Lord Finnigan

With the lengthening days Finnigan is feeling friskier than ever.

At times he is so intense on his play, such as as when biting and jumping at snow, you would think he has five legs. We have been having a wonder filled winter. A couple of black booties are some where out there in the snow and the others are showing their wear. The morning creek walks are often rich with the excitement of fresh deer and coyote scent and the afternoon walks through the woods bring us into ruffed grouse and hare scent. Fin is particularly satisfied with himself when he locates and flushes the grouse ! (which has only happened once so far)

Research on the canine diet and canine health is on going and so interesting. I am surprised by how I could have lived with so many beloved pets without questioning the system. Fin is now on an all raw diet with no grains. I have realized that there are many passionate opinions on how to best feed our dogs. I am going with nature. Looking at the physiology of the canine and the diet of the undomesticated relatives, I have chosen to feed Fin raw meat and bones and raw purred vegetables with some berries and apples. The vegetable portion is to mimic the partially digested food of the prey that would be in the stomach and intestines of the wild doggie dinner. I add a raw egg and herrings here and there for variety and continue to supplement with fish oils, vit E and C (I may drop the E & C as some opinions out there feel all supplements are unnecessary, some feel nothing other  than meat, cartilage, organs, bones etc is required)

Fin’ s joy of eating has gone up 10 fold! Where as in the past he would give his food a sniff and maybe show a small sign of interest, he now cleans his bowl every time and then quickly heads over to the other pack member’s bowls to check for remains. His energy is high yet one thing I have noticed is that his intake of horse manure has gone up since I removed the grains from his diet. I trust his system knows what it needs.

We will continue on this journey of learning and loving that I am so greatful to have been given.

Until next time we wish all lots of licks and pats.

Cyn and Fin

Fin enjoying the  cottage life

Now that we have had our first real cold bout of winter, Fin has become quite accustomed to wearing his winter duds. The winter morning walks up the creek are thoroughly enjoyed by all, other than the nasty snow balls that kept forming in Fin’s feet. So Steve, always being ever so thoughtful and caring, ordered Fin some booties as an early christmas present. On they went and to my surprise there was no adjustment period at all, now the walks are even better.

This morning was particularly glorious. The low winter light was gentle and pink, as though we were  walking within an infusion of rose.  We gave thanks.

all dressed up

The booties were not Fin’s only early christmas present……

fresh wild meat !

This gift, Steve found on the road not far from our place when going to check the mail.

mmmm – I like it

All is going well, Fin is running as fast as he ever has as he charges for William’s (our squash colored lab) neck and attempts to keep the horses in order. We are in love with living.

I made him new pair of booties last night, purple this time. My mother was generous enough to donate her much worn purple, polar fleece MEC pants. I doubled the polar fleece in the toes in my version of the boots as it is the toes that have holes through them already in the original version.

winter fun

Fin fun

Christmas light

In case we do not get back online until after christmas,

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL WITH MUCH LOVE AND LIGHT AND JOY !

Fin and Cyn

Just over 6 weeks since the surgery. I remember day 3 and feeling how slow time seemed to be passing as I waited for improvement. Now that Fin is healed though, and has no problem being a tripawd, I can not believe it has already been 6 weeks.

Lord Finnigan is now back to all of his past shinanigans. Playing with sticks, traveling the frozen creek, keeping the horses in tune, rough housing his cats and charging at William (red lab friend). Tonight we witnessed the last one to come back – the coyotes were yelping from the creek, this Fin found irresistible. So off he went racing down to the creek. He came back when called but I kept him tethered for the rest of the evening. I do not like to do this but he has enough running about every day without adding coyote chasing to it.

Fin now loves to eat! Before all of this he was rarely ever really interested in his food, I now realize why.

My sister sent me to purchase cat food for her cats the other day, due to all the research I have been doing on a healthy pet diet, I scanned every brand of cat food in the store and how abysmal. Even some of the high end dog foods in the veterinary clinic have corn as the first ingredient.

It feels so much better to be feeding Fin food that we would eat and to know what it is that he is eating. I still have a few questions regarding vitamins and minerals – quantities and types? Following is what I am presently feeding, and what I found out today, after spending much of the day researching on line.

Present diet:

1/4 cup of Kirkland lamb and rice (moistened with chicken stock or filtered water) – I am keeping with this until I know quantities for the vits and minerals, not that this food likely has any viable vits and mineral left after it’s high heat processing.

50% Meat – various types – usually cooked rare, some raw (I am debating wether to go  all raw, todays reseach reminded me that essential enzymes are lost when the meat is cooked)

40% Cooked brown rice – again today I learned that I can alternate this with other grains – oats in particular

10% Cooked/shredded vegetables from the garden with garlic (no onions)

3 – 1000mg wild salmon oil/day

1 tbsp flax oil/day

k-9 Immunity capsules/day

1 Transfer Factor/day

Following is what I plan on adding after todays research, any comments or suggestions are most welcome.

Vit E (400 IU max)/day

raw calf liver (10 oz/week) – this provides vit B’s, A,D

Ester C 1000-1500 mg/day

Egg shell 3/4 tsp/day (organic, crushed) – for calcium

Colloidal mineral ?

Digestive enzymes ?

Amino acids – Argnine and glutamine ?

We send out love and light to all of you wonder filled tripawds and tripawd keepers. Thanks again for sharing.

Fin and Cyn

21 days post op

Lord Finnigan is so full of life, almost more so than prior to the operation but of course my perception may be a little askew due to the extreme emotional climate of the past month. It feels so good to see him easily and happily being a dog everyday.

I would like to say to anyone reading this who is contemplating whether to go ahead with the surgery or anyone who is still in the first few days after the surgery, that it does get better! It was not until about day 7 post op, after I stopped giving Fin the Rimadyl, that I stated to feel alright with the decision we had made. And now, well, every day is a joy.

I watch in wonder at how dogs are able to adapt so quickly. I find it particularly admirable at how the other dogs act around Finnigan; four legs or three legs, it makes absolutely no difference to them. Can we ever be so honestly and openly accepting?

Today I found a great gift for Fin. As Fin’s fur is not growing back too quickly I was concerned about his chill factor once we start getting winter temperatures. Last weekend I purchase a used NorthFace polar fleece vest for him, brought it home and realized that the alignment of limbs and head on a human body is actually significantly different than that of a dog. The zipper, which I could only get half way up, ended up on his side and one open arm hole on his back with an awkward head looking up at me and eyes that seemed to say, ‘I don’t think so.’ Today, however, I found an item much more suited to his Lordship. A noble looking black wrap/blanket with white piping, a bit like a tux actually. I believe this item entered into the dog world via the minerature pony world, it is basically a horse blanket marketed in dog sizes.  This is ideal though for dogs that don’t need two legs holes in the front.

It looks great on him and he seems to feel comfortable and proud in it.

We received out first batch of K9 Immunity capsules and K9 Transfer Factor in the mail yesterday.  Fin has not taken any yet as I was hoping to hear from a few of you out there that have used the product. It was recommended by a friend who felt it was an excellent supplement to her dogs diet after his amputation due to cancer.

Has any one used it just long enough to really boost the immune system into high gear and then allow a high quality diet to continue to work with work of keeping the dogs immune system functioning well.

It is a beautiful day and Fin and I are going out to enjoy the sun!

Cyn and Fin

Our Lord Finnigan is back.

Breath flows more easily now. The minds turmoil has hushed, it is as I had known somewhere within …  all ok.

Last Saturday Fin went for a ride to the vet for a check-up and everything looked great. We were bit nervous about his not wanting to eat and larthargic behavior and the distant look in his eyes but as soon as he was off of the Rimadyl for 40 hrs he was beginning to improve. He has been off of it for over 3 days and he is, once again, our beloved Finnigan!

No longer on the Rimadyl, I was surprised how quickly Finnigan returned. He became more alert, he started to eat and enjoy his food, he moved more readily, and he even barked at the coyotes. The best part was once again looking into his eyes and feeling a connection rather than the far off stare.

I no longer wonder did I make the right decision. As he picks up scent in the long sedge grass, wactches the muskrats swim by and barks out to the unseen, he is so full of life and seems to be loving it.

Cyn and Fin

sorry about the sideways image, could not manage to get it to rotate

So, I called the vet, after taking Finnigan’s temperature with our now, new digital thermometer. His temp was normal but I was concerned about his shivering and lack of appetite. The vet recommended to stop the Rimadyl, it can sometimes cause lack of appetite and listlessness and to try some brown rice. Of course I put the brown rice on right away, with a sprinkle of salt and a few cubes of hare. Cooked and cooled I debated with myself as to which type of vessel to serve it to him in and went for the ceramic soup bowl (not the best choice after all).

With cheer and optimism I offered up the loving prepared meal and up went his nose. Hmmmm, as a last choice and on a whim, I pulled out a piece of roast from my sister’s, Jo’s, slow cooker meal. She had given it to us as dog offerings. I crouched down and held it out to him, his nose twitched and he took it! So up I was and over to the cooker to get more, I again offered another piece and again he found it to his liking. So I tried with yet another piece but this time however the nose went up along with him and he moved to a new spot. I took a deep breath, picked up the bowl of rice and dressed it with more of the roast and once again offered it to the Lord. He agreed this time! Sensing we were onto a good thing, I continued to offer more roast and he continued to take it and seemed to enjoy it. With the roast being gone, I switched over to the rice and he readily stared to lick it up, as best he could from a slippery, ceramic dish. By the end of it there was brown rice everywhere and Fin had a full belly!

My sister said, “Oh, he enjoyed my salty roast.’ Which made me wonder – did he need salt? Is that why the roast offering was accepted over the raw meat? Does anyone out there know wether dogs need a certain amount of salt in their diet?

Tomorrow we may go see the vet for a check up, we will see how Finnigan is feeling in the morning.

Cyn and Fin

Fin’s Healing Waters

Staying up beat was a little more difficult today as we both try to adjust. For me it was hard to look into Finnigan’s eyes that seemed to be saying ‘Why ? and what is happening’. And for Fin … his appetite was not too good again, he did eat some raw malard and hare though, but primarily it is the sharp unexpected pains that are the most unsettling.

He appeared to find some peace though, as he laid in the garden, taking in the afternoon sun while we dug potatoes. And this evening under the crisp, starry sky which we have so often laid together under, he wagged his tail.

Some have inquired where we live. Our home is in the rolling hills of the Alberta parkland along side a small creek we call Polem Creek, just west of Delburne. The creek continues to flow and rise and so too will we follow its lead.

Cyn and Fin

Hi all,

Thank you so much for your responses! And the Lord thanks you as well as he can feel it where as I have to read it.

Fin is feeling better today! Last night as a last attempt to see if he was interested in eating I offered him his #1 favorite treat – bone marrow and he ate it. This morning he enjoyed a raw malard breast and he had the last of his antibiotics which may have been upsetting his appetite as well.

We walked down to the creek this morning in the beautiful mist, as he seems to only want to drink from the creek. The creek is rising with the recent precipitation and we have been seeing the beaver again. Fin was nervous heading down there and needed to have a small lay down once we arrived and then another in the barn on a wool saddle blanket while I fed the chickens. He had much more energy the first couple of days after the surgery than has had over the past 3 days, I am beginning to think that he moved around too much the first few days and then became stiff and tired over the next few days.

I am just glad that he is resting peacefully now. I experienced another first yesterday when I had to find out wether or not he had a fever. Yes – thermometer in to rectum – but being the ever so co-operative dog that he is, all went well and he did not have a fever.

Fin has just experienced another level of comfort – we removed the bandage! (staples are still in for another week or so) Oh – was he happy to have me give him a good scratch! His incision looks very good, no swelling, no redness. It is certainly large though and shaped like an upside down T. I am getting used to his new look, it has really helped to have all of the images on Jerry’s Tripawd site to look at . Lord Finnigan day 1

Finnigan beside the creek

thank you all again,

Cyn and Fin

This is the first blog I have ever visited let alone participated in. It is also the first time I have ever had a dog with an amputated leg. I am lightened after coming upon Jerry’s site and amazed at our human capacity for the love of our canines.

Lord Finnigan is the first dog I have ever had from a puppy , he is a great pyrenesse/sherperd cross. He has a very large brain and an equally large heart. At present he is resting contently in the great hall, looking my way every now and then. I am glad to see him settled, as yesterday he was quite restless with much panting and shivering.

It is now this fifth day with 3 legs. His first two days he easily went for small walks and enjoyed watching us working outdoors while he laid in the garden, then on his bed in the fresh air. I think that now as the severed nerves start to heal and contract that it is causing sharp and sudden pain which scares him, which in turn gives him phycological stess. He also had a good appetite the first couple of days, so far today and yesterday he has not wanted to eat. We will go on a short walk to the creek later as he loves to drink from the creek and watch over his farm.
So often my ego wants to delve into the past or the future which threatens to bring a flood of tears. Going within and calling on inner strength I instead choose to be in the now and send from my heart to Finnigan’s heart my great love of him. I feel what it is like for us to play the stick game, to walk to the creek, to catch snowballs and play in the sprinkler. This takes deep breathing, trust and faith. Reading these posts helps. This experience and all the others I have now heard about is a deep lesson in how to love without attachment.
Love to all.

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