Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Boo is having a real hard time trying to balance when trying to poop. she tries but her tail wont go up and winds up just sitting and then gives up she eats good but hasn't pooped in 5 days its like she afraid to. i don't think she's constipated she just holding it she wont let me help her because thsts the way she is. should I be worried?
Hi Boo and family, welcome. Your future posts won't need approval so post away.
Constipation is a very common thing. How long has it been since surgery? Has she pooped since surgery? And is she on pain medication? If so, pain meds can really clog things up!
Have you tried any constipation remedies like adding steamed pumpkin pulp, steamed squash, olive oil or metamucil / bran flakes to her food? Also make sure she has lots of moisture in her food too, and that she's drinking water.
If that doesn't work in a day or two I would let your vet know what's going on.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I dont think shes constipated. Shes 8 days post op. she held it for 3 days at first and couldnt hold it anymore and it just came, looked fine, no constipation or diarrea but it happened so quick that she forgot how she did it. I dont know how to get her confidence up to keep trying to get that balancing act together. How long is too long if its not constipation?
Is there anything she could lean on? Gross as this sounds my Otis leaned against the house for a day or two to pee (and yes, peed on the house) so that he could lift his leg and keep his balance. Any way you can direct her toward the house or something else that could help hold her up? At times, I would also stand near him and use my leg to brace him - he wouldn't go with a sling, but my leg by his side was ok. You also might want to get a harness for after the stitches come out. We loved the Ruffwear Webmaster Plus harness - you can see pictures in the gear blog.
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
There's a lot of factors that affect her going - her pain medications are constipating; she's not walking very much and walking increases the movement of the bowels; she's probably not eating or drinking as much as she normally does, so there's not as much there as normal; dogs don't like to be watched when they poop.
Adding a spoonful of pumpkin (the pure pumpkin, not the stuff that has all of the spices in it) every day will probably help her along. Even if she doesn't seem constipated, that could be part of the problem. Being a front leg amputee, it shouldn't be as much of a balance issue.
Donna
Donna, Glenn & Murphy
Murphy had his right front leg amputated due to histiocytic sarcoma at 7 years old. He survived 4 years, 2 months & 1 week, only to be taken by hemangiosarcoma at 11 1/2 years 6/12/17
Read about Murphy's Life on Three Legs
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