Oh my goodness!  That's super scary!!!!  I'm SO glad you came to us.

Sadly, I don't have experience with your situation.  But I can tell you what I've seen and read here over the 8 months that we've been here.  I'll reiterate what Karen said.  We've seen some amputations that aren't done to the shoulder or where too long of a stump remains and it causes problems.  It hits things.  They fall on it.  They try to use it.  It gets caught in things.  This leads to trying new bandages, trips to vet, antibiotics, pain meds, more time in an ecollar, strange behavior issues, etc.  She's young and full of life and will likely rebound from amputation well and be better than before.  Without a pesky stump, she'll have nothing to slow her down or get in the way of enjoying life and giving you love!

That said, I think the field of prosthesis for pets has come a long way.  It's obviously a custom product.  Have you reached out to some of the companies that do it and explain what you'd be looking for?  It may give you an idea of prices, how long 1 will last (furever?  Only a few months?), success rate (meaning, do most dogs take to the fake limb or not?), pain, etc.  Heck, is there an online community for prosthetic-using pets?!

Seeing as how we've amputated and have enjoyed its success, we're biased.  I'd argue that while it's pretty dramatic, I think it's more humane.  There's less troubleshooting than with a prosthetic.  Tripawds have full, active, loving lives.  There will simply be less to worry about and manage than getting her into a fake limb.  (These are VERY 1 sided thoughts, as I've never looked into fake limbs)

I wonder if her chewing now, on her remaining stump, is b/c of pain.  She may be trying to self medicate.  What is her current drug cocktail?  Strong enough?  The good news with this is she's likely on a similar pain management program as what she'll be on post-amp!  These days will give you extremely valuable information about which drugs work, work well, don't work well enough, doseage, side effects, etc., that many of us struggled with in the days post-amp.  The common drugs post-amp are some NSAID (rimadyl, for ex), gabapentin (a nerve-blocker-kinda thing), and tramadol.  Is she on any or all of those?

Keep us posted!  Best wishes!  I suspect the days leading up to her Sx will be pretty tough - managing her drive to chew (that's GOT to be hard to see!  My sympathies....), and learning loads about amputation vs prosthesis.

~ Katy & Jackson

Hi Steve,

So sorry to hear about Sadie's incident. Being an emergency vet tech I've unfortunately seen this happen before, whether from accident or unfortunately abuse. The best option is generally to take the leg at the shoulder. I'm dealing with a stump situation myself as my own puppy has a deformed paw and I can tell you injury is a constant worry. I spend more time cringing every time he runs up the stairs than enjoying seeing Maverick act like a happy puppy. Take into account that prosthesis requires at least 40% of the radius and ulna intact in order to function properly. Each prosthesis can cost up to $2,000 and will need to be replaced if Sadie chews on it or it doesn't fit properly. You will need to check her stump regularly for rubbing and potential infection. If you are financially and mentally prepared for this than prosthesis could be a good option for you. If you are not, there is absolutely no shame in having a three-legged dog. Sadie will be fine without her leg and I promise the biggest adjustment is you and your wife seeing her as the happy dog she is and not the painful puppy from her accident.

-Mandy and Maverick

If you go ahead and take the entire leg and the scapula, then Sadie's back in business (for the most part) in a few weeks. She will have some healing and adjustments to make, but she won't be restricted in terms of activity level. So figure that she will be clear for all activity in a month at the most. That means the sun rises, she jumps out of bed, goes out to potty, chases a squirrel, barks at the rustling leaves, races around the yard enjoying every moment. All within a minute of getting out of bed.

If you leave a stump and try to get a prosthetic, it will be a lifetime event. At some point the prosthetic will likely get damaged or quit working correctly and need repairs. That's just the nature of mechanical stuff. You will have to physically check the condition of the stump daily and be prepared with plan B if she develops a sore or ulceration or tender spot.

And if she isn't used to moving without the prosthetic, then she will be ill-equipped to be a tripawd with 3 legs if she has to be one temporarily.

You will have to put the prosthetic on her when your day gets going and you will have to remove it when her day is done. So the squirrel chasing and leaf barking and racing around won't happen immediately, even if she's impatient.

So if you were a young pitbull and full of energy and strong as an ox, which would you vote for?

Adding the human element of which is easier for you and which will cost less, I think the complete amputation makes the most sense. I'd rather take the money that the prosthetic would cost and spend it on road trips with Sadie. Show her the world. Have fun. Enjoy the next 13 years.

Whichever you choose, keep us posted on how she's doing when the 9th arrives.

Shari