Bandit’s Life ~ 2 weeks tomorrow :(
Hello everyone and thank you all for your comments and concerns…sorry I haven’t posted lately. Things around here have been so hectic…wow! Uhmm were to start…well Bandit had been doing wonderful the first 6 days and since then things have been very hard to be honest! I understand at times he’ll have days when he gets a little blue and tired more than others but that isn’t the big problem. His rear legs aren’t doing very well and it is breaking my heart! For the most part he wants to go do something and is bored to death but when he even tries to get up to go do something his legs spasm something terrible. I have spent countless hours daily massaging them and doing ice/heat therapy day and night. He’s only had like 2 good days in the last week were they didn’t hurt so bad. I had talked to our Vet regarding this and she said that it may take sometime for his legs to build the strength he needs and to continue with the massage and therapy. Tomorrow is his 2 week post-op visit to have his stitches removed and hopefully that goes well, his incision was healing nicely until the last 2 days it appears that some blood has formed under the surface near the lower part of the incision. I am wondering if he might have licked that area too much or if something more is wrong. It almost looks like a really bad hicky and it is about 2 inches long by a 1 inch wide. I called the Vet tonight just to confirm he isn’t bleeding internally and to see if this is something I should be really concerned aboout. They said no, just to keep his shirt on him even if he don’t like it, little do they know he still licks that area once in awhile….shirt on or off. Then again he’s always had that nervous problem f licking himself, so I’m sure they’re not suprised just as we aren’t. I don’t know what to do to help him anymore regarding his legs and nothing seems to be working as well as I hope for. I do try my hardest to keep his spirits up and play with him on the floor with his toys and talk his ear off just so he knows that I am pulling for him! When he stands up you can literally watch his thighs spasm which makes him very unsteady in his back end. Today was the first day in a week that he felt a bit better and all day he kept jumping up and back down and I kept telling him to just relax and clam down…he is so bored to death. In fact a couple times I even had to use my “guy” voice to tell him to stop it and of course he gave me that look like, “really you’re going to go there with me”…kinda funny although I was trying not smile at him for giving me such a look. And now tonight he is paying the price, his back legs just hurt terribly. I can prevent him from trying to take off while outside or moving around too much in the house but him jumping up and back down so many times in a day I just can’t seem to prevent him from doing that. Oh how I wish we didn’t live in Northern Wisconsin right now so he could go swimming but since it’s almost time for ice fishing we’ll have to wait…bummer! You see…Bandit’s always been the pack leader and the guardian around here so whenever he hears something or smells something he’s up to check it out or give out that big bark of his. I don’t blame him for being bored and wanting to run chase chipmunks, play with the other dogs, stroll through the woods and check on the the cows…that was his daily routine and right now that has all changed. I keep reminding him and myself that he’ll do that again…just give him time to get better! I keep wondering has anyone else who has a tripawd even had this issue and were might I find that person so I can get some pointers and find out how their dog is doing. I’ve read so many blogs and vet sites but can’t find anything. I am just scared that there might be a small chance it isn’t going to get better but I don’t stay in that thought process long because that sure and the heck don’t help either of us. Of course with 2 of our 3 Vets disappointed in the fact that we choose to go this route it will be a heart wrenching day at our appointment tomorrow….I’m sure because they’ll probably give us a look like “we told you so”, I am really hoping they don’t because I just don’t need that crap right now and neither does Bandit! Our appointment is scheduled with the one Vet who was for it though so that’s better news. On another good note…Bandit appears to have lost weight and I am really watching his diet closely and he is loving his chicken broth, carrots and rice soup that he gets almost daily. Another thing he’s enjoying is dehydrated apple rings and his daily 2 all natural dog biscuits and rawhide stick. He was having trouble taking a #2 but between the apple rings and pumpkin pie from the can (which he isn’t real big on…I have to stick it in his mouth in order for him to eat it) things are back on track in that department as well. Well I am going to get off here and go massage his legs before I head to bed tonight, we’ll write again later this week. Oh and if anyone has any advice as to how or what may help with Bandit’s legs please let us know, it would be greatly appreciated! Bandit does though continue to amaze me with his determination, love and lets not forget how he still turns his head from side to side as I talk to him…gosh I love him! Goodnight & God Bless all these wonderful tripawd dogs!
November 2nd, 2009 at 6:47 am
Oh sweetie… I’m so sorry to hear Bandit is having problems with his back legs. Jake had been doing so well for many weeks post op and then he also started having alot problems with his back legs just a few days ago. I think that probably in Bandit’s case, it might just be soreness from his legs getting used to the extra weight that now has to be distributed between his remaining 3 legs.
Let us know how it goes at the vets… BTW… I love the pictures of Bandit!!! He is a very handsome boy!
Jake’s Mom
November 2nd, 2009 at 7:06 am
Jakes Mom,
Thank you! I am also very sorry to hear that Jake is having problems with his back legs as well. Is it the same kind of trouble Bandit appears to be having? This cancer stuff sure takes a toll on the entire family doesn’t it….just hard and much heartache:( Our other 2 little goldens, Josie Rose and Wally even seem very concerned about Bandit and want to lay near him and keep a close on him, sometimes you can even tell they are sad about it, especially little Wally because Bandit always took care of him since he was just 6 weeks old. I just keep praying that he gets better soon and I will say some prayers for Jake as well. Let me know how your week goes and I will do the same. Hope you and Jake have a good day!
November 2nd, 2009 at 12:31 pm
Fluid buildup in post-op seromas after amputation are perfectly normal. we just had to have Jerry’s drained once. If it doesn’t seep or look infected, there is no need to worry.
Best wishes for getting through this ruff spot. I’m hoping Bandit just needs time to rebuild his strength in the rear legs to compensate for the extra weight they now carry. I is still early in his recovery. This can take a few weeks, but will happen. He may be getting bored, but is important he take it easy.
Hang in there Bandit. We’re all rootin’ for ya!
November 2nd, 2009 at 1:45 pm
Thank you so much!!!!
His incision is not infected so that is good. I hope today that the Vet has some good news regarding his rear legs and some pointers as to what would be more helpful. I don’t want to just keep putting him on pain meds considering they are so hard on a dog’s kidneys and if all it does is numb the pain then he thinks he can over do it and that only leads to more damage. I am currently trying to find a dog chiropractic office around here, I am thinking that may help as well but we’ll have to wait to be sure that his insides and incision are all healed up first. You know sometimes when he’s standing it would almost appear that his one hip is sitting lower than the other, although I am not sure at times it truly does look like that….maybe the chiropractor would be able to help. And you are right….it still is very early in his recovery. I think that, that first week had been home and he was so good it amazed us and now to see him the following week not doing as well was kind of shock for us, we were thinking that first week would have been the hardest. I bought him a new heated massage thingy today and I am going to try that out before we head off to the doctor’s office. Thanks again!