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
Oh Sally, Jerry is right, that day was nothing compared to 9 years! It's just the closest day...so the further we get from it the easier it will be to remember the other THOUSANDS of awesome days! That's a comforting thought come to think of it, now that I've done the math... I know we speak in years, but with this disease I started thinking in weeks and months and feeling like I had to embrace every single day, but really I got over 3000 days with my boy!
Theo lived full and fast that is for sure! He even breathed fast when he slept, just how he was wired!
I have lots of other stuff I'm sending to my favorite rescue down in Atlanta. Like...an ENTIRE 14lb bag of unopened dry food that Theo hasn't eaten in months. Lots of toys that friends gave Theo as care package gifts after his amp (but he wasn't a toy kind of pup... only balls), and lots of treats he decided he didn't like anymore either. Happy to share Theo's loving spirit with others!
He really taught me how to love! It's so simple for them. 
I'm so very, very sorry. It hurts so much to lose them. I'll be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers...
Carol
Snagglemom- So sorry for the loss of your best boy Theo. I am well aware of how painful it is and our circumstances are similar. My Jake had his amp 6/14/14- he did great, then WHAMMO- by week 3 he began developing a tumor on his abdomen adjacent to his amp incision. He was able to keep his happy goofy quality of life until we/he decided that his life was not quality on 7/24/14. It is a horrible pain that cuts you to the core. Don't feel you have to minimize it for "those" that don't get it. You are entitled to grieve in they way you choose. Stay connected, we are all here to help you. As for Theo, is now running with the ball and all of his new friends at Rainbow Bridge. He is bragging about you and what a wonderful life he had. He did... you made it that way for him!
Your in my thoughts at this painful time!
Laurie
I'm so very sorry to read to hear about the loss of your beautiful boy, Theo.
Both of you showed you loved and respected Theo and his right to "Be More Dog " right until the end when you helped him cross the rainbow bridge.
You are both in my thoughts and prayers,
Linda and Tucker
I am so so sorry. You promised Theo you'd take care of him and you did, right up to the end. You made sure he didn't suffer anymore, its the last act of love we can give them. You gave him a great life, and he had you and Evan, and his favorite baseball right beside him. That is all any of us could ever ask for. Regret is a really ugly thing. Its cancer's last little grip on us. When we are thinking about could'ves and should'ves, maybe if only's...cancer has stolen your thoughts, and those thoughts belong to Theo's wonderful memory..not to what cancer stole away. The day my Jake passed away, I took him myself to the crematory. As soon as I got home, I went on a rampage throwing meds away, the ten different things in my fridge I had bought just hoping he'd eat a tiny piece of one of them, the syringes..all of it, gone. Cancer is NOT what our pups were. Cancer is just a speck on the master piece of their lives. They were so so much more. I had a hard time with regret. When I started having those thoughts, I tried my best to replace them with happy memories (Jake playing tug-a-war, Jake running with me etc). It was my own way of giving cancer the middle finger b/c it may take their bodies, but it will never ever touch their souls, the love between us or the many years of happy memories.
HUGS
Mom to Tripawd Angels Jake (2001-2014) and Rosco (2012-2015) and Tripawd Tanner. “Whatever happens tomorrow, we had today; and I'll always remember it”
I am so sorry for your loss of Theo. I was worried when you didn't update the other post. 
Everyone has pretty much said a lot of what I would have said so I won't repeat it but just don't 2nd doubt anything you did. No one can tell you that you didn't try and how long to grieve. Many of us here have been through this and it plain sucks no other words for it. Time to heal is all its going to be. You won't forget Theo & he will be right by your side. RIP Theo & Run free
Hugs
Michelle & Angel Sassy
Sassy is a proud member of the Winter Warriors. Live long, & strong Winter Warriors.
sassysugarbear.tripawds.com
07/26/2006 - Sassy earned her wings 08/20/2013
05/04/2006 - Bosch, Sassy's pal, earned his wings 03/29/19 fought cancer for 4 months.
"You aren't doing it TO her, you are doing it FOR her. Give her a chance at life."
Snagglemom,
So sorry you had to let Theo go. Yes, that was not a very long time. I felt very cheated when my dog got mets after 4 months but at the time I had no other choice but to get her out of pain and like Sally says a month is a long time in dog time. You were a great mom to Theo and I'm sure he is happy to be moving past the pain and his worn out body. In your time please share with us how special Theo was.
Penny
Thank you all! Everything everyone said last night was so helpful to me and Evan, but now today feels worse than yesterday. I just eel so sick, just a hole in my stomach.
Laurie- Your story does sound so similar! I too noticed a lump on Theo's abdomen on the other side, but it didn't feel "lumpy" so the onco brushed it off as probably a cyst, but when we found the next lump in his groin I knew this evil disease was spreading everywhere! Topped off with the respiratory distress it took him way, way too fast.
Elizabeth- You made me cry so hard, but feel so much comfort about our decision. Thank you.
I too felt cheated. We got 10 weeks. 10 hard, painful, sick weeks. I am now just grasping that the cancer is not what Ty's life was about. He was so happy. I always said There is no bad day for a Lab. I learned later that that is not true. That is how I knew the time had come to let him go. I am purging today. Thank you all who helped me see that it was time to get rid of the sick, cancer stuff. I kept his bag of treats with his name on them because they were his favorite kind. I got a cardboard shoebox at a craft store. It has a chalkboard place to write on the front. That is where I keep his good memory things. His collar, bandana, Kong ,Christmas stocking and his fur that I kept, etc.. When I opened the box this morning to put them in there, I could smell him. Only you here will get that. As my husband always said, he always just smells like Ty. Unless, he decided to roll in some kind of poop.
Hang in there, stay close, we will support you. We've got your back. Hugs from, Lori and Ty
TY GUY, Best Black Lab ever! Diagnosed and had amp in January, 2014. Kicked MRSA's butt. Earned his angel wings on April 16, 2014. Run Free my boy and don't forget a shoe. Ty is a proud member of the " April Angels". Ty sent us Daryl, a Tripawd rescue in Sept. of 2016. Daryl is 5 +or -. We are also Pawrents to Chandler, a Border Collie mix who is 15 and 1/2, Lucy, a Corgi who is 7, 2 minis, 2 horses, and a feisty cat named Zoe. Zoe had a non skeletal Osteosarcoma removed in July 2015. No Chemo, she was at least 16. She is going strong although she is now completely blind. She is now close to 20 and her hobbies are eating and sleeping in front of her personal heater.
Theo boy... you run fast and hard and enjoy your pain free days full of butterflies to chase and games of tag in the meadow!! If you happen to run into a goofy liver and white springer spaniel who tends to fart and deny it.. that's Franklin. He's a pretty good guy to hang out with!!
It's such a roller coaster ride when we deal with the nasty "C" and our pups. There is no guarantee.. and I wish we could have all gotten an extended warranty!!! I would have renewed mine over and over again if I could!!
But one thing we cannot do.. is let regret fill our hearts! We take on this journey doing the best that we can... and you did the best that you could... and Theo loved you to the moon and back for it!! Don't let regret be the emotion you feel... let it be the love and warmth of having that guy in your heart be your strength! He'll always be there in your heart.. there is no getting around that... his pawprint is there.. always will be. When you are ready, you can close your eyes, open your heart and feel him there....
And we understand how you feel, many of us have been there... and we can tell you it gets easier.. and it does.. but it still hurts like fuck! (sorry.... ) And I understand how we can feel resentment and sadness because we never reached that "one year ampuversary". It's only natural. I feel it as well sometimes.
let yourself cry... scream... and laugh about his antics. Smile while you remember as well.. even if your cheeks are wet from memories... let yourself smell him on his blanket.... it's all a part of the healing process. When you love hard, you grieve hard. Nothing can take that awy from you.. not even cancer.....
Cancer is so limited
It cannot cripple love
It cannot shatter hope
It cannot corrode faith
It cannot destroy peace
It cannot kill friendship
It cannot suppress memories
It cannot silence courage
It cannot invade the soul
It cannot steal eternal life
It cannot conquer the spirit.
It will never destroy the bond you had with Theo.
*hugs*
Christine... with Franklin waggin' in her heart♥
Franklin, he was the Happiest Dog on Three Legs! Diagnosed 09/26/2012 with Osteosarcoma, amputated 12/4/2012. Had a wonderful 5 1/2 months painfree until he ran for the Bridge on 5/15/2013. Always in my heart, and always a guardian angel of my pack... You can follow his Tripawd Adventures, before and after, in my blog, Frank'n'Farter!
One of the prices we pay for love is the grief we feel at loss. But it will get better eventually, for now you have to ride it out. One of our past members said 'there is no way now but through'.
I like to think I have no regrets, but I find those 'what if' thoughts are a normal part of the grieving process. What I find works for me is that instead of trying to suppress those thoughts I walk through them to a conclusion. My pug Maggie survived her mast cell cancer, I thought we might sail into her golden years. But the bastard C struck again in the form of a second cancer. For many reasons we did not treat the second cancer and Mag crossed over 3 months later. I knew I did the right thing but still the thoughts would come- 'what if...' Trying to ignore them didn't work so I walked though my thought process. Every time I come to the same conclusion- I made the best decisions I could for Maggie.
We can never know what would have happened if we made a different decision. You and Evan did what was best for Theo every step of the way.
Karen and Spirit Maggie
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
I know all to well how the 'what ifs' will eat you up inside ... for me it was 'what if we had amputated back when she broke her leg and would have found the cancer then even though all the tests proved negative'... but I am finally .. almost 5 1/2 months into this journey post-Shelby, getting to a place where I can temper those 'what ifs' with happy memories. I still have amazing bouts of sadness.
Like you - I tossed the meds right away - all the 'sick Shelby' stuff yet I had a can of pumpkin my fridge for about 2 months post-passing that I couldn't deal with. When I did, it was like a science experiment.
I have put up a few of her favorite toys in a bag that I have under my bed ... and it smells like my girl. And of course, her bin of 'costumes' and 'collars'. Shelby had a flare for style. I don't know what I will do w/all that. But I don't need to know - today. And lastly, her bed, that she passed on (since we performed her ceremony at the beach by my house) remains in the back of my car. I literally do not know what to do with that. So it stays there ... I can't bear to get rid of it OR let my new dog have it since it was Shelby's favorite.
So day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute, things DO get better ... I am living proof of that. I didn't think I would recover the loss of Shelby and while I am far from healed ... I am MUCH stronger than I ever gave myself credit for.
Stay close to us ... keep us posted ... nothing is too much to share ... we all send you love and hugs all the time.
Shelby Lynne; Jack Russell/Shiba Inu mix. Proud member of the April Angels of 2014.
October 15, 2000 to April 8, 2014
Our story: Broke rear leg in June 2013 - non-conclusive results for cancer so leg was plated and pinned. Enlarged spleen in September 2013 and had it removed and was diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma and started chemotherapy. Became a Tripawd January 8th, 2014 and definitive Hemangiosarcoma diagnosis. Three major surgeries in 7 months and Shelby took them all like a champ only to lose her battle to cancer in her brain. We had 8 amazing extra months together and no regrets. #shelbystrong #loveofmylife
I guess today is going to be anger grief day for me...
A guy from my office that I'm not super familiar with came by my desk and saw the postcard from Tripawds from my purchase of Theo's bandana that I hung on my cork board, and said "What's a Trip-Awd?" I said, "It's pronounced Tri-pawd as in tripod and it's a support site for dogs with only three legs." He looked confused and then said, "Do you have a dog with three legs?" I responded, "I did have a dog with three legs." He still looked confused, kind of laughed, shook his head, and walked away.
I WANTED TO PUNCH HIM IN THE FACE!!!!!
And just heard that SnaggleDad got called out during a work meeting for looking "upset".
Wish we didn't have to go back to work so soon, but we both agreed it was better than being in our lonely apartment.
Ohhh you guys I'm so sorry. Ugh. People can be so insensitive without realizing it. 
Sorry for them right?!
Keep playing the "Remember when?" game...every time you feel sad and upset, think about all the joy Theo brought into your life. There's so much of it, you can spend an entire day thinking about those good times!
Hang in there, things DO get better. Remember Theo is always by your side and you have the Tripawds Nation sending you lots of love & strength to help you through these days.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
As you can see....we're still here walking by your side....and Theo's right with you too.
Read Christine's poem over and over and insert Theo's name in every single line.
For me.....the sadness deepened as everyday passed for awhile.....I could not believe it could possibly be anymore unbearable. Yet, each night...each morning...each day...they were all worse than the previous hours. And then add the physical on top of it....the sickening hole eating you up inside...the anxiousness that prevents you from sleeping...and when you do sleep...the nauseating sickening feeling is right there the second you wake up.
Replaying over and over and over every single second of the journey...always ommitting the happy times...the incredibly happy moments....that's just what we humans do. As Karen said....we still come to the same conclusion...we did everything we possible could with the knowledge we had at the time AND with the input of the professional vets. For me, and I also believe for everyone who has replied here, we also made the decisions based on the attitude of our pups and cats at the time...so everything about them said "let's go for it"! I know for me....had I not given Happy Hannah a chance, then that would be a "regret" for me!
Stay connected to us! Keep sharing your houghts...we ALL understand! Read over and over the responses....the links.....the poems! Always remember the BLINk paragraph....write it down! Write down anything that resonates with you!!! And, most importantly, remember...THEO WANTS TO SEE YOU HAPPY! THEO GAVE YOU A LIFETIME OF LOVE AND FUN AND HAPPINESS AND THOSE ARE THE MEMORIES HE TOOK WITH HIM AND HE LEFT THE SAME ONES FOR YOU AND EVAN. The transition means nothing to him...it was just going through yet another open door!!!!!
Would you do a favor for Theo right now? Yes, of course you will...no one could deny the adorable Theo!!!! For one brief moment, close your eyes and visualize something that Theo did that made you laugh out loud! Something that, as you were laughing,Theo was wagging and wagging...perhapse laughing with you in n his own crazy doggy way!!! Yeah....that's it....visualize it.........that makes Theo happy! When you can, we would love to know what came to mind.
Sending you love and surrounding you with Theo's eternal happiness
Sally and My Eternal Light Happy Hannah
PS! Did the whole tripawd community get a whiff of that "smell" a bit ago?? Well the puzzle is solved! Yeah, it was when Lori opened Ty's celebration box! Nice lofe affirming memory of our Ty Guy!
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!
1 Guest(s)
