what to expect when your dog is going to have an amputation
what to expect when your dog is going to have an amputation
My dog is going in next week to have his front leg amputated what do i need to be expecting? how do I need to take care of him after the surey?
Re: what to expect when your dog is going to have an amputat
Hello,
Sorry to meet under this circumstances, but you've come to the right place for support and advice. My dog lost his front leg due to an accident about a year ago. Xena, another member of our community lost her leg due to cancer. We both have blogs which will give a pretty good idea of what you will be experiencing in the near future.
A dog will take approximately 3 weeks to be back to his old self. They adjust very quickly, but the first couple of days are the worst. Nobody in the house sleeps... The dog is usually constipated for about 3-5 days. They feel much better when the staples/stitches are taken out (2 weeks? after amputation). My dog can run, swim and pretty much do everything else he did before he lost his leg. He even lifts his hind leg to pee.
Some dogs experience bad side effects to the anesthesia... I'm sure Tessa and others will be able to tell you more about that. I don't think my dog had any bad effects from it, although the car that hit him also hit his head so it took a couple of days for his to respond to his name and also to start barking again.
You will definitely have to limit the walks. If you don't have carpet, you may consider covering the area where he will be with mats because floors are very slippery for them now (Milo still falls a lot). They can do stairs, but I don't think they should be doing it for the first couple of days (week). My dog no longer sits for long periods of time. He prefers to stand or lie down. It's getting hotter in NYC, so he gets tired faster than when it's colder, but if we taking him to the park, he finds the energy.
Don't hesitate to ask more questions. We know what you're going through and are here for support.
Karla
Xena's blog: http://www.xanga.com/tessagirrl
Sorry to meet under this circumstances, but you've come to the right place for support and advice. My dog lost his front leg due to an accident about a year ago. Xena, another member of our community lost her leg due to cancer. We both have blogs which will give a pretty good idea of what you will be experiencing in the near future.
A dog will take approximately 3 weeks to be back to his old self. They adjust very quickly, but the first couple of days are the worst. Nobody in the house sleeps... The dog is usually constipated for about 3-5 days. They feel much better when the staples/stitches are taken out (2 weeks? after amputation). My dog can run, swim and pretty much do everything else he did before he lost his leg. He even lifts his hind leg to pee.
Some dogs experience bad side effects to the anesthesia... I'm sure Tessa and others will be able to tell you more about that. I don't think my dog had any bad effects from it, although the car that hit him also hit his head so it took a couple of days for his to respond to his name and also to start barking again.
You will definitely have to limit the walks. If you don't have carpet, you may consider covering the area where he will be with mats because floors are very slippery for them now (Milo still falls a lot). They can do stairs, but I don't think they should be doing it for the first couple of days (week). My dog no longer sits for long periods of time. He prefers to stand or lie down. It's getting hotter in NYC, so he gets tired faster than when it's colder, but if we taking him to the park, he finds the energy.
Don't hesitate to ask more questions. We know what you're going through and are here for support.
Karla
Xena's blog: http://www.xanga.com/tessagirrl
Re: what to expect when your dog is going to have an amputat
Hi and welcome.
Some information/advice that was helpful to me:
Morphine can make your dog very vocal. Rhys whined for 30 hours after I brought him home. The only time he wasn't whining was when he was asleep. He was on several pain medications so he wasn't whining from pain. If you dog is normally vocal it will likely increase with morphine.
I found it helpful to look at website pics of amputations right after surgery. It lessened the shock of seeing Rhys for the first time because I knew what to expect.
Try to treat your dog as normal as possible. He will pick up on your emotions.
If you have other dogs, watch how they react to your dog with the amputation. Some may be startled or confused by how the dog now moves or by the vet smells. I have another dog and she was indifferent. Rhys tried to play with her the second day and she wouldn't. I think she just knew better. They were playing by the fourth day.
If your dog uses the leg being amputated, he will have to learn how to move and may fall over a few times. Rhys' leg was a hindrance because it didn't bend so his ability to move improved after the amputation.
The first two weeks are the hardest. My vet told me that Rhys would be back to normal in six weeks and he was. I posted photos of him playing.
I hope some of this is helpful to you.
Some information/advice that was helpful to me:
Morphine can make your dog very vocal. Rhys whined for 30 hours after I brought him home. The only time he wasn't whining was when he was asleep. He was on several pain medications so he wasn't whining from pain. If you dog is normally vocal it will likely increase with morphine.
I found it helpful to look at website pics of amputations right after surgery. It lessened the shock of seeing Rhys for the first time because I knew what to expect.
Try to treat your dog as normal as possible. He will pick up on your emotions.
If you have other dogs, watch how they react to your dog with the amputation. Some may be startled or confused by how the dog now moves or by the vet smells. I have another dog and she was indifferent. Rhys tried to play with her the second day and she wouldn't. I think she just knew better. They were playing by the fourth day.
If your dog uses the leg being amputated, he will have to learn how to move and may fall over a few times. Rhys' leg was a hindrance because it didn't bend so his ability to move improved after the amputation.
The first two weeks are the hardest. My vet told me that Rhys would be back to normal in six weeks and he was. I posted photos of him playing.
I hope some of this is helpful to you.
Re: what to expect when your dog is going to have an amputat
oh boy, do we know what you're going through!
my heart goes out to you and your best friend.
pretty much all the important parts have been covered already.
just wanted to tag on that my dog, xena, has only fallen over once....on the vet's incredibly clean, super-slippery floor, whilst trying to escape from her fifth round of chemo.
some dogs fall over, some don't. xena has always been a very careful girl...so no surprises in that department.
thanks karla, for linking to xena's blog.
tkctam...if you look for the calendar on the left side of the blog....you'll find a link where you can start from the beginning to read her story in chronological order.
let us know how you're doing.
cheers,
tessa
my heart goes out to you and your best friend.
pretty much all the important parts have been covered already.
just wanted to tag on that my dog, xena, has only fallen over once....on the vet's incredibly clean, super-slippery floor, whilst trying to escape from her fifth round of chemo.
some dogs fall over, some don't. xena has always been a very careful girl...so no surprises in that department.
thanks karla, for linking to xena's blog.
tkctam...if you look for the calendar on the left side of the blog....you'll find a link where you can start from the beginning to read her story in chronological order.
let us know how you're doing.
cheers,
tessa
Re: what to expect when your dog is going to have an amputat
What kind of dog do you have, how old is he, and what is the reason for the surgery?
Re: what to expect when your dog is going to have an amputat
My dog Harley had his right front leg amputated about 6 weeks ago and he is doing great. I do worry about his other front paw though because he is getting so big. He is almost 6 months old now and weighed 50 pounds on his last vet visit. The vet said he was an example for other dogs in this situation. He came through everything just fine. He was home after 2 days. Had pain meds. Just treat him like a normal dog.
He slips on our wood floors alot. I am going to look at getting him some kind of booty for his remaining front foot so he doesn't slip.
He was about 3 months old when he had his leg amputated. My son and he got tangled up in his leash and my son fell on him and fractured the growth plate in his leg. It was either lots of money and surgeries and no guarntees on what would happen or amputate.
We have 3 other dogs and he loves to run with them although he can't quite keep up. He follows me up and down the stairs. The only problem I see with him is in the mornings, he is slow getting started. Once he gets going though he is fine.
We are starting doggy school next week and the trainer said he could be a therapy dog for kids or old folks facing amputation.
He's great and I love him so much. I had people tell me I should have put him down!@ No way!
Kat
He slips on our wood floors alot. I am going to look at getting him some kind of booty for his remaining front foot so he doesn't slip.
He was about 3 months old when he had his leg amputated. My son and he got tangled up in his leash and my son fell on him and fractured the growth plate in his leg. It was either lots of money and surgeries and no guarntees on what would happen or amputate.
We have 3 other dogs and he loves to run with them although he can't quite keep up. He follows me up and down the stairs. The only problem I see with him is in the mornings, he is slow getting started. Once he gets going though he is fine.
We are starting doggy school next week and the trainer said he could be a therapy dog for kids or old folks facing amputation.
He's great and I love him so much. I had people tell me I should have put him down!@ No way!
Kat
Re: what to expect when your dog is going to have an amputat
hi kat, welcome! what kind of dog is harley?
there's a product called 'showfoot' that you can spray on your dog's foot to inrease traction. that's another option as well as the bootie.
there's a product called 'showfoot' that you can spray on your dog's foot to inrease traction. that's another option as well as the bootie.
Re: what to expect when your dog is going to have an amputat
Hi Kat,kat wrote: The only problem I see with him is in the mornings, he is slow getting started. Once he gets going though he is fine.
Kat
I know he's young but have you considered starting him on a joint supplement like glucosamine? You might ask your vet. I give them to my dog with rear end paralysis because she puts extra weight on her front feet, which is kind of what your dog is doing with one leg. The brand I give my dog is called ProMotion. It is a chewable and tastes like a treat.
Re: what to expect when your dog is going to have an amputat
Harley is a Great Pyrenees mix. I don't know what he is mixed with. I've tried to attach a picture of him as my avatar. Hope it works.
I've also googled the showfoot and looks good and will probably order. I bought him some boys socks tonight that have the rubber on the bottom but he keeps taking it off. The booties at Petsmart were just too expensive.
Kat
I've also googled the showfoot and looks good and will probably order. I bought him some boys socks tonight that have the rubber on the bottom but he keeps taking it off. The booties at Petsmart were just too expensive.
Kat
Re: what to expect when your dog is going to have an amputat
The joint meds sound like a good idea. I'd hate for something to happen to his remaining front leg. I worry so much because he falls quite often when going down the steps or just walking on the hardwood floors. Not to mention when playing with the other dogs!
I'll look into the Promotion!
Thanks all!
Kat
I'll look into the Promotion!
Thanks all!
Kat
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collinstommy
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Fri May 25, 2007 7:11 pm
back leg
hi,
my dog is geting his back left leg amputated next week. Does anybody know if it is worse than getting a front leg amputated?
He is a very active 6yr old sheepdog cross. The vet said his slender stature will favour him.
my dog is geting his back left leg amputated next week. Does anybody know if it is worse than getting a front leg amputated?
He is a very active 6yr old sheepdog cross. The vet said his slender stature will favour him.
Re: back leg
Hello,
My dog had his front leg amputated, and what I was told is that it is worse in the front because they carry 60% of their weight in the front. My dog is now on a diet and will be on a diet for the rest of his life... He is not as active as he was before, but with the right incentive (water, the park), he can really exercise.
Karla
My dog had his front leg amputated, and what I was told is that it is worse in the front because they carry 60% of their weight in the front. My dog is now on a diet and will be on a diet for the rest of his life... He is not as active as he was before, but with the right incentive (water, the park), he can really exercise.
Karla
Hello Everybody,
My dog just had is front leg amputated about a week ago. He is doing great he can get up and go outside with minimal assistance. He did go up a few stairs already and fell once. He didn't get hurt. He is not on any meds anymore. What I noticed is when he first came home he had more energy then now is that common?? or was it because he was on pain meds?? Now he gets up to go out then most of the day he just lays down. He eats and drinks but his activity level is poor. He does nothing all day. I try to get him up and moving. Should I be concerned or he will get more energy when the stitches come out. Should I let him rest or try to get him moving??? any suggestions???
Thanks Kerri
My dog just had is front leg amputated about a week ago. He is doing great he can get up and go outside with minimal assistance. He did go up a few stairs already and fell once. He didn't get hurt. He is not on any meds anymore. What I noticed is when he first came home he had more energy then now is that common?? or was it because he was on pain meds?? Now he gets up to go out then most of the day he just lays down. He eats and drinks but his activity level is poor. He does nothing all day. I try to get him up and moving. Should I be concerned or he will get more energy when the stitches come out. Should I let him rest or try to get him moving??? any suggestions???
Thanks Kerri
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hillcountrygirl
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2007 7:48 pm
- Location: Austin TX
This website kept me sane last week when my Buddy has his left rear leg amputated.
He got hit by a car.
The best information I got was from folks on this site.
1. When you first see your dog, don't react negatively - only supportive and with lots of love.
2. Have a few items around the house that he can lay on - his would will leak. any old rugs or blankets that will accomodate his size.
3. Have a couple of bags of frozen cranberries to lay on the wound.
4. love him, love him, love him.
5. don't leave him alone if at all possible.
It has been since last Tuesday that Buddy became a tripod. He is amazing. The second day after his surgery, he climbed up the stairs to our apartment. The third, he was climbing down.
I have Crohn's disease and have had to be hospitalized - had emergency surgery, and more. I had a hard time getting my life back. I am in remission. Now, Buddy is my role model. No feeling bad about things, just getting up and dealing and happy to be loved a lot.
Last night, Buddy wanted to go outside, and all he wanted to do was to roll around in the Bermuda grass, we figure he needed to scratch and is a bit challenged with that now.
Lots of luck. Love your baby and good luck.
Lynn and Buddy.
He got hit by a car.
The best information I got was from folks on this site.
1. When you first see your dog, don't react negatively - only supportive and with lots of love.
2. Have a few items around the house that he can lay on - his would will leak. any old rugs or blankets that will accomodate his size.
3. Have a couple of bags of frozen cranberries to lay on the wound.
4. love him, love him, love him.
5. don't leave him alone if at all possible.
It has been since last Tuesday that Buddy became a tripod. He is amazing. The second day after his surgery, he climbed up the stairs to our apartment. The third, he was climbing down.
I have Crohn's disease and have had to be hospitalized - had emergency surgery, and more. I had a hard time getting my life back. I am in remission. Now, Buddy is my role model. No feeling bad about things, just getting up and dealing and happy to be loved a lot.
Last night, Buddy wanted to go outside, and all he wanted to do was to roll around in the Bermuda grass, we figure he needed to scratch and is a bit challenged with that now.
Lots of luck. Love your baby and good luck.
Lynn and Buddy.
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luvmytripod
- Posts: 497
- Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2007 12:54 pm
- Location: Chesterville, ON, Canada
- Contact:
Welcome!
The pain meds could certainly explain the added energy. If he's really "feeling" the surgery now, although it's not going to be severe pain, it's probably uncomfortable, and he's responding appropriately by taking it easy. How is he otherwise? Eating? Pooping/peeing? Happy to see you? Is there any inflammation or swelling or discharge from the incisions? If everything else is ok, I'd keep an eye on him and wait it out. Most of us found that our pups perked right up once the stitches/staples were removed...this seems to make them feel a lot better.
Like the last poster said, love on him, be happy and upbeat, and once he's feeling better he'll follow your lead.
The pain meds could certainly explain the added energy. If he's really "feeling" the surgery now, although it's not going to be severe pain, it's probably uncomfortable, and he's responding appropriately by taking it easy. How is he otherwise? Eating? Pooping/peeing? Happy to see you? Is there any inflammation or swelling or discharge from the incisions? If everything else is ok, I'd keep an eye on him and wait it out. Most of us found that our pups perked right up once the stitches/staples were removed...this seems to make them feel a lot better.
Like the last poster said, love on him, be happy and upbeat, and once he's feeling better he'll follow your lead.