Madeara Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 I need to know any thing you can tell me on what to expect and what to do, any tips at all for taking care of Asia after her amputation. I cannot find the site for Circle of Greys on yahoo, its Yahoo right? Please share your knowledge and tips Quote "To err is human, to forgive, canine" Audrey, Nova, Cosmo and Holden in NY - Darius and Asia you are both irreplaceable and will be forever in my heart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
packmom Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 circle of grey Try this one. I found runner rugs helpful in covering the kitchen floor in the path Z would use. Expect to hear some crying even though she will be on pain meds. One of them-the patch I think, makes them a little crazy. Especially at night. I forget if she lost a front or back leg. There is some spinal pain as the body realigns itself-for Z it was his neck. He used it to fling himself up and around. The first 2 weeks seem awful. You wonder if you did the right thing. Then like a switch has been flipped things get back to normal! You will be amazed how well she will get around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diane4114 Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 Try this link Circle of Greys You may have to sign into your Yahoo account, or start one if you don't have one. Quote Willow( Hi Tech Popandgo ) CGC #31965 Calico Salad x MayPop 8-9-93/9-24-07 Austin( Nodak Austin ) #55202 Chrisse's Twelve x Lotsa Liz 2-25-96/2-15-05 Matt( Kelsos Metaphor ) #90695 Oswald Cobblepot x Kelso's Movita 8-10-00/2-28-14 Buddy (Aljo Class Act) #78137 Action By Design x Miss Classy 12-8-98/8-29-09 Sonny (Onaim Excalibur)#97927 Flying Train x Rough Diamond 9-7-01/1-9-2016Hunter (SS Snow Roll) #35135 Craigie Whistler x Lightning Snow 10-4-2005/9-23-17 Leo (Yolo Empleo)#72060 4-13-18 Fiesta Paraguas x Mega Bien Hecho Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyB Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 If you CLICK HERE you can read what I posted about my good boy Marvin (I can't believe that was 3 years ago ) Everything is in my first post but you have to start from the bottom and read up. Below the ************ is before the amputation, above them is right after. Quote Nancy with Rocket, Umeko and Sasha Missing Albi, Kassie, Ramm, Ruby, my good boy Marvin and Mickey (BT) NANCY B'S COLLARS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burpdog Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 You can also read Winslow's Diary, Dempsey, Bodie, and a bunch of others <sigh> journeys.... Quote Diane & The Senior Gang Burpdog Biscuits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ChasesMum Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 Agreed, the first few days especially are the worst, once they regain their balance and figure that walking part out, they are happier houndies! George wouldnt do his business outside when we took him out, and it was harder on him to drag him outside and hold him up than to just put down lots of quilts and let him pee on our carpet for a couple days. Once he stood up on his own (day 3) he never again peed in the house. (The first night George was on a very inadequate dose of Tramadol, no patch, and he was in agony. We hardly slept that night and I still wonder if maybe we should have taken him to the emerg vet...but driving with him was hard when he was a quadruped! Regardless, we upped his dose ourselves at 3am and he finally settled. We found out that we were basically the first amputee test case in Western Canada on Tram so they didnt know the max doses and were being pretty "middle of the road" dosage wise.) Anyways, the first month, getting everything healed, and constantly questioning ourselves, passed very slowly, we had some infection to deal with and suture reaction. After that though, he was bounding around the yard after Chase, and his true goofy boy personality FINALLY surfaced and he was the happiest he had ever been in the year prior since we got him . Up until his last couple days where the pain started back up, he was so sweet and happy, we did finally feel it was worth it since he gave us his best days after we all worked through the pain together. Circle of Grey offered me lots of emotional support, and he loved his blankie that they sent, definitley worth logging in there. I hope your baby comes through it with flying colors! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Vinnie Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 (edited) If you CLICK HERE you can read what I posted about my good boy Marvin (I can't believe that was 3 years ago ) Everything is in my first post but you have to start from the bottom and read up. Below the ************ is before the amputation, above them is right after. It does seem like yesterday doesn't it? NancyB, Bevd, Burpdog and so many others helped us make the decision for our Angel Vinnie. There are so many here who have been through this and that will be here to answer any questions, give suggestions or just generally lean on. Designsmom just went through this with her greyt, Design and this is the link http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php?showtopic=203130. Remember, every amp is different, but I agree with Packmom - it's like you flip a switch and they go from omg, did I do the right thing to omg, look at him/her fly! Take each day slowly. And don't be afraid to call your vet if you think the pain meds are not working or are not enough. We did not use the pain patch just a mixture of meds, Rimadyl and I think codine. Keep her in a comfortable confined area that she can move around in, like an xpen with lots of cushions. Have throw rugs around on slippery areas. We used a t-shirt over Vinnie to help prevent oozing onto furniture and chewing on bandages. Leash walked to help keep his balance at first. We slept on the floor/couch with him at first as the bed was too high and we did not want him to roll off - we knew he was good when he jumped onto the bed again. We also have a photo's of Vinnie on photobucket so that you can see some of the area: http://s292.photobucket.com/albums/mm16/bo...product/vinnie/ - you will get a collection of fluid in the lower areas for about a week or so after surgery until the body re-absorbs it. It looks kinda scary, but it is normal. Please feel free to pm us if you have any questions or post more here. We know this was right for us and you have to trust your decision, especially during the first two weeks. And remember what everyone says, they live in the now, they will forget everything after the first couple of weeks once they start feeling better. Sending hugs and scritches and lots of prayers. Edited July 17, 2008 by Vinnie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeara Posted July 17, 2008 Author Share Posted July 17, 2008 Just so it does not blow my mind at the hospital, what is the average cost of an amputation? I will most likely use Care Credit. Quote "To err is human, to forgive, canine" Audrey, Nova, Cosmo and Holden in NY - Darius and Asia you are both irreplaceable and will be forever in my heart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaliforniaGreys Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 I can't offer any advice or experience. But I just want you to know that you and Asia will continue to be in our prayers. We will light a special candle for you both. Quote Missing my little Misty who took a huge piece of my heart with her on 5/2/09, and Ekko, on 6/28/12 For the sick, the lost, and the homeless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BlueCrab Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 Audrey: I don't have experience with Osteo, but we had to do spinal surgery on our bridge-boy Otto which was pretty severe. The first day or two I seriously asked myself why we had done it, what with his obvious pain. He cried, I cried, he was in pain, I was in pain for him. I didn't know about Greytalk than and didn't have a forum like this to turn to. There seem to be so many valid and valuable folks on here who've been thru it - or something similar. My advice would be: don't question yourself, don't beat yourself up if you feel 'remorse' the first couple days. Get lots of sleep in advance so you can go without for the first few days. You and DH work something out to spell each other with Asia so each of you can get a liitle sleep and a little away time although it'll be hard to leave her side. Be prepared to sleep on the floor or sofa quite close-by her for the first couple nights so you're there to comfort and assist. Lean heavily on the folks here who can offer help and an experienced shoulder to lean on. Read the other threads that have been recommended - there are many photos in there that will give you an idea what to expect so you and DH aren't taken by surprise. I wish I'd known about this forum when we did Otto's surgery. Blessings for an easy ride through this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyB Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 Just so it does not blow my mind at the hospital, what is the average cost of an amputation? I will most likely use Care Credit. Marvin's was $2169.46, that includes the surgery, anesthesia, fluids, etc., etc., etc...... Quote Nancy with Rocket, Umeko and Sasha Missing Albi, Kassie, Ramm, Ruby, my good boy Marvin and Mickey (BT) NANCY B'S COLLARS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gottaluvgreysindy Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 Deuce had his surgery at OSU and it was $2500 two years ago. Like others have said the first couple of weeks were less than great. I really questioned my decision. He wore shirts a lot of the time in order to keep him from licking. We changed them often so they would be clean against his wound. He whined and I gave him pain meds and he whined and I gave him pain meds to the point that I "overdosed" him which resulted in a condition in which he thought he was in pain and the whining didn't stop. Bottom line, per Dr. Couto he suggested I stop giving pain meds because the surgery took the pain away and like magic the switch was flipped and he became my "momma's boy" again. Please do feel free to PM me with specific questions as you would like to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeara Posted July 17, 2008 Author Share Posted July 17, 2008 ok I have an idea, I was afraid it might be 4000.00! Shelby how interesting the pain medication overdose, I am glad you shared that. Keep any information coming thanks! Quote "To err is human, to forgive, canine" Audrey, Nova, Cosmo and Holden in NY - Darius and Asia you are both irreplaceable and will be forever in my heart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Vinnie Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 Check around with vets in your area. We were quoted $2,800 by our oncology clinic just for the amputation. And while we have VPI insurance, we still have to pay up front and then get reimbursed. So I started checking around, which is how we found our current miracle worker. He came on the phone to talk to me when I called (amazing in itself), answered questions, gave references and said he would give a cash discount (we ended up paying $750 for just the amputation & anesthesia etc.). He is on the cutting edge of so many things and is always researching new things. He used a new technique that the military was using to help prevent "phantom pains" and when he did the surgery, you could barely see it as he did the cut right near his red patch. We have been with him ever since - he was Vinnie's vet until he went to the Bridge and he sees his sister and now his cousin too. Don't be afraid to check around - I am sure glad I did. Chemo was different - as we got one free through the study and the other we paid for (alternating chemos) - it was done at our oncology specialty clinic and they even discounted the services on the day they did the treatment that Dr. Cuoto sent. We did not do the bone biopsy - it was expensive and we already knew what we were dealing with so there was no way I was going to put our sweet boy through that pain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ChasesMum Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 Panting is also a side effect of Tramadol...and of pain... so that is fun. lol And now that Gottaluvgreys mentions is, I remember that too. After the first couple days (once we got him settled from the too low dose of pain meds) and over the worst of the post surgical pain - again, maybe day 4? - we did lower his dose and kept him on a gradually lowered maintainence dose of pain meds. It is a concern too that on a high dose they are not as aware of their long limbs, and feel too good, and can overdo it. It was fairly easy to read George and lower his dose as needed...and they are tough! But yeah, surgery took the worst of the pain away. I remember him almost anticipating the bone pain and then of course finding the surgical pain. Hubby too remembers George spent most of the night pushing against him with his other front leg (G was a front left amputee) and that seemed to help. I think our surgery was in the $800 - $1000 range. but we got a lot done at cost. (I love our vet!) Lots of hugs to you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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