This Is A Thread I Hoped I Would Never Have To Make

[Charlies_Dad]

I don't think the two shrieking episodes are related to Osteo in another location but could be wrong. I'm thinking either phantom pain or perhaps he just got into an uncomfortable position somehow. Gabapentin may be very helpful in those situations as one has to remember all those nerve endings need to heal and that can take a bit of time.

[a_daerr]

Just popping in to say I'm so relieved Tempo is recovering well. His tripod-sit looked WONDERFUL!

[MP_the4pack]

Unfortunately my Diamond did get OS in another leg, but it was her back leg.

 

Another thing that it could be is stitches being pulled on the inside. They're disolvable but take a very long time to disolve. Also phantom pain as someone else mentioned.

[jaym1]

Now that it's a day later, it would seem unlikely to me that it's already spread to another limb, though of course, I'm not a veterinarian. But the pathology indicates that the tumor in his amputated leg was contained, it wasn't in his lymph nodes, and so far, there have been no signs of it in his lungs. I do wonder why a full body scan was not done before the surgery, though. Perhaps I can request one on Friday.

[Guest IrskasMom]

More Prayers and Loads of gentle Hugs for Tempo and Rocko

Edited April 4, 2013 by IrskasMom

[jaym1]

I wonder how long one can reasonably expect the surgery site to be sore or painful for. Last night, very briefly, and again this morning, he had another pain episode. it seems that this only happens when he's laying down. i tried to gently palpate the area to see where it was coming from. at night it wasnt possible, because he stayed laying down. but this morning when he stood up, it seemed that it was the area near the bottom of his incision, sort of in the middle of his chest that was painful to the touch -- a area with a lot of muscle and soft tissue.

 

most of his swelling is gone, and his bruising is receding and clearing up very quickly. there is no evidence of infection -- at least externally. speaking generally, to me it wouldnt seem unreasonable for a limb amputation site to still be sore after less than two weeks, but the surgeon seemed fairly surprised by it.

[DesiRayMom]

the surgeon seemed fairly surprised by it.

 

I suggest the surgeon have a limb amputation & see how long he's sore.

 

******Sorry, I couldn't help myself******

[jaym1]

We are at the vet right now. Tempo is getting his first chemo treatment as I type this. He has been improving rapidly in terms of his movement and mood, though he is still a bit cloudy at times, and is still definitely a lot more held back/tired in general. His wound site looks 100 times better, as does his bruising, which had been unusually severe.

 

In speaking with his oncologist just now, she mentioned that the pathology report showed a fairly low number of dividing cells in the tumor (3 out of something or other), and that cell differentiation was also fairly low, both of which I hope to be good signs.

[a_daerr]

Good luck with chemo today.

[MP_the4pack]

When Diamond had her front leg amp, she never really was able to do the walk around the whole field again. I was hoping that she could build up endurance. However I want to be fair, I only had 6 months and she was 12.

 

But don't be surprised if the length of his activities never reach the level it was before. It does take a lot more energy to hope on one front leg.

 

I am so thrilled that Tempo is doing well!

[jaym1]

tempo was an amazingly athletic dog -- i wouldn't expect him ever to get back to that. but i do hope he will return to his earlier energy level, to some extent. he loved to have fun, and that's all i hope he can get back to.

 

excitingly, rocko decided to poop and pee in the apartment while alone (he is basically never alone). this could be an issue.

[Beachbum1]

Tempo is resting quietly now.....Rocko is pacing around.

Now Rocko just got up on the couch. Guess he realized Daddy is gone.

Maybe leave the cam on the next time he is left alone? Someone might be able to let you know how he does.

[Beachbum1]

How is Tempo (and you all) doing?

[jaym1]

he is doing much better. he can get around, seems much happier, and is generally a lot more mobile. i am still concerned that he is still having difficulty with his stamina on very short walks, and that he does a lot of panting in general, even when home. i looked at the paw on his front foot and noticed a small, totally flat circular discoloration on one of the pads. it just looks like a little brown dot, and i wonder if he's in pain from putting too much pressure on it. right now, every little yelp or yip from him, no matter how small, fills me with complete dread. the night before his diagnosis (the same night his limp started) he was laying in bed with me with his head resting on my legs to take the weight off his bad shoulder. every time he would shift off of it, he would make a long, relieved groan. it was a sound he had never really made before (unless his ears were being scratched). whenever he makes that sound now, which he does occasionally, it makes me wonder if he might not have a tumor in his other leg.

 

i also noted that he's not ready to be left unsupervised with his scar exposed, as he will lick it raw. im wondering when that will cease to be a concern.

[MP_the4pack]

What about a Tshirt? I had Dima wear one when she started to get interested in her scar. She'd like the T shirt til it got wet but the surgical site was ok

[Roo]

I think it can take a while to build the stamina back up. I'm no expert, but I recently walked a dog at the local animal shelter who'd had his right front leg amputated (don't know the cause, but I'm assuming trauma). He's 6 and an Aussie mix. His scar was totally healed (to the point where I couldn't even see it), his fur was starting to grow back where it had been shaved, and it was a nice, cool day. But! I took him out for a walk and we hadn't even made it out of the shelter yet before he was panting heavily and needing a little rest break. We worked out a system - we'd go a few feet, I'd squat down and let him lean his chest against my knee, he'd breathe for a bit, and then we'd keep going a few more feet. It looked like it had been a while for him and he was starting to get the hang of it and build up some stamina, but he was still struggling a bit and hadn't fully mastered walking with three legs (he weaved around and leaned on walls as we went). May just take time

[KF_in_Georgia]

At this time of year, with the Spring temperature change, both my dogs are panting more than usual. Once they get more accustomed to the temps, I expect the panting will decrease. Tempo may just be experiencing some of that. (I was worried about my old boy's panting--until I realized the younger girl was panting more, too.)

 

You might want to try something like bag balm on Tempo's scar. The scar may be pulling or just feeling a bit dry right now. Yes, keep his shirt on him when you can't supervise, but see if a nice massage with balm makes him ignore it more. (ETA: Your drug store may actually have something for use on people's scars.)

 

I really hope Tempo's not developing a corn on his foot. Try massaging the bag balm into his pads, too, to soften them up. If that is a corn starting to develop (and sometimes they'll occur after an injury because there's been a shift in the pressure on that foot), the bag balm will make that more obvious to you.

 

Bag Balm is usually available at your local drugstore.

Edited April 11, 2013 by KF_in_Georgia

[joejoesmom]

I also suspect that Tempo might be developing a corn. Joe didn't have any before his amp, but developed them shortly thereafter.

 

You can learn to hull them yourself.

 

http://www.grassmere-animal-hospital.com/corns.htm

 

Jane

[MaryJane]

After my Onyxx had his amputation, it seemed that walking was more troublesome to him and made him more tired and panting - maybe because he ended up hopping with each step. He did better loping (between a fast walk and a run). He could do a few spins around the yard and wouldn't be tired.

[jaym1]

Here's his paw with some of that Mushers secret all-season protection balm. It looks like some sort of inflamed area going on there.

 

[KF_in_Georgia]

I agree about it possibly being an inflammation. It doesn't look like a corn to me.

[Roo]

It does look inflamed and angry.. Could it just be irritated from all of a sudden being the only weight-bearing paw in the front? Perhaps with the exercise it's just...hurting. Maybe a boot would help?

 

Again, I have no experience with this.

[KF_in_Georgia]

It's possible he stepped down on something on a walk. With only one front leg, he wouldn't limp noticeably, so you wouldn't know.

 

You might try soaking it in epsom salts. Often, people have mixed the salts with warm water, wet a washcloth with the solution, put the cloth in a zip-loc bag, then put the pup's foot in the bag in the cloth and just kept the dog occupied and off his foot for as long as possible. Soaking will make it feel better if he's experiencing the equivalent of a bruise. If there's something embedded, the soaking might bring it to the surface. (The argument, I think, is that the salt will draw his tissues up tighter, thus pushing a foreign object closer to the surface.)

[Guest yat420]

I'm so sorry. I'm going through this the second time and it still isn't any easier. I hope and will be praying that Tempo does well with his treatment.

[jaym1]

one thing i have noticed, as someone mentioned earlier, is that he seems to have much less trouble walking faster, as opposed to slower, which seems counterintuitive. maybe its because he doesnt have to hop as many times between point a and point b? in any event, until yesterday, i had been taking it very, very slowly, and stopping often. after watching how he moves at the dog park (which is to say, swiftly), i decided to walk at almost a normal pace, with a few breaks thrown in, and he seem to do much better that way.

 

i did find a small little bumb behind his front wrist -- in in his skin, not on the bone. most likely its a pimple or a standard sebaceous cyst. but under the circumstances, anything is cause for worry at this point.

 

also had his blood test this morning now that hes a week out from his first chemo, and everything was fine. wbc slightly low, but thats it. im watching their webcam right now and he looks happily collapsed in the corner.