Extreme Makeover: Three Leg Dog Edition

Daisy's chest x-rays came back clear on Tuesday so they proceeded with the surgery.  The surgery went very well and the surgeon was pleased with the results.

The bone was sent over to the lab for tests and we will have results within seven days.  We are waiting to hear if she has Osteosarcoma or Fibrosarcoma.  Osteo means there may need to be more treatment or pain management.  Fibro means she may be given a clean bill of health.

By Tuesday night she was standing up on her own and trying to move around her recovery kennel.  Wednesday morning she was wanting to come home.

We missed her so much.  This was the first night she ever spent away from home, without us.  All night, I kept thinking she was outside or had gone to bed.  Then I would remember she wasn't home.

When the vet called yesterday morning and said we could pick her up when we were ready, I knew I wanted her to come home.  I was excited and nervous.

I wrapped up everything I needed to and headed out of the office to complete the short list of tasks required for Daisy to come into the house.

These floors needed to be covered.

A three leg dog needs to have traction.  Hardwood and linoleum is not a dogs best friend.

Not to much one can do in a kitchen but this is much better.

This hallway looks like a fall waiting to happen!

There!  That should do.  And I kind of like these rugs even if Eddie is a bit unsure.

Sure is a lot of hardwood in the living room...

These were in our basement guest room and appear to be just the right size!

We were told that tripawd dogs who are missing a front limb have a hard time leaning forward to eat so these bowls won't do.

Pig can keep his bowl on the floor.  Daisy now has a raised bowl for food and water and a rug to stand on.  The bonus to this is that Pig can no longer steal Daisy's food!

I got all of that done in about 15 minutes, just as Shawn and Heidi got home.  We still needed two more rugs for the dining room and some dinner before we could get Daisy so we jumped in the car and headed to Menard's.

Menard's has the best rug prices. 

We arrived at the University just before 7 pm, in time to see the surgeon before she left for the evening.

After receiving discharge instructions from the surgeon, they wheeled her up on a very large wagon.

They told us she was very sweet and how much they love her.  They also mentioned she had not wagged her tail the entire time she was with them. 

When she saw us, she stood up and started wagging.  We were just as happy to see her.

They wheeled her wagon all the way to the van, it was pouring rain by this time so we all moved a quickly as possible to get her under the tailgate.

She was loaded in the back where I sat with her for the ride home.  She just laid there with her head on the floor until we rounded onto our block when she stood up and moved to the door.

Our driveway was covered in standing water and the rain was really falling.  This presented a challenge as she doesn't like to walk in puddles but she was a trooper and let Shawn guide her into the house.

She went out one time before bed but for the rest of the evening she laid on a pillow and blanket in the living room.

And this morning she was able to climb up on the couch.  She later go herself down too.

She is able to stand up on her own which she only does when she wants to, not to be confused with when I want her to.

She is able to walked short distances without assistance.  Her three legs are working harder to support her weight so after walking she needs to lay down.  As she builds strength in her legs she will be able to walk further.

She wears a harness with a handle to allow us to assist her as needed. 

This morning she sat at her bowl and drank a ton of water.  She takes any kind of treat I put in front of her but shows no interest in her kibble.

I would say that overall she is doing fantastic.  I am very pleased with how quickly she is learning how to move around and how brave she is.  The muscle strength and balance will come with time.