Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Titus came home last night! 
He's alot perkier and alert now that he's home, there's still some dripping and seeping but its been more controllable. He doesn't have problems hopping out to relieve himself with (some help standing up), but charges indoors and slumps on the gound like he's used all of his might.
Thanks Diane for the feeding tip, Ive been giving him fresh cooked chicken and ground beef now and then, but still needs to be hand-fed. His appetite has definitely improved since coming home, I wonder when he will start eating on his own.
The vet said we cant bandage the wound cos of its location, cos he had his left hind leg removed. The slightest pressure at the lowest point of the wound, where most of the drainage is accumulated drives Titus berserk. He jumps when i clean his wound gently, and wouldnt let me touch him. He's fine with the other parts though.
Regarding the chemo plan, we'll just have to wait til we hear from the specialists, oh, and Bev, they are called the Cancer Treatment Unit. Have you heard of them?
Thank you all for the encouragement, you guys have been awesome!
xx,
Carol & Titus
"A dog is the only thing in the world that loves you more than he loves himself."
OSA in left hind leg–30 August 2008. Ampuversary–4 October 2008.
Titus earned his wings on 15th July 2010.
He is dearly missed and our love lives on.
Hi Carol and Titus,
After reading your last post, I realized that you are now in a much better place and seem far more confident. This is good news for you and Titus. I bet Titus is going to heal very well from the surgery as you get stronger.
All love
Hi Carol,
I am so glad to hear that Titus is home- for both of you!! Also really good to hear he is perkier already. He sounds like a sweetheart- good luck with everything, and please keep us posted, both in general and on the chemo protocol questions as well (that last one is somewhat selfish on my part, as I'm also wondering about options for Sophie).
🙂
Christine & Sophie
Hi Carol - you got some great information and advice here. Zeus is a front right amputation and luckily, we didn't have any drainage issues and we were able to keep a bandage on it for about 10 days.
We did carboplatin; 4 treatments every 3 weeks. Then we did 2 treatments of pamidrinite each a month apart to help strengthen the other bones. I have not heard of 10 treatments, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't help...I would just question how his immune system would be compromised. Zeus had 2 mild infections during chemo that were easily taken care of with antibiotics...so when you meet with your oncologist next week maybe ask about the effects on the immune system and what you can do to keep it strong while doing chemo.
Zeus needs to be on a special food for another issue he has, but I add lots of vegetables (NO CARROTS - bad for them...good for the cancer) and cottage cheese and occasionally some chicken. He is 6 months post op and doing really, really well.
I am so thrilled that Titus is home with you - truly there is no better place for him to be than with you. He will continue to get stronger over the next 2 weeks...just wait and watch 🙂
Keep us posted on how you guys are doing,
Much love...
Heather and Zeus
Heather and Spirit Zeus - Our life changing journey…from the earth to the heavens…one day at a time…always together
Carol & Titus,
When Buster first came home from surgery he refused to eat. I knew he couldn't resist homemade chicken & broth. I had to hand feed him for several weeks and syringe the broth into his mouth very carefully ( not to aspirate) . I tried to make him as comfortable as possible, ie his bed in the kitchen , so he wouldn't have to go out to far to relieve himself. I even slept on the floor with him for awhile. As a result of all the meds he was very constipated! I tried everything to help him. What worked for us and you may have heard this before is pure canned pumpkin. NOT pie mix. The pumpkin is a natural regulator and may also improve his immune system. I've also heard of canned tuna in oil and even as a last resort mineral oil. I still add the pumpkin to his regular feed daily.
When the oozing stops , a warm compress NOT wet. To prevent neuroma (nerve swelling) & seroma (fluid pocket). Buster found the compress to be very soothing and till this day after a long walk he loves his Bella compress on his achy joints and back.
Get well soon ,
PS Lot's of love also speeds up the healing process. After recovery of surgery there are pre-made raw diets out there, such as Jeni's or primal. I would recommend a homeopathic or holistic vet to assist you with Titus's nutritional needs ...
Kim&Buster
Kim & Angel Buster
"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened."
–Anatole France
Zeus said:
Zeus needs to be on a special food for another issue he has, but I add lots of vegetables (NO CARROTS - bad for them…good for the cancer) and cottage cheese and occasionally some chicken. He is 6 months post op and doing really, really well.
Heather, why is carrots no good? is it because they are high in glucose? Thanks.
Hi all, here's an update on Titus' condition. He was walking/hopping great but seems to rush just to go out to pee and poo, and rushes back in as in my earlier post.
Just last night he managed to squeeze past these two stools used for blocking the stairs at night, and made it upstairs TWICE! I got him back downstairs, but only noticed his wound was a large gaping hole.
A stitch in the middle of his 8-inch long wound came off, and there was a lot of white tissue with a little red watery liquid.Titus had been licking it dry so the whole area turned kinda white. I freaked out (it was a 2.25"x1" wide) and called the vet immediately. The vet suggested that i keep the area clean with saline and use a gel called Solcoserl. The last stitch closest to his bum area is also opening up and dripping blood. We are bringing him in tmr for a bloodtest and supposedly to remove his stitches. I am now worried it may open up more and the vet does not recommend covering it up. He said to leave it open but keeping it clean is key with the saline and gel.
Now, as much as i am not nervous dealing with blood and large wounds, i have to admit the sight of Titus' large opening makes me queasy. I try to keep calm when give him massages, but i cant help but appear anxious whenever he stands or attempts to lick at it. Can i also add that theres a thin black string coming out of his latest opening, the one by his bum? it must be a thread from the inside when they stitched his muscle tissues together.
Has anyone have experience with sutures coming off early? Should i try to at least clean it up once more, apply the gel and keep it covered with Duoderm? At least til we get to the vet tomorrow?
"A dog is the only thing in the world that loves you more than he loves himself."
OSA in left hind leg–30 August 2008. Ampuversary–4 October 2008.
Titus earned his wings on 15th July 2010.
He is dearly missed and our love lives on.
Hi Titus
The wound probably looks worse than it really is. I know I would be freaking out if the same had happened to one of mine. I haven't experienced this with my pups but have had issues with stitches coming out and a wound opening myself, once with a major dog bite when I was young and again after a c-section. Both times the doctors left the wounds open to drain and didn't put more stitches in them. On one of these occasions the would was left open and a drainage tube was put in place. Both times the key was "keep them clean" to avoid infection. I don't think cleaning the injury again would be anything but helpful. From these experiences I gathered that the wounds heal from inside out and if Titus is due to have his stitches removed then much of the internal healing is already done. Your vet can tell you for sure when you go in.
I would get a baby gate for your stairs. We have one and it keeps Radar from going upstairs to "visit" when one of us is up there. My hubby forgot to close the gate once and Radar had no problems making it to the top of the stairs but getting down was aother issue. He made it about half way down then fell the rest of the way. Thankfully he wasn't injured but now we are extra careful to make sure the gate is always closed.
Let us know how Titus' appointment goes.
Hugs
Connie & Radar
Stitches are quite a problem when you have a frisky pup like Titus. I've seen as assortment of gaping wounds as a result in my time, and all the dogs did very well after close supervision and treatment. It isn't a pretty sight to behold, so I can understand your nervousness. Connie and Radar's baby gate is a great idea...you might want to make a check-list of other "Tripawd Proofing" solutions that might come in handy, as it sounds like you've got an energizer Tripawd on your hands.
Looking forward to hearing your update.
Hi again,
Titus will be staying at the vet for the next few
days as they treat his open wound. When I brought him in, the opening
was twice as large as it was yesterday. I also noticed a slight
brownish discharge starting yesterday. The vet used a syringe and
flushed the whole cavity with a solution, dried it and applied
Solcoseryl.
I learnt that the skin around the wound had turned
white because there was no
blood supply to that area, therefore allowed bacteria to proliferate.
Our vet cut off the two big flaps of dead skin on either sides of the
sutures to expose more muscle tissue. I stood there holding Titus'
front legs and head and watched as my knees weakened. Titus behaved
well most of the time and stayed still except for a yelp. Our vet
explained that leaving it open to air dry is way better than keeping it
covered, just as long as we keep it clean.
Over the next few days, Titus may be stitched up again and have a drain put
in depending on how clean and well the area looks. I hope there won't
be any more infection as it will only delay his first chemo treatment
which was initially scheduled for this Thursday 🙁
Though i'll miss his goofiness at home, i am just relieved he is in good hands and on his way to recovery.
Thanks for the suggestions and sharing your experiences. I hope your tripawds are doing awesome!
xx,
Carol & Titus
"A dog is the only thing in the world that loves you more than he loves himself."
OSA in left hind leg–30 August 2008. Ampuversary–4 October 2008.
Titus earned his wings on 15th July 2010.
He is dearly missed and our love lives on.
Glad to hear your vet is on top of this. This is not the first we've heard of overly energetic pups irritating their operation site. Once Titus is over this hurdle he can start getting back to his old self but you may have to slow him down a bit for a couple weeks.
Hugs and hope he is back to recovery soon.
Connie & Radar
Regarding the chemo, Bonnie's treatment is basically the same as Darcy's mentioned earlier, Carboplatin then 21 days later, Doxorubacin, then 21 days later Carboplatin and then 21 days later Doxorubacin. Our vet is also recommending an additional two treatments IF Bonnie is up to it. I do not know how that will work since he has moved her up to every 14 days now. I will keep you posted.
One of my smartest purchases for Bonnie's post-surgery care was a hot/cold package from Bella's Pain Relief that is mentioned on this site. It is a thin gel pack, that does not stay cold for hours, so you have to put it back in the freezer. But the best thing about it is that it comes in a cover/envelope that has two velcro straps attached. It straps in place and stays put even when the dog moves. Bonnie loved it and I did too. It protected her stitches somewhat and I did not have to worry about her getting to her wound when I had it in place. The cover is washable and it really helps.
chris-bonnie
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