July 2023 – Soul Dog: Ludo

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.