Shelby – 3 weeks as a tripawd

WOW … what a difference three weeks makes. I can remember 3 weeks ago tonight, I was rushing to Advanced Critical Care to visit my brand new tripawd (who was so drugged yet she wagged her tail so she knew I was there). I was scared and nervous to see her new look and thankfully she had a bandage on her wound to ease me into it.

Flash forward three LONG weeks. Shelby and I have had so many ups and downs. The first night she was home was clearly the honeymoon period as it only went downhill from there. Our first weekend, I wanted to cry from lack of sleep and being unable to calm or soothe her (I even begged the vet to take her back till she chilled out).

We removed her pain patch and reduced her pain meds and added some doggy valium. It sort of helped. She assumed ownership of my bathroom and still hangs out in there at night but definitely lets me in there more often than not.

Nights are still hard on us. I get home from work around 5/530 and she’s happy and alert to see me. We go for a quick walk and I fix her dinner. Our new dinner routines takes about 3 rounds of negotiations before she eats it all. Basically I have to add stock or something to make it taste/look better. It’s a constant back and forth of my adding stuff to make it more palatable to her. And it’s not that she’s not hungry (she IS). She just wants chicken or turkey w/her dinner. Spoiled! Then she has a quick nap w/me on the couch (approved couch time only). Snuggles, pets, cuddles galore!!!

After I eat my dinner, take her out for a quick pee, all hell breaks loose. She pants, she paces, she stands. NO reason. This goes on for about 1/2 hour while I desperately try and ignore it as to not enable her. She hates if I am on the phone, the computer, anything that detracts from her. Her front limbs seem more stiff but that doesn’t make sense to me. Finally she puts herself to bed in the bathroom and I just have to assume (since I can’t see her) that she’s fine and not doing anything she shouldn’t be.

So three weeks down…. this mom is trying to be less anxious, less quick to pick her up and coddle her OR feed her when she goes a little bat crazy, more trying to ignore it since it’s not real pain or discomfort but rather a tactic (I hope) to get attention. I still freak out when she walks on an uneven sidewalk or does a quick hop/step to reverse course. I tend to pick her up when anyone comes w/in a foot of us. I pick her up to carry her across the street. Our new normal is definitely harder on me. I don’t regret taking her painful leg off. I just wish that I could ease up. Perhaps it’s harder on the humans. Oh to be a dog… ignorance really can be bliss. #shelbystrong

Before she heads off to the bathroom for the evening.
Before she heads off to the bathroom for the evening.

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Author: mom2shelby

Mom to 13 year old Shelby - Jack Russell/Shiba Inu mix. A rescue dog that was born in New Orleans. Shelby is a spirited, smart and happy little dog who loves to run, play, go to the beach (we live in LA) and ride in the car! She is my best friend and the true love of my life!

4 thoughts on “Shelby – 3 weeks as a tripawd”

  1. Ohhh, melting my heart over here! Look at that little cuddle bjg. She has THE sweetest face and ks sooo happy to be in her momma’s arms. You can just see how content and at peace she is.

    Have you had a chance to tryoneod those Kong toys yet? Just thinking that may break the pattern of she seems to ave developed associated with going to bed. Fill it with peanut vutter and see if that helps. ALSO, mom has t break her pattern of maybe sending out any anxious energy before bedtime too. You both may just be feeding off each other’s dread.

    I just love these pictures. They will dedinitely be your “forever treasures”. Keep ’em coming

    SHELBYSTRONG…you’ve come a long way bavy! And so has momma!

    Hugs and love!

    Sally and Happy Hannah

  2. Thank you Sally! We really are madly in love, right?!?

    I did give her a filled bone last night – filled w/pure pumpkin and she carried it around and got to it pretty quickly. She loved it! It was soon after that she started limping a bit w/her front two paws and just seemed more labored in her walking. And started w/some mild panting. So I suspect that much movement for those front paws does take something out of her.

    She came to my bedroom last night – got cozy on a blanket on the floor and did fall asleep. Found her this a.m. in the bathroom. Overall, I do try and not make a big deal out of her bathroom obsession but she definitely considers it her den now. So be it!

    Lots of love to you both! Your support means the world to us.

  3. Congrats on three weeks!! I can’t wait until we hit that mark. Maybe Shelby feels safe in the bathroom. Maybe with so much new for her to adapt too, the bathroom is predictable and comforting. Have you thought about actually putting her to bed (like a child) before the nervous, anxious behavior begins. My sister does this with her dog, she walks her upstairs to the bed room and “tucks her in” on her dog bed. If she doesn’t her dog gets moody and grumpy. Just a thought.

    It’s nice to hear from you what I can expect on the logistics of life with a tripawd, like when you still carry her.

  4. I’ve been absent for a while, so I haven’t followed all of Shelby’s antics. Wow, she’s really doin’ it to ya! I like what kwatson8 said: I know you want to return to 100% normal, but maybe that’s not to be. Maybe she needs a new kibble? Maybe she needs a new bedroom routine? Maybe she needs more boas! I think at this point, 3 weeks is enough to cross the pain threshold. She’s still adjusting and will for a while. For Jackson’s first 5 months or so, he got extra protein on his kibble. At first it started to keep him interested in food (he never showed any signs otherwise, but I didn’t want to go there!), but then I figured with his new muscles needing development, extra protein would be great. So in my opinion, don’t feel badly about babying her by adding new mixins to her food. So long as she’s happy and eating, keep it up!

    I’m so sorry she’s being difficult. But, it will get better! IT WILL! And, if you think about it, if you had a leg removed, would you be this good or bad? I’d probably be passed out in the bathroom, too!
    ~ Katy & Jackson

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