Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Ok, so it's Sunday night. Yasmin went out to the garden and was snoozing on the grass. I went back into the house to sort out the kids dinner, ten minutes later, went back out to check on Yasmin and she is stood up ripping out the wadding from underneath her bandages. As I ran down the garden she was ripping at the wadding and eating it! I started tucking it back in and telling her off when I noticed her incision. The very end, about two inches was very angry, swollen and very sore looking. I rang the vets and told them what had happened. They said as it wasn't bleeding yas could wait until the morning to see the vet. I went down to the vets and got some more wound covers, wadding and bandages. I have completely replaced and redone the bandages with help from my hubby and will be seeing the vet first thing in the morning. Yas was doing so well, we saw the vet last Tuesday who had said everything was great, saw the physio and occupational therapist Thursday and again told everything was great. Now this! I think the wound is possibly infected, as it is very painful and swollen. I have put yas back on the full dose of pain killers and will make sure I get her more antibiotics in the morning. She has not managed to remove any of the staples so I hope this doesn't set her back too much. I noticed earlier she was licking her t shirt quite a lot but had thought this was due to healing and hadn't realised there was anything wrong.
Any advice would be gratefully received
Thanks
Kate and Yasmin 
Did your vet tell you anything about putting warm compresses on it?? Alpha isnt bandaged up because its his back leg n the bandage would cover his lil pee pee! but our vet told us to put a damp warm towel on it once day to help it stay crust free ...he has stitches i saw yas has staples but it might be worth a try ask ur vet! Alpha really enjoys it surprisingly i think it helps with the itchy healing feeling!
Dont panic this is what dogs do! as long as she didnt tear it open shes just fine! 
It probably just looked so red because she was fussing with it Tomoro when u go to vet it wont look half as bad!
Good luck at the vet tomoro!
XOXO Suzy Kaylee & ALPHA
I swear they will wait till you are not looking to start tearing at bandages and staples! I was lucky that Daisy didn't mess with her compression bandage or even her stitches or incision even after the bandage came off. She was never interested in it. She recently had knee surgery and the bugger pulled out all but one staple. At least the incision held up and she didn't have to be re-stapled.
Hopefully Yasmin just doesn't like it on and is not messing with it because an infection is bothering her. Have you tried using a cone?
Some people have put ice packs on their pups incision. I think it is soothing to the incision and helps with the pain a little too. I didn't do that with Daisy's amp incision but I did do that with the incision from her knee surgery.
Marla and Daisy
My Two Tripawds...Biscuit 
and Spirit Daisy 
Online
YASMIM! YASMIN! Y A S M I N!!! Wnat are you doing scaring yoipur momma like this?? Glad your'e feeling frisky enough that you dom't need "no stinkin'" bandage
For whatever it's worth, many, many dogs don't even have bandages at all! From what understand, in some cases it's more to kee the pawparents calm by not having to see the incisim! Of course they serve a bigger purpose, but I'm jist trying to say "no worries" The vet can take care of things in the a.m.
As others have said, the stitches are intact and, at the most, you may have some slight infection going on (which I doubt) that can be taken care of with antibiotics. As it gets closer to having the stitches removed, they can get real itchy and ittitatng.
Keep us posted on that "wild child"!!
Sally and Happy Hannah
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!
They do like to keep us busy! I'll bet it was itching. Shooter only had his bandage on for two days and his whole attitude changed when they took it off because he hated it sobad. We were lucky because he really had no interest in the incision even when he had a snall seroma .
Keep us posted on what the vet says.
Luanne and Shooter
Spirit Shooter was a Miniature Australian Shepherd who was diagnosed with a MCT and had a LF amp 1/28/13 at 13-1/2 years old.
Shooter crossed the Bridge on 8/28/13, his 7 month ampuversary and two weeks from his 14th birthday.
Silly Yasmin! Well, I hate to say it but they are quite tasty aren't they? Yup, lots of dogs eat their bandages. Isn't that crazy!
Kate, hang in there. As long as the incision is still intact and you can see your vet tomorrow she's going to be OK. Just keep a close eye on her and break out that cone of shame if she attempts to feast on her bandages again.
Good luck!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi guys
At 04:15 I woke up to hear Yasmin nibbling. She is like a silent ninja! Seriously she had ripped the entire new bandage off! I rang the emergency vet and sent them a photo of Yasmin's side. She has created an extra cut about an inch long, but the vet said it looks nasty but should be fine. She is booked in for 09:00 so I will let you know what they say.
She has also swallowed some of the wadding. Again the vet said to keep an eye on her poop, but it should come out ok.
We tried the cone of shame last week in the vets. We said we thought it would cause her to have an accident but the vet said she would be fine. Yasmin walked straight into the vets table and banged her head! So the vet agreed that it was probably not a good idea. Lol
I am now sat up watching Yasmin and she is watching me (this is gonna be a battle of wills). I am not going back to sleep, she will not be nibbling any more! I took the week off work to be with her. Today is my first day back and I will be phoning in to say I will be a couple of hours late. Oh dear, never mind!
Thanks for all your advice, a compress sounds good. We will probably try that later.
Kate and naughty Yasmin! Xxx 
Well drats! I guess you could look at it like this, a strong-willed dog means that she has the strength to make a good recovery. A pup like Yasmin wants to get back to living!
Have you seen the cone of shame alternatives?
Keep us posted. I'll try to be on this afternoon (your evening).
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hiya
Been back down the vets and Yasmin has had another operation, general anaesthetic was needed because the corner part of the incision-skin has died. It felt like leather and Yasmin had tried to chew it off. The vet took out a few of the staples, has covered the open flesh with an antiseptic type cream and put sticky wound covers on top. The vet thinks the skin will grow back, without the need for a skin graft. I am not convinced, but i guess time will tell. We have to apply cream twice a day and she is back on antibiotics for the time being.
Yasmin was so crazy this morning, she can really move. She was like a greyhound charging around our garden without the bandaging on. I am sure it was victory laps thinking she had won. She wasn't so energetic when we got back from the vets thou as she is now wearing a body stocking, kind of like a string vest, and her t shirt.
Jerry the blow up collar looks amazing! Only problem is I need to order one in the uk. Love the idea of the rolled up towel, that's sounds like an immediate solution.
Hope to catch up with u guys later, thank you again
Kate and Yasmin xoxoxo
Yasmin KNEW something wasn't right! Are't dogs amazin when it comes to their own well being and kowing when somethings out of whack?
Sorry this happened and guess it's wasted energy wondering why. Just do try and keep that bouncy Yasmin taking it easy!! But glad she got in her celebratory victory laps
Glad everything is "fixable" and you can keep moving on to full recovery and continuing joy and happiness!!
((((((hugs))))))))
Sally and Happy Hannah
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!
Ohh poor Yasmin! I'm sorry she had to get another procedure done. We've seen this happen before and dogs DO recover from it so hang in there. Sounds like you have your hands full with the wound care.
The blow up collars are great. The work for a lot of dogs but if she is really long-bodied and long nosed you'll need to double up with another type of cone. This is what worked for our bandage-eater:
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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