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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Hi everyone,
My name is Karleigh and my dog Daphne got her leg broken on Friday night. It is dislocated at the joint (rear knee) and has some breaks in it as well.
I have been told that the repair surgery will be involving fusing joints and pins and plates. At 9 this really concerned me for Daphne so the option of amputation raised itself. Its a more cost effective option, although no price can be put on her but I'm so scared that I have made the wrong decision. She is currently in a cast and has been hopping around on three legs.
She is a big girl. She is a cocker spaniel, Maltese, Lhasa Apso cross. She is more the size of a cocker but weighs 14 kg and I know she will need to lose some weight but I am terrified of how she will fair in the surgery.
Please if someone has some experience or encouraging words it would be very helpful.
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Karmaa said
She is currently in a cast and has been hopping around on three legs.
It was a vet who first told us dogs are born with Three Legs And A Spare . Our vet said Jerry was already three-legged considering he hadn't been bearing weight for quite a while by the time of his diagnosis.
Too many times, we've heard from people putting dogs through multiple, painful, expensive surgeries trying to "save the leg" only to eventually amputate anyway. Every dog is different, and weight management is important, but the vast majority recover quickly and adapt well.
Please keep us posted and consider registering to make the most of this site.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi Karleigh and Daphne, welcome. I hope you don't mind I moved your post here but this is a good spot for situations like you're in. As you can see, you're not alone. I'm so sorry you're dealing with the amputation possibility though, I know it's scary.
It sounds like your vet thinks Daphne is a good candidate for surgery? If so that's great. Yes, Tripawds should be thinner than dogs of their same size/breed and it's pretty easy for them to lose weight, so don't worry about that. Most dogs won't eat a whole lot the first couple of weeks after surgery so it's a good time for weight loss to begin.
Have you seen Jerry's Required Reading List or the Tripawds e-books yet? You'll find lots of fantastic information there to put your mind at ease. Rest assured, most dogs do fine after surgery. The biggest obstacle is usually the one that we humans place in our minds. Our dogs just go on with life, they just want to feel better. So, the stronger more pawsitive attitude you project to Daphne, the less of an ordeal this all will be if you decide it's the right decision for her.
On and speaking of, there are no right or wrong decisions, just the best one for Daphne. And please don't feel badly that money is a consideration--it is for every single one of us here too. We can all relate.
Thanks again for joining. Stay tuned, others will chime in.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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