I am new to being the Mom of a Tripawd. My foster Ruby came to stay with me last January. She had been hit by a car and owner surrendered to the local rescue. The rescue immediately took her to the vet who placed a rod and a plate with multiple screws. Since coming to stay with me she has undergone 4 surgeries placing and replacing rods, placing and replacing metal plates, and even an external fixation device. The rescue and their vet tried everything imaginable to save her leg all to no avail, the bone wouldn’t mend and her last surgery was two weeks ago when they amputated the leg.
The vet kept her 5 days after the amputation – making sure there were no complications. I stopped to see her three days after surgery – I wanted to take her outside but they said she had just been out and she needed to stay in her crate and rest. I called daily to glowing reports – she is up and walking around – adjusting well. When I picked her up two days later I found her lying in the hall. I had to literally Pick Her Up and carry her back end while she walked her front legs to the car. They had bandaged the amputation site and believed she was refusing to walk because she was acting up about the new bandage. Apparently she had gotten to her stitches between the time I had visited her a few days earlier and when I picked her up, so they bandaged her. They told me that I was not to remove the bandage for 48 hours. Those 48 hours were awful. I carried her out to potty 4 times a day but she wouldn’t go. She wouldn’t get up – she wouldn’t go out, she just lay there wetting herself. I called the rescue’s vet daily to tell them what was going on and they told me she would bounce back when the bandage came off. When I removed the bandage the amputation area was swollen and the back half of the surgical site looked awful so I took her to my vet. My vet said leave it open and keep it clean. The next day the back leg swelled up and I was back to my vet with her. The fluid that had accumulated at the surgical site was now filling the leg after the bandage was removed. She showed me how to massage the leg to get the fluid to dissipate and suggested range of motion exercises until the swelling went down and she walked on it. She showed me how to use a towel to support Ruby’s pelvis while I took her out (my back thanked her) and it suddenly got easier to get her outside to potty and she stopped wetting herself. Two days later the swelling was gone, she is willing to stand on the leg but she still will not walk without support. When I do support her she does not actually put much weight on the leg – she keeps the leg bent and her back hunched. I purchased a harness that supports the pelvis to replace the towel… again things got easier. She will occasionally straighten the leg but for the most part she keeps it bent and doesn’t put weight on it. Now, finally my point…. I am concerned – am I helping her or hurting her by walking her with the harness? Is there something serious wrong that I am missing? Has anyone had a similar experience and can you tell me what you did to get past it?
Ruby is luck to have you! Thank you for sharing her story, we look forward to following her progress. Your future blog posts and pages will publish immediately without requiring moderation.
The best thing you can possibly do is consult with a a certified canine rehab therapist for a professional evaluation, treatment recommendations and specific exercises you can do to keep her fit and strong. Visit a CCRT or CCRP and the Tripawds Foundation can even pay for your first visit from the Maggie Moo Fund for Tripawd Rehab.
Thank you – Ruby did a lot of physical therapy between her surgeries. I was able to email the physical therapist and schedule Ruby for PT on 11/30.
PS: For more feedback from members, consider posting in the discussion forums or feel free to call the toll-free Tripawds Helpline. Start here for help finding the many Tripawds Resources!
Oh wow! What an ordeal!!! And I agree with Admin Guy, Ruby is so lucky to have your love and your care ❤
Absolutely, do try and get her evaluated by a Rehabilitation Specialist. The Tripawds Foundation will pay for the first visit.
I’m really glad you are now under the care of your regular Vet. Things DO seem to be improving now.
Couple of questions. What kinds of pain meds is Ruby on? Most dogs come home with Tramadol, Gabapentin and Rimadyl, as well as an antibiotic.
Also, during all of those other surgeries, was she having any mobility issues then? If so, is it possible she had some injury to that leg or her back, etc during the accident? The Rehab Specialist should be able to help in that area too.
For now, and I’m not a Vet and not giving Vet advice, but it seems she does need the harness help for now. All those other surgeries prior to this put a lot of wear and tear on her other three legs as she went from one surgery to the other.
Try some GENTLE massage before each walk up and down her spine, her shoulder, etc. Maybe a good tummy rub while she’s laying down to see if she stretches that leg out when she’s relaxed.
The good news?? Once this recovery is done and all her mobility quirks are worked through, Ruby will be pain frre and living life to the fullest in three legs!!! Oh yes she will!!!
PLEASE keep us posted…..either here or in the forums. Amputation is major surgery and, under the best of circumstances takes about thirty days to get the proper gait going. And goodness knows, her situation prior to this has been very challenging, to say the least! And many dogs stay in pain meds for two to three weeks, or longer (even if in reduced form).
Hang in there! It gets better!!!
Extra hugs
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
PS…also try a warm towel out of the dryer over her back as you massage up and down. Take note of she seems to have tensed muscles and massage those areas espec. And do check into some pain meds and Rimadyl. But most imp, try and get a Rehab appointment as soon as you can.
Thank you so much. The surgeon sent her home on Rimadyl and an antibiotic. Two days after I got her home I took her to my vet – she added Gabapentin. I gave her the Gabapentin for a couple of days and it seemed to help but it made her incredibly loopy and unsteady. A steady 3 legged 80lb doberman is difficult enough – unsteady was more than I could handle so I stopped it. After my conversation with the Tripawd helpline and a conversation with the vet today I have decided to restart it and give her a couple more days to adjust. She enjoyed the massage and is scheduled for rehab on 11/30.
You’ve gotten great advice here, I just want to add that the signals Ruby is giving you indicate that she is in pain. See:
https://tripawds.com/2018/09/19/how-dogs-show-pain/
It sounds like her pain was not well managed after surgery. That’s just a guess, but I would get her assessed for pain management needs. If the vet says she doesn’t need any, get her to a rehab therapist ASAP.
Keep us posted and don’t forget to hop over to our Forums for help from others OK?