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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Thank you for your wonderful update! So thrilled things are going well. Love your sons reaction to him being the same Tucker. Remember for now it's rest, eat, drink, short potty breaks and more rest. It's easy to make those new muscles that are working harder now sore even though you are thrilled to see him moving well. Slow and steady wins this race. 😀 Sounds like Tucker is already amazing you with his resilience and it should get better and better. Hugs!
Thanks for the great update! Best wishes for Tucker's speedy recovery. Be sure to take it easy for a while and please keep us posted.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
This is great news! Congratulations. Tucker must be so excited to be back home and pain-free.
Read about Gabbar's journey from diagnosis to amputation at
Glad to hear that Tucker is doing so well. It is amazing how quickly they adjust. Nice that he has already peed an pooped. We also had amp on Fri and are still waiting for the poop...I think by tomorrow afternoon. Here's hoping for a stress free recovery
Tungsten Blue, diagnosed with osteosarcoma August 2016, rear leg removed 28 October 2016, left us on 12/13/16, he will be greatly missed.
SOOOO glad Tucker is doing so well and that bringing him home the day of surgery worked out ok (except for the lack of sleep). I now you were worried about brining him home so early. Your son is right, he's the same Tucker! Meds might make him loopy and absent some times, but in a few weeks you will be amazed. He will be the same Tucker WITHOUT pain and that is fantastic
.
Keep us updated on his progress when you can. This is a unique journey we are all on and we are here for support!
Nancy and Fionn
Nancy- mom to the FABULOUS Fionn. He rescued me in 2015 when he was 6.
Right front leg amputation at age 7 for osteosarcoma 10/6/16. Taken too soon 6/12/17. Read about our journey here:
http://fionnsjo.....pawds.com/
YAAAAAAAAAY FOR PEE!!! YAAAAAAAAAY FOR POOP!! 
YAAAAAAAAAY FOR EATING AND DRINKING!! YAAAAAAAAAY FOR TUCKER!!
TUCKER IS A ROCKSTAR!!
I looooooooove what your son said about Tucker being the same Tucker as he was before he went in for surgery, but just with three legs!! PRICELESS!
Well done everyone! Well do e! 🙂
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!
I'm so delighted by this update. You sound so upbeat and so you should because Tucker is doing GREAT!!!! Fantastic news, you're doing a brilliant job and I love your son's comment too. Stay connected. We're here if you need anything.
Big hug,
Meg and 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...
Great update! And hoppy poop icon! So much fun to use that one. 
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.
Glad to hear that things are going well! And yeah for pee & poop
I always love kids reactions 
My grandchildren were great with Murphy (and still are).
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
Yeah for Tucker!!! So, so happy. It's such a relief to be over the surgery hump. Rosie was doing so well, that I let her overdo it 2 days post-amp. Not a good thing. She was so happy and hoppy that we stayed out too long. She was almost running. Long story short it took her 2 days to recover. Today she is finally perking up. I felt so bad.
Now ut us strictly 5 minutes max at a sedate pace every 4 hours.
Just sharing our issue in case tucker seems to be ready to do the same. My new mantra is slow and steady. Slow and steady.
Besr wishes.
Kellye, Rosie and Braden
Tucker update: 8 days post-op and he's doing remarkably well - happy and energetic. We finally got the drain out a few days ago and that made things sooo much better. His stitches will be taken out on Monday which means NO MORE CONE! Yay - Freedom! I can see him smiling when we discuss it. We can finally say goodbye to sleeping downstairs on the couch and venture upstairs to a real bed again. So thankful this amputation process wasn't anything close to what my mind had envisioned. Tucker's happy as can be and can't wait to get out there running and playing again.
Now for the BAD NEWS.... I received a call today from Tucker's doctor with the results of the post amputation limb biopsy. The results show that it was (is?) osteosarcoma. You see, we went into this thinking it was a soft tissue sarcoma and the amputation would take it away and he'd be good to go. The specialist said there was maybe a 1% chance the biopsy would come back showing osteosarcoma, but he was quite sure that wouldn't be the case with Tucker. So, mentally, I hadn't even given it a thought - honestly, not one thought. When the doctor delivered the news today, I felt as if I had been punched in the stomach....again. I just wanted to get to stitches removal day and then enjoy life with my pain-free boy. Instead, I sit here crying again and wondering what comes next. His lymph nodes are clear as were his chest x-rays. Doctor said the leg looked great at the removal point. Is it a good sign that he lived with this for 5 months (while being misdiagnosed) prior to surgery and there is no sign that it has spread. Does osteosarcoma always spread or is there a possibility that it was removed with his leg? Probably a dumb question.
Thanks for being here for us.
Nancy and Tucker
Im so glad Tucker is doing well after surgery. I'm sorry the Osteosarcoma was confirmed. I'm keenly following replies to your query as my boy Gabbar is a similar situation. I'm waiting at the vet right now as I type. We're here to have his staples and sutures removed. Lymph node preliminary test was clear. Lung X-Rays were clear so I'm hoping the spread isn't too bad. Although we did a needle biopsy prior to amputation and confirmed it was Osteosarcoma.
I wish you the best with Tucker. We'd love to see some pictures and videos of him.
Read about Gabbar's journey from diagnosis to amputation at
Vijay said
Im so glad Tucker is doing well after surgery. I'm sorry the Osteosarcoma was confirmed. I'm keenly following replies to your query as my boy Gabbar is a similar situation. I'm waiting at the vet right now as I type. We're here to have his staples and sutures removed. Lymph node preliminary test was clear. Lung X-Rays were clear so I'm hoping the spread isn't too bad. Although we did a needle biopsy prior to amputation and confirmed it was Osteosarcoma.I wish you the best with Tucker. We'd love to see some pictures and videos of him.
Hi Vijay, your boy Gabbar is beautiful! I have seen the pictures and videos you posted - so well done. Happy to hear Gabbar is getting stitches removed tonight. A few more day for us - can't wait. I'll be following along with you also to see what comes next in this journey.
Best wishes to you both!
Nancy and Tucker
YAY FOR NO CONE!! And YAY FOR TUCKER FEELING SO GOOD, especially this early on!
Sorry for the diagnosis but, around here we say "diagnosis schmognosis"! And statistics don't mean squat!!
just ask Cemil, who is a five (or more') year survivor, or Queen Nova who crossed over after five years of whuppi ' butt, or Stubborn Pug Maggie who was given three or four months a d loved another four years and passed from something else!
Tjat adorable Tucker does NOT have a timeframe stamped amywhere in his butt! 'Take a look! No timeframe stamped anywhere!
This "report"'changes NOTHING in Tucker's world! He doesn't care about it! He doesn't care about days on a calendar! Mea s nothing to him!
Ne DOES care about being pain free!! He DOES care about lovi g and spoiling a d trests and sleeping in bed with you, he cares about running and playing!
Here's the jard part. But o ce you get it, you will be free of worrying about tomorrow and you will be free to live in tbe moment! You will let NOTHING rob you of your time together! From this point forward, you will BE MORE TUCKER!!! Be More Dog !! Live in the moment! To do otherwise, would waste all of the bonus time the amputation has given you! And NO ONE knows how much time any of us have!
Now go hug Tucker and watch his tail wag as hegives you a sloppy kiss! He's happy and he will get even happier! All is well in Tucker's world!
Lots and lots of hugs!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
PS. We MUST have more pictures of this precious pup!
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!
benny55 said
Sorry for the diagnosis but, around here we say "diagnosis schmognosis"! And statistics don't mean squat!!
SALLY, YOU'RE AN ANGEL!! Just what I needed to hear tonight! Your words put a huge smile on my face and made me think that tomorrow I will definitely wake up with a whole new attitude. "Diagnosis schmognosis"! I will live in the moment and get lots of sloppy kisses! ha ha
Lots of hugs to you too! And, thank you!
Nancy and Tucker
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