Rear Amputation – Meg the Tripawd

Hopping around

It has been 53 days since Meg’s amputation. 7 and a half weeks. 1 month and 3 weeks. However you put it, its finally looking like a distant memory.

It has been a busy few weeks since my last blog for us humans, but not so busy for the pups.

The sun has been out and it is finally feeling like spring, so there have been many trips to the dog park. Everyone still loves watching Meg hop about and marvel at how well she is doing. Kids ask if it will grow back, and run around bragging about seeing a three legged dog.

The warm weather has also meant getting the hose out and watering plants, much to Meg’s delight

When my birthday rolled around, friends of both the human and dog variety gathered at the Dog House, a cafe for dogs. The girls and their friends loved their puppochinos and dog muffins.

Meg has gotten back to her pre-surgery self but destroying her soft toys and ensuring her sister Dotti does not touch them, play with them or even think about destroying them.

The girls found a birds nest which they were very curious about. Lucky it is just out of reach!

Bird chasing video

Investigating the bird nest video

Just yesterday, Meg and Dotti went to tell Santa what they want for christmas and had some photos done with him, in their best christmas costumes. Hopefully we’ll receive those photos in a few weeks and might even be able to send out a few christmas cards with them if anyone wants them!!

Keep hopping Megmoo

Meg-a-soccer-star

Meg doesn’t play with tennis balls much outside. Instead she players with soccer balls that are as big as her. Turns out three legs is no problem when it comes to this skill.

Stitches are out!

After 14 days, this afternoon Meg took a trip to the vet and got her stitches out! Her wound is looking good and she was given a clean bill of health from the vet*

*we still have to go back in a few months to check the cancer didn’t actually spread

Go Meggymoo!

A trip to the doggo park afterwards was well and truly in order – Meg was very happy to not be held back from chasing other dogs, and running away from other dogs.

Her sparkle is well and truly back, although she is still getting tired easily and has sore muscles, who could blame her for that though! She is missing a leg after all!

Now to get on with life though! Mainly sleep.

Also today, Meg’s lil belly had finally lost enough swelling for her ruffwear web master harness to fit again, and she went for her first walk around the block with it, only the second time she has gone around the block since the surgery! It seemed to help her balance, especially towards the end once she tired.

wp_20161005_09_33_29_pro — Ruffwear Web Master harness (XXS)

Get ready for new adventures as a stitch free tripawd Meg!

Post Op Day 3 – Here comes the crash?

Day three post op has been up and down, but for the most part calm and stress free.

Meg slept through the night and woke up around 7:30 wanting to come up on the bed for a snuggle. Drugged her up with some tramadol and let her nest under the doona cover like she used to as a quad dog.

Things seemed fine, until I offered her breakfast. Not interested at all. I was 95% sure this was because I blended up some of her normal dog food with raw chicken, she has been eating raw chicken by itself for the last few days, but there was a risk that A) she was in too much pain and B) the day 3-5 crash beginning. I’m prepared for that crash but at the same time, I want to keep enjoying a happy Meg for a little longer. I insisted we get her a cheeseburger meat patty for lunch, when she has her rimadyl and needs to eat.

Fortunately it seemed like she was just sulking about dog food and went on enjoying the day. The sun was out and she took up some sun baking.

We even took her to the (very empty) dog park where she sat on my lap, laid in the grass and even had a little roll in the grass – nothing too strenuous. The happiness on her face was amazing, I think the park on a sunny day is her favourite thing.

The morning was topped off with her eating her cheeseburger lunch and happily getting drugged.

The main highlight from the afternoon was taking her out for a pee break, going to pick her up to take her back to our second level apartment, but nope, she wanted to climb those steps herself! Two sets of at least 10 stairs! The first few were almost slips (I was ready to grab her), but after that she had it nailed! Safe to say she is only doing that once a day for now.

She did a fair bit of running between rooms this afternoon as well, to my horror. I enforced bed rest – she is going to be exhausted tomorrow (she already is).

Her shaking has picked up, and the signs of phantom limb pain episodes, and a hell of a lot more sulkiness and sadness has begun. Here comes the crash.

Rest well, Meggymoo!

Not long until surgery day!

I’ve been counting down the days ever since we booked Meg in for her amputation, and it is getting very close now. 2 more sleeps! Eeeeeekkkk!

On one hand having three weeks between finding out we need the surgery and the surgery date has been great – getting things ready around the house, making sure things are ok with uni/work before taking time off and of course spending lots of time spoiling Meg. On the other hand, it has been a very drawn out process of getting anxious, feeling better after doing research (mainly on tripawds), only to see Meglet being so happy and playful on four legs. I know she won’t mind three legged life once she recovers, but it is hard to be 100% sure of that when all the nerves are at a high! You all understand!

At least Meg has had a lovely last three weeks as a quaddog. Lots of big walks, trips to various parks, a visit to a dog cafe, and exploring lots of new places.

Enjoying a pupmuffin & dogachino at Dog House Cafe, Collingwood

Meanwhile, we’ve gotten a lot of things around the house sorted, and gotten nearly everything ticked off the list:

Harness
Memory foam bed
Rugs, rugs & more rugs

The only thing missing is a baby gate, which hopefully won’t even be needed! Anything else? Raised food/water bowls perhaps?

We did have a few set backs during the three weeks, last week Meg woke up with a swollen eyelid, another trip to the vets! Yesterday she woke up with a sore jaw/snout, I think she got too rough with her sister, but that seems to have fixed itself!

So Wednesday is the big day. I’m terrified, but trying to be more dog about it and getting on with things, just as Meg is. Any advice for keeping sane on the big day would be appreciated, I’m sure I’ll be on the forums all day and even add my own topic!

Good luck Meg, you’ll kick arse at this tripawd thing!