Monday, July 31, 2006
Milo: My heartache, my backache
What should I expect?
Dogs are supposed to recover "very fast" from an amputation. What is "very fast"? one day? one week? one month? 3 months? Milo does not react instantly when we call his name. But he is pulling me when we go out. He is not as hungry as he used to be. He does not wake me up to feed him breakfast. But he is happy when I get up to feed him.
He shows signs of stress, I think (ears pulled back, fast breathing). He had his leg amputated one week ago. Of course he's under stress! But what does that really mean? How long until he is Milo again? Will I ever get my Milo back?
Before the accident, whenever I asked him "do you want to eat?" he would jump, and bark, and get very excited. Today I asked him. He seemed excited. He made a noise, not a bark, but an attempt to bark. That made me happy ;).
Dogs are supposed to recover "very fast" from an amputation. What is "very fast"? one day? one week? one month? 3 months? Milo does not react instantly when we call his name. But he is pulling me when we go out. He is not as hungry as he used to be. He does not wake me up to feed him breakfast. But he is happy when I get up to feed him.
He shows signs of stress, I think (ears pulled back, fast breathing). He had his leg amputated one week ago. Of course he's under stress! But what does that really mean? How long until he is Milo again? Will I ever get my Milo back?
Before the accident, whenever I asked him "do you want to eat?" he would jump, and bark, and get very excited. Today I asked him. He seemed excited. He made a noise, not a bark, but an attempt to bark. That made me happy ;).
Sunday, July 30, 2006
6 Days after Amputation
SCAR IS HEALING. 6 DAYS AFTER AMPUTATION
Milo's operation is healing great! He still does not stand up straight but we hope that he soon will. He is now placing his front leg towards the middle of his body.He is now off pain medication, mainly to avoid addiction :D
He is happiest when he is outside, so much that we have to pull him to get inside. He is a stubborn dog.
During the operation, the vet removed a growth in his left front leg. The stiches came off already but he started to lick the area. We decided that in order to avoid infection and rubbing when he goes down, it will stay covered with a bandage.
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Bruising
Seven days after the accident, Milo's stomach is returning back to its normal color. It seems that the bruising is disappearing. He is hungry again, but we decided to start his diet today. He will get only dry food and it will be measured precisely.
He is moving around the apartment, but he does it only to lie close to us or to lie on a cool place.
He is moving around the apartment, but he does it only to lie close to us or to lie on a cool place.
Friday, July 28, 2006
Milo's Success
Milo is a little depressed because he has been confined to a small corner in our apartment. The vet recommended a crate but since we don't have one, Milo is actually getting a bigger space than recommended.
Milo had a walk a little longer that I was comfortable with, but he was very successfull (bowel movement) ;), plus he got very tired from the walk.
We will sleep better tonight :D
Milo had a walk a little longer that I was comfortable with, but he was very successfull (bowel movement) ;), plus he got very tired from the walk.
We will sleep better tonight :D
Milo's Diet
Milo weights about 80 lbs and needs to be between 65 and 70 lbs. Therefore, we will be reducing his calorie-intake by 25%. He is already eating weight-control Iams, and lost 10 pounds since last year.
In the past few months we had been spoiling Milo a lot with junk food. His favorite: Marshmallows.
In the past few months we had been spoiling Milo a lot with junk food. His favorite: Marshmallows.
Milo's second day at home
Milo kept waking us up all night long because he is more mobile and was walking around our small apartment. He had a walk outside at 4 AM.
When I woke up this morning, there were some blood spots on our bedside mat. I believe the blood came from the left leg. He had a growth on the left leg which was removed during the amputation of the right leg. He started to lick that spot and the stitches came off.
He has been very good at not licking the main (big) incision, but part of the area seems swollen so I will have to put on the ice pathces more often today.
Milo had a regular breakfast today (dry food), because he needs to be in a diet. I don't want him to start the diet right away because he is still in recovery, but his weight is making it difficult for him to get around.
He attempted again to pee on 2 legs, and this time he was able to hold himself for a few seconds, before putting the 3rd leg down.
When I woke up this morning, there were some blood spots on our bedside mat. I believe the blood came from the left leg. He had a growth on the left leg which was removed during the amputation of the right leg. He started to lick that spot and the stitches came off.
He has been very good at not licking the main (big) incision, but part of the area seems swollen so I will have to put on the ice pathces more often today.
Milo had a regular breakfast today (dry food), because he needs to be in a diet. I don't want him to start the diet right away because he is still in recovery, but his weight is making it difficult for him to get around.
He attempted again to pee on 2 legs, and this time he was able to hold himself for a few seconds, before putting the 3rd leg down.
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Milo's first day at home
Milo's vet called this morning to ask how he spent his first night at home. Milo woke up at 3 AM with pain but eventually fell asleep once one of us sat with him. He woke up today at about 9 AM.
Milo is walking without our help. His appetite is coming back. He is becoming the Milo we always knew (or at least that's what we want to believe). We are feeding him chicken and can food because those are his favorite foods. We feed him dry food as well but he takes it only if we give it to him in his mouth. That's Milo!
Today Milo had some visitors (Samantha and Daisy's humans). That really cheers him up! He loves getting attention. He also received a care package from another friend. He got treats, get-well cards, toys, balls, magnets, and other fun stuff.
He really enjoys being outside. Too bad he is not supposed to be moving too much. Milo hurts himself when he lies on the wound, so we have to turn him every now and then.
He has been drinking a lot of water and releasing, but he hasn't had any bowel movement since we brought him home. I think that is one of the side effects of the medication plus he probably hasn't eaten solid food since the day of the accident (Saturday).
We are also putting ice patches on his wound to help with the healing and swelling. We took off his drug patch today.
Milo's Homecoming
Milo came home today. It is not easy to see him suffer. He is able to walk, but gets tired very fast. We help him with a towel under his chest. Some of our neighbors are really concerned. Some other people seem disgusted to see him.
He has a big scar and half his body was shaved. His whole stomach is bruised. He is in pain. We are giving him pain killers and he has a pain reliever patch.
He was able to fall asleep at 1 AM.
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Broadway Accident
July 22, 2006
Milo, a 5-year-old male chocolate labrador, was hit by a cab on Broadway. He's in the hospital and he might lose his right front leg. I believe that they call it paralysis of the radial nerve. It cannot be repaired.
July 23, 2006
We visited Milo at the hospital. He does not feel any pain in his leg. His pupils are two different sizes. We decided that he will get his leg amputated tomorrow.
July 24, 2006
Milo went into surgery at 12 PM. The vet called at 4 PM and told us that everthing was ok. He is a little anemic, but the levels of red blood cells are coming back up slowly.
July 25, 2006
Milo is already walking with out support, up and down the halls. The staff are paying a lot of attention to him, because he is such a noble and good dog. He will be out of the ICU tonight. We will pick him up tomorrow.
Friday, July 21, 2006
Milo
- - Milo - - (Pronounced in Spanish: Mee Lo)
Milo is a Nestle brand of chocolate quite popular in Mexico. I don't know if it's a Mexican brand. Since my dog is a Tex-Mex chocolate lab, and I did not want to name him Hershey or Cocoa or Cacao, my sister suggested Milo. We love the name, but we were certainly unaware of how popular the name is in the USA, even for people :O.
(image: http://www.nestle.com.ph/milo/default.asp)
