Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hello fellow Tripawd parents --
My 3 year old Golden Retriever is 5 days post op after an emergency right hind amputation after being hit by a truck, and she's probably got other general body trauma in addition to her lost leg (no other fractures, internal bleeding, etc., just battered and bruised). I'm super impressed with her recovery so far -- she hops around reasonably well, has been peeing/pooping, etc. Her regular vet saw her yesterday and confirmed that all of the seroma swelling/leakage is normal and that her healing is proceeding nicely. I've found these forums so helpful as I've had to quickly embrace her new status.
I'm a single pet parent, but with a great friend support group. We all watch each other's dogs when one of us out of town, we've got a great pack, and I would trust all of my friends to give my girl everything she needs during her recovery. I have a one-week work trip scheduled about a month from now (that I'd actually kinda like to get out of), and I'm curious about whether leaving her for a week one month post op is reasonable or not. She would definitely stay with friends, with 1-2 of her playmates. She would be crated -- she'll no doubt be back to her mischievous ways by then and won't be trusted with an open pantry or finding various unauthorized 'toys' to destroy.
My guess is that she'll be close to her new normal in about a month -- still recovering, a little slow/sore, etc., but mobile and happy -- and that leaving her in the capable hands of friends would be OK. What might pop up in the next month that I should consider as I decide whether or not to take this trip? Would you leave your new tri a month post-op?
Thanks for any of your thoughts -- we're still in the throes of early recovery, so it's difficult to imagine her rebounding in a month, even though most stories here provide much evidence to the contrary.
Suzanne, welcome! Your future posts won't need to wait for approval so post away. What's your dog's name?
I'm sorry about the accident, and very happy she survived! Yes you're right, a collision with a car is often accompanied by multiple injuries, which take longer to heal than the usual Tripawd amputation. As she gets around more, she may experience some pain issues while her body adjusts to her new gait, and she tries to build stamina. This is probably the biggest thing that comes up with any new Tripawd: their brains and bodies don't come to a reasonable understanding for a while, about what they should and should not be doing to avoid pain, muscle strains, etc. So during that first month we typically see many new Tripawds showing pain signals caused by too much activity, too soon.
As a younger dog, she'll likely be really active and try to overdo things. It's your job, and her sitter's, to moderate her activity so she doesn't get hurt or put her body through too much stress too soon. That would be their biggest responsibility while you're away. If they have other dogs in the house, they'll need to regulate her activity closely and ensure she is taking plenty of rest breaks.
Otherwise I wouldn't hesitate to go on your trip at that point in time.
To prepare for any pain issues that might come up while you're away, I would talk with your vet and see if you can at the very least have an order on file for some extra as-needed pain medications like an NSAID and Gabapentin, just in case her sitter notices that she's in pain. If you have some left-over from her recovery you probably won't need to do that, however.
Hope this helps! Stay tuned for feedback from others and keep us posted!
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