Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Today is Honey's 15th day post-amp. She had arrhythmia after surgery and had to stay immobile at the at the vet for 6 days afterwards. She had her staples removed 3 days ago. We carry her outside and she lays down and doesn't want to move. She's on anti-arrhythmia medication and still on tramadol for possible arthritic pain and wonder if the medication is hindering her activity. We may stop the tramadol when we start Dasuquin. Any thoughts on Dasuquin?
Almost all of the comments I read about recovery say that 2 weeks is a usually turn-around time and that they start to move around more and slowly return to normal activity.
Another thing is that her favorite human is away right now - don't know how much that's effecting her emotionally.
Any thoughts and suggestions will be really helpful. My family is exhausted! Thanks.
Dx Osteosarcoma 3/31/10. Amputation 7/21/10. Honey put up a valiant fight and lost her battle 9/22/10. Missing her and treasuring 9 years with our Honeygurl.
Hi Honey and Family
You must be exhausted after 15 days of carrying Honey outside and worrying about her! Many of our dogs were really slow to recover; others never slowed down. My Tazzie, whom I christened my "little block of cement" during the 3-4 week recovery period, did not really turn a corner until after 2 or 3 weeks and he did not turn that corner very fast. Tramadol definitely seems to slow them down, and to make them dozy and uncoordinated, so most dogs show their best recovery when the tramadol is stopped.
Finding a way to provide a change of pace helped a lot in our case. When a visitor came or I could take Tazzie to someone's house, there was a big improvement. It was very hard for me to motivate Tazzie to do anything when we were alone and being on a large ranch, the house was quiet.
Does Honey perk up when she meets a visitor? (She must have more than one favorite human.) Will she walk to at least pee or poo? That is about all Tazzie would do, usually just once a day for the first couple of weeks. But he did do that much (usually when I was not watching).
Your situation sounds more complicated than most because of the arythmia. Perhaps you should send your post to "Ask a Vet". There is another Tazzie, "tazziedog", whose Mum is a vet so she might see your post there.
I have read lots of good things about Dasequin on this website, so others will probably pipe up on that topic. Did you search the archives?
Susan
Alice and Honey,
One of the three suggestions that I typically give to help during recovery is to remember to treat the spirit as well as the body. Find something that they love and can still do during recovery. Then exploit that love to give them purpose. For Cherry, it was her trips in the truck/car. It was the first and for a long time, the only place that she would willingly take food when offered. As the time when she thinks that she is going for a ride approaches, you can see the excitement grow. Jake's mom would probably tell you that for Jake it was the swimming pool. Once Jake saw the pool and was allowed back in, the improvement appears to have been remarkable. View the Fun! Doug and Heidi will tell you that for Molly it continues to be canoe trips. Watch her celebrate her one year anpuversary! Finally there is Calpurnia who loves the life filled with the outdoors and sledding and has survived the amputation for more than two years. View the fun! Help them find a purpose to fight.
I woud expect that the arrhythmia difficulties have drained much of Honey's energy, and not having her "favorite" human is not helping that issue. The "two week" time frame is only a very broad and general guide. For Miss Cherry, her condition deterioated for about the first week after the amputation and first chemotherapy treatment. It then stablized to an "acceptable" condition with very slow progress until she finished her chemothapy treatements at the two month mark. Each will respond differently and I would have to say from here, as long as there is progress, then take heart in that progress. This is why I also suggest keeping a very detailed journal - much more detailed than what you would put into a blog. You will then be able to return to that journal and make honest appraisals of Honey's progress. I kept one for Cherry during her entire journey, even though during much of that time, I only made weekly entires. I still to this very day refer to that journal when sharing Cherry's experience.
The greatest improvement may not come until Honey is sufficiently along to have all chemicals removed from the regiment. I know that this was the case for Cherry.
Sending Pawsitive Thoughts and Prayers,
Spirit Cherry's Dad
Hey Honey & Co.,
Here are some posts for you about Dasuquin in our Nutrition Blog , and a Forum post about Dasuquin.
She's been through a lot, more than the average Tripawd goes through after surgery. Considering that, sounds like she's doing OK. If she's eating, pooping and otherwise OK, I'm guessing her behavior is to be expected. Have you talked to the vet about it? I would certainly give them a call just so they know what's going on.
Also, as far as
We carry her outside and she lays down and doesn't want to move.
Perhaps you want to check out our interview with the good people at CARE, Amputation Recovery Advice. The good doctors talk about how too much babying can be detrimental to recovery.
But yes, I do think that if her favorite person is gone, that can have a little to do with it.
Hang in there, as our friend Tazzie has shown, the recovery does get better!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I'm sorry to hear about all that Honey has had to go through since her surgery... Poor baby
... I'm sure the heart meds are adding to her feeling icky and all... in addition to the tramadol. Hopefully soon she'll be off all those meds and start feeling like her old self again!
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 so much for all the support and advice. Spirit Cherry's Dad - I read a similar post by you a couple weeks ago – thank you. Thank you all for the advice about treating her spirit, changing her pace and not babying too much. I'll read the suggested posts and watch the videos.
She got excited and ran to family members that returned from a trip a few days ago. That was great to see! She also runs to greet a visiting relative every morning, so a change of pace seems like a great suggestion. She is now off Tramadol and on Dasuquin — hopefully that will make a difference, too.
Thanks again, everyone.
Alice
p.s. I'm having trouble adding a new avatar – won't let me browse for a picture. Any suggestions?
Dx Osteosarcoma 3/31/10. Amputation 7/21/10. Honey put up a valiant fight and lost her battle 9/22/10. Missing her and treasuring 9 years with our Honeygurl.
Hi Alice,
I hope Honey gets to feeling better soon! When Mackenzie was going through her recovery time, it was very difficult. It wasn't until we took her off the pain meds (she was on tramodol too) that she started to improve dramatically. Mackenzie had a tougher time than most and given that Honey has the added complication of arrythmia it's not surprising that she's having a tougher time too.
I agree totally with everyone about visitors lifting their spirits - when our pet sitter friend came to visit Mackenzie, she was so happy to see her. I was so worried about her because up until then she wasn't eating and seemed so listless but that changed as soon as our pet sitter walked through the door. Also like Spirit Cherry, Mackenzie loved riding in the car so I would take her for car rides and that seemed to lift her spirits too.
Sending Honey pawsitive healing thoughts 
.
Kami (Mackenzie's Mom)
My sweet golden Mackenzie. She became my angel on Dec 29, 2010 at the age of 8 1/2 although she was always my angel from the time we brought her home. She was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in Sept 2009 and officially became a tripawd (front leg) on Nov 5, 2009. She will be forever in my heart and now she's running free with all of our other tripawd heroes. I love you Mackenzie!
Hi, I'm sorry you are having to worry so much. Ajax didn't have many (really any) troubles post-surgery, most likely because he did not have chemotherapy or other treatments or medications to deal with. But I do agree that he absolutely enjoyed having visitors and that it raised his spirits. He really can't complain too much given what a lot of the other pups on this site are going through, but I think he was - and is still - bored, bored, bored. So anything different you can do that uses her brain or sparks her interest will probably help.
Honeygurl said:
p.s. I'm having trouble adding a new avatar – won't let me browse for a picture. Any suggestions?
Alice, did you follow the link that takes you to your Dashboard? Follow the link at the top of your Forums Profile to your User Dashboard, where you can upload an avatar? If you have problems, use the alternative upload feature as described in that window. The alternative upload feature will work if you're having trouble. Hope this helps.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Did they ever tell you the cause or type of arrhythmia? Some heart meds can make dogs feel lethargic and sleepy. She also just might need more time to heal.
Pam
Hi Pam and thank you for posting,
It appears that Honey had an infection. She had some fluid in her lungs, a slightly higher than normal temperature and I believe a slightly higher white blood cell count before surgery. The vets contributed the arrhythmia to this. Her heart rate was very high and they literally didn't let her out of her cage for 4 days.
Thanks to following recommendations we found here, Honey turned a corner yesterday!! 
She effortlessly hopped down a few stairs to go outside and pee – my family was carrying her out before – and she's walking more, showing more interest in food & toys and in her 'magic fence' (a neighbor throws special treats over the fence to her everyday).
My family has been worried and probably overly-cautious because of the arrhythima even though she's on the medication. We're still a little unsure, though, and want to check with the vet for resassurance. We would love to put her in the car and take her to her favorite park! We're so happy for the improvement & that's she's starting to feel like herself again!!
We're so thankful to all our Tripawds friends!
Alice
Dx Osteosarcoma 3/31/10. Amputation 7/21/10. Honey put up a valiant fight and lost her battle 9/22/10. Missing her and treasuring 9 years with our Honeygurl.
GGGRRRREEEEAAAATTTT news!!! so glad honey has turned the corner! what a relief for her humans as well, we know. so, where can we go to get one of those magic fences???? paws crossed for continued healing and happiness!!
gayle & charon
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
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