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.
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!
Register
Log In
Members
Add Topic
Offline
My dog is 6 days post op and was doing well, she over did it last night and now the wound is bleeding a bit. Should I be concerned. It has stopped now that she is sleeping. I'll call vet when they open but just thought I would see what experiences are out here.
Hi Cindy, thanks for joining. I hope you were able to talk to your vet by now. To me it sounds like a seroma . Click on the link for info. As long as the fluid is more watery than bloody, that's what it sounds like. It's very common and usually resolves itself by cutting back on her activity (remember, only leashed potty walks outside and back, no stairs, jumping, etc).
What's your dog's name? Why the amputation? Do tell! We're glad you're here.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
If you clean the incision at all, make sure to just use some plain warm water & a clean cloth. You don't want to use peroxide on it as that can damage the healthy tissue. As long as it stopped bleeding it should be fine.
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
Thank you for your replies, My dog Holly 1/2 Bernese Mountain dog 1/2 Great Pyrenees had to have rear amputation due to bone cancer. We are still in shock but the surgery is over. She was doing pretty good the last few days and we let her sleep in our bedroom last night She was pretty restless all evening and even jumped up on a low ottoman a few times. I'm thinking she did too much. yes I have talked to vets and they say keep her quiet and as long as bleeding is in control it is normal after too much activity. She has minimal bleeding now but it still returns when she gets up and repositions herself. She is sleeping now and it is not bleeding. It is blood.
We have appointment set in a few weeks with an oncologist for Chemo options. Thank you everyone, I feel at home here.
You might want to move the ottoman so that Holly isn't able to jump up onto it - maybe into another room or up onto another piece of furniture.
Her incision really shouldn't be bleeding. If it continues, I would take her in to the vet. They may need to apply a pressure dressing or something. It can never hurt to have them check it out and make sure that everything is OK.
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
Hi Holly and family💗🐶
1/2 Bernese 1/2 Great Pyrenees has got to be a really beautiful combination, we need pictures when you can.
My girl Eurydice is also a big girl, she is a Great Dand and lost her right front leg to osteo 6 1/2 months ago.
I am sorry to hear Holly is having s bit of a problem with seroma but from what I read here it is very common indeed.
I agree with everybody that you must reduce her activity so she can heal properly, she will have lots of time to hop around happily after she has fully recovered from surgery.
Once stitches are removed she will get better and better.
Please keep us updated, we are all here for you and your girl.
Sending you lots of hugs and cuddles 💗💗💗💕🐾😘
Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-)
Hi Cindy,
I have a Great Pyr with right hind amputation from Osteosarcoma as well. I love the mixes with the Berner in there, how lovely!
Charlie had some seepage post amputation and did end up having fluid build up seen on ultrasound, but more like the seroma Jerry is talking about. It caused some significant oozing, and crusting or scabbing at the incision line. We did ice it several times a day, did they have you do that when Holly was discharged? We also used a warm clean cloth to clean it, or a baby wipe. I would say if its red blood and/or drips continuously to have her go in and get it looked at - do you have a post surgical check up to take the stitches out? We had one scheduled 2 weeks after Charlie's amputation. But like I said, if it continues to bleed, I would take her in.
I'm glad you are part of the "family" - just know we have all been through it and there are so many wonderful people here to support you, I don't know what I would have done without tripawds. So don't hesitate to keep posting - and let us know how Holly is doing!
Mary Beth & Charlie
Thank you everyone. I did move ottoman and close off doors for rooms she likes to jump on beds. I kept her resting all day yesterday and the bleeding had stopped through the night. This morning so far so good. She did have a little drip but it was just a little bit. I did talk to the vet and they said just to keep an eye on it. So all seems to be well. She seems in better spirits today. She was so restless last night. She can't lay on the side of the amputation. I have a memory foam topper that she seems to like to lay on. I am usually one that has to figure out everything and this was a bit overwhelming for me.
Holly loves to run run run run. And I can't wait for her to be able to get back to some of that. She is also a natural guard dog. Keeps everyone away from our home.
I'll try and figure out how to put a photo on ...
Sounds like everything is improving, great to hear Cindy! I was totally overwhelmed with Charlie's care after his surgery, we had a lot of complications, and it was one of the most stressful times of my life, so I do understand that feeling. We used a memory foam topper for Charlie too! One in the bedroom and one in the office. And we did have trouble with the bed too! They do love to be on the beds, who can blame them! 🙂
Glad the vet isn't super concerned. And also, Charlie just started laying on his surgery site 2 weeks ago and he had his surgery Sep 27th, so it can take awhile depending on how they are healing. I think most start laying on it soon after those staples are out!
Take care!
Here's a post that explains adding images to the Forums. Holler if you'd like some assistance. Can't wait to see 'em!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi and welcome to the family!
It's great that Holly is looking for 'normal' already like getting up on beds and ottomans but it is important to make them rest. When she is restless do you think she is in pain? It's really hard to distinguish between pain and some side effects of the pain meds. My little pug Maggie did not do well on tramadol. She wasn't in pain but she didn't sleep for hours either!
As far as laying on the amp side- I don't remember when Maggie started laying on her amp side, she was also a rear amp. At some point it became her preferred side.
I'm glad you found us- the recovery period is very stressful and most of us went through an 'I made a huge mistake' phase! But it does get better and you will see the old Holly re-emerge.
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Just catching up on your ADORABLE Holly! Love her avatar photo!
You've gotten great adiceq and I merely want to add my support.
I know itsw hard to see right now. You are exhausted, probably still in shock and probably feeling quite uncertain and DEFINITELY OVERWHELMED!! We can all relate! Well, we can all tell you recovery does NOT last forever! You WILL catch up on sleep and you WILL start worrying less!
And best of all....BEST OF ALL...you will be sooooo elated when you see Holly return to her noraml routine and start running arpund and guarding anything and everything!!
For whatever it's worth, it took me three weeks before I could finally say I did this FOR my Happy Hannah and not TO her! It also took her about five weeks before she comfortably slept on her amp side. Yeah, a bit lo ger than most dogs! Every dog is different and every recovery is different!
Keep us posted and let us know how we can help!
Hugs!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
1 Guest(s)
