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
Tears are flowing heavily here as I read this latest update. Yes you all and Kylie have fought as hard as you could! Some battles just can't be won and then that decision to love them enough to let them go is the only one we can make for them. Our heads know that but it takes a bit of time for our hearts to catch up to that knowledge. Take these next days and just be with Kylie. As you said love on her spoil her make more precious memories. You said they offered to come to your home on Monday. Think about doing that it will be far more comforting for you all to be in your home, Kylie's home where there aren't all the different things going on and all the smells are known and familiar to her. Just my 2 cents take it for whatever it's worth if anything. I have always found comfort at that time at home where my pups could relax in their known place. I'll be keeping Kylie, you and Kevin in my thoughts and prayers this weekend and I'll be sending all my strength and healing light to you on Monday. I so wish our love could save them all but I guess that's a job for Heaven.
Sending love,
Linda & Spirit Mighty Max
I am so sorry to hear this update. Will be thinking about you all.
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.
You are such a wonderful family. The love you all share is just so beautiful and profoundly moving. I am lying here in bed reading this and the tears are flowing. You could not possibly have done more. Kylie is so enormously lucky to be loved by you and Kevin. I'm glad you found such a lovely compassionate vet as well. That's the least you deserve. Wishing you strength and holding you in my heart.
Meg, Clare and Elsie Pie xxx
Ruby, Staffy, born June 2022, became a Tripawd, 23 November 2023, adopted 12 January 2024.
Also Angel Tripawd Meg (aka The Megastar), who died in April 2023, aged 14, after seven glorious years on three, and Angel Staffies Pie and Bille. In the pawprints of giants...
Like all of us I'm reading your update with a heavy heart and tears. You fought so hard and you did everything you could have possible done. You are both blessed to have found each other and I do believe they find us.
Being able to send her off in her own environment and your own environment can be really helpful. You can have music and candles and keep her as comfortable as possible and surrounded by the people she loves so much without the added stress of clinic environment.
We are all thinking of you. Love her and kiss her and smell her and tell her stories of running around in the grass or the beach or whatever her happy place is.
I am sending you a big virtual hug and loads of light. You are a wonderful Mom. 
Wow thank you all for those kind messages! The fact that I made you cry, is making me cry again too!!
So we've had a nice day here so far. Lots of cuddles and kisses. Last night she had another visit from Kevin's parents, they just adore her & she them! They are the only ones we'd ever trust to watch her if we were away, so they've gotten quite close. It made me cry when I saw his Dad tear up last night when he was sitting next to Kylie petting her 😥
Today we had a photo shoot for Kylie! 😁I had a friend I haven't seen in years contact me on Facebook last night & offer to come take some professional photos of her for us, free of charge. (She started her own business this year) We were so touched! I had always wanted to do this but never got around to it. We have like no money but we still gave her $50. She drove half an hour to come take pics for us for free & she has 3 young kids under age 4 at home, just to help out since she knows tomorrow is Kylie's last day with us.
Ky was very tired today but I'm hoping we still got some nice ones. Today we are getting her a bacon cheeseburger for dinner 😄 Then later we are all going to curl up on the couch together and watch a movie. I'm guessing before all that, she may have more visitors 😉
This dog has been so well loved by EVERYONE that she is truly going to be missed. Kevin & I have decided we will take the good advice on here & have her Vet come to the house tomorrow for the appt. We don't want to drag her back into the Vet clinic & stress her out for her final moments. We want her comfortable here with us & just fall asleep forever. 💔
As hard as this is....and it's sooooo darn hard....you and Kevin KNOW you are doing this FOR Kylie! The way you are making each beautiful moment count is lovely. I can "hear"'the relief in your voice. No, that doesn't mean it's easy, not at all! That just means you know Kylie is ready for this selfless gift of love.
You are giving this girl a send off that she will be bragging about non-stop when she gets to the Bridge!
To hear that her Grandparents came over to help celebrate her life....tho hear you will have this. SPECTACULAR gift of photos to treasure forver is just so heartwarming!!! I have no doubt they will be beautiful memories to remind you EVERY SINGLE DAY what a well loved...and well loved life this sweet gal has had with you.
Im glad you took Linda's suggestion and the Vet will be coming to your house. For whatecer it's worth, I let the Vet know she was to come in the house in a celebratory and happy state. All "tools" would be hidden for as long as she could. I was giving her M&Ms and deer poop and ice cream p, etc, etc. I had the Vet give her applause and, along with myself, tell her waht a giod girl she is. She saw my smiling face. Her tail was wagging....thump...thump... She heard my reassuring voice. I thanked her for making me laugh every single day.
I taped a piece of my hair over her heart and kept some of her fur. I put a picture of us and her toys and some treats and popcorn with her.
I say this, not to make you sad (as I sit here balling like a baby), but to suggest some ways to give her a spectacular send off. Then it will be time for the suffocating grief, not one second before.
We are here with you every step of the way.
And make no mistake, she will fall asleep IN YOUR HEART and you will never ever, ever be separated.
Surrounding you with love and peace and a "knowing"'that your gift of release is EXACTLY what Kylie is ready for now. .....
Sally and My Chunky Spiritual Being 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!
THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL!!!! BEAUTIFUL!!!! BEAUTIFUL!!!! THE LOVE IS PALPABLE!! And bravo, bravo, bravo for celebrating these treasures with smiles and love and happiness....because that is EXACTLY what is reflected in SUPER KYLIE's face...along with her sparkling eyes!!! 🙂
Thanknyih fir sharing these....we all find comfort is these priceless memories! It reminds us all that the piece of crap disease CANNOT destroy her Spirit and CANNOT touch the eternal'loving bond you have with SUPER KYLIE!
SOOOOO BEAUTIFUL....And yiur friend is a wonderfully compassionate Soul!
Love,
Sally and My Chunky Spiritual Being Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie
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!
Those pictures of your Superkylie are amazing! The love between the three of you is shining through! What a kind and amazing friend you have to do this for you! ❤️❤️ Holding all three of you in my heart.
Your pictures are beautiful and you will cherish them forever. ❤️ So sorry to read your update . Thank you for giving Kylie the best life possible! Lifting all three of you up in prayer .
Heather and Toddy (sending lots of doggie love to Kylie )
Thank you all, I was bawling reading all of your posts to kevin, we are already a sobbing mess and she is still sitting beside us!!
i feel badly because it's so hard to cheer up and keep it positive for her. We are roller coasters right now. We will hold her and talk to her telling her what a good girl she has been & how much she means to us and we'll start crying again and she will look worried and start kissing us. I try to tell kev we have to stop crying, try to keep it light hearted and positive but then one of us will break down again. As much as I am thankful for the extra couple days with her, part of me regrets it. I don't want her worried and stressed out on her last night with us. She never sees Kevin cry so much like this (me, maybe 😉) so I'm sure she's concerned. But I get it, we can't stand the thought of her not being here this time tomorrow night. Then u think of the good times & u cry some more and keep hugging and kissing her. Ugh it's so tough.
Youre used to having them around ALL the time! U can't even pee in private! Sooo many things in the house connected to her. Oh boy! 
Her appt is not until 3:50pm tomorrow. I said maybe once she's gone we should clean up her stuff that night then take off to the cottage for a few days and just hide from the world and grieve. (We have wifi there so u could still hear from me) 😊
But who knows how we'll feel when it's all said and done right? I may not want to touch anything of hers. ?
anyone have any thoughts on the best way of healing that worked for them, or is it simply individual?
It is very hard not to grieve when we know what is ahead. Keep on loving on her even through your tears. We have had several pups that had to transition and it is always heartbreaking. Our vet told me that we were both blessed to have had each other. It has been individual in our case. One of our dogs passed from very aggressive mouth cancer. It broke my heart to make the final decision but the day of our appointment, he sat on my lap and just let me hold him and cry until it was time. (He never stayed still even sick.) I know it was him telling me it was okay. This was 7 years ago and I still tear up every now and then. I still have pictures up and I cherish them. Looking back I know it was the right decision but one of the hardest to make. Our other cocker spaniel passed a year after and it was difficult with him too . I know they are now together running and doing things that they couldn't anymore. We did keep one or 2 of their things.
We eventually made a rose garden in our back yard in their memory. Our oldest son (who is 9) still has a painting on his wall of our 2 pups playing tug and he says he NEVER wants us to paint over it. Time helps to heal . Just know we are thinking about the 3 of you. Keep loving on that sweet girl. She loves you for the life you have given her and will always be watching over you!
Heather and Toddy
Our hearts break with you and we certainly understand all the emotions and how almost impossible it is to hold your s**t together!
One thing that he@ped me a tiny, tiny bit to stay in the moment...if I started drifting to the sad side, I reminded myself I could always cancel the appointment. Somehow that gave me a "sigh of relief"....it he@ped me get better co trol.of my emotions knowing I had that "escape" plan.
Just keep things chunked down and stsy focused on the now. You can decide whst to do with things snd with yourselves lster. You don't need that to muddy the water right now.
I will say that, for the most part, many just leave things exsctly as they sre for now . Some people.put things in a corner snd just don't make sny decisions until things feel "right".
Again, for now, just BE. Try and keep her routine as "normal".as possible. Try to use another room for crying. And definitely TRY not to think "last" this, "last" that. Simply rephrase and replzce it with "for now".....if that makes sense.
With every fiber of your being try not to think about the next hour, the next two hours, etc....just think about now. I LITERALLY put little notes allmover the house thst said STAY IN THE MOMENT, STAY IN THE NOW....STAY PRESENT....DON'T WASTE ONE SECOND...notes like that. I also used Happy Hannah's tail wag as an anchor to bring me back to the present.
Youre doing the best you can under excruciatingly painful circumstances, so don't beat yourselves up. Just to the best you can. Kylie understands. She's not sad. She's not fearful. She's just being SUPER KYLIE!
Stay connected. Jist knowing others understand...just knowing others have lived through this, even though it didn't feel like we could.
Surrounding you with our hugs and our strength.....
Sally and My Chunky Spiritual Being 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!
The photos are just beautiful - a wonderful reminder of how precious the extra time you had with Kylie post amp truly were.
My heart feels sorrow with you as you prepare to let her go. Right though it is, it is a terribly hard thing to do. Wishing you comfort and strength and wishing Kylie a gentle journey.
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.
We are thinking of you
Meg, Clare and Elsie Pie xxx
Ruby, Staffy, born June 2022, became a Tripawd, 23 November 2023, adopted 12 January 2024.
Also Angel Tripawd Meg (aka The Megastar), who died in April 2023, aged 14, after seven glorious years on three, and Angel Staffies Pie and Bille. In the pawprints of giants...
1 Guest(s)
