We don’t have too much to report today so this may actually end up being a short post!
Molly is definitely starting to feel more comfortable getting up on her own. She moved around a few different times last night (just a few steps to a new spot on her bed or on our bedroom floor) so I took that as a sign that we should allow her that independence. I let her stand up on her own for breakfast, going outside at lunch, for dinner, and going outside just before bed. As soon as she’s up, we’re still there with the sling, supporting her as she walks, but it’s good for everyone’s morale when she feels like she’s back in charge. One challenge she hasn’t quite figured out is how to change direction with only one hind leg. We have to help her turn left but I’m sure she’ll get the hang of that soon.
Jordan got nailed with a really nasty bug last night and woke up feeling awful this morning. He went in to work for a few hours but then came home and slept on the couch for the rest of the day. While I felt/feel badly for my husband, I was also really pumped that Molly would have company (and wouldn’t have to wear the dreaded cone!!). Sorry hubs, thanks for taking one for the team!
Tonight, Molly was pretty groggy and sleepy — it’s fascinating how the pain meds ebb and flow with their side effects. We took off her bandage (waaaay less traumatizing than I anticipated it would be) and I think that made Molls feel more comfortable twisting her hips and moving her right leg around. She was almost on her back at one point so I scratched her belly on the right side and you could almost hear the sigh of relief. She fell asleep in about two seconds. But yes, the bandage is off and the wound looks pretty good (see pic below). Bruising is going down too! She’s not showing huge interest in the stitches but we’ll have to keep an eye on her as things continue to heal.
Bruising is receding and stitches look pretty good! Emailed this pic to our surgeon and she gave us the thumbs up.
Molly loves to stretch our her legs by pushing them against us. She fell asleep with her paw on my leg when I got home from work.
Her face cracks me up in this one and the next. How is that comfortable?!
Can’t believe we’re edging closer to our one week “ampuversary,” but at the same time it feels like forever ago that we dropped her off for her surgery. We realized that a month ago, we had never even heard of osteosarcoma and had no freakin’ clue that in a few short weeks, we’d have a tripaw. It all happened so fast…and yet, we feel like really seasoned (sometimes weary, but most times just experienced) vets. And we didn’t even go through the actual surgery! 😉 Molly is our little hero.
Love,
Kirby, Jordan, and Molly
Good to hear! We are 2 days post amp on my 9 year old lab Wiley. He has Mast Cell Cancer and only one big tumor on left forepaw, but metastasized to a lymph node. He came home yesterday. I know he is on some heavy duty drugs, and his vets said dogs don’t have any psychological impact from the amp; but he just seems so sad. Eating and drinking and walking incredibly. How is your pup doing behavior wise? Thanks- Anthony
Welcome Anthony!
My oncologist said the same about the pups not having psychological impacts from this surgery. I believe that my Bentley is sad and depressed, not so much about losing the leg but just about not feeling weel. Being all doped up and not able to play.
Dogs dont have body image issues like humans. So i really think he could care less about the missing leg.
The meds are heavy duty to keep them knicked out as their bodies recover and heal. At least thats my opinion today. Which happens to be our 1 week ampuversary.
Welcom to our little family. This website has been so amazing and the community here is like no other. They cry with us, laugh with us, and support each other 100%
Be sure to read the required reading list. It will answer alot of your concerns and questions.
Hang in there Anthony, it can only get better.
Jamie, Bentley, & Bailey
In Atlanta
The pain meds do a lot for their behavior – but don’t worry, you’re still only 2 days out!
Like Jamie (great name!) said, dogs don’t think about the loss of their limb. Wiley probably knows he needs to rest and is acting distant or what we perceive as ‘sad’ when he is just trying to adjust to his new life and managing the pain medicine.
You should start a forum post so that others can chime in and give you advice, words of wisdom, learn Wiley’s story, etc.! Everyone is very friendly and helpful and I am sure you would benefit from hearing from other dog parents who had Mast Cell Cancer.
Hang in there, you guys are doing great!
Jamie and Mac
Anthony and Wiley – WELCOME! I’m so sorry for my delayed response, but I’m glad others were able to comment. I agree, the behavior stuff can be so up and down and I attribute it to the heavy pain meds as well. We had one day last week when Molly’s Gabapentin and Tramadol lined up, and since those are both sedatives, she was in a complete slump and so groggy. Worried me like crazy! We have since adjusted her dosage schedule and that is definitely helping. I’m finding that it’s something I have to pay major attention to, all the time, but I think we’ve gotten the hang of it.
One other thing I’ve really noticed is that when we’re moving around and “acting normal” – going outside for potty breaks, getting meals prepped, sitting outside on the deck – Molly is wagging her tail and happy and looking/acting like her normal self. When we are leaving for work or just keeping her contained in the family room while we watch TV, she is more “depressed.” And I agree with Jamie that I think it’s because she can’t be playing and running around at 100% quite yet. She wants to be completely recovered and she’s ready to go back to regular life! She’s sick of being kept indoors for most of the day and forced to sleep and rest. In other words, she has cabin fever. 🙂 As Sally says, soon the sparkle will come back! We are keeping the faith that she will be back to her Molly-self soon. Amputation is a major surgery and while it removes that huge source of pain for our animals, it is still something significant they have to recover and heal from. Keep us posted on Wiley’s progress and let us know how we can support you! HUGS!
Molly is doing so well! She has some really amazing parents!
Today is Bentley’s 1 week ampuversary. I totally get what your saying. I’d never heard of Osteoscarcoma either and now a month later have my sweet tripawd. It was really such a whirl wind of emotions and time!
You two work so well together! Props to hubs and yourself Kirby!
Love in Atlanta,
Jamie, Bentley, & Bailey
Thank you again, Jamie and crew! We keep telling ourselves, we have the easy part — Molly is the one going through the tough stuff — so we need to be strong and supportive for her! It’s hard at times but so worth it for our girl!
Happy belated ampuversary to Bentley! He is kicking some major butt!
Molly is adorable!!!! I love the pics! And I’m so happy that she’s improving so well!
Thanks, Harmony and Pam! We feel lucky that recovery has been going so well, even with some relatively minor bumps in the road. Hugs to you!
Thank You !!! Yes- I’m happy I found this forum too. Here is Wiley and my little 3 year old Rosie today.
Sorry- can’t figure out how to attach pic of my pups- I will though
Wow! SHe is doing so well! The bruising really scared me because it got worse before it got better, but you’ll be so amazed in another week – the bruising will have subsided and the incision itself will be looking 10x better!
Mac couldn’t turn for about a week either. They are just getting their balance normalized, which takes some time – but don’t worry, she’ll get there!
Those pictures are ADORABLE!! The 3rd one down reminds me of Mac. He sits like that with his head receding into his neck rolls and just stares at you, pushing you with his paw and expecting belly rubs.
The pain meds really are an up and down kind of thing. When we took Mac’s fentanyl patch off, he took a major step back for a couple days (i.e. laid under a tree for 8 hours without MOVING!!) but then once that was out of his system along with the Tramadol, you could tell he was feeling so much better.
What is Molly on still? When did your doc say to start tapering off?
Sorry for the delay in my response! Real life got in the way 🙂 But I love that Mac does the same thing Molly does! My family’s golden does the same too… must be a golden thing. Molly actually didn’t get a fentanyl patch but she’s on three sets of pain meds: Rimadyl, Tramadol, and Gabapentin. We have eased up on both the Tram and Gab — we’re supposed to give a dosage every 8 hours but I could tell that might have been too much once we were further along in the recovery process. We stuck to that schedule until about two days ago, and now she’s getting Tram twice a day and Gab twice a day, on alternate schedules (so we’re not nailing her with two sedatives at the same time). As far as we’ve been told, she’s on that pain med regimen until we go back for her suture removal, which is a week from Monday. I know we’ll have to do some tapering with the Gaba for sure (I’ve read that it’s not good to stop cold turkey) but we haven’t gotten any “official” instructions about that from our surgeon just yet. What was your experience with Mac? What was he taking and when did your taper?
Molly you are doing great! You have that laid back comfortable look that says I GOT THIS!!! You will be up an walking an rumning in no time!!!!❤ stay strong pretty girl?
She’s definitely our hero too, and such a pretty one! Glad things are going so, so well. OSA is the education nobody wants but it really does open your eyes to so many things that make us better pet pawrents. You get an A++!
Thanks, Jerry! Thank you for creating such an amazing place for all of us going through this! Hope you are enjoying CO – the weather is gorgeous today!
Those pictures are melting my heart!! That look is the depiction of serenity and sheer comfort! Sooooo cute!!
Sparkle will continue to come back…very slowly at first and then.BAM…it comes back in leaps and bounds!!
And WILEYSDAD…hop over to the forums and let us know how we can supprt you…AND…post pictures! Recovery is no picnic and is full of ups and downs.
Sending hugs to all!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle too!
I just keep repeating that to myself over and over again… “Sparkle will continue to come back…very slowly a first and then BAM…it comes back in leaps and bounds!!” We are ready to see the Molly sparkle again! Thank you Sally, your “pawsitive” comments always put a big smile on our faces! HUGS!