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.
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It has been six days! When will it stop. I called my vet. he said its normal, but its making me so sad.
I'm so sorry. Yes, it is very hard to hear our loved ones cry out like this. It's good you are in contact with your vet. Now, you say she's on Gabapentin, is this right? If so, this should make a big difference. Many dogs go through a couple of weeks of very uncomfortable sensations.
And if you suspect phantom limb pain, which is what it sounds like, you may want to check out this blog post for tips to help you alleviate the pain:
Phantom Limb Pain in Tripawd Dogs
Stay in contact with your vet. Did s/he give you a timeframe to assess whether or not to increase the medication, or decrease it? Remember, pain management is a fine line between too much medication and too little. She may be so doped up that the meds are making her anxious.
I hope she starts feeling more relaxed soon!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
kozaka44 said
It has been six days! When will it stop. I called my vet. he said its normal, but its making me so sad.
Give her lots of cuddles. What pain medication is she on?
Magnum: 30th May 2002 to 5th May 2012. Lost her back left leg to osteosarcoma on 5th Sep 2011. Lung mets found on 20th Mar 2012 but it was bone mets in the hip that ended her brave battle. Magnum's motto - "Dream as if you'll live for ever, live as if you'll die today" (James Dean). Loyal, loving, courageous and spirited to the end. My beloved heart dog, see her memoirs from Rainbow Bridge ...... http://princess.....pawds.com/
Sammy didn't whimper, but he did scream with imagined pain or confusion as he recovered. This happened when he stepped up or down or was jostled by his brother. It was horrible to hear and scared the heck out of us every time he did it. Luckily, it didn't last too long.
Each dog is different, but gabapentin (which I successfully take) seemed to make Sammy apathetic and confused. He recovered by leaps and bounds when we started to wean him from the pain meds.
Hang in there ... when you look back on the recovery it doesn't seem as bad as it seems now.
Best,
Beth and Spirit Smilin' Sammy
Smilin' Sammy, March 16, 2004 – Dec. 5, 2011
Golden retriever, diagnosed with osteosarcoma in September 2010 — right front leg amputated November 2010. He fought valiantly to stay with us; but a second diagnosis of osteosarcoma, this time in his left front leg, was more than our golden warrior could overcome. He loved his pack — and everyone else he met.
We loved him even more.
Thanks for the pennies, Sammy. They helped.
We are going thru the constant whimpering with dozer as he undergoes treatment for OSA in his right front leg. Which surprises me as we didn't have much problem with the amputation. In addition to gabapentin and tramadol the docs just put him on amantadine. I don't know what meds she is on but ask about the amantadine, it may help.
Check the incision and make sure it is healing okay. I was still finding staples in the scar line months after surgery.
I wouldnt tolerate whimpering either! Sorry but your vet should have offered you up something besides, "it's normal"..........like how to make him comfy. That's the kind of responses i would get from my vet and I put up with it for 10 years until I came here!
Quick fix:
Try an ice pack! (peas or crushed ice in a baggie - wrapped in a dish towel) Do it for 10 minutes - no more, no less.
It's obvious there is some pain and ice is a good way to numb it. I hope that helps.
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.
Well I have been badgering the vet! He is a really good friend of ours and doesn't really mind! London is in pain, and when she whimpers we put a warm compress on. Boy does she LOVE that! Also she has been itchy so I put some Lubriderm around her incision (with permission from the vet), and she loved it so much she rolled right over onto her back basically asking me to put some on her stomach! The whimpering is getting better! She has been laying outside ALL DAY! She has not been in once. I am keeping a careful eye on her of course!
kozaka44 said
Well I have been badgering the vet! He is a really good friend of ours and doesn't really mind! London is in pain, and when she whimpers we put a warm compress on. Boy does she LOVE that! Also she has been itchy so I put some Lubriderm around her incision (with permission from the vet),
You aren't badgering, you're being a good advocate!
Glad you asked your vet about the Lubriderm. If you have any aloe vera around, that's another terrific itch-relief option with less chemical additives than lotion. We use it on our Wyatt all the time when his lips get chapped!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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