Dog Front Leg Amputation

[Janimal]

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pleased Arnie is doing well...as others have said its early days and things take time...

you sound a really positive person, and it does sound like Arnie is picking those good vibes up too. :huggles:

 

[Myfairlady]

Thanks again for the replies. I agree that it is early days and he is better in the warm! I know I am!

Themetalchicken - Im sorry to hear one of your dachsies is poorly. I am sure you are making his life as fun filled as possible. Good girl!

His stitches are nylon and due out after 10-14 days June. Im going to take your advice and just wait till he is ready to go out. No point in pushing it.

Okay, Im going to post pictures below. Anyone who is squeamish or doesn't want to see...LOOK AWAY NOW!

 

[Debbie b]

sarah he doesn't look to bad hun, what makes it worse is the amount of hair they shave of and being white his skin is quite pink, his wound look lovely and clean, aslo nice tidy stiches, he is a handsome looking lad, every black n white one i have seen have been leggy and scrawny looking, he's scrumptious xxxx

 

[Myfairlady]

sarah he doesn't look to bad hun, what makes it worse is the amount of hair they shave of and being white his skin is quite pink, his wound look lovely and clean, aslo nice tidy stiches, he is a handsome looking lad, every black n white one i have seen have been leggy and scrawny looking, he's scrumptious xxxx

Thanks Debbie, it is nice to get another point of view. The actual wound itself seems quite neat but when he's standing (you can see it in the first pic), the skin is baggy where its swollen and that makes it look worse.

Love the word Scrumptious! Thanks

 

[Janimal]

Gosh, Im quite amazed....that looks so clean, tidy and neat. :thumbsup: Your vet has done a brilliant job.

Ill bet hes back to his self sooner than you know it. :luck:

Love the way Arnies lying on his back for attention.. :wub:

 

[Tigernidster]

Oh bless him....what a brave boy he looks.

Been watching this thread all through and so pleased to see he is doing well.

 

[trac]

sarah thats not as bad as i was expecting ,a very neat job :thumbsup: Arnie still loving to pose for us all :lol: :wub:

 

[robandkay]

Bless him, - he's still got a smile on his face! )

 

[Julie D]

That really looks very neat and tidy, I know what you mean about the baggy bit with gravity but that will gradually reduce, when the vet says it's ok to do so you could massage the area with rosehip oil to reduce the scarring, I think it's more the act of massaging than what you apply, that reduces the under skin hard scar tissue

I've never had a dog myself with an amputation and I can see why it is shocking, it's just so obvious something is missing, but all the 3 legged dogs I've seen in the park, once they're healed and bouncing around, look very comfortable and like they were born like that, so once you get over the initial shock (and thankfully animals are not prejudiced !) he'll just be your Arnie again.

Love his spotty belly, it reminds me of our neighbours staffie, Daisy, she was brindle, very thin fur, almost like suede on her belly with spots, she was the kindest most gentle , good dog I'd ever seen, gone to rainbow bridge now, but when we decided to let our daughter have a dog (after my experience with a biter cocker spaniel and never wanting a dog again) I said I'd love to be able to choose a dog as laid back as Daisy and we're so lucky to have Ella, even more laid back and so gentle.....don't know what we'd do without her.

:luck: :luck: for a continued recovery.

Glad you found k9, imagine trying to get through all this without the people on here to understand you :huggles:

 

[maggie217]

Bless him...it brought tears to my eyes to see him, so I understand how you must feel. But I do think, as Debbie b says, it is the lack of hair that looks the worse than the wound. All that bare pink skin has a babyquality about it and so makes him seem more vulnerable. But that is only the appearance. Arnie isn't as vulnerable now as he was with all that awful cancer and the pain that went with it. Any pain he may feel at the moment is just post-op pain and that will diminish every day.

 

And Arnie really doesn't care a bit how he looks.

I loved the bit about him leaning on the fence - what a clever lad :lol:

 

:huggles:

Pauline & Ruby

 

[jinnyfizz]

I couldn't agree more with what everyone has said ........ your vet has done a very sensitive and caring

job with Arnie and the incision area and stitches look healthy and neat

As Debbie said, the extent of the shaved area makes it more of a shock than it would do with the hair

covering it but I am amazed at how good it all looks, hun :huggles:

Hugs to you both ......... and I hope you've got the new rug down on the floor now :thumbsup:

Oh, and PS ........ that loose skin will soon go (I've got some baggy bits too but I don't have an operation as an excuse :> :lol: :lol: )

 

[meddling]

That looks incredibly tidy, the hair will grow back in no time, what a gorgeous boy he is

 

[Whippets4eva]

Hi Sarah, I'm so glad that Arnie is doing so well :thumbsup: I still get so tearful when reading on this thread, the people on this forum are just amazing aren't they ? and a massive support to each other :huggles:

The bruising that you talk about is shocking I know but quite normal, our late Jesse :wub: had horrendous bruising and the saggy skin, which is just fluid build up. The bruising quickly disappears, well Jesse's did anyway. The pics I am posting beneath

are just a week apart. As you can see the difference is incredible :thumbsup:

Wishing Arnie a speedy recovery and sending you lots of love.

Take care Sonia xXx

:wub: :wub: :wub: :wub:

 

[LurcherLizzie]

Sarah,

I am so pleased to read Arnie is home and on the road to recovery. As everyone else has said the wound looks clean and tidy, the vet has done an amazing job. Arnie looks happy and relaxed and he doesn't seem to have dropped any weight which is alwasy a good sign. The pictures of gorgeous Jesse above go to proof how quickly they heal and what a difference a week makes.

I am sure Arnie will be his old self in no time with your care and attention :wub:

 

[Myfairlady]

Wow, what an amazing response from you all. I have definitely looked at the wound in a new light now. You're right! It is neat and tidy and does look okay! I told my husband that you all said it looked okay and he reminded me that he has been telling me that for days! But I mean, what does he know!?

So, thanks again for making me feel better about it.

The vet that did the surgery was a soft tissue specialist that we were referred to so I had on idea on meeting him what he was like. i have to say that he was an amazing man. So very gentle with Arnie and very kind to me. I can't thank him enough for getting my boy through it.

Arnie surprised me again tonight! My son was eating a biscuit on the couch...we had pushed him way into the corner so Arnie had no way of getting to him.....Oh, but he did!!! He dived on the couch, throwing his body across the middle seat and grabbed the biscuit!!!! Arnie's back!!! Causing trouble already! I love it!

Sonia, Jesse was beautiful! I cannot imagine how hard it is for you to follow Arnie's story but you have put that aside to help me and I appreciate it more than you know. Bless you and bless Jesse :wub:

Okay, Im off to cuddle Arnie some more and tickle his pink bits!

 

[June Jonigk]

Oh Sarah, I love his spotty belly :wub: I bet they come out more in the summer too He's looking great, and looks so contented there on the sofa. He is one lucky boy.

Thanks for posting the pics. Nice to see the lovey Jesse again too Sonia :wub:

 

[FifeJillandIan]

Glad to hear Arnie is getting back to his old self so quickly - and I have to agree with everyone else - that wound looks incredibly neat :thumbsup:

 

[Myfairlady]

When he's wet he looks like a dalmation!

He seems okay with getting onto the sofa but not so good at getting off. I'm going to sleep downstairs with him again tonight as I don't want to leave him down here alone or have him over exert himself on the stairs.

The swelling seems to have gone down even more tonight and the redness is starting to slowly fade too!

Cannot wait for the morning when I hope to see more improvement.

Thanks again guys for the continued support, you are one group of very special, 'lovely' people! :wub:

 

[Susan]

Archie looks great.

I though he would look a lot worse, maybe because if his breed and BJ was a skinny whippet. He's looking great.

Can you not carry him to bed at night,,put his bed in your room , next to where you sleep,,just so your getting a better night's sleep.

You need to look after yourself,,so you can take care of Archie.

Take care Sarah

 

[Myfairlady]

Archie looks great.
I though he would look a lot worse, maybe because if his breed and BJ was a skinny whippet. He's looking great.

Can you not carry him to bed at night,,put his bed in your room , next to where you sleep,,just so your getting a better night's sleep.

You need to look after yourself,,so you can take care of Archie.

Take care Sarah

Yes he seems to be made of pretty strong stuff!

I'm definitely going for the 'carrying up the stairs' route tonight. Now he is feeling better he is back to fighting for space on the couch and its not big enough!!!!

He asked to go out today which was a real breakthrough...and he also managed to rip up another new toy which tells me he is feeling more like his old self!