Scout, Our Three-Legged Wonder Pup - Part Two

What an emotional roller coaster the last three weeks have been around here! First, I want to thank all of you for the kind words, love, and support for Scout. It's always nice to know there are folks out there saying a prayer. 

It's been 3 weeks since Scout's surgery. And, whoa. It's been strange. She spent two nights in the hospital post-op, but I really feel like she should have stayed another two. Those were tough days...and nights. I mean hard. The Hubs and I felt so uncertain about how this was all gonna go. For two weeks, the alarm on my cell was going off constantly to give meds. When they tell you that you'll be staying home with your pup, they mean it. The Hubs took the week off work, since it was really a two man job - taking care of a two-year-old and a post-amputation pup. I'm not sure who needed more attention.

We have steep steps to the back yard, so the Hubs had to lift her in and out every time (I'm nursing a shoulder injury and can't manage 60lbs of dead weight on those steps). She actually had two surgical sites: the amputation of her rear right leg, and another tumor removal on her front right leg. That made maneuvering her around kind of tricky. We were so nervous she was going to blow out her sutures, so we were extra careful.

We set up camp in our bedroom since it has carpet and a door to the backyard. One of us was constantly with her in the days before we finally got a big ol' crate. Wish they had told us before the surgery that we would need one-it saved our lives! Except at night, when that stupid "cone of shame" around her head would drag across the metal crate every. time. she. moved. Every. Time. (Picture an old-timey prisoner dragging the metal mug across the cell bars. Awful.) After about ten days, she was hopping around a little better, so we let her out of the crate to sleep at night. We all slept well after that!

Don't worry...the door isn't locked! The crate is one of Z's favorite places to play! 

The Hubs had to go back to work, so my parents graciously drove up from Florida. We were so relieved to have them here, but felt like total asses because Scout made a complete 180 moments after their arrival. She was headed back to being her old self. And two days later, when the sutures came out, she rocketed her butt into the backseat of my car before my step-dad had a chance to even pick her up.  Since then, she's figured out how to maneuver up and down the back steps, how to hop around the backyard, and is even starting to show interest in playing with her bff, the neighbors' shepherd mix, Rory. We got the go ahead to start walking her on a leash, for short trips as she builds up her strength and stamina, and took our first walk yesterday. She was so happy to be back out in the world!

Z has been amazing. She's curious about the scars, and I've caught her staring at the peg-leg (I refuse to call it a stump.) and trying to figure it all out. She has said many times, "Cow's boo-boo gone." so I feel like she's put a few things together. Z helps me feed Scout and helped me give her a bath. Everything is slowly getting back to normal. A new normal. 

So now for the shitty news..Scout does have cancer. This is information that I've decided to pack up and send away, and I think the Hubs has done the same thing. She just seems so...healthy. Not 100% who she was before, but not sick either. We decided not to pursue testing or treatment, partly because of finances (who can spend that much on their pet?!), but mostly because it isn't a cure and will only add months...not years. We don't know how bad the cancer is, or where in her body it has spread. We don't know how long we have. The veterinary internist told us that this type of cancer is especially nasty and moves quickly, which is why chemo isn't that effective. He gave us 3-18months. Kind of a vague timeline, but short no matter how you look at it. The vet gave us signs to look for when things start getting bad, and right now we haven't seen any of them. So until we do, we consider Scout a healthy, happy tripod!

Sorry to bring y'all down with this post. I had hoped it would come out a bit lighter, but it's been a heavy few weeks around here. We're coming out of it now, as things get back to normal. And if I can just get Scout to eat on her own, without being hand fed (spoiled!!), I'll be so happy!!



If you are facing amputation with your own dog, or are just interested in learning more, visit tripawds.com.

Scout, Our Three-Legged Wonder Pup - Part One

I'm sure that post title got you saying, "Huh, wha?" But you read it correctly. Our lab, and first "kid", Scout, is now one limb less. And I think its gonna be a minute before I'm over it. 

If you know us, you know we have a beautiful, sweetheart of a yellow lab. The Hubs and I adopted her from a lab rescue in Central Florida the summer before we got married, seven years ago. She's about eight or nine years old (not sure, since she's a rescue), and has been a really great big sister to Z.  

This has been a stressful couple of weeks. Like, crazy stressful. About seven or eight weeks ago, we noticed a growth on Scout's ankle. Although we had hoped it was some kind of critter bite, we had a good idea of what it really was, a mast cell tumor. She's had one before and it was no big deal. Non-cancerous, easy surgical removal. Easy. Peasy. Not this time, though. This time it grew fast and angry. And because it was on her rear ankle, at her leg's skinniest spot, we had to see a surgical specialist. ($$ka-ching, ka-ching$$) 

We scheduled surgery, but had to wait a couple of weeks. In that time, the tumor, which didn't seem to cause Scout any pain - thank goodness, grew to the width of her ankle (and almost two inches up her leg by the day of her surgery) and had completely ulcerated (the least-disgusting explanation: because it had grown so "fat", the thin ankle skin was stretched as far as it was gonna stretch and was tearing open.). It was super gross, and a huge process to bandage. Layers of gauze and padding, covered in an old sock that was taped around her leg. Scout was always so good and would just lay on the bathroom floor while I wound the gauze around her, Z patting her back and saying, "Aw-wite, Cow, aw-wite. Ok, Cow, ok." 

On the day before her surgery, things got even worse, which I didn't even know was possible. Scout, now on sedatives to keep her from chewing and licking, was agitated all day, the tumor grew overnight so that it stuck out even farther from her leg, and we kinda knew that just removing the tumor, and the margins that would prevent it from growing back, would be impossible. We knew she was going to lose the leg. To top it all off, another tumor had sprouted up on her front, where the front leg meets her chest. #whenitrainsitpours

Scout's surgery yesterday went well, and although we haven't seen her yet, I've been getting updates from the vet tech during the day, and I call the hospital in the evening to see how she's doing. She's been walking, with a sling for assistance, and everyone has fallen in love with her.  Those big brown eyes'll getcha every time! 

We get to bring her home tomorrow and, honestly, I'm so nervous. As I mentioned before, I'm not handling this very well, and I don't know why. It's turn-on tears over here all day long! I think part of it is mom guilt. Like it's my fault that this has happened. Insane and irrational, I know. Part of it is that fact that the Hubs is so chill about the whole thing. Usually, our roles are reversed. He's a worried mess of anxiety 90% of the time and I'm the one who lets it all roll off my back. But this time, his calm has me totally freaked out. To hear that our girl is doing so well already, is definitely a huge comfort. 

I'm also worried, but only a little bit, about Z and how she will handle it. We've been talking to her about how Scout's boo-boo was so bad that the doctor had to remove her leg. And we've been watching videos of some amazing three-legged pups on YouTube, to get her, and us, used to the idea. But, since she's two, we're not sure what she's really understanding. I guess we'll find out tomorrow. Z has a big heart, and loves her fur-bestie more than anything, so I think we'll all be ok in the end. 

I'm anxious to get Scout home already. Although it's been nice to have a break from my nursing duties, it's just plain weird around here without her. Like my world is slightly off-balance. 

I'll let you guys know how we're all doing, and how Scout is adjusting to life as a tripod soon.