Just wanted to pass on something that happened to Hope a couple of weeks ago, in case this ever happens to your dog.
Hope was sleeping on the floor when it was time for all the dogs to go outside. Hope startled us when she couldn’t get up. She could just lift her head slightly and she had a look of total terror in her eyes; her neck was rigid. We were sure she was having a stroke….or worse.
After about 5 minutes of us talking to her and rubbing her body, she finally came around. Since she has not had a recurrence, our vet said if sounded like she had a muscle spasm around the neck/chest area. Should it happen again, he advised us to massage the area.
Just wanted to pass on this horrible experience in case it should happen to you….
Author: 4hope
My golden, Hope, was diagnosed with fibrosarcoma of the paw three years ago. Early on, she had traditional surgery to remove the mass, but the lump always came back. We found a wonderful holistic vet who was able to use Eastern medicine to keep the tumor in check for most of those 3 years. Recently, holistic care lost out to the cancer and her leg was amputated at the shoulder on Friday.
I joined this group to learn how I can assist her through the healing process and help her maintain a good quality of life.
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For the first few days following surgery, Hope was pretty high on tramadol and the patch. She seemed much better after the patch was removed, but refused to try to get up by herself. We had to use two slings to drag her outside to go potty and even then, she didn't go. She had only two bowel movements in the week and urinated only three times. She looked very depressed–like she had lost the will to try. The only thing that perked her up was food–Hope LOVES her food. Had she stopped eating, we would have been very worried. During this time, she continued to drink water.
On June 25, we took her to the surgeon and she manually expressed her bladder. It took three big, thick towels to hold it all! Immediately, Hope got up and starting walking around and had a bowel movement right in the doctor's office and then started exploring down the hall. If I had not been there, I wouldn't have believed it! It's only been one day since she started walking without any assistance, but she looks happy and she is no longer in pain from her cancer.
Another thing–her surgeon took her bandage off early. She said that some dogs really hate the bandage and to be carried around in a sling. Apparently, Hope was one of those dogs. Maybe having the bandage removed gave her some of her dignity back–you just never know how change affects our dogs.
Hope might not be running a marathon anytime soon, but we are so glad to see the progress she's made in such a short time.
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Ohhh, that is scary! I’m glad that it hasn’t happened again, and I hope you never have to go through that again!
Thank you! I lost about 10 years off my estimated life expectancy that day, but at least I learned something from the experience, which is why I posted it for others–although I’m not sure I posted it the right place.
Sounds like a serious spasm indeed. Thanks for sharing, glad it hasn’t happened since. Readers might consider these tips for managing phantom pain in dogs.
Oh dear lord that must have scared the pants offa you. But yes, this is good for you to share with others. You can also post it in the Forums too (“Treatment and Recovery”) if you didn’t already.
Massage is GREAT for spasms, you done good. I’m glad it wasn’t anything serious. Whew!!!!
Thank you for reminding me that I should post this on Treatment and Recovery, Jerry.
I will tell Hope that you are thinking about her when she gets her massage tonight!