Soul Dog: Ludo – Medical prognosis, tough decisions, and one cute dog

First Few Days at Home

Ludo’s surgery went well a few days ago (Thursday, July 20) and we have been helping him adjust to his new way of life at home. I’m so relieved he did well for his surgery. When I first saw him come out with the vet tech I couldn’t help but let the tears flow. He’s a strong dog but this has really thrown him for a loop.

He has done really well about walking and getting to where he wants mostly by himself. I put his lifejacket on because it’s padded and has a handle on the top so that I can help guide him up and down the ramp to get in and outside. He still looks at me like “Why is everything so hard now?”. That breaks my heart.

I can certainly see the affects the drugs have had on him. Just some minor things, like him being all wide eyed and lazy. I’m sure he’s sore but I’ve also been able to put the ice pack on his incision a few times (he’s not a huge fan of that).

He’s on some antibiotics, carprofen, gabapentin, and tramadol trazodone as needed.

Learning how to go potty has been one of his most difficult challenges. He still hasn’t gone number two, although I’m convinced that he wants to. He has always been the type of dog that wants to have some privacy when he does his business, and I don’t want him to stumble around, so I’ve been closer to him during those moments more than he would like, I think. I know the meds and anesthesia can cause some constipation so I am being patient, but I really do think he wants to go each time we go outside.

Last night he seemed to be a little restless. I think I was a little late giving him his bedtime trazodone and tramadol. He whined only a couple times, but more because he kept asking to go outside.

His appetite is great, as soon as he got home he wanted to eat. I of course bought him a case of his favorite Weruva Paw Lickin’ Chicken. He’s been happy munching that down. Now it’s time for him to go on a strict diet to lose a few extra pounds. The chicken is pretty lean, so I’ll be giving his 1/2 can + 1/2 cup kibble twice a day for the next week or two and see if he slims down any.

I ordered a better harness with a handle specifically for front limb amputees, along with a shoulder and ankle brace for his remaining limb. I will put all my new items in the equipment column on the right. Hopefully they will arrive by tomorrow and I can give them a proper review.

Evie is being cared for by my good friend until I think Ludo is ready to handle the extra body in the house. They don’t play a ton, but she is bigger than him and I don’t want her to bump into him accidentally, especially before his brace comes in.

If it hadn’t been for this support group, I don’t know if I would have been able to make it to this point without completely breaking down. Thank you all for taking the time to follow Ludo and my’s progress. More updates to come.

7 Days

This is it. One week from today Ludo is scheduled for his amputation. The ramp for my car as well as the stroller I purchased to wheel him around if necessary are both here and ready for use. I am anticipating he will recover and adapt very well, but can’t help but worry that the worst will happen during this big surgery.

The ramp I purchased is WeatherTech and comes in 3 parts. I ordered this one specifically because it is less steep than the others. I’ve had him run up and down it a few times already to get him used to it. He is such a good dog and catches on so fast. It also helps that he is WAY more food motivated in his old age.

I had ordered a different type of cart for him before, but decided to get a stroller type cart rather than a wagon because I want something that won’t be so bumpy on walks outside. I am not anticipating I will have to wheel him around everywhere, in fact, I am convinced he will catch on so quickly with this new adjustment, but I wanted something in case the first week or two are harder than I anticipated. Another reason I made this purchase is if we are going for our long walks, if he gets tired before we finish the usual walk we can simply have him rest up in his new cart. He jumped in and out of the other wagon we purchased, so I will put together this stroller tonight and start his training with it. The stroller is also enclosed, so I can put him in there and close the screen door for ventilation.

My friend is still going to let me use her very nice harness for Ludo to wear during the first few days at least. I haven’t seen it yet, but she is so knowledgable if she thinks it will help I am grateful to use it.

Have taken him for a couple of walks recently, but not as much as I would’ve like. I will definitely be taking him for at least one really good walk this week before he goes in for the big chop.

If anyone is interested in the ramp or the stroller I purchased, I will put the link to both items on the right side of my page. I am in no way sponsored by these, I just believe these are great tools to use for all those beloved tripawds! Ludo is 60 lbs and he fits comfortably in his new stroller.

As we prepare for next chapter in life, I am both anxious and excited for our future. To be honest, I just wish someone would just rip the bandaid off already.

Wish us luck.

Countdown Begins: 17 Days

In my last update, we had scheduled Ludo for his amputation later this week. Due to the busy season at work and starting at my old job at doggie daycare part-time, I decided to schedule him for Thursday July 20, 2023. This way I will take Thursday and Friday off of work, be with him on the weekend, and see Monday if I need to take more time off. Luckily I have my husband and mother who are both willing to help with care and take a few days off, so I won’t have to be out of work for a whole week or two.

Part of the reason I am starting back at my old job part-time is they are will offer free boarding to my dogs plus free pet insurance even for the part-timers. This means that if there is a day here or there that I need someone to watch Ludo I can have peace of mind knowing that I could bring him over there for the day and the girls will take care of him. There are no stairs that he would have to deal with and although he does have separation anxiety, I am more worried about his healing than anything else. As for the pet insurance, unfortunately it would only cover pre-existing conditions after he had been insured for an entire year. Meaning that it would be one year from now that it would cover the cost of his amputation. But at least going forward I know that we will be covered should anything else pop up.

The vet and surgeon doing the operation scheduled him to stay with them for the night, which I am still quite nervous about. His anxiety can really be troublesome and I am concerned that he will work himself up so much that he might hurt himself. Hopefully they will keep him out of pain, he is a strong boy but more than anything he wants to be with someone and not alone.

We went for a long walk today, and I plan on walking him everyday if I can. Not only should he lose a couple of pounds, but it will strengthen all the muscles he is going to have to learn to use with three legs. I may also switch him back to his raw diet for a while, and really give him the best chance at healing quickly.

His annual at our regular vet was originally scheduled the day before his surgery. He was due to get his rabies and bordetella vaccines that day but luckily I had the presence of mind to reach out to the surgeon and ask if I should reschedule his vaccines incase they should effect his immune system right before surgery. They got back to me the next day and told me that I should reschedule those vaccines for two weeks before or after his surgery. My vet was able to squeeze us in last Friday, almost 3 weeks before his surgery.

I am anxious for the day to come, and still part of me is absolutely dreading it. I know he is such a strong dog and will make the most of his life, but my heart goes out to him.

On the Books

Today I received the phone call from the receptionist at our oncology vet giving us the results from Ludo’s spleen and lung aspirates. He had the samples taken last Tuesday 6/13/2023. They concluded that there were no findings indicating that the cancer has spread to his organs, which means he is all clear to be scheduled for his amputation!

I have to admit there was a small part of me that was still saddened that he will have to endure all that lays ahead of him. But I am so happy that we can start preparing for the next step.

Next week I can’t take any time off of work, so I scheduled him for Thursday July 6th. He will have to spend the night at the vet which I am absolutely dreading. He has pretty severe separation anxiety and I know he will be in pain and confused. It breaks my heart that I won’t be there for him when he wakes up. I wish I could explain to it him. Hopefully they will give him an adequate amount of pain meds.

Anyway all that is to say that we are officially “on the books” and now we wait and prepare for what’s to come. I have a friend who will take care of Evie at her house for maybe the first week, depending on how he’s doing. The same friend also has a fancy expensive harness that she is going to lend to me to help Ludo get from place to place while he learns his new balancing.

A Little History

Summer of 2015, I was in a serious relationship and looking to move out of my parents home. My dad came home and told me he had a surprise for me outside, come to find out there was a bucket of puppies in my front yard! Tears came to my eyes almost immediately as I looked at the little bundle of joys.

A little pup with 2 black spots on his eyes caught my eye. He was lingering around the back of the bundle, curious but not pushy with his brothers. He was the first puppy I picked up, and the rest is history.

He was smart as a whip, and particularly chill for a puppy, a trait he has kept to this day. We joke sometimes that I should’ve named him Eeyore, because he has that sad, serious expression on his face almost constantly. The only issues I had with him growing up was his bouts of separation anxiety, which has gotten much better but is still very prevalent in his life. Actually one week ago now we went up to camp where I had to keep him in a room for a couple hours while I did some chores and he still is just as anxious as ever if he doesn’t have someone to sit with him. We did do the training involved in alleviating his stress, but in the end we were satisfied that this is just how he deals with separation.

Health wise though, Ludo has been a very healthy dog. He once had pancreatitis about 4 years ago in 2019 which I believe was my mistake of feeding him a pigs ear the night before. He never really had a high fat content treat of that kind before, and he hasn’t had one since. After working in the dog boarding, daycare, pet store business, I had learned a ton about nutritional health for dogs and I take pride in knowing that I give Ludo the best quality food that I can while still making it interesting and tasty for him. I provide him with supplements and make sure he is well hydrated. He’s had a pretty uneventful medical life before his cancer diagnosis.

In spring 2020 Ludo got a sister, Evie. She is a retired racing greyhound that loves nothing better than to be praised and loved on constantly. They make a great pair, both are so sweet and have a great temperament. She is 2 years younger than him. We also brought home a cat named Sal (Salazar) who is absolutely in love with Ludo and considers him to be his best friend. They are so precious when they play together!

Ludo grew very close to my stepfather, who was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in October of 2019. He slept with him and hung out with him everyday, until the day he passed in 2021. They had a very special bond and I am so grateful that I was able to share Ludo with him for his last few years. It was so amazing watching Ludo be patient with Bob, and become gentler with him as time went on. I feel blessed that I was able to provide Bob with a furry companion to help him through the end of his life.

Now Ludo and I are trying to navigate life on three paws as he battles his own cancer. He still has so much of his life ahead of him!