Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Frankie is a pretty active dog. Normally he's the jumper that destroys your dress.
I know I have to be patient but do you guys have any tips to lift his spirits? We have be praising him for every little hop and sticking by his side through the night but he is SAD.
Also, he has not pee peed or pooped since he got home. He hops 3 steps then he drops. What can I do?
Last night was night one and there was lots of whining and panting. Maybe it is the tramatol?
His staples are looking good and there has been zero oozing.
I want to say hello and tell you Frankie sounds like he is doing amazingly well considering what he just went through. I have read tramadol can be a big "doggie downer" for some pups, removing their personalities and making them pant.
His whining and panting bring up the red flag of possible phantom pain . Is Frankie on Gabapentin too? That really helped my boy when he experienced phantom pain . Does his shoulder area twitch or is he looking at the area where his leg was?
It takes a little time for them to figure out how to do a potty break now that they have less stability, and are on heavy pain meds. I would suggest taking him outside by his favorite potty area and just hanging out for a while. No pressure on time. Do you have another dog in the family that he can watch go potty? That helped Sammy, he finally got it down. The first time he peed he ended up having to pee like a girl dog, and for quite some time afterwards until he found he could prop himself up on big bushes and boy pee.
I would suggest contacting the vet and letting them know he hasn't yet relieved his bladder. They should be kept up to date on that. Also, read Spencers story, he went through the same thing! I think his user name is justjac...
I am sure others will chime in with words of wisdom,
Elizabeth and Sammy
Diagnosed with osteosarcoma in the right front leg 8/23/10,
leg fractured 8/27/10,
leg amputated 8/30/10
http://sammyand.....pawds.com/
I couldn't begin to say how special Sammy is to us. Living and laughing with and loving this wonderful boy is priceless.
it's not uncommon to take a few days for the pee and poop...but it will come. the first two weeks are hell weeks. think of the major surgery that frankie just endured - ugh, and then the meds. tramadol is what is prescribed alot, but it really, really made gayle wacky. she would pant, whine, be 'edgy'...it is bad dope. stay strong, nap when frankie naps, and know it will get better. are you helping 'hop' with a sling? he will just take a little time to get his 'sea legs' and soon he'll get his mobility back. but, again, the drugs are wicked, and until he's off of them it's gonna be a challenge. paws crossed for speedy recovery and a nice, long peeeeeeeee.
charon & gayle
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
Each and every one adjusts at their own rate. If he is dropping after a few steps, you may want to give him some assistance for a day or two until he figures it all out. We used a towel sling for Trouble, but it just wasn't quite long enough to be comfortable for us, so I took a long sleeve shirt and folded it so the shirt body made a sling and the sleeves were nice long handles. We only had to use it a few days before Trouble was moving about on her own.
The tramadol does have some negative effects on some dogs. Could be the reason for the panting and whining. If you are feeling the least bit uncomfortable, call your vet. We pay them to give us guidance and reassurance.
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.
Hi … my big 4 year old greyhound boy Rowan is 18 days post amputation, and he whined and panted a LOT at first. He was on tramadol and metacam, and I honestly think that he was stoned* out of his tiny head … and part of this was the horrible shock he seemed to get every time he awoke and tried to stand, he was springing around like a bucking pony! I seriously think he forgot he'd lost the leg … but now I believe he's forgotten he ever had it.
The side effects of the meds is a shame, but it is only pre tem, and of course, it's all about taking the pain away. I can't say he ever suffered from phantom limb pain .. he never showed any signs such as licking where his leg would have been for example. But do check with your vet if you are seriously worried. Or ask about varying the times you dose him? I ended up giving the metacam and a tramadol at bed time.
I had severe sleep deprivation for the first couple of weeks (I slept on a inflatable bed by his side) but once the staples were out on day 13 and we could reduce his meds, he has come on more than I would have believed. I too was told by folk on this site, "Stay calm and hang on in, it WILL get better!", but I didn't, couldn't, quite believe it, he seemed so down. And he held onto the contents of his bladder until the 23rd hour for the first few days … now he is going out to toilet just as much and as easily as he did pre amp. He's as waggy and happy as he was before the problem with his leg started … he must've been in considerable discomfort for some time, but dogs don't always show they are suffering, they try to maintain their spot in the pack.
Just believe that he will come through this and so will you. In a couple of weeks time this will all seem like a bad dream, and you'll have your bouncy boy back, ruining your clothes. My son came down from London yesterday … the first time he's seen Rowan since the amputation … Rowan was leaping up and turning in joyful circles as much as ever he did.
*A friend I spoke with admitted she'd once taken one tramadol when she was feeling under the weather at work one day (she worked in a family doctor's surgery) … and had to be taken home, singing!
We have a great sling for him but his staples go pretty far down his body. He is kind of a short trunked lab. When i put the sling around him it is clear that I will be jamming the staples up in his body.
I think the anesthesia was part of the problem last night.
Still no pee. We have no other dog to teach him. They did give him a shot for nerve endings to avoid phantom pain .
Less crying today - just sad and no pee pee.
He did hop 4 feet to greet my husband. That was something.
The no poo thing is pretty standard. I think some dogs go four or five days post amp before they get down to bizness. The no peeing thing is a bit more concerning. Hopefully he'll go today.
As for cheering him up, the ONLY thing that cheered Abby up post surgery was visits from my friends and family. She would wag her tail and smile for them - but not so for Mike and I. With us she was depressed as hell. She would go off in the yard and hide under our big potted plant. Could have been the tramadol, or just the pain.
If you want to compare how he is with what we experienced with Abby the first couple of weeks, you could look at the early entries (Oct/Nov last year) in my 'detailed blog' in my sig.
As everyone said, it gets better. Hang in there!
Jackie, Abby's mom
Abby: Aug 1, 2009 – Jan 10, 2012. Our beautiful rescue pup lived LARGE with osteosarcoma for 15 months – half her way-too-short life. I think our "halflistic" approach (mixing traditional meds + supplements) helped her thrive. (PM me for details. I'm happy to help.) She had lung mets for over a year. They took her from us in the end, but they cannot take her spirit! She will live forever in our hearts. She loved the beach and giving kisses and going to In-N-Out for a Flying Dutchman. Tripawds blog, and a more detailed blog here. Please also check out my novel, What the Dog Ate. Now also in paperback! Purchase it at Amazon via Tripawds and help support Tripawds!
Maggie took 5 or 6 days before she pooped. I don't remember when the first pee was.
And she was not a happy pug for 3 or 4 weeks, maybe longer. It got to the point, especially the first couple of weeks, that I was sure I had done the wrong thing by choosing amputation (Tripawds wasn't here yet to give me advice!). But she was an obstinate pug who took her time adapting. She eventually came back to the happy pug she had always been. Like hugapitbull said- they all heal at their own rate.
Maggie did not tolerate tramadol well- it made her agitated and she did not sleep well. I didn't think to ask my vet then to try something else. She was better after the sutures came out and she was off the drugs. She still didn't seem happy to me for awhile, but she did get there.
Always call your vet when you get really concerned.
And take note of each of those little victories- like hopping to meet your husband. There will be more of them as time passes!
Karen and the pugapalooza
Many people wait wait days for their dogs to do their doody. Panting and whining are common side effects of Tramadol. The best advice is to be strong and Frankie will follow your lead. As Dr Waldman from CARE says, if you want life to be normal, you must act as though it is. Oftentimes recovering dogs are much more bored than they are sad. For an active dog like Frankie, consider these treats and toys for keeping recovering dogs entertained for hours.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Aww Frankie, you'll be back to yourself in no time, I just know it!
Have you peed yet? If not, you may want to give the phone to your mom so she can call the vet. Not going poo is normal, and not going pee happens a lot for the first day or so, but anything longer and you should tell the vet. Sometimes a little help from the vet gets things going, it's happened to other Tripawds and they were fine afterward.
Sounds like you've definitely got the post amputation blues. No worries, though, lots of us go through it and it's mostly due to the pain meds they dope us up with. Watch, in a week, you'll be soooo much better. After two weeks, watch out!
Now Mom, be strong. You know, do the pack leader thing and watch how Frankie responds. if you believe he will bounce back, so will he. I know it's so so hard to put yourself in that mindset, but you can do it!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thank you guys! Frankie did pee- no poop yet.
He is still kinda blue but it comes and goes. It really is the meds. He is himself for an hour before med time then BAMN - we dose him. Sucks.
I am going to look at the treats and toys now. I'll take him for a car ride tonight. He likes that.
He is looking where his legs was but not often and ONLY when I life his bandage to check it.
Is that ok?
Hi Frankie,
My 5 year old Irish Wolfhound, Fergus, had his right rear leg amputated last Thursday, Sept. 22nd. His first night was terrible. He was very agitated and panted constantly. He was on a fentanyl patch for the first 72 hours. His second day, he finally took a few naps but they weren't very restful. They were, however, restful enough for him to pee himself while he slept...twice! He actually got better when he switched to Tramadol. I think it is because he became more used to the feeling of being loopy. Fergus did not poop until Wednesday, almost a week. The vet said the meds caused constipation and I think he wasn't sure how to stand to accomplish the deed. Now he has no problem.
I was extremely overwhelmed when we started this journey last week. I was questioning the decision of amputating his leg wondering if we had made the right decision. I can say after 9 days, I know it was. Every day things get better and he seems more confident and happy. Up until yesterday we were still assisting him quite a bit with a sling (a beach towel). As of today we only sling him when he goes up the ramp to get back inside after taking care of business. He got a few rug burns on the ramp when he tried without help. Today he took a 1/4 mile walk without a sling and without lying down. We were both very excited. He is currently sleeping it off with his three legs up in the air.
The only issue we are having is the incision is still leaking. He went back to the vet today to have a few more staples added and to close a puncture wound he got when he broke the cone. They said everything looked great.
This website has been an invaluable tool for answers and encouragement. Everyone told me things would get better for all of us, and they do. Celebrate every step he takes and before you know it, he'll be running around the yard.
Take care of yourself,
Tara and Fergus
Wow thank you for telling me about what to expect.
Frankie is sleeping right now. He struggles for an hour before he gives in. So far his longest stretch of sleep has been about 4 hours.
He's had no blood or fluids ooze out but he is aggravated you can tell.
I forgot to mention, every night after the first he slept well. Usually 6/7 hours with a few changes of position. I hope you get a good nights sleep tonight!
Had to bring frankie back to the vet. His bandage fell apart. The good news is that he has done pee and poop! We are proud.
Here is a questions. I have the next week or so figured out with work, but after that we in a grey area.
How soon did you leave your dog alone? What are chemo days like?
Should I plan to bring him to work those days if they let me?
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