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.
Join The Tripawds Community
Learn how to help three legged dogs and cats in the forums below. Browse and search as a guest or register for free and get full member benefits:
Instant post approval.
Private messages to members.
Subscribe to favorite topics.
Live Chat and much more!
Register
Log In
Members
Add Topic
Offline
Hi guys! I found this site a few minutes ago and I can't wait to spend the rest of my night reading up! I need some advice, as I'm at a loss of what to do. I have two Jack Russell's, 14 and 13. My 13 year old, Gus, came down with a raging case of pancreatitis and we thought we were going to lose him. He was in the hospital on iv antibiotics for a week. When he finally came home, he was so much better, but the next morning, he was agitated and couldn't get comfortable. He stood up in his bed and collapsed. His front leg was completely dead. My husband took him back to the vet, and they kept him for observation. They couldn't come up with an answer. He has absolutely NO feeling in his front leg. The best answer they could come up with is a blood clot. Regardless of what caused it, my poor baby is disabled now. I took him back to the vet today for a recheck, and they confirmed that the still doesn't have feeling. He's getting around pretty well for an old guy. I've had to make paths of carpet runners in my house so he has some traction . He's happy and healthy...just this darn leg. My vet told me to give it two weeks to see if any feeling comes back, then we would need to decide to amputate or not. The problem is when he tries to get around, his dead leg trips him. And when he potties outside, his dead leg gets peed on 🙂 So my gut is telling me that we need to get this leg amputated. It just breaks my heart. Has anyone had any similar circumstances in their dog? Mysterious nerve paralysis? I can't put it out of my mind that it has something to do with his pancreatitis, but what?
Anyhow, I can't wait to play around with this site and look for some similar stories. Thanks so much for reading our story!
Welcome to Tripawds, your future posts will not have to wait for approval.
I hope you don't mind that I moved your post here- this is the place to start when you are not dealing with cancer.
I'm sorry to hear about Gus. I know we have had folks here who's pups have no feeling in their legs, but it usually comes with some sort of accident. Was the IV in the leg that is now dead?
I hope that he regains feeling, but it doesn't sound good right now. If he is still young at heart then he should do fine as a tripawd.
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Thank you! I don't mind that you moved the post...I appreciate it! Yes, he did have an IV in that leg. The day that this all started, he completely gnawed his leg, almost to the bone. Now he has a horrible wound to deal with as well. Poor thing.
Oh gosh, just catching up! So aorry you a d Gus are having to deal with this.
Jack Russell's are such feisty little guys. It sounds like Gus is one determined pup!
I certainly would get a second opinion asap! From what you've described, it sounds as though this is somehow connected to the IV! I don't know if something like that is reversible or not, but I would check out that as a possibility with a second opinion vet! The wound needs to be addressed so it doesn't get an infection on top of everything else!
Perhaps a light wrap, under a vet's supervision, would help keep urine and dirt away from it for now.
Stay connected, okay? Should amputation become the "forced choice", there is no better place ro be than nere for support and information.
Would LOVE to see pictures of your pack! Update when you can.
Hugs!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
Aww poor doggie. Yes, get another opinion and don't rush into amputation, even two weeks is too short of a time to figure out what's going on (rehab vets have told us you need to give it at least six months, with active and regular rehab sessions before making an amputation decision).
If he is showing pain signals, have your vet prescribe adequate medication. Then ask for a referral to a specialist, making sure that all Gus' files are transferred over or given to you. See:
http://tripawds.....asy-steps/
Better yet if you are near a university vet teaching hospital, make an appointment there, they are amazing places to pinpoint mysterious cases like this.
http://tripawds.....r-tripawd/
Good luck, keep us posted OK?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I have a three legged JRT as well. Mine is rear leg, but he honestly doesnt know its gone. GO WITH YOUR GUT. The first vet didnt like the idea of amputation so we put my guy thru one surgery that failed. Switched vet clinics and now he has only 3 legs. I should have forced the issue with my dog.
1 Guest(s)
