Ok so I was told to start from the beginning and post in order.(Future wife :-))
I’m not a good poster but I will try my hardest.
First off, thank you everyone for the comments already. You have no idea how much this is helping my fiance and I. We are 26 and 28 and with the wedding a few weeks away, we are trying to give our pup the care she deserves and do the finalization for the big day.
Ok, about a month ago our Lorna Doone started to limp on her front left leg. We thought (and so did the Vet) that she has pulled a muscle or maybe hurt her paw by jumping off our bed. (We have a very high bed and she is a 100LB Bullmastiff). He gave us some meds to help with pain and swelling of the paw. The meds were for one week and after one week, the limping came back. The vet thought maybe she re-aggravated it so this time he gave us the same meds for 2 weeks. Long story short, after two weeks the limp was back and worse.
Last Friday we went to the vet and the minute the Vet walked into the room, he knew it was good. He wanted X-Rays done and the X-Rays were not good. There was “Something” growing in and around her bone. He immediately scheduled us to see a specialist about the X-ray.
Off to the specialist…..
So many question – mind is going a mile a minute. 
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welcome to tripawds
There are alot of answers to your questions in Jerrys Required reading list
http://tripawds.com/2010/06/01/first-tripawds-required-reading-list/
The 1st two weeks will be a rollercoaster of recovery filled with ups and downs so hang on…it does get better.
1st poop and pee…dont worry, Daisy took about 7 days…we all worry and we all get exicited when”it” happens.
We are all here for you! and congrats on your upcoming wedding!
There’s lots of great info in the forums, if you haven’t found it yet. Those with bigger breed tripawds do seem to report a longer adjustment period, but I’ll let them chime in on that. Generally the really rough part of the recovery is over by the time the incision finishes healing, which is 2 weeks (if you keep them from licking it – Gerry snuck licks around his cone collar and had to add on another two weeks, ugh).
A towel sling under the belly seems to be most often suggested by the vets, for giving support while they’re still recovering from the amputation. I know I’ve heard of other creative solutions in the forums. Some dogs though get stubborn about such slings and will refuse to get up until you remove such silliness – like my first tripawd Yoda did. Results vary!
And everyone gets excited when the first pottying is done! Results vary and there can be some constipation after surgery. Rice, chicken and water seemed to loosen Yoda up when he had that problem, though by then, maybe it was just time that finally did the trick. Gerry didn’t have trouble getting going as I recall, but later on one of his medications seemed to be the culprit for some diarrhea he had. (Canned pumpkin – no sugar added – is a godsend when it comes to diarrhea, in my experience. Got that tip from Jim and Rene).
Good luck! Keep asking questions. Don’t hesitate to call your vet when you want to – no doubt you’ve paid a lot for the surgery, etc., so get your moneys-worth. Questions posed in the forums may get you more and faster answer though, FYI.
Oh my, everything will be fine, your big girl will be able to attend the wedding! (Congratulations, by the way.) And Lorna Doone is a beauty! I hope she is going to be your flower girl.
First, the Forums have better visibility than the Blogs, so I would suggest going to the Forum and posting your questions there. I guarantee you will get loads of answers. You probably already have a load in your inbox waiting for approval. There are many large breed tripawds here and their owners know a lot that they will share.
Healing time is generally quoted to be 2 weeks but it varies. I’m telling you ahead of time, it will be a difficult 2 weeks, but you WILL get through it and there IS a light at the end of the tunnel. We are here to help!
I think those with the big kids like yours use a sling to help support their pup, some just use a big bath towel. Maybe once you get her outside, she’ll get busy. They’re all a little slow with this business but they all do it when they’re good and ready. It’ll happen.
BTW, you’re doing great so far. You acted immediately and saved your girl’s life. Remind yourself of that when your brain starts racing.
Hi there. Sorry to hear about Lorna Doone’s diagnosis, but glad you found Tripawds. It’s a great site with a lot of good information. My dog, Max, was also a front left amputee. Remember that Lorna has had a major surgery, and is on a lot of meds that will make her a little loopy. It may take a few days for her to poop; this is not uncommon. Dogs adjust to having only three legs pretty quickly; Lorna will probably do fine on the steps, but if you’re worried, you can always use a towel as a sling under her stomach area to help her navigate the steps. The healing process is different for every dog. Some people say their pooch was back to normal after a couple weeks; for others, like us, it took a little longer. Max wasn’t the Max we knew for about 4 1/2 weeks. After that, it was like nothing had ever happened. Just wait and see. I bet Lorna Doone will be showing you guys a thing or two before you know it. I know it’s a lot of pressure with your wedding right around the corner; but just stay positive and happy around her. Good luck, and keep us updated on Lorna’s progress.
Awww Lorna, you are so beautiful.
First off, tell your folks they have our best wishes for a long and happy life together. Together with your love anything is pawsible. Congratulations!
I’m so sorry about the diagnosis. I read the rest of your Mom’s posts and am glad you made it through surgery. Tell her to stay strong and keep in mind that the next two weeks could have lots of ups and downs but they don’t last furever. You will make it, you will be fine.
We don’t ever know what the future holds for us so all we can do is live life to the fullest, now. Now! Now! Now! That’s what I say. So feel better, because you’ve got a great big pawty to go to and then, it’s all icing on the cake.
Rock on sweet girl and get well soon. Keep us posted.