TRIPAWDS: Home to 22971 Members and 2152 Blogs.
HOME » NEWS » BLOGS » FORUMS » CHAT » YOUR PRIVACY » RANDOM BLOG

Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat

Tripawds is your home to learn how to care for a three legged dog or cat, with answers about dog leg amputation, and cat amputation recovery from many years of member experiences.

JUMP TO FORUMS

Join The Tripawds Community

Learn how to help three legged dogs and cats in the forums below. Browse and search as a guest or register for free and get full member benefits:

Instant post approval.

Private messages to members.

Subscribe to favorite topics.

Live Chat and much more!

Please consider registering
Guest
Search
Forum Scope


Match



Forum Options



Minimum search word length is 3 characters - maximum search word length is 84 characters
Register Lost password?
sp_Feed sp_PrintTopic sp_TopicIcon-c
Tremor and spasm
sp_NewTopic Add Topic
Montréal , Canada
Member Since:
31 July 2009
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
1
12 August 2009 - 9:07 am
sp_Permalink sp_Print sp_EditHistory sp_QuotePost

Hi everyone!

First, I want to thank everyone here.  Your site had helped us a lot for the last 3 weeks, when my husband and I  learned that our dog had bone cancer in his front-left leg. Oslo, our 8-years-old newfoundland had his leg removed 12 days ago.  Up to yesterday, we tought he was recovering pretty well. But then he started tremoring and having spasmes.  It seems to be really painful and he is yelping. We went to the vet with him yesterday night, but they could not find anything wrong. So we tought it was not a major problem.  Today, the tremoring/spasming is not resolved and Oslo seems in pain all the time.  So we do not know what to do. Sad

Has anyone's dog ever encountered the same issue?  

Thank's a lot for your support

Suzanne

On The Road


Member Since:
24 September 2009
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
2
12 August 2009 - 9:56 am
sp_Permalink sp_Print sp_QuotePost

Thank you for the kind comments, glad you find the site helpful! Sorry to hear about Oslo's setback, but I'm certain it is temporary. If you don't hear from TazzieDog, consider getting her professional opinion in the Ask A Vet forum.

Perhaps the spasms may be related to phantom pain . Check out this post with suggestions for treating phantom limb pain in dogs. A warm compress has been known to help with healing too. The Bella's Pain Relief Pack is a great, safe heating pad for dogs if you think that might help.

Thanks for the update and best wishes...

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet


Member Since:
22 August 2008
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
3
12 August 2009 - 10:20 am
sp_Permalink sp_Print sp_QuotePost

I would try gabapentin for phantom pain .  Some dogs need this medication for up to 3 weeks post-op.  My Mastiff Tazzie still tremors a lot in her rear legs when she is laying down but it is not painful.  I think the giant breeds do have it a little harder with muscle recovery but most do just fine!

Pam and Tazzie

Montréal , Canada
Member Since:
31 July 2009
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
4
12 August 2009 - 11:28 am
sp_Permalink sp_Print sp_QuotePost

Thank's to both of you!  Great advices. I put a warm compress on his left shoulder and it seemed to help him.  We'll talk to our vet about gabapentin then

Suzanne

Kirkland, WA
Member Since:
2 June 2009
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
5
12 August 2009 - 12:56 pm
sp_Permalink sp_Print sp_QuotePost

My dog didn't have pain symptoms until about 3-4 days after surgery.  His surgeon put him on gabapentin for phantom pain and he's been great ever since!

Member Since:
26 November 2008
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
6
12 August 2009 - 6:05 pm
sp_Permalink sp_Print sp_QuotePost

Oslo and Suzanne,

We are very sorry to hear of this setback. Unfortunately, all we can contribute to this discussion is moral support. Cherry did suffer tremoring and having spasmes but her condition occured from the start, got worse for a few days, and disappeared as soon as we removed the pain killers. As you can see, each one of these precious companions respond differently but it appears that you have a plan of action. We sincerely hope that your vet will be able to help.

Keep us posted and all the positive thought we can send from Northern California

Bob & Cherry

Winnipeg
Member Since:
13 July 2009
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
7
13 August 2009 - 8:28 pm
sp_Permalink sp_Print sp_QuotePost

This is probably a ridiculously simplistic idea, but Tazzie seemed far more comfortable as long as he had a cloth touching his incision site. Usually that was a t-shirt and sometimes the terry cloth towel we used for a sling. He started to pant and seemed uncomfortable if the skin was bare.

Harrisonburg, Va
Member Since:
29 July 2009
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
8
14 August 2009 - 6:44 am
sp_Permalink sp_Print sp_QuotePost

I'm glad the warm compress seems to help.  It's about 4 days since my dog had the surgery and he tremored for a while yesterday.  The specialist thought it might be the nausea or pain causing it.  She didn't seem too concerned.  I think everyone on here as well as the doctors agree that it's something that will pass.  Hope your little boy, er big boy, isn't bothered with it much longer.  Hugs to him. 

Montréal , Canada
Member Since:
31 July 2009
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
9
20 August 2009 - 7:46 am
sp_Permalink sp_Print sp_EditHistory sp_QuotePost

Hi everyone.

just to let you know that the next post will be written by my husband (using my account. His name is Marc-Andre). We are both french canadian but he does a lot better than me in englishEmbarassed I want him to talk to you because more than a week later, Oslo is still in pain with tremors and spasms and we do not know what to do. The pain is way more frequent and worse. (spasm + crying every 15-30 minutes) My husband will be better than myself to talk about symptoms and meds.  Our vet does not think it is phantom pain …so Oslo is not on gabapentin. We are kind of exhausted and only want to help Oslo being comfortable.Besides this pain, I think Oslo is doing pretty good (eating well, walking, playing etc)

Thank's a lot for your support.

Suzanne


Member Since:
20 August 2009
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
10
20 August 2009 - 8:43 am
sp_Permalink sp_Print sp_QuotePost

Hello everyone,

I am Suzanne's husband and Oslo's daddy.

Here is a summary of where things stand with Oslo Today:

-20 days post-op

-On rimadyl 137.5 mg B.I.D. since day two post-op and still on it.

-No pain symptoms until day 8 or 9 post-op. It started as spasms and yelping a few (5-10) times a day

-around day 13-14 we went to the clinic because pain was  intensifying (longer spasms and louder yelping). Our regular vet wa son vacation and the other vet was reluctant to change the medication before our next rendez-vous scheduled for day 17

-Our regular vet added tramadol 75 mg B.I.D on day 17 and he has been on it since then.

-Pain is now more frequent and stronger (every 15 min or so).

-We contacted the vet this morning and he wants to confer with a reference specialist before suggesting any change

At this point, I am wondering the following (Tazziedog, I would particularly appreciate your thoughts on this):

-Would it be a good idea to increase tramadol to 100 mg T.I.D. since the orginal dosage seems much lower than standard guidelines?

-Should we and could we add gabapentin to the mix?

-is there anything else we could try?

Any comments from anyone will be appreciated.

P.S.:

Thanks a LOT to all of you. This site and forum have been and continue to be sources of comfort, courage and support that is simply not on a mesurable scale.

Marc-Andre a.k.a oslodaddy

On The Road


Member Since:
24 September 2009
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
11
20 August 2009 - 9:10 am
sp_Permalink sp_Print sp_QuotePost

Hi Marc-Andre,

We're so sorry to hear Oslo is still having pain issues. I hesitate to add any kind of medication advice here because we aren't vets, but it does seem like an awfully long time for him to still be on so much painkillers. Your vet sounds good, judging by the fact that he's contacting a specialist. Put some pressure on him to hurry that along, and you'll probably have some answers within a day.

Meanwhile, a good hot pack and doggie massage may help. Good luck, keep us posted.

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

Kirkland, WA
Member Since:
2 June 2009
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
12
20 August 2009 - 11:28 am
sp_Permalink sp_Print sp_QuotePost

You could ask your vet about switching to gabapentin.  Jack had the same symptoms with screaming and shaking, and continued them while on bed rest at the surgeon (he was too active at home).  The gabapentin got rid of the symptoms.  Why does your doctor think it's not phantom pain ?  Just curious 🙂  Hope Oslo gets to feeling better soon because it's sooooo hard to see our little guys in pain 🙁

Cordoba, Argentina
Member Since:
20 August 2009
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
13
20 August 2009 - 12:36 pm
sp_Permalink sp_Print sp_QuotePost

Hello everyone,

i'm sorry, i'm completely new to this forum thing, so please be patient. My Horacia (beautiful great dane) has had an amputation of her left foreleg on wednesday aug 13th after osteosarcoma diagnosis. We are experiencing some problemns now with tremor and stiffness in her hind legs. she came back home from surgery on saturday and sunday was wonderful with her hopping all over the place. Monday she had a fever and wouldn't move much, then tuesday the temperature was normal again but although she is attentive, she doesn't want to move very much. She eats and drinks well, getting up is no issue, but moving is and i have the feeling that she is getting stiffer.. She is on tramadol 75 (3 pills a day) and rymadyl 2 pills a day. Can anybody tell me is this stiffness normal and how do we get rid of it? should i encourage her to move or just let her be?

Thank you for your thoughts!

Cecilia

Spirit Horacia, Castaño, Olympia + human family Cecilia, Georg and Julia - - - Hori first diagnosed 8/6/09, ampu 8/12/09, run over the bridge 9/10/09 – We miss you every day dear girl!

Winnipeg
Member Since:
13 July 2009
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
14
20 August 2009 - 12:37 pm
sp_Permalink sp_Print sp_QuotePost

Hello Oslo's mom and dad

Sorry to hear that Oslo is still having a lot of pain. I can't find the location of the pain from your posts - does it seem to be at the surgery site and is that where the tremors are? If not, do you or the vet know where the pain is (hind leg, back, fore leg)? I assume a vet, preferably an orthopedic vet, checked him out from nose to toe for possible problems.

A newfie dog - cool

Where do you live? I ask since I'm in Winnipeg (or will be as of this weekend)

Susan and Tazzie 2 (note - This is a different Tazzie than tazziedog the vet)

Winnipeg
Member Since:
13 July 2009
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
15
20 August 2009 - 12:48 pm
sp_Permalink sp_Print sp_QuotePost

Hi Horacia

My dog, Tazzie 2 (Tazzie 1 is the very famous mastiff on this website), is one month before you, with amp on July 15. At 32 kg, an 8 yr pyrenees x collie cross, he is much smaller than a dane. Like Horacia, he bounded out of the vet clinic and the vet was certain it would be hard to hold him back. Not exactly the way things went.

For the next two weeks, he mostly lay around, although he did seem reasonably alert (days 3-5 were the worst for bruising pain).  When he stood, he was hunched into a curve with tail curled under to his tummy - a posture that normally means he is in pain or depressed (at the vet) and did not want to walk.

He started to come out of this in the 3rd week, probably partly due to less pain med (he was not on very strong meds) but mostly it seemed that he needed to learn to walk. He experimented with a few gaits - drawing enormous curiosity from the vet who had not seen these gaits - but now seems to have mostly accepted the tripawd hop. Thank goodness - we were not getting anywhere when he was walking on 3 legs, keeping one foot on the ground at all times.

In any case, the back posture and tail position are more relaxed, he will hop or run a few hundred yards, and he does not have the stiffness that made me think he might be in pain. At that time, the vets kept poking to see if he was in pain, but could not find anything. Maybe Horacia will need to go through some of this process.

I think Tazzie still needs to develop better muscles for 3-legged life, but it is coming along.

Susan & T2

Forum Timezone: America/Denver
Most Users Ever Online: 946
Currently Online: jerry
Guest(s) 215
Currently Browsing this Page:
1 Guest(s)
Member Stats:
Guest Posters: 1268
Members: 17734
Moderators: 6
Admins: 3
Forum Stats:
Groups: 4
Forums: 24
Topics: 18610
Posts: 256804
Administrators: admin, jerry, Tripawds
Tripawds is brought to you by Tripawds.
HOME » NEWS » BLOGS » FORUMS » CHAT » YOUR PRIVACY » RANDOM BLOG