Ddog had a soft tissue sarcoma removed a year ago. Good margins and low grade tumour no further treatment needed. It was big and the wound took a long time to heal but he has been all good since. A bit slower but it was on his thigh and they had to take some muscle when they cut it out.
Took him to vets in summer as he has developed an occasional tremor in his back legs (can alternate between the right and left neither tremor at the same time always one or the other). The tremors are brief and don’t seem painful. Vet prescribed high dose joint supplements. Once in a blue moon he will give little yep when getting up from bed.
Yesterday he yelped getting up in the morning and then several time whilst were out on a walk. Has never yelped walking before. Called vet and got him booked in same day but whilst waiting to go down he struggled to settle and position himself and sometimes was yelping loudly when just stood. Managed to get vet to see him a bit earlier. Vet couldn’t find any obvious injury but struggled with the neuro exam because he was stressed and shaking so badly.
We discussed pain meds and I asked for something that would also help him to relax have a sedative effect as he is a very sensitive dog and he does get stressed. The first few days post op were a nightmare and he needed some heavy sedatives.
So we have come away with paracetamol and codeine, gabapanten and trazadone if needed. Last night even afternoon painkillers we were getting some yelping followed by signs of stress. I gave him the Trazedone which did help but he wouldn’t let me leave his side. If I even moved he started and would yip a bit because he’d moved to quick. I had planned to take him back to vets if still the same this morning.
He is a bit more relaxed this morning and has got up for toilet and food. Seems to be moving cautiously and no major yelping but one little squeak when readjusting himself on the bed. He’s had more painkillers.
Sorry this is very long I’m just trying to decide how I manage things if this isn’t a short term acute injury that’s going to heal in a few days. Like I said he is a highly sensitive dog, he doesn’t seem to be able to cope when the pain comes and vets and procedures massively stress him out. I don’t know what to do if he doesn’t show signs of improvement. If his pain and stress can’t be managed I don’t know whether to ok further tests which will stress him out. Seeing him last night needing me close and how awful post surgery was I don’t want to put him through extensive tests and procedures but how do you know when to make hard decisions without knowing what is actually wrong.
Sorry a ramble but seeing his pain and stress yesterday was unbearable and im hoping it is temporary and he will be ok but I genuinely don’t know how people make decisions about what treatments and tests to go with and at what point you say enough.