Today marks one week since my best friend had his front leg removed due to histocytic sarcoma, and he is truly amazing. The whole thing started with a slight limp that I thought came from trying to get out of the swimming pool while we were on vacation. The limp didn’t improve after we got home and my vet found a lump on his elbow. A biopsy confirmed sarcoma and the recommendation was immediate amputation since histocytic sarcoma is very aggressive. I got a second opinion from a colleague that is a vet and he also said amputate, something I just couldn’t imagine doing, so I headed to the doggie oncologist for a third opinion. She told me removing the leg was a “no brainer,” especially if I wanted more time with my friend, so we scheduled the surgery for a week ago today. I had a choice of the specialty animal hospital about 45 min. from home on a good traffic day, or my local vet clinic that has been taking care of Link since he was a puppy. I opted for my local vet, I know and trust them, and I would be close; the best choice I ever made! Link came through the surgery very well and I was hoping to bring him home the next day, but he had some post-op bleeding so the surgeon suggested he stay another day which was fine except for one thing, Link wouldn’t eat. I boiled some chicken and headed for the clinic hoping he would eat for me, and it worked. My clinic is great, they let me sit with Link as long as I wanted and hand feed him his meals, I ended up hand feeding three times, but by the third day we were heading home! Link had a big bandage that I would need to remove in 3 days, and antibiotics and pain meds to juggle, but we were going home!!! He tried to jump into the SUV, but luckily my husband caught him in time and gently lifted him in. He made potty as soon as he hit his own yard, happy to see his bowels were working, and hopped right into the house. I took time off from work to care for my baby, luckily my boss is an animal lover, but Link is truly amazing. He was eating and drinking from his raised bowl by day 4 and figured out how to get on the couch by day 5. I took the bandage off on day 4 and it wasn’t near as bad as I imagined. Link does wear a t-shirt when he is outside to keep the incision site clean, but I am getting used to seeing the surgery site, and hopefully the hair will grow back fast. On day 6 he managed the stairs with a little help, and today managed his potty activities without help. I have to go back to work tomorrow which will be his first day home alone. I am doggie proofing so he can’t get on the slippery floors alone, and plan to check on him during my lunch break, but I am sure (hoping) everything will be fine. I think Link is doing so well because even though I did baby him, I never treated him as an invalid. I enticed him to eat from his dish like he always did, and move around slowly but unassisted as much as possible, and of course there are rewards for every achievement. Some of our old routines are still in place including the daily brushing and quiet time on the couch, and hopefully the more active things like catch are on the horizon. This was one of the hardest decisions I ever made, but as I sit here on the couch typing and petting my best friend, I am glad I did. I still do have moments of self doubt, but as thinks improve every day the doubts fade, as will the surgery scar. Remember, trust your instincts and let your buddy trust you, dogs are amazing!
