Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Our boy Cosmo, a 6-year-old Great Pyrenees just underwent a forelimb amputation due to osteosarcoma on 2/9/24. He is acting very sad. He seems very restless and will get up multiple times a night and just stand in the corner huffing and puffing which is not normal for him. He seems to be eating his food a bit and drinking OK, but he is definitely not himself currently. My husband and I are of course worried about him, but we are only talking in a happy and positive voice to him because they feed off of that energy. We are hoping that once the sutures come out, he will be way more comfortable because he just keeps turning his head to his incision site to lick/bite at it. He is still taking his Gabapentin, Amantadine, and Novox in terms of medications post-op. He doesn't really seem to be in pain as much as just itchy. Did anyone else see a positive change in their pet once the sutures came out? Did it help with any discomfort they were experiencing?
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Hello to Cosmo and as humans. Your post has been approved.
Great Pyrenees are such delightful dogs and, we've had several members here of that breed.
This is still early in recovery and he just had major surgery, all while trying to adapt to three. Some do seem to experience a good turnaround once sutures are out, but that's not always the case for every single dog. Some take a little bit longer, especially larger breads.
Just think if you had major surgery like this. You wouldn't feel like jumping through hoops of joy this early on either. We know it's hard to be patient, but Cosmo will continue to get better as he gets further and further away from recovery.
i do have a couple of quick questions for you though. What has his activity been like? And what specifically is his pain protocol? The dose, the frequency and how much does Cosmo weigh? It does sound like he probably could use a little bit better pain management since he's showing signs of discomfort, especially at night.
You might try gently massaging around the incision area.
Good job of staying confident and upbeat and sharing that kind of energy with him. It really is important for their healing process.
Hang in there, and remember that recovery doesn't last forever! It just seems like it's sometimes!
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!
Hi Chloe and Cosmo, welcome!
I'll second Sally's questions, which can help us better guide you on what might be happening here. Have you talked to your vet about his possible pain signals ?
And yep, your pawsitive attitude is GREAT! 
Sorry for the short reply, I'll be back in the morning.
i do have a couple of quick questions for you though. What has his activity been like? And what specifically is his pain protocol? The dose, the frequency and how much does Cosmo weigh? It does sound like he probably could use a little bit better pain management since he's showing signs of discomfort, especially at night.
Cosmo goes out on short, leashed walks 2-3 times a day on our land. He weighed around 90 lbs before surgery. Unsure of his post-op weight since he is such a big boy and lost the entirety of his left forelimb including his scapula. Since post-op he received Amantadine 200mg once a day, Prozac 60mg once a day (for anxiety that he was already taking), Trazodone 100mg twice a day, Gabapentin 400mg three times a day, Novox 75mg twice a day, and tylenol/codeine twice a day (can't remember dose off the top of my head). We were told to start weening off of the pain meds, so he is getting all the same medications minus the tylenol/codeine and just a smaller dose of the Gabapentin twice a day vs 3 times. We had a much better night last night and he seems to be a bit more content and sleeping better! But he just seems itchy around his sutures. Those are scheduled to come out tomorrow, so hoping for some relief!
You might try gently massaging around the incision area.
We have been giving full body massages considering his muscles are working in new ways with his new gait, so we know there is bound to be some soreness. We have also been icing the incision with the OK from his orthopedic surgeon to help provide any additional pain relief/numb the area. He really enjoys all the rubs, and it relaxes him, so we be sure to do this daily!
Hi Chloe,
Wow he's getting some really excellent pain relief! That's what we like to see. Can I ask where he is getting care? They sound like a great clinic!
Glad he had a better night! The codeine probably contributed to his more restful night, since many dogs do show anxiety signs when taking an opioid.
Yes, most people do see a turning point when stitches come out. The area may still be itchy even after they are out so check with your vet for the best topical wound spray to use. I like Vetericyn but others are available too, just don't put anything on without their recommendation.
Let us know how your sutures out visit goes. Congrats on making it to the big day!
jerry said
Wow he's getting some really excellent pain relief! That's what we like to see. Can I ask where he is getting care? They sound like a great clinic!We have been fortunate to go to Dr.Hoffman at Edinger Surgical Options in Madison, WI for his surgery and post-op care. Great team of board-certified orthopedic surgeons that have been so helpful during this major transition! Being that we are near a huge medical community, we are lucky to be seeing an oncologist at one of the best veterinary schools in the country (University of WI Veterinary School - UW Vet Care), so we know our Cosmo has the best team overseeing his care. I will be sure to ask them for any suggestions on anti-itch sprays/topicals that would easy any sort of discomfort he may have! Thank you for the kind words, encouragement, suggestions, and support! We appreciate it more than we can describe.
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