Well, Day Two is…well…a surprise. She’s doing pretty well. She has walked to her bowl (about 20 feet) without the sling. I’ve taken her out twice to pee and she’s done it. The pain meds seem to be doing the job most of the time. It’s not easy but it’s promising!
I think the biggest challenge is getting all the meds in on time. It’s a lot of pills. Sometimes 7 at a time. The doc showed me how to put them all in a gob of peanut butter (that I then put a think layer of butter around to make it slippery) to get them down all at once. After she has eaten, of course.
Once upon time Winnie would take pills in food. Pill Pockets, sure? Then no. We moved onto smoked salmon. Then no. After that, rotisserie chicken. Then she stopped. Finally, I realized I was creating food aversions! So, now I just pill her. I hate it. She hates it. But it gets the job done.
I expect the next few days will be tough. We’re taking it one day at a time.
What a wild ride this is. I pray Winnie and I will be stronger for it.
![photo[2]](http://alibetty.tripawds.com/files/2014/01/photo2.jpg)
Winnie is a gorgeous girl!
Please keep posting your blog or post questions in the forum or come in to the chat room – we are all here to help you out and give you the support you need!
Linda and Tucker 🙂
Hello Winnie’s Mum, I just wanted to say that this post has given me so much hope this morning, my beautiful Indi went in for amputation yesterday and I have to ring this morning to see if she can come home. I feel totally unprepared and all night have questioned ( with many tears) my decision to allow her to go through this after her osteosarcoma diagnosis. I only found this site last night and have yet to negotiate my way around it. After reading the downloadable book til late yesterday, I have only just seen your post this morning, to see a picture of your beautiful brave Winnie this morning and to read your encouraging words that she made it to her water bowl has given me real hope when I am feeling desperate. I am going to try to pull myself together, thank you so much for sharing at this difficult time x
Hi Kerill. Just so you know, you are in the worst part of it right now. Things got so much better when I was able to have Winnie at home — not that it’s been totally easy but I stopped crying! Honestly, the anticipation is the worst part. Don’t be too disappointed if they keep Indi another day. Winnie stayed two nights and I was so deflated when I heard. But it took her awhile to pee and I think made my time easier at home. Keep me — and all of us — posted today. I too am so grateful to find this community of people. It really has made all the different. Hang in there. We’re here for you.
alibetty – I’m so glad that Winnie is doing well. She is beautiful. She looks remarkably like our 15 year Rottie / German Shepard mix. His has dark markings on his head though.
Kerill – Here’s hoping your Indi can come home soon.
Having gone through 2 total hip replacements with our Bernese Olli, I know how the worrying and waiting goes, it is a hard time. The best advice I can give you is too take it one hour at a time.
Make sure you take care of yourselves also :-).
I am very interested in your posts as we are in the midst of going the amputation route also as Olli was diagnosed with Histiocytic Sarcoma and we are trying to decide if amputation is the best choice for him.
I am trying lol to start a forum / blog – not sure what yet so that I can post on Olli and hopefully help someone else in the future.
Good Luck to you both
Winnie! My jeart melts everytime i see your sweet face!!
My computer is freezingmup…..just want to say so glad she’s home and walking a bit. You’ll still jave plenty of ups and downs the next week or so…hang in there! You’re doing great!!
KERILL! You hang in there too! We are here for you! You are not alone! You are doing THE best thing for your pup! It won’t seem like it for the first week or two, but once the sparkle comes back you BOTH will be so hapoy!
Sending love and hugs to all!
Sally and Happy Hannah
Not bad indeed Winnie! Your eyes melt my heart.
Yep, pills suck. Did you see this post? Maybe it’ll help:
http://downloads.tripawds.com/2014/01/06/how-to-give-a-dog-pills/