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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It's good to have a plan! It sounds like you have made well thought out and logical decisions.
Most pups do stay at least overnight, but I agree with Jerry- if they are not staffed 24 hours I would bring him home.
I don't want to scare you- several pups have come home the same day- but they are usually quite high on the surgery meds and can be very vocal as they come down. You can do it if you need to but be sure you have a contact number and be clear on the pain meds and dosing schedule.
Best of luck for a smooth, easy surgery! I'll be looking for an update.
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
They don't have overnight care, which is why we would prefer he come home (we had our youngest dog spayed earlier this year and brought her home the same day for that very reason), we figure that if anything comes up we will be waiting on their doorstep when they arrive the next morning. I am very intimated about the first night, but I will be sleeping in the same room and keeping a very close watch. Thank you so much for your concern. 
Oh good, YAY! Bring him home then. Read about Betsy's Law to learn why we're so hypervigilant about this topic.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Several here have had their dogs come home the same day as surgery. We met them in that chat room that night. Make sure you have the help line phone number in case you need some help, and your vet's phone number. Bruce will likely be very vocal - whiney, maybe even howl, he might yelp. He will be restless. He might be a little disoriented from the anesthesia, but he also may be in pain. Your vet should send you home with medications. You can also put an ice pack, wrapped in a towel, on the incision - many tolerate this ok. He may not potty much, or he may go a lot - that varies. Murphy came home the next day & peed just fine, but many don't. It usually works out.
Remember that we will be here to help you - just reach out.
Donna
Donna, Glenn & Murphy
Murphy had his right front leg amputated due to histiocytic sarcoma at 7 years old. He survived 4 years, 2 months & 1 week, only to be taken by hemangiosarcoma at 11 1/2 years 6/12/17
Read about Murphy's Life on Three Legs
Thank you for providing the link about Betsy's Law, what an unnecessary tragedy. Also thank you Karen, it's good to have an idea of what one can expect (Bruce is normally a very quite fellow, if he does become more vocal that first night, at least I am now aware that it is not an uncommon thing), and I will absolutely be making very detailed notes about all meds and emergency contact info.
Sou ds like you've got your act together and are lrepared as best any of us can be! Yeah, if they don't have overnight care, bringing him home is best.
As Donna and others have said, don't hesitate to come to the chat room or call the 1 844 TRIPAWDS helpline or post here on your thread.
Bruce will be pretty dosed up from pain meds given at the hospital and, combined with the anesthesia wearing off, you may see a lot of whacky crying and staggering as he tries to stand.
Most pups come home with Tramadol, Gabapentin, Rimadyl and an antibiotic. Some come home with a Fentanyl patch too. After we've all tried to prepare you for a rpugh first night or two, or three, some who have brought their pups home the first nignt said they pretty much were zonked out and slept the whole time!
Bruce is going to do great...and l so will you!! We are all right here by your side!
Hugs!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
PS...Just a 2¢ worth...glad you decided against rtne biopsy. Often they are very, very painful and can become infected a d are often inconclusive. Not always.
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!
Bruce is one day post amputation, he came home last night around 5:30 p.m., and he was still quite groggy and was whining quite a bit, I gave him some Tramadol, which seemed to help. He was a little restless during the night, but didn't make any noise and since his morning dose of pain meds he's been doing great, he went out this morning and relieved himself and has been able to manage the front steps, and is currently lying out on the front porch enjoying the weather and barking at the occasional noise (which he hasn't done in quite some time). I realize he will have some ups and downs, but so far I am beyond ecstatic at how he's doing.
So happy he's home and doing well. You're right, there may be ups and downs coming up, but he's on the road to recovery. Congrats
Paula and Nitro
Nitro 11 1/2 yr old Doberman; right front amp June 2014. Had 6 doses carboplatin, followed by metronomic therapy. Rocked it on 3 legs for over 3 years! My Warrior beat cancer, but couldn't beat old age. He crossed the Bridge peacefully on July 25, 2017, with dignity and on his terms. Follow his blog entitled "Doberman's journey"
"Be good, mama loves you".....run free my beautiful Warrior
Through surgery and back home...that's great!
On with the recovery!
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Sounds like Bruce is a real trooper! Glad he is home and recovering. Give him lots of lovings and take a moment for yourself too. The two of you will get through this together
Hi Bruce and Mom
So glad to hear surgery went well, how is your gorgeous boy doing?
Sending you a big hug and cuddles to your sweetie pie
Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-)
WELCOME HOME BRUCE!!!
Yes, let us know how things are going when you get a chance! We know you have yiur hands full right now, as well as being exhausted and getting very little sleep!
Keep the pain meds consistent. Bruce just needs rest and potty breaks for now.
We're cheering for you Bruce! 🙂
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie 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!
Welcome Home Bruce!!!! My girl came home today too! It's an exciting day so I know how you're feeling! Probably relieved yet exhausted?! Glad surgery went well & he's back home! Lots of love & cuddles and spoiling in the days ahead! 
Chris & Kylie xo
Welcome home Bruce and Kylie!
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
Thank you everyone for your good wishes. Bruce is now 5 days post amputation and doing really, really well. He does tire out quickly, but he's been enjoying some time outside on the front porch, or lying in one of the many holes he has made in yard. He must be feeling much better because this morning he was trying to hump our 11 month old Bullmastiff/german shepherd cross pup, as she was trying to wrestle our english bulldog. Right now my biggest job is keeping his from getting involved in the shenanigans that two other dogs get up to. The only big problem he has right now is getting into my vehicle, out is no problem, but we did get his a webmaster harness
and that makes it much easier for us to assist him. I hope to update his blog and post a video tomorrow. Thank you again everyone for making this so much less stressful than it would have been had I not found you.
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