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Whitey's Amputation Is Friday


Guest bigorangedog

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OMG! That's exactly what Diamond did shortly after getting home. I had been hovering over her like a hawk when suddenly I found her up on the couch and she had plopped down on her boo-boo side.

 

Funny thing is now that it's healed she doesn't lay on that side at all.

 

Good Boy Whitey. You're doing great. Keep up the good work!

 

 

 

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Guest bigorangedog

Thanks, guys! We have really turned a mobility corner in the past 2 days. He can get almost anywhere by himself now, and is getting more confident.

 

The only thing he still can't do (which makes me reluctant to leave him home unsupervised yet) is to get himself up if he lies down on his bad side. And strangely, he seems to WANT to lie down on the bad side. I don't know if maybe his hips are getting stiff from always having them swing to the left when he lies down, and he wants to swing them the other way for a while, or what. But if he gets down on that bad side, he'll just lie there and whine until I come help him up. :(

 

Also, he's been really restless. We did not get very much sleep again last night because he was up and down so much, changing position and moving from bed to bed and panting. Almost as bad as his first night home after surgery. He's been fairly restless today as well. He doesn't seem distressed, just restless. Like he can't figure out what he wants, but knows he wants SOMETHING.

 

I'm wondering if it could be the Tramadol, and at what point we should start pulling that back... He gets 50mg 3x/day. Thoughts, anyone?

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Guest MorganKonaAlex

My guys seemed to prefer lying on the amputation side when they first came home. Have you tried verbally encouraging him to get up without actually helping? Re: restlessness. Our Vet said they shouldn't need pain pills more than a week after amputation. I would try skipping the last Tramadol and see how he does. That said, 2 of my 3 were both restless for a few weeks after amputation. One had a reaction to pain meds but I never did figure out why the other one was restless.

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Guest dfriedri

We think the Tramadol is what caused Star to be in such stress. We started reducing it slowly a few days ago and she finally is not quite so stressed. I would for sure talk to the vet about the Tramadol. I'm pretty sure the pain is very minimal anymore but she was crying out for no reason at all. Thankfully that has reduced yesterday and today. She still doesn't get up and move around quite yet. Getting better though and lots of tail wagging! Hope things get better. G'Luck!

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Love the video and the pics, especially Whitey on the couch with his family. He does look really good, Jen. You can definitely see the progress he's making, physically and mobilitywise. And he looks "present". He wants to be there with you!

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Guest bigorangedog

Had to do a quick update here.... Tonight, at late-night potty, WHITEY RAN! He didn't run fast or far, but he did run. From the back corner of the yard to me, maybe 50 feet. DH was behind a tree picking up poop, and I yelled, "He's running! He's running!" but DH didn't come out fast enough to see. He is now 2 weeks and 2 days post-amp. He's such a trooper! Hoping to get him in tomorrow to have his sutures out. Hoping OSU gets back to me soon about getting us the chemo drugs.

 

:gh_run Pretend there are only 3 legs here!! :)

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Guest lynne893
Thanks, everyone. I dropped him off at 9 (and promptly burst into tears). He was such a happy boy this morning and glad to be going for a ride. I felt like such a traitor, bringing him to have his leg cut off instead of to Burger King for nuggets. They should be working on him right now. The clinic is about 45 min from home, but we are sitting at a coffee shop down the street until they call to say he has come through surgery okay. They won't let us see him tonight because they don't want him to get upset and worked up. But they expect to release him tomorrow, if he is doing okay. I hope he knows that we didn't abandon him there. I sent him with his bed and one of my t-shirts.

 

(Wondering how to prepare my 5-yr-old daughter to see him... She only has a few months of English language, and I speak no Cantonese -- she was recently adopted. Hoping it won't totally freak her out. She'll be spending Sunday at Grandma's, but she'll be there when he comes home tomorrow.)

 

I will update when I hear that surgery is over. My poor Small White Dog. :weep

 

I haven't read through the rest of this thread yet, but I wanted to say that you sound like one of the most compassionate people, ever. Bless your soul for taking him in and giving him the best life and most love you possibly can. And for adopting a little girl!

 

Sending mounds and mounds of good thoughts and energy to you and your family!!!

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Guest lynne893

Just finished reading and am almost in tears. What a beautiful story of love and recovery.

 

May you have one of your best Christmases ever with Whitey, your survivor!!

 

Lynne

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Guest bigorangedog

Thought about starting a new thread, but decided to keep it here in case someone ever wants to read the whole Whitey story....

 

So okay, we got our sutures out on Monday and everything looks good. Vet told me to wean off the Deramaxx but keep the Gabapentin going for another week or so. He had been on 75 of Deramaxx but last week I pulled it back to 50. And 50 of Gabapentin.

 

The past couple days I have given 25 of Deramaxx (plus 50 of Gabapentin) with the intent to stop Deramaxx completely today.

 

But I think he is having some phantom pain. He'll whine and/or cry out while just lying there with nothing touching him. Do you guys think I should stop scaling back the Deramaxx, or continue to scale that back (because of the kidney/liver side effects) and up the Gabapentin?

 

I have a call in to the vet, but wanted to see if y'all had any opinions too.

 

Otherwise he is doing well. Almost every day we see a little something improve. Yesterday he gave me his first bark/wag combo since the surgery (which means, "Please take me outside RIGHT NOW, thank you.") And almost every day he will trot a little bit outside, although not running fast yet.

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Guest Energy11

I have no experience with amputations, but, I do with pain management. I'd personally keep the Deramaxx at the regular dose for now. He will not be on it that long, and if it helps, I'd keep giving it.

 

Glad Whitney is improving! :-)) That is a very good thing!!!

 

Many hugs!

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Guest bigorangedog
I have no experience with amputations, but, I do with pain management. I'd personally keep the Deramaxx at the regular dose for now. He will not be on it that long, and if it helps, I'd keep giving it.

 

Glad Whitney is improving! :-)) That is a very good thing!!!

 

Many hugs!

 

That's what my vet said too! :)

So that's what we'll do. He'll have his bloodwork checked before starting chemo anyway, so we can see whether the Deramaxx seems to be affecting anything.

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Guest OurLacyandJax

What a trooper!! Go Whitey. And deep respect to your family. The Gods are looking down on all of you with kindness.

 

We have two greys - and they are healthy right now. But stories like yours gives me courage to face anything.

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