So miss Dizzy being a highly strung saluki cross wouldn’t eat in the vets and worried because she is terrified of the vets, so I spent the first day after her op worried, hardly slept a wink I just wanted my girl home. I went off to work as normal hoping the vets would ring and say she can come home today, well that phone call came and my now 3 legged beautiful girl came home a few hours later.
She was so out of it from the anethetic and the pain med and she just looked bewildered i just wanted to cry everytime I looked at her, did we really do the right thing. And OMG when she cried out in pain it was like a knife through my heart.
The first few days were so stressful for me and for her learning to balance and cope, the other 2 dogs in the house seemed to just know she needed her space.
After 4 days she could manage to get up the stairs alone and a couple of days later she managed to get down too. She began to want to come for a walk with the other 2 though to begin with she didn’t manage to walk far.
10 days post op the stitches were taken out and she wasn’t far from her normal self and able to do pretty much everything she could before.
The more she wagged her tail and ran around the more I thought we did the right thing and the guilt started to subside.
People stare at us when we go for a walk but hey I have a dog with 3 legs and you know what she is awesome and beautiful and amazing.
yes! three legged dogs are perfect!! so glad you are seeing improvements every day!
charon & gayle
Yes, it takes some getting used to – at first it used to hurt me to think that people saw her only as a 3 legged dog – a novelty – not the beautiful little being she is but now I actually love it that people notice her. I think the “novelty” idea was my own hang up – I think people see her and admire that she’s just trucking along like any other dog, sniffing, swimming, eating and rolling in gross things… I think she inspires people – she sure inspires me. And she is a great ice breaker to meet new people.
I know this is hard and sometimes I still look at her (it’s been less than 3 months) and I want to cry because it takes alot of energy to hop! But, she seems happy all the same.
When I see someone with a 3 legged dog, or a pet with any disability – (and this has always been true, not just since I had one) I think the person is an exceptional, loving human being and an instant kindred spirit!
I wish you the best in this time of change and all the time after!
Cheers,
Colleen