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Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat

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New amputee & unsure
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Member Since:
16 November 2016
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25 November 2016 - 10:36 am
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We just brought home our 13-year-old lab, Dolly, yesterday. She had a two-night stay at the University of Illinois for a rear-leg amputation. She was diagnosed with osteosarcoma on November 2. We've had some real ups and downs since August when she partially tore her acl in the same knee we found the tumor.

Prior to August, she rarely showed her age. The vet said that aside from arthritis (which we know is an issue), she has the bloodwork of a middle-aged dog. We had been doing acupuncture and laser treatments in hopes that her ACL tear would heal. We had a couple set-backs, which I now attribute to the tumor.

Fortunately, the cancer hasn't metastasized in her lungs yet. We had little victories like that which led us to amputation. It felt like amputation and chemo were our only doable options aside from managing her pain for whatever short time she had left. Following her diagnosis, it felt like we mourned for a couple weeks...we may be still. Yet, during that time, we kept her on gobs of pain meds and she continued to follow us around the house. She continued eating well, and was determined to take herself outside to potty. All of those things made us feel like she wasn't ready to give up. Sometimes, my heart felt like it couldn't stand the pain, but we continued to go back and forth between recommendations and options to give her the best quality of life.

Now that we are at home, my husband and I are still struggling with our decision. The doctors said she is doing really well, but now I know that relative to having a leg amputated. Seeing her struggle, whine, and even cry out when she tries to turn over is heartbreaking. She even slipped and landed on her incision yesterday and we felt like we let her down. Her cry was heartbreaking. We are getting better at directing her and helping her with the sling now. I've been looking at harness options, but the one that I really think would be best with her rear-leg amputation isn't recommended for daily wear. I feel like I need to wait and see how she heals before I decide what works best for us.

Today, I feel like she's resting a little better. But, I can tell we are a 1/2 hour away from being due for another dose of tramadol. I have her meds (tramadol, gabapentin, and rimadyl) staggered out about a hour apart, and I'm hoping to get them spread out even more. I wish we could have come home with those hospital meds!

Our next step is getting her to poop. I'm really anxious about that. We've tried three times now, and I know she has to go 🙁

In the past 24 hours, I've been grateful for this site. I'm afraid that I would have thought that we were worse off than we are, but I'm definitely going to need some encouragement as we continue figuring out the best possible life for our baby girl.

Michigan
Member Since:
2 April 2013
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25 November 2016 - 11:24 am
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This next couple of weeks are definitely going to be a roller coaster, we've all been there, but it will get better.  Did you make a sling from a grocery bag?  That can help Dolly get up & about for now.  Take a cloth grocery bag & cut the sides out so that you have the handles connected by a long strip.  Works great!  The harness many of us have found useful is on the home page, under the gear blog, called the Webmaster Ruffwear harness .  It has a handle on the top & is great for helping them up & around.

You're on the right track with trying to space out her medications.  If you give her something every couple of hours, then you will have more adequate pain control.  You can also apply an ice pack wrapped in a  towel to her incision for about 10-15 minutes a couple of times a day.  It will help with pain and swelling.  Do that for the first few days, then switch to warm - put a warm, wet cloth into a baggie & apply that the same way. 

Dolly will eventually poop, they all do .. but we all get a little worried about it.  The medications sometimes can be constipating, plus they aren't eating or moving as much as normal.  You can always add a spoonful of canned pure pumpkin daily (not the kind with all of the spices in it, just the pure pumpkin).

Make sure that you have traction for her on your floors.  If you have wood or tile, you'll need to get some carpet runners, rugs or yoga mats.

We'll be here for you!

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

Donna.png

Schofield, WI
Member Since:
13 August 2015
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25 November 2016 - 12:20 pm
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Donna gave very good advice.  We too used the RuffWear harness on our rear legged amp and found it to be very valuable.  It didn't come near his incision and many here have used it early on.  Someone once said to me very early on that you will mourn the dog you had but you must get on to accept the dog you have now.  Once I did that I found I was amazed at how our boy adapted and how they will find a way to do things they want. He amazed me over and over.  You're still very early on, hopefully each day will get easier.  As far as poop it will come.  Just one more thing they have to learn.  As Donna said pumpkin may help.  As the days go by you will find yourselves settling into a rythmn that works for you.  Sounds like sweet Dolly is doing really good for these early days.  It's way harder on us watching them.  They just pick up and go on day to day figuring it out.  Keep us posted on your girl!  Hugs!  You're doing great!

Member Since:
14 February 2016
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25 November 2016 - 2:18 pm
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Strange as it sounds, what you are reporting sounds pretty normal.  Great that you are staggering meds - I ended up staggering the Tramadol itself.  Otis got 3 pills every 8 hours.  I started giving 2, and then the third an hour later so it was never entirely out of his system.

We are also by g fans of the Ruffwear Webmaster Plus harness - you can see it in the gear blog.  

Hang in there.  Most dogs perks up considerably once the staples come out, about day 10.  My Otiscwas back up on the sofa a couple days after they were removed.  Recovery is intense, but Dolly will amaze you with everything she will be able to do.  (My daughter asked if we could leave food on the kitchen counter, since Otis only had three legs.  The answer is no.  Dogs don't think about the missing leg.  They just figure out how to do whatever they want to do).

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.

Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
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25 November 2016 - 2:27 pm
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This recovery part from MAJOR surgery AND adjusting to three legs is no picnic!!! You are doing a GREAT job of holding it together...far better than you even realize!! Getting to this loint is exhausting emotionally and physically, not to mention stressful beyond words!!

And as you can tell, you are not alone!! We understand the ups and downs, the fears, the uncertainty, AND the joy everytime we would see some sparkle come back little by little!!

Every recovery is different. Generally though, senior dogs take a bit longer to get their "sea legs" and start maneuvering on their own. The important thing is to remember that painful leg is gone!!

It took me about three weeks before I could finally say I did this FOR my Happy Hannah and not TO her!! Happy Hannah cried and whined and was restless for days!!! I don't think she, nor I, slept more than a total of five hours those first several nights! To question your decision this early on is perfectly normal!!

Yeah, make sure you have no slip scatter rugs for traction if you have hardwoods or vinyl. I think it's a good idea to wait at least until the stitches are out before trying to ddecide on the best harness. Getting the pain meds balanced can be a bit tricky. Sounds like you have a good handle on it.

Let js know when the poopicon_png happens! We love to celebrate poopicon_pngarpund here!

Love and 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!

Member Since:
16 November 2016
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25 November 2016 - 3:46 pm
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She pooped 🙂 And it's good to know that I can add pumpkin to help her. She loves her veggies! I made a cancer tonic for her with cooked meats that keeps her pretty excited about her meals.

It was a pretty good day overall! I'm a little afraid to say that, but my heart is definitely feeling a little lighter.

I added some more rugs and yoga mats to the floor and she seems to know that she has to wait for us to get her sling on her before we move too far from her spot.

I'm not sure if I can get her pain meds spread out to every couple hours because my husband works full time and I am part time. I'm taking lots of time off this first week, but I'm afraid I won't be able to spread them out that evenly. How long before your pups could get back to a more normal 8-12 hours between the meds? I can certainly keep up with it for a few more days if I can get them spread out, but I have to get my work schedule back on track at the end of next week. :/

Thanks everyone!!

PS Benny55 - that's exactly how we feel...like we did this TO her. I'm ready to have my happy Dolly back too!

Member Since:
14 February 2016
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25 November 2016 - 3:51 pm
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poopicon_pngpoopicon_pngpoopicon_pngHooray for poop!

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.

Michigan
Member Since:
2 April 2013
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25 November 2016 - 5:04 pm
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poopicon_pngYeah for poop poopicon_png

The majority of the recovery is 2-3 weeks.  I wrote out a schedule for the meds, then whoever gave one crossed it off so that everyone else knew what had been given.  My son lived at home at the time, so there were 3 of us medicating Murphy.  The first week is probably the hardest.  We started weaning off the medications near the end of the 2nd week, but some don't do that until they're into their 3rd week.  Each dog is different, of course.

You didn't do this TO her, you did it FOR her - to help her get out of pain smileyBone cancer is very painful, even is Dolly wasn't showing it much, she was in pain.  So breathe for now, very soon she'll be back to her old self!

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

Donna.png

Livermore, CA




Member Since:
18 October 2009
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25 November 2016 - 7:57 pm
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This journey is not for the feint of heart!

I spent weeks thinking I had made a terrible mistake when my pug Maggie didn't bounce right back after her rear amp.  The only thing the vets said was 'most all dogs do great on three', none of them said anything about a recovery period.  I was sure that I had the only dog that wasn't going to figure things out.

In hindsight it made perfect sense.  Mag was stubborn and set in her ways, she hated any change to her routine.  Most dogs I've seen here get their sparkle back after two or three weeks.  Watch for little glimmers as Dolly navigates the next days and weeks.  She will figure things out and will soon be amazing you!

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

 

              Maggie's Story                  Amputation and Chemo



Member Since:
27 July 2014
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25 November 2016 - 8:15 pm
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I think everyone here will agree that amputation was the best decision to rid their dog or cat of pain and in some case to deal with the cancer. In practically all cases amputation will extend their lives. Usually there are only three options: amputation, euthanasia or palliative care leading to euthanasia.

Yes, recovery can be difficult but like everything else in life, you'll get through it. Keep checking back and ask for pointers.

Do you have any photos of Dolly?

Hugs for you all.

Kerren and Tripawd Kitty Mona

Member Since:
16 October 2016
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26 November 2016 - 7:15 am
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I also worried that I made a mistake and that Tai's life was worse off because of me.  Like you're Dolly, she's older (14).

Now when I see her playing or we go out walking and she is happy - I am glad that I made the decision to amputate.  It was a crisis mode decision but the vets were positive that she was a good candidate, which helped.

It's a process!   This community was sooo helpful with the advice, information and emotional support.

Hope things are going well - and yay for poopicon_pngpoopicon_png!

Member Since:
16 November 2016
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26 November 2016 - 8:44 am
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Thank you traceym!!! I need to hear older dog success stories 🙂 I can't tell you how happy it makes me to hear this! Does Tai use a harness to help her walk?

I'll add her photo to my profile kazann![Image Can Not Be Found]

On The Road


Member Since:
24 September 2009
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26 November 2016 - 9:30 am
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kburrell said
I need to hear older dog success stories...

Be sure to check the Size and Age Matters forum for many existing topics about older dogs. Use the Advanced Search above to refine your search results with specific phrases, and you're sure to find more success stories and helpful feedback.  You can also search all blogs here .

Eisen, Calpurnia and Nova are just a few memorable Senior Tripawds from over the years—and Bailey lived to nearly 20 after hos amputation at 17!

[Image Can Not Be Found]  

FYI: Here are detailed instructions for adding photos to forum posts . If you don't already share photos online somewhere, you can start a free Tripawds blog any time and upload them there.

Need further help? Post in the Tech Support forum !

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet



Member Since:
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26 November 2016 - 9:44 am
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Thanks for the photo. I have a fondness for yellow labs from when I was a little girl and my great uncle Alex always had Rex, a yellow lab, following him around or in his car. Rex belonged to Farmer Jones, who had a car lot, but Rex spent all his time with Uncle Alex. Rex chose love and chose to follow my uncle on his daily long walks along the river. I've always seen labs so full of life with great trickster personalities. I'm sure Dolly is the same and through your love and encouragement will continue to enjoy life on 3 legs.

There have been many older dogs do very well with amputations. I hope you hear from more of them.

Please give Dolly ear scratches for me and tell her she's doing great!

Kerren and Tripawd Kitty Mona

Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
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26 November 2016 - 9:59 am
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YAAAAAAAAAY FOR poopicon_png

poopicon_png

poopicon_png

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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