Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hi all,
Last I posted, Peanut was doing great 3 months after surgery. Her last xrays showed no lung mets, and those were taken last weekend.
For the past few days, however, she's been very... off (for lack of a better word). She's been hacking just a bit, but a dry hack. Her eyes have been a bit goopy. She's been sleeping a lot more than usual. She's been a bit more picky about eating (she's always been a picky eater, even before the cancer). And she's been whining a bit.
Before she started all of these symptoms, she had a really good run at the golf course, in the snow. I thought maybe she over did it and wore herself out. Then I thought maybe she got a bacterial or viral infection (something like a cold or flu).
So I've just been keeping her comfortable and warm. I've only taken her out for short potty breaks. And I've been mixing warm chicken broth in with her usual food. I've been hovering over her, just to keep an eye on her most of the time. When she whines, I lay with her and it subsides.
This afternoon, as we were going out for another potty break, she fell while hopping down our front 3 steps. She just laid on the ground for a few minutes while I calmly pet and talked to her. Then she got up, hopped over to pee on the snow-covered grass, and hopped back inside. I don't know if she collapsed because something's wrong, or if she slipped a bit on the steps.
She has a vet appointment tomorrow morning. That was the earliest they could do. I'm not sure what to expect, but I'll find out soon enough. We'll tackle whatever is wrong when we know more. I'm just hoping it's something simple and treatable.
I'm not freaking out, so don't worry about me. But I am asking you to keep Peanut in your thoughts.
I'll update more after her appointment.
Thanks, everyone.
-Melanie
~*~*~ Peanut is strength, love, and happiness. ~*~*~ 11/30/03 – 12/26/09
Best wishes Melanie, we hope all is well with Peanut and look forward to hearing the outcome of your vet visit.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I hope that Peanut's vet visit goes well. Most likely she just overdid it. Did her heart look okay on her xrays? Sometimes these giant dogs can have heart issues so make sure that they check that out. Maybe she just pulled a muscle and needs some pain meds. Please keep us updated.
Pam
I do not remember if you mentionned this before Melanie but is Peanut on chemo? Did you try to take her temperature?
Best of luck for tomorrow
Suzanne
We're just chiming in to say we're thinking of you and hoping that all Peanut did was overdo it a little bit. Zeus would lose his balance occasionally and just have an off day...it does happen and hopefully that's what is going on here.
Keep us all posted ~ you are in our thoughts and prayers.
Love Heather and Spirit Zeus
Heather and Spirit Zeus - Our life changing journey…from the earth to the heavens…one day at a time…always together
Melanie,
Sorry to hear that Peanut is a little "off". I hope that she just over did it running on the golf course. Please post and let us know what the vet says. It is hard not to worry about everything that happens but chances are that things will be okay. Give Peanut a big hug from me.
Debra & Angel Emily
Debra & Emily, a five year old doberman mix, who was diagnosed with an osteosaecoma. She had a right rear leg amputation on May 19, 2009. On November 10, 2009 she earned her wings and regained her fourth leg.
Peanut, we are sending good thoughts and prayers your way, please let us know how the vist with the vet goes.
Shelby, the P.P.
Good thoughts from us as well. Will be hoping for great news from the vet visit.
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.
Melanie and Peanut,
We want to extend our pawsitive thoughts as well. I would have to agree with Pam and like Suzanne, I do not remember if Peanut underwent chemotherapy. After her chemotherapy was complete, Cherry showed steady improvement until she hit the 3½ month mark. At that time, she had her worst down turn with extreme diarea, bloating, refused food, and was very unsteady on her feet. It was only a "bug" but it took her almost six weeks to fully recover. That was March and since then she has had two more times when she caught a "bug" but each time it took less than a week to recover. Point here is that my experience is that TriPawds that have undergone the kind of aggressive chemotherapy that Cherry had, do appear to have a weakened imune system and can be vulnerable. This is why we ask. You are right to be concerned and to schedule a vet visit, but it is most likely something more in line with over-doing-it. Remain positive, get some sleep, and keep us posted.
Paws Crossed and Sending Pawsitive Thoughts,
Bob & Cherry
Hi Melanie,
Hoping that everything goes well with Peanut's vet visit tomorrow... Maybe Peanut just overdid things the day before...
Sending lots of good thoughts and prayers for you and Peanut!!!
Angel Jake's Mom
Jake, 10yr old golden retriever (fractured his front right leg on 9/1, bone biopsy revealed osteosarcoma on 9/10, amputation on 9/17) and his family Marguerite, Jacques and Wolfie, 5yr old german shepherd and the newest addition to the family, Nala, a 7mth old Bengal mix kittie. Jake lost his battle on 11/9/2009, almost 8 weeks after his surgery. We will never forget our sweet golden angel… http://jakesjou.....ipawds.com ….. CANCER SUCKS!
Dear Melanie: We just wanted to let you know we are sending you and Peanut good,healing thoughts. She's so beautiful and it was great to hear she's been doing well the past few months. A few weeks ago I brought Romeo in because he seemed "off" for a few days----of course the morning of the vet visit he was full of energy, jumping up on his hind legs and kissing all the vet techs! Hopefully Peanut will bounce back too.
It's so good to see another New England Tripawds friend! We thought we might be the only ones! Where do you live? We are in New Haven, CT but our hearts are in Vermont (originally from there). We would love to have a Tripawd New England get together someday---those Northen California Tripawds have all the fun!
Eve and Romeo
Thanks, everyone. I'm getting ready for bed and figured I'd check in here first. I appreciate all the well wishes.
Peanut is not on chemo.
I took her out for her bedtime potty, and she again fell going down the front 3 steps. She laid there for just a minute, then got up and did her business. She also had a lot of trouble getting up onto the couch. It was difficult for her to bear weight on her front leg. She's been whining/crying a lot more tonight.
I sat with her for a while and took a hands on approach to her entire body, just to see if I could determine if the source of her pain was, indeed, somewhere on her body. Possibly a strain or sprain, I was thinking. I noticed her front right leg seems to be swollen, near the ankle area. This was the same area her original tumor presented on her left leg, before we had it amputated. And this swelling seemed to occur rather suddenly, like before.
I seem to recall that the incidence rate of another tumor appearing in the remaining leg is extremely low. But I can't help but notice similarities to how it all happened before. Of course, I'm still crossing my fingers that it's a sprain or strain. I'm not stressing about it all just yet. We'll figure it out tomorrow morning and go from there.
Thanks, again, everyone! I'll keep you all posted.
PS: Eve, I'm in VT, near the Killington area (Rutland, to be precise). I'm sure you're familiar with the area if you're originally from VT. I've noticed that the west coast tripawds are much more numerous. I was beginning to think Peanut was the only one around here!
~*~*~ Peanut is strength, love, and happiness. ~*~*~ 11/30/03 – 12/26/09
Peanut
We do hope you get better news at the vet than what you are thinking tonight. In the meantime, we hope you and your mum get a good night sleep.
One dog on this website, Timber, had tumors in both front legs. He received radiation and pamidronate every few months to alleviate the pain and reduce tumor growth, and had 9 good months from that treatment. Because both tumors were present at the beginning, they did not amputate.
We will be thinking of you tomorrow,
Susan
Melanie,
Sending you positive thoughts and prayers from Oregon. I hope that things go well for Peanut tomorrow. I know how tough it is to wait and wonder so my thoughts are with you as well. Give Peanut a big ol' ear rub from me, and keep us posted.
I wish you the best.
Alisa
Shilo diagnosed with osteosarcoma 9/4/2009, amputation 9/9/2009. ShiloAnne lost her battle 11/23/2009 where she regained her fourth leg and is patiently waiting for her parents to join her. We will always love you baby girl.
Oh we know how hard it is to cope with any sort of change in health that looks like it's not too good.
Hang in there. All of us are sending lots of love to Peanut and hope that this is just a case of the blahs. Let us know what the vet says.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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