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Please page down for updates on Sierra's recovery


My dog, Sierra, is very ill. A cancerous tumor is taking over her left hind leg. The tumor is not operable. The only hope is to amputate her leg. I'm not working as I'm disabled. We've already racked up over $1,000 in Vet bills. If you would like to make a donation, it would be very much appreciated. Thank you for your kindness!


Photo #1 taken of Sierra in 2004 before the lump grew. Photo #2 taken December 2005 with two of her favorite cousins. You can see the lump on her leg.

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UPDATE 2/28/06!!!!
Sierra's condition worsened over the weekend. She was losing alot of blood and was getting bandage changes twice a day. After consulting several people, we decided to go ahead with the amputation. I couldn't stand to see her suffer right before my eyes.

Sierra didn't get up with me this morning like she normally does. That's not a good sign. I made several phone calls to see what could be done for her. The place that originally gave us a quote seemed nonplussed that Sierra's condition had worsened. They wouldn't give us a consultation until next week!!!!

We took Sierra to our regular veterinarian to see what they thought. Her condition was getting bad. The 2 vets and surgeone worked things out and they prepared for an emergency operation. By 10:30am, she was in surgery.

I was nervous and scared all day. Was this the right thing to do? Everyone assured me that dogs get on fine with 3 legs, but I couldn't not make my brain agree. We got a call after 1pm. The surgery was a success. At 6pm, we went to see her. Can you imagine our amazement when she walked down the hall of the vets on her 3 legs???!?!?!? We took her to the overnight clinic and then back to the vets at 7am the next morning. God, the incision is gruesome! I can't imagine she can even move.


UPDATE 3/1/06
Sierra came home today exactly one day after surgery. She was scared and needy most of the afternoon. I sat with her until she finally quieted down 2 hours later. She is pretty drugged up and isn't with the program.

We have to confine her to small area. I had it all set up, then I had to modify it because of "unforeseen difficulties". Poor dog kept rolling off her bed! That's gone and I think we've got it so she's pretty comfortable now.

UPDATE 3/3/06
Sierra is doing much better. She stood to eat breakfast today. She is sitting, standing, and walking much better. She obviously has not lost her sense of smell. Every time someone goes by with food, she sits up to see what it is. It's great to see her acting more like herself. She wants lots of attention right now (and I don't blame her!) She got her first treat today and was pretty excited about that.



Photo of Sierra 3 days after amputation surgery. She is watching a family member eat dinner.

UPDATE 3/5/06
This is day five. She had a rough night last night. She didn't seem to be in pain. But, she howled from 2:30am to 4am despite the fact that I was right next to her on the couch. For added affect, she put her head up on the arm of the couch and howled in my ear. Sierra looks more like her regular self everyday. The bruising is starting to go down. She seems a little more relaxed this afternoon. She does keep trying to jump out of her confinement area, which makes me really nervous. She's not much of a jumper, but I imagine she's getting tired of being in the same spot for five days. Nine more days of solitary confinement to go...

UPDATE 3/6/06
Sierra slept until 6:15 this morning--no howling or whining--pure sleep! Each day she gets stronger. Normally, she walks clockwise in her area. Today she walked counter clockwise. She hounded our neighbor for several minutes until he came and sat by her. She's really milking the sympathy thing! I guess she deserves a little sympathy after what she has been through.

Her naps seem to be more relaxed. Whatever panic she had the first 3 days is gone. It must feel a little better as she isn't fighting me when I do the warm compresses. Her digestion is getting back to normal. I imagine going to the bathroom is uncomfortable, but today she actually went so that's a plus! One step closer each day.

UPDATE 3/7/06
What a restful night we both had! No early morning crooning. LOL Sierra is doing so much better! It seems that since she pooped yesterday her whole body gave out a collective sigh. I guess I'd feel the same after 5 days!!!!

Today, Sierra is walking counter clockwise and laying on her stomach. She also slept curled up in a ball which I would think we would be uncomfortable. She is also starting to hound people for food. Now, I know she is feeling better!

UPDATE 3/8/06
Each day gets a little bit easier. Sierra is standing most of the time while eating and drinking. She can turn to her left now when we got outside to go to the bathroom. She tried to lay on her bad side today, but immediately sprung up. It must be very tender and sore. She has graduated to laying on her stomach so at least she isn't stuck on the one side all the time.

Today, she got our neighbor to sit with her for an hour scratching all her itches. I hope she isn't going to want her own masseuse when this is over.

Here are two new photos of Sierra. The first was taken yesterday while she was lounging in solitary confinement. The second was taken as someone was eating near her.



Update: 3/10/06
Day 10...day of reckoning! LOL
We went to the vets this morning to see how Sierra was doing and to see if it's time to remove the stitches. She seemed to know that we were going somewhere. The minute my Dad went to get his jacket, she was bounding around her area.

I thought we were going to have trouble getting her into the car. She stepped up with her front paws and before I could reach down to grab her stomach she was in. She'd jumped in on her own! Getting out was another story. She was so excited to be back at the vets (Why, I don't know! She hasn't had much fun there lately.) I had to do a football block on her to keep her from leaping out the door. She's just so eager to get moving.

Everything went well. She had the stitches removed and the technician said she's healing very well. I'm glad. I've never seen a wound like this so I'm not sure I'd be able to judge how well it was going. It was good to hear it from the professionals.

She is resting peacefully now. The excursion was a bit much for her. I'm sure she'll be feeling much better without out those stitches pulling at her.


It sure was a tiring day getting my stitches out!

UPDATE 3/12/06
Sierra had a visit from her Aunt and Uncle today. She was so excited to see some new faces. She wanted out of her area but she had to be satisfied with them coming to her. She was kind of funny because she acted lame. Now, we all know she can walk and fairly well! She kept rolling over on her back just out of their reach as if to say "Oh, poor three legged dog! You have to come pet my belly. I just can't walk that far!" Ha!

They were only over for about 30 minutes. Sierra was exhausted afterwards. I can see that she has to build up her stamina again. I can also see that I need to watch her because she can tire herself out quickly. It worked out well though. She slept most of the evening and didn't even know when it was dinner time!

UPDATE 3/13/06
Well, Sierra is almost finished with her 14 days (two to go) and then the Vet needs to tell us how much freedom she is allowed. She can do most things without my help now. She figured out going to the bathroom (without the towel for support), which has been the hardest thing on both of us. She did not like having to wait for me to get everything organized and it was difficult for me supporting a 70 lb. dog. I'll either have huge muscles or a bad back after all of this.

I took her to the front door so she could see outside and then I took her outside on leash to walk around the backyard. She's was very happy to get some fresh air. She sniffed all the news she's missed in the last two weeks and now seems pretty content.

UPDATE 3/14/06
Last day of solitary confinement for Sierra. I know she can't wait to go free.

I talked to her Veterinarian this morning. She is very pleased with Sierra's recovery. She commented that each time they have a dog whose leg has been amputated it seems like a miracle. They always expect the dog to recovery slowly. Everytime they are surprised.

Sierra is on a two week phase in period. She is allowed free reign of the house. She can start going on small walks. She is not allowed to climb or jump. This presents problems because Sierra sleeps in my room. She also enjoys laying on my bed during the day. I'm going to close off the bedroom during the daytime. That way I won't have to keep chasing her out.

UPDATE 3/16/06
My Mom cleaned house for me yesterday, so I kept Sierra in her confinement area. I wanted to let her out but I was afraid she'd slip on the newly mopped floor. One extra day wouldn't hurt her. Today she got her first taste of freedom. I took her for a small walk in front of the house. Man, for a three legged dog she sure is strong! Tomorrow I'll have to use the choke chain. We only walked back and forth a couple of rounds. I wanted her to get her bearing and remember what heal and turn were like.

After she got free reign of the house for an hour and a half. She was so happy. She did make at least three attempts for the bedroom. She came back to the living room and for the first time layed on her bad side. She slept that way for about 15 minutes then shifted. So, it must be feeling better. Eventually, she went back to her confinement area. I'm going to use it for the next two weeks. It's a safe place for her and I can get a little bit done without worrying. Tonight we are going to try to sleep in the bedroom. Hopefully, it will go okay.

UPDATE 3/17/06
Happy St. Patrick's Day!!! Sierra was allowed back into the bedroom last night and slept on her own bed. I was thrilled since I've been sleeping on the couch for 2 1/2 weeks. Sierra was just as thrilled. When I got her bedtime treat, she scurried off to her bed. She did pretty good even though moving on the round bed was a bit difficult. I found her a couple of times sitting off to the side like she fell off and stepped to far. When I woke up this morning she was laying on her bad side and she stayed that way for over an hour. It must be feeling better.

Her wound looks really good now. I did think she was getting some skin funkies until I realized it was the second wave of hair coming in. The first part came in white and now a light yellow fur is showing. It won't be long before she has her shiny coat back.

We walked a little farther today--up to the corner and back three times. She was scrambling at first and tired on the last lap. It will take a while to get her stamina to match her enthusiasm.

This evening she had her first visitors in a week. Her cousins came to visit her. The nine year did exceptionally well. She understands why we had Sierra's leg amputated and accepts it. The three year old was another story. It took awhile before she even realized Sierra was injured and then she became so concerned that we couldn't calm her down. I think eventually she'll forget Sierra had four legs. Anyway, Sierra loved all the attention. At one point, she had three family members in her area petting her.

UPDATE 3/19/06
Sierra had a big day. I took her for a walk early to tire her out a bit. We went a little longer than usual--ten minutes. It was a little too much. I'll have to be a little better at gauging her abilities.

We celebrated my Dad's birthday. For the first time, no one was allowed to bring their dogs. I was too worried that my brother's dog would hurt her as he's always jumping on her back.

She was pleased with all the extra attention she was getting. It was interesting to see everyone's reaction. The most common term was "weird". I don't think it looked quite as bad as anyone imagined.

About an hour into the party she pooped out. I kept her in her confinement area for the rest of the evening.

My three year old niece still had some problems with Sierra's condition. We had several conversations in which she gave me advice about taking Sierra to the doggie doctor and the special medicine her Daddy gives her when she is sick. She kept asking "Where'd her leg go? When's it coming back?"

UPDATE 3/20/06
Sierra is partied out! She's fast asleep on her bed. Too much activity yesterday.

She's getting some "hood free" time. I'd like to leave it off, but she tries to lick her scar. Soon the scab will be healed and then she can be completely free.

I am noticing something interesting with Sierra. She is using her tail as a fourth leg. I don't mean when walking. When she goes to position herself to sit or lay down, she contorts her tail into all sorts of shapes and uses it to feel her way to the ground. I wonder if others with 3 legged dogs have noticed this? Her tail is incredibly strong. When she hits you with it it's like getting whipped. It's an interesting adaptation.


Sierra first day of hoodless freedom

UPDATE 3/23/06
Today is day 21 and Sierra's first day without pain pills. I guess we'll know by the weekend when the medications is out of her system if she is in any pain. She seems to be doing fine. She's been laying on that side most of the day, so I don't think it's bothering her.

I decided to take her down the street a bit farther today. By the time we got back she was panting. It was a 7 minute walk which is about her limit. She is getting around more--she is off leash in the backyard now. I suspect she's tired from all of that as well.

She jumped on the bed today. My bed is fairly low, so I'm not too worried. I watched as she made a clean jump. She isn't supposed to jump, but what could I do once she was there? She seems to be getting stronger every day. She has also returned to her thieving ways. She picked up a packaging peanut off the ground yesterday then proceeded to fight me for it. I was not happy for the battle, but pleased that she is feeling more like herself. Don't underestimate a three legged dog!

UPDATE 3/27/06
Sierra went to the Vets for a bath today. Yeah!!! She was so darned stinky that I don't think she could stand herself. LOL

Our biggest problem was not getting her in the car, it was figuring out how to keep her from rolling around. Normally, Sierra stands in the car. We have never gotten her to sit or lay. She wants to see what's going on. Right now, she is not coordinated enough to stand. Even when she is laying down, she is taken by surprise by the turns and ends up rolling off the seat. I sat in the back with her so she didn't injure herself. I'll have to work on this. It may just take time sitting in the car until she figures out how to plant her feet.
Everyone in the office was happy to see that she was doing so well. When we picked her up, she looked so nice. 7 weeks is the longest she's ever gone without a bath. Kind of funny...Normally, she and the bather get along quite well. They are good buddies and she is the only one that can clip Sierra's nails without being attacked. This time, Sierra didn't want any part of the experience. She let her out of the cage to put her in the tub and she ran/hopped away. There the bather was, chasing the 3 legged dog around the room. After she told us she didn't realize she was so fast. LOL

UPDATE 3/31/06
Sierra spent the early part of the week recovering from her bath. She's usual tired when she goes. All the extra attention wiped her out completely.

I am noticing an attitude change with Sierra. There is a spring in her step that is not caused by hopping on 3 legs! She's happy and enthusiastic. In the morning, she's so thrilled about breakfast that I have to make her sit while I prepare things--otherwise, she'll knock me down. She still gets very tired from her walks and visits, but she seems to enjoy life so much more now. I have not noticed any signs of pain or difficulty moving around, so that's great!

UPDATE 4/6/06
She's baaaccckkkk!!!! Sierra has been on the prowl since Monday because she picked up the scent of something in the back yard. She has been stalking the blue tarp by the fence all day long. Everytime she goes outside, she has to run back there and smell everything. I think it's a little bit of an obsession!

It does show that the amputation is no affecting her. And, boy were we shocked when she jumped up with her front paws on a bar that was sticking out! There she was balancing on her back leg. She's also getting pretty good at running. In fact, I think the faster she goes the better she does. It's pretty awesome to see.

UPDATE 4/10/06
Sierra is doing very well after her recovery period. Solved one problem and found another. I found something in her stool the other day. It takes 3-4 weeks before you can see them. So, this happened when she was still in her confinement area. I'm surprised because fleas don't like Sierra, they like me! I haven't had any bites. So, today she got her incredibly expensive medication. It's 1 1/2 pills--one time, one dose. Geez, it cost $40!!!! Some kind of pill, eh?

UPDATE 4/13/06
Sierra has her first four legged visitor since her surgery. My brother's dog, Tyson, is staying with us for 4 days. He's a feisty dog, so I've been worried about Sierra getting hurt. Tyson just loves Sierra and he tends to pester her relentlessly. So far, they've been getting along good. She, at least, likes the bed their brought over for Tyson to sleep on!

Our neighbor helped us out by playing with Tyson for about a half hour yesterday. Tyson's a tennis ball dog and you just can't tire him out. Sierra watched for awhile, then went over to "protect" our neighbor--letting out small small barks each time Tyson went after the ball. Then she surprised us all. She ran over and got a toy and played tug of war. It wouldn't be so amazing except she hasn't played with her toys in almost a year! We thought it was because she was 10 years old and just didn't feel like it anymore. Now I'm wondering if that leg was bothering her more than she let on.

And, let me tell you she was strong! I didn't think she'd be able to play such a rough sport with 3 legs, but she was able to hold her own with her front paws planted. She almost pulled our neighbor out of the chair!

Both dogs were pretty tired last night. I noticed Sierra walking a little bit slower than usual. She probably overdid it a bit, but she was so happy...it was great to see.

New Photos...Sierra still doesn't have all her fur, but she looks much better since she got her bath. Here are two photos from this week. You can see she looks a heck of alot better than a month ago!




UPDATE 4/16/06
Today, Sierra went to her first family party in months. She did very well, though she was tired almost within minutes of arriving. She was sure a ham! As the Easter visitors arrived, she made sure that everyone knew that "she" lost her leg and needed attention. She demanded pets and hugs from everyone. Then just as they saw her as "that poor thing" she snuck up to the chips and dip and took a huge lick out of the dip! I tell you! Never trust the three legged dog. LOL

We all got a big kick out of my 3 year old niece and Sierra. Kylie sat in between Sierra's front paws on the floor. She was whispering secrets to her and telling her that everything was going to be okay. Then she started playing "This little piggy went to market..." with Sierra's front paws. Sierra never flinched. She just let Kylie work her over. Several piggy went "wee, wee, wee, all the way home" and Sierra just let them.

She was so tired when we got home that evening. She went to the bathroom then climbed onto her bed. That was the end of her until 8am.

UPDATE 4/22/06
Sierra is recovering from her visitors yesterday. Her cousins, Jeremy (15) and Kylie (3) paid a visit. She and Jeremy are great friends and she was all over him the minute he came in the door. Then when Kylie showed up she was besides herself with glee. Within an hour, she was laying on her bed. Who can blame her? I can't keep up with a 3 year old or a teenager!

UPDATE 5/16/06
Seems I haven't wrote about Sierra's recovery in awhile. She has been doing great. We're still waiting for her fur to grow back. It looks really good around the scar. In fact, the scar is almost completely covered. She is still pretty much bald on her back. You can feel some stubble, but, man, is it slow! She has also acquired an aversion to climbing on my bed. She slipped a week or so ago, but didn't fall. Since then she doesn't seem to want to try. My bed isn't very high and I know she can do it easily. I am making her climb up once a day, just so she knows she can.

We've also solved the problem of her riding in the car. I bought a hammock blanket. It has 4 straps which hook over the head rests in the front and then wherever in the back. (I clipped the back ones to the seat belt hooks). It makes a U shaped hammock which gives her two sides to lean against. She is now able to ride in the back by herself. She still tries to stand, but at least now if she slips, she doesn't roll back. I recommend these blankets if you have a dog with disability. It does make it easier for them to support themselves in the car.

Last week was hectic for her. She went to visit Kylie at my Mom's house. Kylie sang her songs and they played hide and seek. (Sierra is great at seeking.) When we got home, she slept the rest of the day.

Two days later, it was off to the vets for her bath. I completely forgot about her vaccines this year, so she got that done too. Everyone has been telling me she looks too thin. They put her on the scale and I was shocked to learn she weighed only 63 lbs! The last time she weighed anywhere near 60 lbs she was 6 months old. It isn't that drastic. She weighed 72 last April. She then weighed 67 lbs the day after surgery. So, really she has only lost 4 lbs through her whole recovery.

The only problem we had was getting the two dogs in the car coming home from the Vets. We picked up my sister's dog who was also getting a bath. She has a habit of blocking Sierra from coming in doors. Not in an aggressive way, but a playful way. We made the mistake of letting her in first. Sure enough, she wouldn't let Sierra in. Then Sierra decided to jump on her own. I was trying to push Summit back, while Sierra was hanging half way off the seat. Once everyone was in and in their proper places, it was smooth sailing.


UPDATE 5/29/06
It's the 3 month marker for Sierra. Unbelievable! I can't believe it has been 3 months already. It seemed like time was moving so slow during March and now it's the end of May.

After 3 months, it appears that Sierra has no serious problems other than fatigue. It's a little more work to walk with 3 legs and she seems to tire a little easier. She has no problem doing her daily duties though. She now takes two 10 minute walks every day. Sometimes she actually pulls me down the street. She is incredibly strong and she is alot faster with her new skipping motion. She can jump in and out of the car without a hitch. She still is reluctant to come up on the bed. If I escort her, she makes it easily. She continues to try to beg. She got a good one in the other day. And, she still tries to manipulate everyone with her "look at the poor three legged dog" act. LOL My Uncle visited today and hadn't seen Sierra since her surgery. She went into her whole act of collapsing onto her back as if she could no longer hold herself up. Too funny!

And, still we wait for the rest of her fur to grow in...LOL

UPDATE 6/31/06
IT'S ABOUT TIME I HANDED OUT THANK YOUS TO SOME SPECIAL FRIENDS!
When I first posted about Sierra's mounting medical bills, I was somewhat embarrassed. It was uncomfortable and I wasn't sure how people would react to my begging. I have been utterly shocked and humbled at the kindness that my friends online and offline have shown. Some of you only know me and Sierra online. Your kindness has been really something! I would like to thank you all by name...I hope that I don't forget anyone...

SPECIAL THANKS TO... Eloise, Ron, Margaret, Vicki, Mike, Erin, Joe, Patricia, Don, and Jane!!!!
And, special thanks to family members who help with the "Sierra Fund" plus listened to our pre-surgery dilemmas, post surgery stories, the phone calls with Sierra howling in the background, and making it through those first visits with "Three Paws".

We still have bills to pay off (thanks to my sister who covered the bill and allowed us to make payments) but your generous donations have really helped through this difficult time.

Those of you with websites deserve some support. Please visit my friends websites and see what great folks they are!

Jane's All Free Crafts Website
Joe's Genealogy Chats and Resources Website
Patricia's Madeira Genealogy Website
Vicki's Apaloosa Horse Website
Mike's Offensive People Website
Erin's ALHN North Carolina Genealogy Website

UPDATE 7/15/06
It's been awhile since I've update you all. Sierra is doing great. She goes for her walks twice a day. We've had some interesting situations. I had an elderly woman stop us on the sidewalk. She wanted to let me know that she thought Sierra was very brave. A three legged dog does get attention!

We have had a minor set back. Sierra fell getting into the car one day. Now she refuses to jump. She starts shaking as if it's her worst nighmare. My Dad is building a ramp. That should make it easier.

I'm perplexed. She has been jumping since the 3rd week after surgery. I can only think she has lost her confidence. It's possible we just don't get her in the car enough. I'm making her jump on the bed for treats. It's lower than the car seat and maybe she'll figure out that jumping isn't so bad. I'm not too concerned that she won't jump on the bed, but she has to get in the car! She seems fully capable otherwise.

UPDATE 7/17/06
Sierra got a present from her Uncle...a new bed!!! It's slightly higher than the pad she had in the living room. She has to kind of hoist herself. See, she has no problem getting up on this. LOL


This is the life!

UPDATE 8/12/06
Sierra went to her cousin, Kylie's, 4th birthday party. A couple of people at the party hadn't seen Sierra since her surgery. They were really amazed at her ability to adapt. Naturally, she sucked in a ton of attention!

She also got to meet up with "Baby Pickles", the duck again. It was pretty funny watching the two interract. I wouldn't let Sierra outside off leash because she wanted to have Baby Pickles for lunch. So, Sierra spied on the duck from the sliding door. She stared for a good 15 minutes while the duck ate and then she couldn't stand it no more. She would bark 4 or 5 times. And, then you'd hear "Quack, Quack, Quack, Quack". It was hilarious! The duck was not afraid of her and each time she barked, the duck answered her back.

It was an exhausting day and Sierra pretty much laid around the next two days.

UPDATE 9/6/06
HAPPY BIRTHDAY !!!!! Sierra turned 11 today. I think back on last February. At that time, I didn't even know if she would make it to another birthday. Now, here's she is causing trouble at 11 years old.

She has had a couple of physical achievements lately. She can now hold a beg for more than a second. In fact, she's been getting some really good ones off over the last week. So, her muscles must be back to full strength.

Two of the things Sierra used to love to do was to give hugs (sitting up with her frong paws around your waist) or going up into a beg and resting her front paws on your arm while you scratched her tummy. Today, for the first time, she put both paws up on my arm. It took a good portion of trust and balance. She had to depend on me and that one back leg to keep her steady. She did pretty good.

So, it appears Sierra's pretty much back to her old self. Her only problems seem to be getting stuck places where she can't back out and jumping in the car (which I know she can do, but she refuses!)

So, here's happy birthday to my 3 legged wonder dog :)!!!!!

UPDATE 9/14/06
Sierra had a set back yesterday. She was having a normal day. After she ate dinner, she came into the bedroom and laid down on her bed. Something riled her up outside and she ran for the front door barking. Before she got out of the bedroom, she yelped and suddenly she couldn't walk. I checked everything but she shows no signs of pain.

I watched her for the next 3 hours but she only got worse. She couldn't even lift herself up. So off to emergency we went. She got a good checking over. They did xrays and found out her back leg has serious arthritis. Poor thing! She finally gets rid of the bad leg only to have arthritis in her hip. This doesn't necessarily explain why she yelped, but it does show that things might be getting more difficult for her.

After paying another emergency vet bill , we were able to take her home at 1am. She slept pretty good. They had her on some good drugs.

In the morning she was very eager to eat. I'm supposed to carry her outside with the towel and limit her movement. While I was trying to figure out how to get her water to her, she walked herself into the room and drank by herself. Getting back into the living room was hard, but I helped her back. She rested most of the day. By 6pm, she was able to walk again without much difficulty.

Tomorrow it's off to the regular vet for NSAIDs for the arthritis. From there we'll see how it goes.

UPDATE 9/24/06
Sierra has been on the Deramaxx a couple of days. So far so good. She did have a little stomach upset yesterday, but I'm not sure if that was from the medication or not. I know she is happy to be done with the other medication. I had to shoot into her mouth with a syringe. She'd start licking her mouth before I even took the cap off. LOL Must have tasted awful!

She's hobbling a little, but determined to get up and do her thing. I've got her blocked off in the living room so she won't run down the hall and slip. She's sleeping in the living room until she gets her footing. So, I'm sleeping on the couch once again! She seems to be enjoying it out here. She loves the sun spot on the carpet. I see her sneak off her bed around 7am and then she follows the sun across the floor. I'm letting her go to the front door and look out. She likes watching the neighbors and I'm sure she bored with looking at the backyard.

Oh, I heard back from the Emergency Hospital Vet. The radiologist confirmed severe arthritis. She can start taking walks but only short ones. She needs to keep exercising, but she can't over do it, run, or jump. He also had the results on the lump. It's benign--thank God! So, at least, there isn't cancer in that leg.

UPDATE 9/25/06
We've started taking walks again. She driving me nuts! If I don't get her outside for fresh air and a good sniffing, she's going to push me over the edge. For a dog who is supposed to be disabled, she sure is strong. I've had to really watch her on leash. I suspect she's so excited about being outside again that she wants to get everywhere. For now, her walks are limited to the front yard.

UPDATE 10/1/06
Sierra seems very much back to normal. I've moved her back into the bedroom at night which seems to make her more at ease. The bed in my room is lower than the one in the living room and that seems to be easier for her. I've gotten rid of the blanket because it seems like she gets her lone hind leg tangled in it.

She's doing good on the Deramaxx. I've noticed that about two hours after she takes it she is completely knocked out. This is probably good. It gives her body a chance to rest.

Our walks are now up to five minutes, twice a day. It's really hard to know what the right combination is for her comfort level. I figure that twice a day breaks things up but isn't too long to walk. Sometimes she just sits on the sidewalk watching every thing and sniffin' the air. I let her decided what she feels up to.

UPDATE 10/9/06
Well, I had the dookies scared out of me today!!! I was taking Sierra for her morning walk. As we turned the corner, she was on alert and I realized just a house away their were two stray dogs--BIG DOGS!!!! We turned tail really fast! I know she isn't supposed to run, but I figured running is better than being mauled. LOL The dogs never noticed us and we got home safely.

I don't know whose dogs they were but I'm not going to take a chance. A three legged dog with arthritis is no match for two full grown dogs.

UPDATE 12/1/06
I haven't written an update in quite a long time! Sierra has settled into her life. I take her on two walks a day. She lays around the living room. She's not that thrilled with the holiday decorations and Christmas presents taking over half the room.

She seems to be doing well on the deramaxx. I try to give her massages to keep everything else working.

UPDATE 12/27/06
Well, we made it through the holidays. This was a rough time for Sierra. There was too much activity for her. Christmas Eve we took her to my sister's house for a get together. I was worried about her moving around and knocking over our very dead tree.

I bought her a harness but I can't say that it works very well. The problem is with a three legged dog there is nothing to keep it from sliding. The straps are ineffective. It does have two handles, so I try to carry her that way. We needed it for my sister's front steps. There are only three but Sierra can't do it very well. Coming down she sort of hurtles herself off. Well, we made it anyway!

Christmas morning she was flat out exhausted. Everyone was at my house for presents and breakfast. She got all the attention she wanted then ignored us. Our neighbor offered to stay with her when we went up to my brother's house for dinner. It eased my mind and I think he liked having the company.

So, two days after Christmas she is still out of it. It's raining so we're foregoing the walks. She's very happy though. The tree is gone. Now she has all her space back.

UPDATE 1/7/07
Well, we're at the better end of a tough week. On Monday, Sierra went outside to go to the bathroom. As she was making a turn, she slipped and her back leg gave out. She limped into the house.

She took it easy for 3 days and then I could tell that she was jumping over the threshold of the sliding door easily again. We're back to our two walks now and she's doing fine.

Update 4/19/07
Well, the new Vet really has me freaked out. Sierra had to go in for her 6 month deramaxx check up. He noticed all sorts of possible problems: muscle wasting disease, bulging liver, bad teeth, kidney failure, more arthritis, etc., etc., etc. I really don't know what to do except wait until tomorrow for the test results.

Oh, Sierra had no pee for the urine test, so I had to collect a sample. That sure was an experienc. LOL For once, having 3 legs was a benefit. I followed her around the yard. Then when she squatted I stuck the cup under her. First try, not bad! She wasn't to thrilled but at least it's over with.

Update 4/20/07
Phew!!!!!!! I got a call from Sierra's normal Vet. She's fine except for the normal age related problems that an 11 year old Lab who's gone through cancer experiences. All her blood tests are normal. So, continue as we are. Sierra's happy. She gets to add yogurt to her diet and some fresh veggies.

I'm happy that I can let out this deep breath!

Update 8/1/07
Sierra's doctor wanted her to start Glycoflex or another glucosamine/chondroitin product. I had her on regular tablets but she hated them. Then I put her on Nature's Recipe treats that had those in them. She loved them but they had much too much other junk and were upsetting her stomach. So, I finally sprung the $40 for Glycoflex II.

I'm not sure what kind of results to expect, but we'll see in an older amputee, but we'll give it a go.

Update 9/6/07
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SIERRA!!!!

Sierra turned 12 today. Can you imagine that? It's now been a year and a half since her amputation and she is still going strong. She has her bad days but I think it's to be expected for her age and with arthritis in her back hip. She is still very excited to get up every morning. We take two short walks each day if she is in good shape (5-8 minutes) which keeps her front legs strong and her mood up.

I am just happy she made it to another birthday.

Update 10/9/07
Back to the vets for another 6 months check up and blood work and urine test (I hope they can do it this time!) We got the nice doctor and it went so much better. Sierra has lost a little weight, but the doctor said that unless it's a drastic drop it's just something to watch. She looks good and the Vet is surprised at her pep for all she has been through. They are still baffled by her enlarged liver. It is possible there is a tumor behind it, but unless we do tests we won't know. I don't know. I hate to put her through more tests if it doesn't bother her.

Tomorrow we get the results.

Update 10/10/07
Test results are back and Sierra is fine! Liver and kidney are both functioning normally. We are going to cut back on her Phenylpropanol to see if she can get by on less drugs.

A side note: Sierra has now been on glycoflex II for 2 months. I have noticed that she seems more peppy and not as stiff. Her attitude seems lighter as well. It seems to be helping, so I'll continue the half tablet a day. I'm not sure if the stiffness relief is due to glycoflex or the fact that our neighbor has been giving her massages almost everyday! Sierra lays outside on her blanket by his chair and then her gives her a good rub down. She absolutely loves the attention. :) Maybe it's getting some of the kinks out.

Update 12/30/07
Happy Holidays!!!!

We had a very active Christmas holiday season and I was really worried all the visitors and travelling would be too much for Sierra but she did really well.

At the tree trimming party, she got alot of attention. Some of it unwanted. My brother got a puppy--a mini pinscher who fell in love with Sierra. I think she rather he didn't. LOL

The following weekend she was entered by the puppy and his sister again. Also, my 5 year old niece. I didn't really want all this activity right before Christmas, but we'll see how she does.

Christmas Eve day we had a circuit breaker go out and my 2 nieces and the 2 dogs were back again! Sierra tolerated the puppies playfulness very well. After they left, we all went to my sister's for a Christmas Eve party. I took Sierra because it's easier that way. She stayed in the house most of the time and tried to steal food.

Christmas morning everyone was over at 9 am. The puppy and his sister were back to bug Sierra as well as my other brother's dog. Sierra was pretty tolerant but tired. We had to take her to Christmas dinner with us as our neighbor was out at his own festivities. She did really well, but one of the younger dogs that was there was really pesty. She got a little irritated with him and snapped a correction. She didn't bite him, but let him know that she did not like him jumping all over her. She slept after we ate dinner.

It was a little hard getting her home as she was exhausted. I think collapsed when she got to the living room as she was so tired.

The day after Christmas we didn't get out of bed until 9:15. Sierra got up, went to the bathroom, ate breakfast and then crashed out. Normally Sierra demands a walk at about 10:30. She did not wake up again until 2:30. I'm just letting her rest. She normally gets tired after one family function. She has been going non-stop for about 5 days.

It's now 12/30 (Sunday) and Sierra looks really good. We are back to our two short walks when the rain lets us out. I was a little worried for her as slipped and fell in the house yesterday, but she seems fine today. I have to watched the wet surfaces inside and out. It's not that easy for her to walk with only one back leg.

Here is my little weasel with her friends, Buddy (the puppy) and Minnie, Buddy's sister
Happy Holidays!!!!
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Thank you in advance for your kindness!
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