How to Care for Three-Legged Tripawd Dogs and Cats After Amputation

Woof!

May 9, 2007December 18, 2006 by admin

I got to play with a really BIG friendly dog in Sequoia Park on Sunday! What a great day. I hiked and got muddy and got to be a dog. I even hopped over a log all by myself.

Life on three legs ain’t so bad. But now I’m dog tired…

Today I went for my first offleash walk in the park. In the rain. It was great to smell the ferns and pee on the trees again. If you’ve never seen a boy dog pee on 3 legs, well, it’s really funny! Mom forgot to take the camera though, maybe next time she’ll snap a photo for you!

Ho ho ho! It’s Santa Paws!

May 9, 2007December 4, 2006 by admin

I went on my first outing since being in the hospital. Rene and Jim took me to see Santa and all my buddies, at the Humboldt County Animal Shelter.

I got to donate a bunch of the toys that I won in the local “Relay for Life” too. I know my buddies could use them. They could also use good homes too, so please consider adopting a dog from the shelter OK?

Thanks for the new toys!

May 7, 2007November 28, 2006 by admin

Hey MC, look! I’ve still got it!

Here I am, destroying the package you sent, with just one paw! Thanks for the cool squeaky toys, I love ’em. But I think I had more fun tearing up the box. I just wasn’t able to grab it with both paws like I used to …

The Week After Surgery

May 4, 2007November 27, 2006 by admin

Do I bounce back or what?

Less than a week later, it’s back to the routine, hanging out in the office and sleeping all day. Here I am during my lunch break, playing in the yard a little. Just a little though. The doc says that I’m only supposed to go for short walks, but I want to play soooo bad! So Jim breaks the rules, and Rene gets on his case about it. Oh well, one more week until I get my stitches out!

Home Again. Home Again.

March 15, 2009November 24, 2006 by admin

It may not look so much like it but I am really glad to be home, even if there are no turkey leftovers this year. I can tell Jim and Rene are happy that we’re all finally home too!

They took more pictures of me but you’ll have to check out the Photo Album to see the gory ones. Rene thinks they’re gross, and she wouldn’t even let Jim get a copy of the CT scan from Dr Stipnik … she said he was kind enough to go in to the hospital on Thanksgiving day to discharge me so I could come home.

The scar may look bad but I sure like it. You should’ve seen the mass they took out with my leg. It was huge!

Happy Thanksgiving!

November 23, 2016November 23, 2006 by admin

I’m certainly giviving thanks today. There my be no turkey for me and Jim this year, but I’m going home! I woke up this morning and was still in the hospital, so I got up on my own right away and waited for the doctor. I told him to take me outside where I showed him I could pee just fine. Then I told him to call Jim and Rene and let them take me home.

He told them I’ve “bounced right back” and I’m not sure if he’s just making fun of me or what. But they must have been really happy and excited to come get me. I can’t wait either. We’ve got a long ride home but I couldn’t think of a better way to spend Thanksgiving day! They’ve set up a big soft bed in the back of the truck that is more comfy than anything else I have at home … except maybe my couch. I’m just glad I don’t have to spend another night at Davis.

We’ll add some pictures of my cool scar next time. Until then …. ARF ARF ARF (“Gobble Gobble”)!

The Big Day (Down the Rabbit Hole)

July 29, 2009November 22, 2006 by admin

I’m dreaming of chasing rabbits. They’ve got me doped up real good, but I don’t like the idea of being scanned by any cat! The CT scan I just had, however, showed that the mass in my shoulder is much larger than expected. No wonder I’ve been in so much pain. And the doctor believes the pain will go away, or at least hurt a little less — for a while — if they take off my leg and as much cancerous tissue as they can. I say that’s a good thing!

It just means a longer, more invasive surgery so I may not be able to go home on thanksgiving. At least I’m in good hands here at UC Davis. I’ll let you know how I’m feeling once I’m hopping around … and I’ll tell you about all the crazy rabbits.

In for Surgery

March 11, 2009November 21, 2006 by admin

Pre-Op Jerry Wow, just when I thought I’d get to stay home and chow down on Turkey Day leftovers with Jim, I had to get in the truck for another 6 hour drive to see my doc at UC Davis. That’s two trips in less than a week!

From what I’m understanding, Rene and Jim talked with the doc yesterday, and decided that I needed an operation right away to remove this terrible pain in my shoulder. My pain will be gone, but I will have one less leg to stand on. Oh well, I guess that’s why nature gave us 4, just in case one goes bad!

We got into town at 1 am this morning. At the hospital today, I got to hang out and play with some other cool dogs and vet students, before all the serious stuff happens.

Today, the students will get me ready for my big operation tomorrow. I have to spend the night, but Jim and Rene’s friend Theresa who works with the docs, said she’ll give me lots of kisses all day.

Then, at 10 am tomorrow, I’ll get some good drugs and take a nap, while the docs do a “CT Scan” on me, so they can find out where they need to remove the bones that are making me hurt.

My Diagnosis

May 4, 2007November 17, 2006 by admin

I just heard Rene and Jim on the phone with that doctor from Davis. For a vet, I must admit he’s pretty cool … not too clinical but not too warm and fuzzy either. He didn’t sugar coat the news he had for them.

So what if I have Osteosarcoma of the upper scapula? They got pretty upset when they heard that, but I think they pretty much knew already. I’ve been trying to show them that it’s no big deal … a fact of life, or death rather.

People view life and death matters so much differently than us dogs. Personally, I think they take it too seriously. They should read Cesar’s Way by Mr. Milan, and pay attention to his chapter about how we can learn to cope from dogs. (I like this book because it has a picture of me and Winston on the cover!)

So anyway, just this morning I tried to show Jim how I could walk down the stairs by myself. Sure it hurt a bit and I stumbled, but he picked me up and carried me therest of the way. I just want to run and play again without hurting so much. Whether that means lot’s of great medication, or making me a tripod, I don’t care. We’ll see … I’m sure I’ll make it the beach again soon.