Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
Tripawds is your home to learn how to care for a three legged dog or cat, with answers about dog leg amputation, and cat amputation recovery from many years of member experiences.
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I have adopted a tripawd through a shelter network back in the spring. He had been in the wrong place at the right time which resulted in the call to amputate the left fore limb. The shelter network and associated vet office local to the shelter some distance away from requisitioned the operation..wonderful people.
Shortly after arriving at his new home I scheduled an appointment with my vet to for a checkup and open a file.
Upon first sight of the dog my vet exclaimed disappointment ( I respect my vet very much for his straight shooting integrity) at the now well healed amputation. He explained his disappointment not with any concern of the healing which he said was nicely healed..but referred to the 'scapula'..they had not removed the scapula or shoulder as I later understood it to be. He was most distraught that they had not taken the whole shoulder off. He implied they did it the easiest way they could but that it certainly isn't the preferred way..for aesthetic reason alone but more importantly the 'nub' could be of concern pressure points, injury..just a useless obtrusion for the dog to deal with.
I had also inquired about a possible prosthetic though a company offering such and simply upon a picture it was clear to them that he was not candidate for he indeed had too much of a stump or just the fact that there was part left. And now I notice he is developing fatty deposit on the end of the nub under the skin below the end of the scapula. He is not over weight as I monitor his weight fairly regimental..he is a 60 lb dog and receives 2 cups of Wellness Low Fat formula daily.
So my question, not to second guess my vet for what he says makes very logical sense is it of opinion that my vet is correct and that is was an unnecessary 'budget' decision or in fact whoever had performed the operation had not experienced a proper procedure..as he suggested it is a more involved operation but in for a dime in for a dollar..he states it is for the life of the dog..a shame as he put it.
So in very short time I am experiencing some concerns about the fast collecting fatty deposits..
Is it common and proper procedure when removing a front limb that the scapula be removed??
Thank You
Hi Boct, thanks for joining us. What is your dog's name? Got any photos/ We'd love to see them.
I'm not a vet but I'll give you my opinion based on what I've seen here among our members.
The scapular vs. non-scapular amputation procedure is an often discussed item here in the community. Unfortunately many dogs do end up with a non-scapular amputation because as your vet said, it is the easier and most cost-effective path to take. With rescues being so cash strapped, it's often the only way for the dog to survive. In many cases the non-scapular dogs have post-op complications like not healing because there's not enough skin and fat covering the stump, but it sounds like your dog is all healed up, which is fantastic!
When it comes to prosthetics , yes, the procedure must be discussed with a prosthetics designer before surgery to ensure there's enough stump left to attach an artificial limb. For this reason, many rescue tripawds are not candidates since their surgeries are done quickly in order to save the dog.
What did your vet say about the fatty deposits? I've never heard of them being related to a dog with the scapula left over but again, I'm not a vet.
Otherwise, it sure sounds like your doggy is doing great! I'm so hoppy to hear that. Welcome to Tripawds. Your future posts wont' require approval so don't be shy!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hey!
Working at several vet clinics I've seen the surgery done both ways. When I adopted Domino I did talk with his surgeon some before hand but we quickly decided to take the scapula as well. But when Domino went to visit a rehab therapist for the first time, she said the exact opposite. She said now a days, vets should be leaving the shoulder and a stump/nub to give the owner the option of later being able to use a prosthetic, and the shoulder gives a lot of protection for the chest. I think what it boils down to is the Veterinarian's preference. I'm perfectly fine with Dom not having his scapula, I just will never be able to get him a prosthetic. Had I spoken to the rehab vet and a prosthetic expert first I may have done differently, but Domino like your pup was adopted after amputation. Where Domino was at, one vet preferred to leave a stump, the other preferred to take the scapula. Maybe you can find a local Rehab therapist near you and get another opinion?
I also have never really heard of fatty deposits being related to scapula vs non scapula. Maybe a rehab vet would have some insight on that as well.
Hope some of this helps!
Cassie and Domino
“A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.”
Domino had his left front leg amputate on May 13th 2014 after being hit by a car. He's now living a happy healthy life on three legs :)
I had some time to plan for my Jack's amputation and talked to several vets about this, including Dr. Pasternak at Helping Hands who did the surgery and who performs many amputations. Dr. Pasternak recommended leaving the scapula in our case because Jack is young and the amputation was the result of injury - she said that the scapula provides a great deal of protection to dogs' ribs and heart. For healthy dogs who have several years ahead of them, it's preferable to leave a bit of padding there and it's not necessary to take the extra weight off. Jack's vets agreed, and said that it's also a matter of training- often vets are more familiar with one method or another and while they usually take the scapula, it's not a big deal. Dr. Pasternak was happy to do whatever method I was most comfortable with, and after several discussions with her and other veterinarians, we decided to leave her scapula in.
Four months out, I'm very pleased with the decision. In terms of aesthetics, I don't mind her shoulder being there- I can't really notice it. It sits flush against her chest and there's no stump, though she does seem to use the muscles for balance. She lays on that side all the time and so far hasn't had any trouble with pressure sores.
In your case, is there part of the leg left?
Cassie said
But when Domino went to visit a rehab therapist for the first time, she said the exact opposite. She said now a days, vets should be leaving the shoulder and a stump/nub to give the owner the option of later being able to use a prosthetic, and the shoulder gives a lot of protection for the chest.
Thanks for the reminder about what Dr. Kennedy said! Here is the interview with Cassie, Dom & Dr. K:
Prosthetic, Braces, Rehab and Fitness for Tripawd Cats and Dogs, Part 3
Yes, leaving as much as possible is newer thinking that even I have to remember, since when we started Tripawds it was the complete opposite as Dr. K says in this video. My only trouble with that is that we do end up with some members whose dogs have inadequate healing at the stump. My thinking would be that if a prosthetic isn't in the cards for a pack, then I personally would take as much of the leg as possible, just because of what I've seen here, but that's just my non-vet opinion so take that for what it's worth.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
For Mona's amputation surgery my vet was going to leave the scapula. Before the surgery he consulted "the big city" vet surgeons who said the scapula had to go. This was necessary to ensure wide enough margins to remove the aggressive cancer tumour. Perhaps the decision of scapula or no scapula depends on the reason for the amputation?
Congratulations on the adoption! We need more folks like you giving dogs and cats happy, loving homes.
Kerren and Mona
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