Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Tate's chewed a hole in his leg. Well, I don't know how it got there, but Rick said he's got a raw, bloody spot about the size of a quarter on his right back leg. Tate was licking it, and Rick thought "Well, at least he's not chewing on his incision". They'd just been at the vet's to pick up Rimadyl. So he looks over and sees this hole so he makes a u-turn and goes right back to the vet. They said it might be from the antibiotic or maybe it's just nerves. From the antibiotic? I'm going with the nerves theory. Past few days he's been all weird and we've been bringing down his Tramadol but I don't want to do it too fast. I'd called the oncologist about this and his tech said, "Just stop giving it him. If he has pain, we'll try something else." Okay, like we have a money tree out back and Rick has nothing else to do but drive around picking up meds for Tate. Two weeks of hell is right.
Okay, now that I'm done being a big whiny baby, did anyone ever have this happen to them, like really from an antibiotic? How fast can we get him off the Tramadol? We're at about half of what he was taking, starting taking it down on Day 8 and this is Day 11. Vet wants him on Rimadyl another week.
http://tate.tripawds.com/
August 16, 2006 to November 28, 2011
TATE ~ Forever in our hearts.
I'm not a vet, but I'm voting for nerves. I know Tramadol is a tricky drug for lots of folks, but I was able to just stop it without weaning Trouble from it. They took her off about day 7 and that was a bit soon. Put her back on it for another 5 - 7 days and then stopped it. She never had any issue going cold turkey with it.
Shanna & Spirit Trouble ~ Trouble gained her wings 3/16/2011, a 27 1/2 month cancer survivor, tail wagging. RIP sweetheart, you are my heart and soul. Run free at Rainbow Bridge.
The November Five - Spirits Max, Cherry, Tika, Trouble & Nova. 11/2008 - 3/2013 An era ends as Queen Nova crossed the Bridge.
Nerves, definitely. Poor guy. Looks like the cone of shame for him?
You can get him off the Tramadol when you think he can handle it. Doing so may alleviate his nerves, it does make a lot of dogs crazy.
Poor guy! and poor you! I wish I could plant another money tree for you here!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Gus wasn't getting along with the tramadol so we took off cold turkey, but he was only on it for a couple days, I can't remember the dosage, but I don't think it was as high as yours. Yea, that first couple are a doosey, and believe me, when someone told me you'll see the light at the end of the tunnel, my thinking was, WHEN. All I can say is hang in there, there will be a point when you will say man, I think the worst is over, good luck, Paws up to you guys, Spirit Gus and Dan
My buddy Gus had a left front amputation on April 7, 2010 and lived a great life until July 26,2010
Thanks, everyone. Looking forward to "the worst is over!"
Tate was fine with the Tramadol until we started reducing it, every time we bring it down a notch, he gets despondent and anti-social.
I saw the sore, it's maybe nickel-sized and perfectly round. He's been pretty good tonight, hasn't bothered it and finally ate. After we primed his appetite with french fries. : )
http://tate.tripawds.com/
August 16, 2006 to November 28, 2011
TATE ~ Forever in our hearts.
tatespeeps, yup the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel truly exists, I sure remember how it was, I was walking around like a zombie from night of the living dead after the first 2 weeks.. but yes! there really is rest after amputation! So hang in there and please keep us posted on Tate!
Coopsdad
Coopsdad/ Kenneth Blackburn
http://cooper.t.....ipawds.com
the monkeydogs only THINK they have invaded the tripawd state
Tramadol is known to have some serious withdrawal effects. Consult with your vet and have Tate kick it cold turkey, if it is time.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Have you tried tramadol? You might lick a hole in your leg too! It can make you super goofy!
I think someone else had a problem with coming off of tramadol but I can't remember at this moment. If it were me, I'd just stop it like the vet said. The rimadyl will help alot. Just remember there are nerves/tissues/muscles to heal and there's a whole lot of funky going on inside for him.
Dr. Pam would probably suggest gapentin (sp?) for phantom pains which could be part of Tate's issues. (someone help me out here)
It gets better but we totally understand those first couple of weeks can drive you crazy!
Comet - 1999 to 2011
She departed us unexpectedly January 23, 2011 at the age of 12 1/2.
She was born with a deformed front leg and a tripawd all of her life.
cometdog said:
...gapentin (sp?) for phantom pains which could be part of Tate's issues. (someone help me out here)
Check out our recent video interview with Pam discussing Gabapentin for phantom pain (and other common amputation complications).
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
tatespeeps said:
Thanks, everyone. Looking forward to "the worst is over!"
Tate was fine with the Tramadol until we started reducing it, every time we bring it down a notch, he gets despondent and anti-social.
If he gets despondent, maybe it is not a withdrawal issue but a pain issue. Maybe he does need the tramadol. Like others, I took Tazzie off at about one week, but it was too soon (he became a bit irritable, very unlike him) so we went back on for another week or two. They might be a bit anti-social when on tramadol, but better than being in pain.
As far as I understand, there are no withdrawal issue with tramadol (caveat: not a vet, not a vet). There are withdrawal issues with longer term use of Gabapentin, but it seems a good drug for some forms of pain.
I wonder about the antibiotic theory related to his itching. What antibiotic is he or was he on? Is he off the AB now? Any improvement?
This sounds a bit like a rash of similar complaints by other recent newbies, maybe Toby the pyre or Dakota. I think Toby was itching and licking a lot at that stage, and I was wondering if the antibiotic might be involved since he mentioned using one.
General question for tripawds: did all your vets give antibiotics for a week to 10 days following amputation? I don't remember them doing that for Tazzie.
You hit the nail on the head, is it side effects or is it pain? He was missing some of the other indicators for pain, like the pleading "do something Mom" look but it's so hard to tell. Regardless, we couldn't continue with the status quo so I haven't given him any today (just updated his blog if you want to see how it's going so far.) I saw something about withdrawal here, it was a forum post I saw the very first time I was on here but I could have misread it.
The antibiotic is Cephalexin, 500 mg twice a day for 10 days from the day we picked him up so 2 weeks. I'll look at Toby and Dakota's blogs, thanks for the tip.
http://tate.tripawds.com/
August 16, 2006 to November 28, 2011
TATE ~ Forever in our hearts.
tatespeeps said:
... is it side effects or is it pain?
That's always a tough call, you just wish they could talk at times like this! When we interviewed Dr. Waldman,
she suggested stopping medication for 48 hours if adverse side effects
are suspected to determine if it's pain or the medication.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Well, the Tramadol is definitely a problem. Late this afternoon, he started to have some pain symptoms (yawning, licking his lips and wouldn't sit on his sore little butt). Not having anything else to give him, we gave him a reduced Tram dose and before long he was panting and shaking like a leaf. Which is how he acts when he's in a lot of pain. Except an ice pack did nothing to relieve this.
It lasted about 2 hours and now he's just laying under the dining room table exhausted and no interest in eating.
Not quite sure how we will handle tomorrow but Monday morning, we're definitely getting something else for his pain. I was hoping the Rimadyl would be enough but I guess not.
http://tate.tripawds.com/
August 16, 2006 to November 28, 2011
TATE ~ Forever in our hearts.
Sorry, I wasn't on yesterday and just saw this. Dakota did not have Tramadol problems. In fact, he's back on it for 2 weeks to try to get relief for his sore and swollen knee. It just makes him sleep a bit more, but since he's supposed to be resting the leg, it's ok.
Dakota does lay around and lick everything, but that's just his anxiety and OCD. It doesn't have anything to do with pain.
As for time frame that others have mentioned for pain meds, I began weaning Dakota on about day 10 and he had none after day 12. So that seems about right along with everyone's experience.
I will give you this caveat, though: Tate had a radical surgery. He lost half his pelvis. That had to hurt like hell. And we have no idea what that feels like, as the remaining bone and muscles "settle" around the surgical site. It appears that he is still in pain, and it should be dealt with. Tramadol may not be something he can take, but good grief--these are professionals. They have alternatives. I imagine if someone sawed my pelvis in half, I'd still be wanting pain meds after 11 days. And I'd be saying bad words till I got them.
And Tazzie, Dakota was on an antibiotic for about 2 weeks or so before surgery for another issue, and he took it for 4 weeks. I was told that antibiotics are not typically given after amputation, and that the infection rate is well below 5%. But he had a stubborn infection that had resisted treatment before, so they shot it with both barrels and it just coincided with surgery.
Shari
From abandoned puppy to Tripawd Warrior Dude, Dakota became one of the 2011 February Furballs due to STS. Our incredibly sweet friend lived with grace and dignity till he impulsively raced over the Bridge on 12-15-12.
Dakota's thoughtful and erudite blog is at http://shari.tr.....pawds.com/
In "the old dog days", maybe a dog-century or so ago when I was a newbie tripawd in late-July 2009, there seemed to be prolonged discussions of tramadol and the tradeoffs between seeing pink elephants, panting and shaking vs being in pain. Reports of pants and shakes were common. I seem to recall someone saying (and I think it was an informed source, but don't ask me now) pants and shakes were worse as one dose wears off, before giving the other. I don't think Tazzie had problems like yours, but they were enough that I decided to take Tazzie off of it, but soon opted to use it again.
Gabapentin does require one to withdraw gradually if you are on it for long. But on the bright side, I know of at least one dog - tripawd Oslo - who used it for a really long time and it sounds as though it was well tolerated. Certainly it is the drug we turned to in the last two weeks when Tazzie's met pain became too great for low levels of tramadol. We used Gabapentin during the day and a combination of tramadol and Gab at night. That was because he was still coordinated and alert on gabapentin (a handy thing when romping at the dog park) but sleepier at night. On tramadol, he
tended to stumble.
Lots of us amputees were given a combo of tramadol throughout the day and a NSAID like metacam once per day. The NSAID alone would not be enough for the amputation level of pain, at least not during the first week or so.
It was something from Toby's post that reminded me of Tate. It seemed his licking and concerns were much earlier than Dakota's.
DakotaDawg - Four weeks of antibiotics! Holy Dog. Is he off them now?
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