This is my first time blogging so be patient with me. Rocky is my very sweet 5 y.o. large Lab mix. He is a big baby and loves everybody and all other animal. We adopted him from the local shelter when he was 8 weeks old. He is well known in our neighborhood because he carries his own water bottle on our walks. For the last 18 months our walks have been limited by an unexplained limp. Lots of exams,x rays and meds and still nothing. Our vet finally sent us to a neurologist and he thought it might be a disc or pinched nerve. We had an MRI on October 24th, 2016. It showed a bulging disc and spinal stenosis around his left sciatic nerve. We thought great, surgery and he will do fine. We brought him home on the 26th and things looked good. Rocky did well for a few days then his recovery stalled and then went backwards. We saw the surgeon and he agreed and we started another pain med and hoped it was just a slow healing nerve. By November 12th it was obvious that something was wrong. On the night of the 13th Rocky would not walk even with his sling. He had another MRI on the 15th and our hearts were broken. His spinal surgery was just fine so they looked further and found a bone tumor in the head of his left femor. It had split the bone and was the cause or the pain. Options that were given were euthanasia or amputation. Well I love my big boy, so amputation it is. He went straight to surgery from the MRI. Wears now waiting to pick him up and start a new life with him. We don’t know what type of tumor it is yet. We are just praying for a good biopsy.
I am starting this blog to get as much info as we can about caring for a tripaw. I know we will be looking for a harness for this big guy. He is very tall and has a very deep chest any suggestion s where to look for larger items would be appreciated. I look forward to talking with all of you.
Hi and welcome. I’m sorry to hear about Rocky’s trials! You have found the best place to be to deal with amputation and tumors. Even though Rocky is a big boy we have had many dogs bigger do just fine!
It’s great to start a blog to keep track of your journey and post pictures (hint, hint) but when you are looking for advice or support you might want to hop over to the fourms and post there. There are more people there and tons of information.
Many (if not most) people here use the RuffWear WebMaster harness. You can read about it here: http://gear.tripawds.com/shop/#harnesses as well as some other harness options.
The first couple weeks after surgery can be tough so don’t get discouraged. You did this FOR Rocky not TO Rocky.
Let us know when you get Rocky home.
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls
Thanks Karen. The last 24 hrs has made me question my decision. He is moving around better. Just need him to sleep now. The meds should help. I looked at the harnesses, just have to measure him to see what will fit once he is healed up.
Welcome. Sorry to hear about the bone break. I hope the recovery goes well for you and Rocky. A blog is a great place to start. I see it like a journal and your can post photos too. I found the best place to get questions answered on this site is to post on a forum, such as http://tripawds.com/forums/treatment-and-recovery/ where your can introduce yourself and ask about caring for Rocky. I have a tripawd cat named Mona so I didn’t need a harness but I’m sure you’ll get some recommendations from others.
Kerren and Tripawd Kitty Mona
Thank you for the link Kerren. I help me convince the vet that Rocky needed more meds.
Welcome to the clan! We are all here because of our love for our fur kids. Rocky sounds like he has a wonderful personality! There is life after amputation. Once the painful limb is gone you will see a whole new Rocky. Recovery is what it is recovery but the lasting results is a much happier and healthier pup. Don’t be afraid, just love him through it. You are Momma and will respond to his needs like only you can. Hang in there. I can’t wait to see his progress! Deb and Angel Bandit
Thank you Deb for the encouragement. The first 24 hours have been rough. Hopefully the extra meds will make the difference.