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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Is this really the first time I've seen the happy 
icon? How could I have missed happy ?
Active 10+ Pyr mix suddenly came up lame with ACL tear in left rear leg. Scheduled for a TPLO but final pre-op x-rays indicated a small suspicious area, possibly OSA, which could have caused the ACL tear. Surgeon opened the knee for TPLO but found soft bone. Biopsy came back positive for OSA. Became a Tripawd 9/18/14. Carbo6 with Cerenia and Fluids. Pain free and living in the moment. Crossed the Bridge on 7/12/15 after probable spread of cancer to her cervical spine. A whole lifetime of memories squeezed into 10 months. Here's her story: Eloise
Heh heh! Yes the poopy icon is new.
Really glad to hear Maggie is doing so much better. I hope you get some answers soon with the biopsy report.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Spoke to vet a little while ago. Diagnosis confirmed and we're scheduled for Thursday. Scared to death, but comforted in the info here. Maggie is just about 100% except for the stupid leg. She's trying not to use it much so maybe transition won't be too hard.
Well I'm sorry about the diagnosis, but now you can move forward and begin the next step. And yes! Maggie's practically a Tripawd already, you'll be amazed at how she gets the hang of it.
Let us know how we can help YOU OK? It's always tougher on the humans, that's for sure. Hang in there!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Online
It IS scary...for us humans! Is Maggie scared or worried? Nope! Not in the least! And that's the bliss of being dog!!
Sooooo....try and stay in the present with Maggie. She will be rid of that painful leg and that's a really good thing!
It is MAJOR surgery and it does hurt. Recpvey is nompocnic at first. HOWEVER, it does sound as though Maggie will be a bit ahead as far as adapting to mobility challenges. Doesn't mean that the first several days Mag will be running marathongs. Just means she may (or may not) have less trouble standing and navigating the "squat" to pee.
Continue to stay connected. We're here with you!
Hugs!
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!
Good luck for Thursday Maggie! I was in exactly your position 2 weeks ago. My boy Zuki (a 9.5yr old, 100lb GSD) is 12 days post op of his hind left leg and is doing well. His mobility is great but we struggled to get his pain meds right in the first week and he managed to pull a stitch out but after a few sleepless nights and bleeding hearts listening to him whimper I can confidently say we're over the worst. Be prepared for the initial ups and downs, give both of you 2 weeks and after that it will be a distant memory and you will just be planning all the fun days out together and enjoying life as you knew it 
Keep us posted. You can see more detail on Zuki's journey here, you may find some of my experience useful.
http://zuki.tri.....016/05/23/the-start-of-the-unknown/
http://zuki.tri.....016/06/02/1-week-post-op/
Zuki Wuggafer 30/09/06 - 11/11/16. Right hind tripawd due to Osteosarcoma. He had a strong 5 and half months as a tripawd but unfortunately a secondary issue with his spine ended our battle. He loved life, loved our family and was the best dog I could ever ask for. Truly my first love, forever in my thoughts and heart.
Read our story: http://zuki.tripawds.com/
Hi Maggie good luck for Thursday !!!!
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 :-)
Really...REALLY appreciate the support and this site. My wife and I are comforted by the feeling that we really have no decision here. Maggie is absolutely not "done" and is letting us know that. I know this leg is really bothering her and I can't wait to get this over with. I've got some yoga mats and have her recovery area figured out, and am actually glad to know to expect ups and downs. Luckily, we're both retired, so we'll have the time to tend to her 24/7.
We used to go for walks every day...not far, maybe a half mile, that took us about 20 minutes. Maggie and our 10+ year-old Pyrenees both like to take their sweet time. Since the leg-thing, though, I've just been taking Maggie out front a little. (Vet said that the plan was to do the biopsy and remove the TPLO plate in her leg, but once they saw it, they were afraid the bone wouldn't be strong enough and would break too easily. So, although I think Maggie would love to do her regular walk, I'm not chancing it.) Today, I tried to sneak the Pyr out for HIS regular walk, but somehow Maggie knew. Murphy, the Pyr, is usually outside all day and is very independent. Maggie tends to be wherever her peeps are. My wife said as soon as we left, Maggie went outside and waited by the gate. Yeah, I felt pretty bad, but we've made up. I think she gets it.
No prolemo Maggie, you'll be back on your regular walk with Murphy and yoir humans in no time! And I love hearing how you like to "stope and smell the roses" along the way. It's never about how fast or how far dogs can go kn their walks, but it is aabout taking your time to enjoy all the scents and beauty of being outdoors with your loved ones.
Looking forward to cheering for all of Maggie's victories as she recovers and gets on with living life to the fullest!
STAY CONNECTED!
Hugs to all the pack
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!
I have always walked my two dogs separately, but with Otis' amputation, I decided to switch the order in which they walked (Otis used to go first, now he is second) so that I can give Tess an appropriate length walk. Otis then gets his turn and we walk/hop for 5 houses, and then just sit in a neighbor's lawn for 15 minutes or so before going home. It took a little getting used to - Otis was always the first walk - but now they are both happy. Dogs are so adaptable! So, even if you have to split them up, Maggie can still enjoy some outdoors time. (Although for at least the first 2 weeks, short leashed potty breaks only - we started walking at almost 1 month out).
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.
Sending best thoughts for tomorrow from myself and recent Tripawd, Pofi. I know it was the absolute right decision for him - no regrets.
Lisa and Pofi
Lisa, Minneapolis
On October 27, 2016, nearly 6 months after amputation, and 18 months since his cancer likely started, we lost Pofi to a recurrence of Soft Tissue Sarcoma in his spine quite suddenly. His canine sister also succumbed to cancer on March 1, 2019 - we lavished her with our love in the interim, but life was never quite the same without her only real canine friend. Cliff kitty had to leave us, too, suddenly, in August 2019. Lucia kitty grieved all these losses, but helped us welcome two new Lurchers into our home and our lives, Shae and Barley.
Howdy and welcome!!
So sorry to be late to the conversation, but wanted to add my support for you and your pack for Maggie.
Can't wait to see pictures!
pam
Harmony became a Tripawd on 10/21/14 (MCT). She left us way too soon on 11/1/14.
"We miss you so much; our love, our heart, our Harmony."
- Pam, Ron and Melody, Meesha, Doublestuff and Mariah Carey
Once Maggie has healed up from the surgery and gained some strength she might surprise you on her walks!
My Maggie was a little black pug who lost her back leg. Before surgery she could easily walk two miles. After surgery it took a while but she built back up to walking about a mile. I got her a stroller so she could go with us on longer walks- I had her little sis Tani, a quad pug, who needed longer walks.
I'll be thinking about you guys tomorrow and sending strong, positive thoughts for an easy and successful surgery. Keep yourself busy- it seems like forever waiting for the post surgery call from the vet.
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
Well...the big day is here...Maggie gave me her little "howl" greeting this morning. First time since LAST Thursday's biopsy. She recovered very well from that, but I can tell that leg is really painful. Just dropped her off (7:00 am in Southern California) and now the wait begins. 100% convinced we're doing the right thing. Thanks to everyone here for that.
Alrighty, finally getting that painful leg off! I know today will be nerve wracking. Just remember she'll be high as a kite on drugs and not feeling a thing!
When you do go pick her up tomorrow, don't even look at that ole' incision, she sure won't. Just look into her druggy eyes and tell her what a good girl she is and applaud her for doing such a good job! They do seem to love shaving a lot of fur, so that may be hard ro ignore at first.
So glad you got her howl greeting this morning! She probably was voicing her agreement about getting this surgery done too!
You have a glimpse into what recovery will be like because of the biopsy. It's not easy for a couple of weeks. But just like you've seen this past week with Maggie, the sparkle DOES come back, slowly but surely!
Let us know when surgery is done so we can ccelebrate with you!
Hugs to all!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too y
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!
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