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
Here's the free Dr. Dressler dog cancer diet book that Heather was referring to:
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Ditto to everything Rocker said!
Also, on the vaccine stuff, I have no idea about dogs, but I am also a member of the VAS (Vaccine Associate Sarcoma) group on yahoo (it's all kitties, sorry!) and it is SHOCKING how many cats get cancer from these vaccines..........
Jill is a 9-year-old tuxedo kitty. She was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in June 2012 on her toe in her right hind leg. Her leg was amputated on 12/12/12 and she completed four rounds of chemo (2 of Carbo, 2 of Doxy) in April 2013. "Like" Jill's facebook page: https://www.fac.....tty?ref=hl Proud member of the WINTER WARRIORS!!!! Her blog can be read at http://jillsjou.....ipawds.com. xoxo
I'm really gonna have to look into that....I'm very interested now.
Jerry,
Thank you for the freebie! I just about bought that on Amazon 
Erica, yes, I've seen a lot about the cats and vaccination site cancer but not as much about dogs (I haven't really looked, either).. My cats haven't seen the vet or had vaccines since kitten hood. They're very healthy though... Hopefully that doesn't make me a bad kitty parent!
Barret was diagnosed with Hemangiopericytoma May 16, 2013. Front left leg/scapula/pectoral muscle was amputated on June 11, 2013 and we've never looked back. Follow our story on http://barret.t.....pawds.com/ and read my column on That Pet Blog
Neither have mine Heather and to be honest, I know kittens have to have shots but after all I've learned about VAS, I am terrified of ever getting a kitten again and having to vaccinate them!
Jill is a 9-year-old tuxedo kitty. She was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in June 2012 on her toe in her right hind leg. Her leg was amputated on 12/12/12 and she completed four rounds of chemo (2 of Carbo, 2 of Doxy) in April 2013. "Like" Jill's facebook page: https://www.fac.....tty?ref=hl Proud member of the WINTER WARRIORS!!!! Her blog can be read at http://jillsjou.....ipawds.com. xoxo
I know that we are all looking for answers as to why our pets are hit with cancer while others are not. I don't think that food is a significant factor. I've looked many diets of all sorts since my TJ was diagnosed and the thing that strikes me the most about non-kibble based diets are:
There is NO scientific research presented. Everyone just points to 'canines are carnivores, so kibble is bad'. The dog we have today is NOT the same dog that lived on meat from prey.
Every raw diet I read ALWAYS included supplements... A LOT OF THEM for vitamins and minerals. Most have more supplements added to it than raw ingredients.
Most raw diets include meat that is really not a staple of canines.
I'm going to stick with 4Health (its generally rated an above average kibble based feed) and add in a few supplements (salmon oil, yogurt, eggs).
One of the worst things I read on a raw food diet blog was that the author claimed that feed a raw food diet will cure (that's right, CURE) cancer. I stopped reading after that.
Most raw food diet authors seem to have good intentions, but fall short of actual proof. If you agree with them, fine, but please don't think that you can cure cancer with your food processor. I wish I could... I'd order a truck load of them today.
tjm-
On the raw food front (again I am a kitty mom, not doggy), I will say I said to Jill's onco at our very first appointment "I've heard about a raw food diet"...
She said-
"Stop right there. No."
Then went into all this stuff about salmonella, no proof etc.
It's hard, I think, for all this food confusion out there, because there are tons of opinions. My believe is always, when in doubt - ask your vet.
Jill is a 9-year-old tuxedo kitty. She was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in June 2012 on her toe in her right hind leg. Her leg was amputated on 12/12/12 and she completed four rounds of chemo (2 of Carbo, 2 of Doxy) in April 2013. "Like" Jill's facebook page: https://www.fac.....tty?ref=hl Proud member of the WINTER WARRIORS!!!! Her blog can be read at http://jillsjou.....ipawds.com. xoxo
You're right, raw food diets, when done properly, do require close attention to supplements to ensure good nutrition.
While nobody should ever say they can cure cancer with food, supplements, whatever (it's actually illegal to do so according to the FDA), I do strongly believe that the old adage "you are what you eat" applies to all living creatures. It would makes sense that the closer any of us can get to the diet we were designed to eat for maximum nutrition, the healthier we can be. The healthier we are, the less risk of disease, right?
No diet is perfect for every dog or cat. There are lots of great feeding options out there that can accomplish this, it just takes research to find the right ones for our individual animal companions.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Back in the day, a lot of people just fed Purina Dog Chow and called it good. There are SO many better food options now, so to say that cancer is increasing because of the diet does not make sense to me. Can a diet affect a dog's overall health? Of course! Will feeding a particular diet help prevent cancer or slow the growth on cancer... theoretically... maybe, maybe not. Does it hurt to try? Heck, no!!!
Saying that cancer is increasing in animals can also be very misleading. More and more people are choosing to have their pets as their family members, often in lieu of children. Those pets are generally much more closely monitored and receive much better veterinary care than was available 30 yrs ago. Because we are finding and treating cancer more does not mean that suddenly some cancer epidemic has cropped up. I can't say that I am doing more cancer surgeries now than I was doing 20 yrs ago.
Right hind limb amputated 7/3/12 for OSA, started on alternating cycles of Carboplatin and Doxorubicin and oral Palladia. Single lung met 9/1. Met in the neck muscle removed 9/30. Large mass in sublumbar lymph node 10/2. Rescue chemo with ifosfamide 10/6. Mets to the rib and axillary lymph node 10/21. Started Leukeran and Pred 10/25. Wookie left this Earth for a far better place on 12/4/12. I miss you, Boo, you were my heart.
I agree. I think it was Dr Sue that also said the same thing as Kelly (Wookie) did, also that we didn't track cancers as we do now so maybe it just seems like a greater increase than what there was in the past.
I know I try to feed the best foods and my baby (my kid in lue of kids) ended up with Osteo. many factors play a part in all of this
Michelle & 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."
Honestly, the raw diet isn't for me. And neither is cooking meals for my pets. I do well after working 2 jobs to feed the humans in my house
I DO feel very strongly about avoiding commercial foods that contain proven cancer causing agents such as BHT, BHA and Ethoxyquin.
I figure the more of that I'm able to eliminate, the healthier my pets will be. 
Excellently put, Kelly. Dr. Hohenhaus did say that on our recent interview with her.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I will admit that I learned a lot from Tripawds and other sites about what is beneficial to add TJs diet. I never knew eggs were a big deal... yet they are a huge source of calcium (the egg shell).
Plus most dogs today are very sedentary. 50 years ago you hunted dinner with your dog in certain areas... now a days fido is lucky to have an hours outside time.
People are, on average, obese... and that inactivity directly relates to most peoples dogs. Add to that the snacks (people and pet) and you have the perfect storm for unhealthy pets.
I don't think that leads directly to cancer... but with unscrupulous breeders and puppy mills I can see how cancer and other unhealthy traits are allowed into the gene pool.
We have been having trouble with Destiny and her food. That is what happens when your dog has only ever eaten garbage. We are right now trying Satori Chicken formula and Pulsar (by Horizon) was also somewhat successful. Both grain-free
and made in Canada.
1 Guest(s)
