Help Please Anybody

[Guest Venditts]

My 11 yo greyhound recently had her front left leg amputated and came home last week and was recovering great until I noticed urine in her pee. Took her into the vet who did a urinalysis and sonogram and ruled it as a UTI.

 

Two days later I come home and she is unable to stand on her back right leg. I think she attempted to get up on our ottoman and possibly pulled a muscle-maybe the gracious. Then 6 hours later she develops massive swelling and bruising that continues to get worse. We take her to the vet who does radiographs, blood count, etc and everything checked out totally fine. She's walking again and standing but on restricted activity. We were given an anti inflammatory to take home yesterday and today there is so much more swelling is in the area and she can't walk again. Both my regular vet and specialist/surgeon are puzzled. She's eating and drinking just fine.

 

She doesn't seem to be in pain but she's not comfortable either and she can't stand up given how swollen her leg continues. Any help at all? Any similar experiences? Please let me know

[tbhounds]

Is she taking amicar??? Aminocarproic acid??

[Guest Venditts]

She was on it for a good bit. My vet is very familiar with greyhounds as her sister owns an adoption group and vets all of them so she has a good bit of it too but she told me in this case she doesn't think my girl phoebe needs it

[tbhounds]

I'm in the sure can't hurt camp.

[macoduck]

She needs it! Please tell her to start it now.

 

You may find that Amicar (Aminocarproic acid) is pricey. Tranexamic Acid is a Dr Couto-approved substitute. Much cheaper and my Walmart had it in stock. Rx required.

[MaryJane]

Something similar happened right before my dog had his amputation which likely was a result of them pulling on his good front leg to position him during the x-rays. We had to delay the amputation for 1 week because the bruising and the swelling were pretty bad - it went down within 3 to 4 days and I used a sling to make sure that the good leg was not getting stressed. After the amputation, the good leg swelled again but, no bruising and within 3 to 4 days, it went down. During that time, I was using the sling and keeping most of the weight off that front leg.

 

Do you still have her on pain pills?

 

Also, when she is laying down, you are going to need to adjust her front body so that the shoulder is where she is laying on rather than the leg - make sure to adjust by lifting at the shoulder slightly at the shoulder and re-positioning. DO NOT pull at the leg.

Also, can you be more specific as to when the amputation was done, what dose of amicar she had and for how many days and which day she went to the vet for the UTI. Pretty much the timeline please since the amputation...

[Guest Venditts]

My vet agreed it can't hurt so she said meeting me at the clinic within the hour

[seeh2o]

How is she doing?

[Guest Venditts]

Thank you so much for asking- the Amicar definitely stopped the progrsssion of the bruising and some swelling has gone down but she's still having difficulty standing in that back leg : ( she's drinking and eating just fine and snoring away

[seeh2o]

That's good news! You might want to try rubbing some Arnica gel on the swollen/bruised areas of her leg, just don't rub it into any areas where the skin is broken. It can really help make bruising and swelling go away faster.

[Guest Venditts]

This morning I woke up and she got around a bit better-was able to stand and walk for a bit-however the swelling and bruising have seem to increased again and I'm just so scared because we're doing everything, no idea what's wrong, and she seems to be feeling worse

[LaFlaca]

What a nightmare! Keeping you and your Grey in my prayers.

[Batmom]

No advice to add, just best thoughts for you and your pup.

[Guest Venditts]

Thank you for the help and support and love everybody it means a lot at this time.

[greysmom]

It's going to take a while for all that swelling a fluid to go away and be reabsorbed. It's so hard to know when to *really* panic when you're already panicking, especially after a big surgery like this! Hot packs can also help keep the blood moving in the area - not too hot since the skin will be really delicate.

 

{{{hugs}}}

[macoduck]

Greysmom is right - it will take a while for the swelling to go down. Although I did not have any amputations with my dogs, Allen bled profusely from a microchip insertion. Left a BIG puddle of blood on the floor at the vet office. Started again when we got home so we went to our vet's bigger clinic. We started him on the 5 day course of tranexamic acid immediately. Took over 10 days for the one leg that swelled to go down and for the bruising that pooled the entire length of his underside to go away. We tested and he did not have bleeding disorder. Through it all Allen acted normal.

 

I hope you see gradual improvement each day. What is your girl's name?

[Guest Venditts]

My girls name is Phoebe! She is a broodie and her other name is CTW Oasis if you would like to look her up.

 

Unfortunately, the leg I'm talking about is on the back right and her amputated leg is on the front left. She's been home recovering for 10 days and when I came home from work she attempted to jump on an ottoman and fell. She had trouble walking and then the swelling and bruising started. Her mobility with the back bruised leg fluctuates. The bruising and swelling has continued to spread throughout her body. We have rotated hot and cold compressions, for her on amicar, had a sonogram, a radiograph, a blood analysis etc that all call out normal.

 

I went out and got arnicare to put on the bruises which seems to have cooled them down. I just wish I knew the underlying cause of all of this because I don't think it has anything to do with the amputation.

[Guest Venditts]

Greysmom, macoduck, laflaca, greysmom, batmom, tbhounds my heart goes out to all of you for responding. I'm attempting to post a picture but it won't go through. The bruising has moved up her entire body

[macoduck]

Venditts, are you on Facebook? If so, post a picture of Phoebe there. Then copy and paste it into your post here. Easiest way unless you use a photo hosting site.

[macoduck]

I see Phoebe is a Greyhound Crossroads dog. Are you using your own vet or the group's vet? Definitely call the group vet - name should be on you original paperwork. Or call Kim Owens (director) and/or post on the "Greyhound Crossroads" FB page

 

Might be quicker to contact Dr Couto at the Greyhound Health Initiative

https://www.greyhoundhealthinitiative.org/consultation-for-ownersadopters/

There is a fee for consultations.

To join at the lowest member level and get a 50% off consultation fee see "Hero" level. https://www.greyhoundhealthinitiative.org/membership/

 

This is where you would send your questions to Dr C, along with lab reports, any xrays, treatment thus far

http://coutovetconsultants@gmail.com

 

If you are on Facebook, check out the "Greytalk Health and Medical" page.

[Guest Venditts]

Hey I have been texting the group's vet all weekend; I'm close with her and Kim Owens of greyhound crossroads. They're telling us we're doing everything we can right now

[MaryJane]

How much Amicar is she on - dosage and how often ?

[Guest Venditts]

Ok so she has been to the vet daily and they started to drain the swelling from the pitted edema and it's getting better. Has anybody experienced anything like this before?

[juliemac]

Just reading this ... sending prayers and hoping to hear that your girl is responding to the treatment right now.

[Guest Venditts]

We believe its a pitted edema caused by a torn gracilis tear. We have drained a lot of the fluid and although she is still swollen, she is no longer bruising and in much better spirits and mobility!!!