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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Our 2 yr old mixed breed, Ada, has just been diagnosed with osteosarcoma. Bone biopsy confirmed. We are planning amputation and working on an oncology consult. We are so sad to receive this diagnosis for our 2 year old baby! Anyone else have experience with a young dog and OSA?
OH you guys I'm so sorry. Osteosarcoma is an awful diagnosis to begin with but when it happens to a very young dog it's just even more horrendous.
The good news is, Ada doesn't know what the diagnosis is. She just knows her leg hurts and she wants to feel better. All dogs are so good at seeing this, it's we humans who have a hard time with it. I highly recommend checking out Jerry's Required Reading List if you haven't already, it will help you tremendously.
Unfortunately, there have been many young dogs who have been diagnosed with osa. One of the biggest Tripawd superstars who beat the odds and went on to have an amazing life is Bart the Vizsla. Check out his blog and earliest days of kicking osteosarcoma's butt, you will be inspired. Our Discussion Forum, Size and Age Matters, also has some stories about younger dogs with OSA.
Who is your oncologist? How else can we help? We'd love to see some photos of Ada, please share when you get a chance (here are instructions for adding images to posts).
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Ada had her right front leg amputated today at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Clinic. We are nervous about how to care for her but anxious for her to come home! The Oncologist, Surgeon and staff at the U of M are amazing. We feel like we have the support we need to make this journey with Ada. She will likely start chemo in 2 weeks. Her chest x-ray showed no evidence of disease and all of her blood work is normal. Our journey has begun.
Oh glad she came through surgery! Yay! Who is your oncologis there? We are having Dr. Sara Fritz on our Tripawd Talk Radio show in July. You are in great hands at UofM!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
WE are ALL here for you!!! Can we see some photos of Ada? I know it's super young but like Jerry said, there are many that have outlived those odds so focus on Ada and how she's feeling (probably pretty good right now w/all those drugs!!!) and how much she LOVES you and loves being with you!
Hugs and love .. we're here for you!
alison with spirit shelby in her heart
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
So sorry for this diagnosis in your sweet, young Ada, but you have definitely found the best place to be with Tripawds.....I am glad she came through her surgery well and her tests look great, and from the sound of it, you have a very positive attitude to start this journey with Ada. There are so many success stories here with fighting the "ugly c", we never give up fighting, and we never give up the hope. My precious angel Polly also lost her front right leg, but to a different cancer, hemangiosarcoma, and she also beat this awful cancer by more than twice the prognosis given.
The best thing is, Ada will hopefully come home soon and your new journey together will begin.....Like Alison said, you will have all the support you could possibly need and want right here to help you through.
Keep us all updated on her, and yes, we love pictures!
Bonnie, Angel Polly, and new crew
Thank you all SO much for your support! I am so grateful I found Tripawds! It is comforting to know I have friends to talk to. This is not our first journey the nasty "c". I am a cancer survivor. 2 years ago we lost our golden retriever to hemangiosarcoma (spleen and heart). He was given hours to live and instead lived 7 days (so statistics don't matter to us!). It was some of the most rewarding 7 days of my life. We showered our boy with love and his resiliency touched our hearts. After months of grieving our loss we saw Ada at a rescue group and fell in love with her. She helped us through our loss in a way no other dog could do. So now it is our turn to be there for her and make everyday the best she has had.
The vet just called and said Ada is doing "fantastic", eating, drinking, going potty and getting around. He said "she doesn't notice any difference". Way to go Ada baby! We are picking her up in a few hours!
Deb, Ada, her big brother Bailey and our angel Morgan
Online
Just catching up! YAAAAAAAAAY FOR ADA!! She is out of surgery and on the road to recovery!!
And I want to give you a standing ovation for your great attitude and your own personal victory!!!! Ada has a great role model in yoy! You both have a wonderful Guardian Angel n Morgan watching over you! And you are right, statistics don t mean jack!!
We are al@ cheering for Ada like crazy! You are not alone, okay? She, and you, have the whole Tripawd Universe on your side!!!
Keep us updated and post pictures when you can!
A d YAY for first poop! A lot of dogs don't have "that" for several days after surgery!
Sending hugs znd love!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle 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!
I am so happy that sweet Ada came through surgery and is already up and around. I know you will be so happy to have Ada back home. When you see her for the first time just look into her eyes and give her praise and kisses. Don't get sad because she's missing a leg (I know easier said than done) but you don't want Ada picking up/feeding off your sadness. She just knows that her leg no longer hurts and her mom is there to see her.
The first couple of weeks of recovery may be a roller coaster. There will be ups and downs but you all will get through it and then Ada will be back to her old 2 year old self. My best advice is to stay on top of managing Ada's pain medication. If you think Ada is behaving oddly or just not right contact the vet and post questions here. Like people not all dogs react the same way regarding pain medication. It may take some tweaking of the dosage or altering combinations of different meds to getting Ada feeling better without being too loopy.
Anyway...welcome to the community!!
Sahana and her Angel Leland
November 17, 2009 - June 30, 2014
May you finally be healthy and running free at the Rainbow Bridge. Until we meet again my sweet boy!
We are so proud of Ada! She is doing so well. Eating, drinking, potty. Her tail is wagging and she has settled into her daily routine. The staff at U of M said they thought that Ada had different plans for the next 2 weeks, and it did not include resting. They were so right. She wants to move, she wants to be outside and she does not think it is necessary to have a leash on. "Hey Mom and Dad, I know my way around the backyard, you can take that leash off!" Her stumbles are becoming less, actually have not noticed any today so far. We have her on a schedule for her pain meds so her pain does not get out of control. I know from personal experience that it is much harder to get pain under control once you lose it than it is just to keep it under control all the time.
She was so happy to see us when we picked her up that it was much easier than we thought to just ignore the incision and absence of her leg. All she wanted was our loving and we gave her plenty!!
Deb, Ada, her big brother Bailey and our Angel Morgan
DEB, ADA, BAILEY AND ANGEL MORGAN!! GREAT UPDATE!!
Ada may actually be one of the few you have ro MAKE her take it easy the next two weeks! I love the "thought bubble" you gave her about how she feels avout that leash!
And you ar spot on about keeping her pain meds consistent so the pain doesn't get ahead of her.
Now, just in case she does have a bit of a crash in the next couple of days, don't be alarmed. Sometimes the dogs that feel so great the first couple of days final k y realize they had major surgery and don't feel too great! But yeah, she must take it easy and just do potty breaks and come back in. Good luck with that!!
YAAAAAAAAAY FOR ADA!!!
Will be looking for more great updates!
Hugs to all the pack! And good job of watching over everybody Morgan!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle 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!
I think the last 2 days has been one of those times that many of you said might happen. Ada has been very quiet. When we get home from work she greets us with a wagging tail, she eats, goes potty and then goes in her bed for the rest of the evening. Once she is in her bed she doesn't get up, even if you call her She doesn't give us her usual tail wag. This is not like her at all. She was more chipper the first few days after surgery.
We have still been giving her pain meds. Over this past weekend she developed a cough and we took her to the vet on Monday. They did a chest x-ray and it was normal. Vet said she looked great. The coughing has stopped. Her incision looks great.
Should we keep giving her the pain meds? Tomorrow is one week since her amputation. I know it is early in her recovery, but we are missing our spunky little girl.
Deb and Ada
I think a lot of time dogs come home high as a kite and they don't feel the after effects until a few days later, when the physical activity catches up with them. Maybe Ada is just feeling it now. How is she eating and drinking? Is she pottying? If so, that's fantastic! Remember, rest is a good thing. This is major surgery and any human would be pretty darn tired too. I know it's just hard to see our doggies like this.
Many times, dogs start to get weaned off pain meds at about 10 days out. If you think you are close, talk to your vet about reducing the dosage. Don't go cold turkey, get their tips for slowing it down and I'm sure you'll start to see her sparkle come back. Keep us posted OK?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Yep, sounds like the normal "crash" time that occurs right about now with some dogs. As Jerry said, they're still full of hospital meds those first everal days.
You may even mess with upping the dose a bit per your vet if you think she's in pain....lr...cutting them back a bit....it really is such a guessing game. Rest is what she needs though, so that's good.
And YAY forgood xrays! "Normal" people who aren't on this journey just accept that when a dog coughs it's just an allergy or soething minor. But those of us on this journey run our dogs to the ER if they burp! What a ride this journey is!
I know it's hard ro be patient, but her sparkle wil come back bigger and brighter than ever! For my Happy Hannah, it was about three weeks before her sparkle started coming back consistently!
Stay connected, okay? Recovery is no picnic for awhile!
Sending love and hugs!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle 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!
Talked with the surgeon and he thinks we need to decrease her pain meds. He said her behavior doesn't indicate she is in a lot of pain. Although we don't think she is acting herself, he said she is too bright, wagging her tail a lot and she lays on her surgical side and sleeps!! He said dogs in pain wouldn't look as good as Ada does. So we will keep her on Deramaxx and start decreasing her narcotics.
The positives for today - she gave me her "welcome home" whine, she hurried to the back door to go outside, and played with one of her stuffed babies!!! We took her outside while we worked in the garden, she laid on the patio and watched the ants!! She even tried to roll on her back so she could have a tummy rub. She made me smile!!!
Thanks for your support! I am so glad I found Tripawds! I don't know how we could get through this without you!
Deb, Ada, her big brother Bailey and Angel Morgan
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