicely and already has a nice little fuzz layer of fur growing back. I've cut way down on his pain meds and his surgeon said at this point we can give them out only on an as-needed basis.
He continues to get better mobility. He even climbed up the full flight of stairs on our back deck a few times over the weekend. I'm still not letting him attempt down the full flight yet. I want to build up his muscles in the remaining front limb first. Walking around in the house and in the back yard is now totally normal for him as he gets more used to life on three legs.
Next up will be further discussions with the oncologist for first round of chemo (carboplatin i believe). Sheldon's a total rock star and warrior - I am so proud of him and I am hopeful the chemo goes as smoothly as his post-amp recovery.
Cheers!
Rob
Sheldon is indeed a Rock Star and a Warrior! It's just delightful to hear how well he is doing and how good his mobility is. And it all still gets better and better!!!😎
Good job of monitoring his pace on conquering the stairs. 👍
Hugs
Sally and Alumni Hatooppy 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!
WHEEEE! Rob, we are super proud of Sheldon too, what a total rock star recovery It's wonderful he's doing so well, and we look forward to following along as he gets back into his old groove, little by little. I love that you are watching him so carefully.
If you'd like to help him build up strength, you'll want to focus on his core muscles. That's where the real power is, and it's what helps keeps him balanced and moving along. Here's an article from our Tripawds Gear blog about that:
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
We have our first round of chemo (Carboplatin) now scheduled for March 9.
One thing I was curious about is the use of CBD oil in combination with his chemo. I'll definitely discuss it with the oncologist, but I was wondering what the opinions here were on its use.
I've read a few articles stating while it's no cure, it could have a beneficial effect on slowing the growth of tumors while also providing any pain relief and boosting immunity. Also it may help alleviate some of chemo effects like nausea and loss of appetite. It seems like it would be a safe and natural supplement to give him the best odds of living comfortably for as long as possible.
Here are some links I found:
https://www.dis.....8-products
https://www.vet.....ith_Cancer
What are your thoughts?
Cheers!
-Rob
Hi Rob! That's exciting about getting the chemo scheduled. Paws crossed for smooth sailing!
Most vets don't want any new supplements added during chemotherapy treatment. If there are GI issues or other weird signs that something isn't right, it makes troubleshooting more difficult. So most will advise to wait to start any kind of new therapies until after chemo is over.
About the CBD....that's a hot topic as you might have guessed. When it comes to the products available for pets or people, about 90% do not live up to their promises. They don't contain the amounts of CBD they promise, they have contaminants, they don't offer lab reports (or if they do, the reports are lacking and inconsistent) and many are filled with flavorings and extra additions that can interfere with its use. I see a lot of this in some of the products linked to in the websites you shared.
Veterinary cannabis is a new and exciting field. It can do a lot of great things for pets and people. There's a lot that's known about how it helps, but more that isn't. For now, most CBD products are marketing hype. I could go into a ton of detail about it, and I need to do some blog posts on the topic. I recently received my credential as a Veterinary Cannabis Guide from the Veterinary Education and Consulting group, and it's been an eye opening experience. For now, if you want to dig into the subject, I encourage you to check out our existing articles about veterinary cannabis:
https://nutriti...../cannabis/
And if you'd like to work with a veterinary cannabis counselor (a veterinarian or vet tech with an advanced credential of the one that I have), post here or drop us a line to let us know.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
You know your have to tell us more, right????¹ Intriguing.
I recently received my credential as a Veterinary Cannabis Guide from the Veterinary Education and Consulting group
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!
benny55 said
You know your have to tell us more, right????¹ Intriguing.I recently received my credential as a Veterinary Cannabis Guide from the Veterinary Education and Consulting group
LOL! Yes I know, I promise! Just received the credential in January, where has the time gone! I have it on my list to do a news blog post about what it means. Stay tuned.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
WOW! Look at those happy dawgs! Did you ever think you'd see another snow day again? I'm so happy for you guys!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Such a beautiful picture of pure bliss. . Sheldon and Emily were made for this kind of weather. Aheldon jas the trpawd stance down.....front leg perfectly centered.
Thanks for the smiles😊
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!
Update: We just back from Sheldon's first of four chemo (carboplatin) treatments. He handled it very well and got to enjoy extra hugs and kisses from the clinic staff. All of his vitals and CBC were normal and he continues to be his goofy self while adapting to his Tripawd lifestyle.
His oncologist didn't anticipate any major problems from today's treatment and we were told to look out for signs of lethargy, decreased appetite, vomiting, diarrhea in the next week or so. We were sent home with Ondansetron for nausea/vomiting and Metronidazole for diarrhea. Both to be given as needed. We were told the problems normally are mild and should resolve on their own.
He's been totally off his pain meds for the last 2 weeks or so.
He just gobbled up a little grilled chicken breast and at the moment he's taking a little doggie nap. I'm fortunate to be able to work from home today just to keep an eye on him and I think he (and Emily) appreciate the extra home time.
He has a CBC test in 2 weeks and his second round of carboplatin will be in 3 weeks on the 30th.
Hard to believe we are now almost a month post-amp and reflecting back we have absolutely no regrets in doing this for him. Every day is truly a gift!
Cheers!
-Rob
YAY SHELDON!!! So glad to hear how well he's doing.
And yeah, as your Vet said, IF he does have some of thise side effects they are generally pretty mild and only last a couple of days, if that.
I'm sure he and Emily are enjoying their extra Dad time having you home today. Poctures!! We need more pictures!
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!
Rob thank you for letting us know. We all celebrate these milestones around here and love reading about them!
I like that your vet gave the anti-nausea preventive meds. YAY! Better than having to ask for them IF Sheldon has side effects. Paws crossed that he won't.
How's his mobility now that he's off pain meds? Any changes or all good? Hope so!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi Jerry - his mobility is very good. Of course it will never be the same as when he had four legs, but overall he is getting around just fine. Going up a full flight of stairs is no problem and we're still assisting him on going down. He sometimes gets a little hesitant going down stairs, but I think in time he'll gain more confidence. I'm in no hurry.
The pain medications he was getting didn't really affect his mobility at all.
Another picture here for Sally - taken this morning - more snow!
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