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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Welcome to the family! I'm glad you made your decision, and are at peace with it....the right frame of mind is crucial for you going forward. If you are calm and at peace, Jynx will be also. They really feed on our emotions, so I always tried to be calm for my Dobe, Nitro. If I needed to cry (and I cried a lot those first few months), I'd go off by myself somewhere. As you've read, it is common for the biopsy to be inconclusive. Our first one was, so we had another one done, this time with bigger wedges of bone with 3 different samples. And even then, only 1 came back "sarcoma, fibrous variety". After postponing surgery for about a month, we finally did it. They then sent the leg off for testing and it STILL took over 5 weeks to get an answer. This time they said it was osteosaroma (which I have my doubts about, as Nitro is 2 1/2 years post diagnosis and still doing great). Whatever, amputation was the best decision we could've made - and also the hardest decision we've ever had to make. His recovery was a bit difficult (he was 8 1/2 years old at the time); but others have a much easier time. Each dog, each circumstance is different.
It sounds like you're doing a great job of preparing mentally and physically. The people here literally saved my life 2 years ago, and will help you every step of the way. Good luck, we're rooting for you!
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
Hi Jinx and family
I am very happy you decided to move ahead with amputation.
Remember, it is much harder on us humans than it is for our furry friends.
The first couple of weeks are generally difficult with better days and worse days but after stitches come out everything gets better.
Be really patient and breathe ... every day after surgery is one day closer to Jinx being Jinx again.
My girl has had her amputation a little over 3 months ago and is as good as gold, enjoying her life to the full.
I just posted a video of Eurydice playing with a Cane Corso, on the "share my story" forum.
Jinx is going to be his old self in due course and he won't remember he ever had three legs, just like my baby.
We are all here for you so don't think twice about updating us and asking any questions, big or small.
Sending you a big hug and lots of cuddles to your boy
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 :-)
Just wanted to add another video of a surfin' dog named Rusty who never let anything stop him from living life to the fullest! As you can see from Eurydice's video, she is LOVING life!
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 found this site by chance in a time of desperation and not a second too soon. Scared to death I wasnt doing the right thing and with everyone's help on this site I was able to pull it together and believe I WAS doing the right thing!!! Now I wish Wednesday was here because in the kart two days her leg has gotten much worse and so now I am beating myself up because I took so long to remove the leg. It doesn't feel like things are ever going to be normal again.
Don't beat yourself up! You didn't know what you didn't know - it's ok. Now you do, and you'll move forward. It's all you can do. Jinx understands. He loves you and knows that you love him.
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
Hang in there. Wednesday is almost here and then this whole Tripawd nation will be keeping you and your beautiful girl close and be sending healing thoughts and prayers. You'll find a "new" normal throughout the next few weeks as you get further along in this journey and we'll be here to help you when you need us. Don't beat yourself up as Donna said you "can't" know what you "don't" know.
Hugs!
Linda, Riley & Spirits Mighty Max & Ollie
The last two days and especially today we can't get her to eat anything. Not grilled chicken, beef roast, dog food or cheese so now we are forcing her pills down her throat and some how she keeps managing to spit out the tram adolescent the smallest of the pills she has to take. On my way to the pet store to get some raw food any other suggestions?
Sometimes it seems the stinkier the better. Tuna, liver wurst, fish, liver paste comes to mind. It may be she has a somewhat upset tummy from the pills. Hopefully you can find something to entice that sweetie.
Peanut butter is our "go to" for pills. I get Jif Natural with Honey because it doesn't have Xylitol and is not too soft and messy like a lot of natural peanut butters that have less ingredients (like just peanuts and oil). Getting a glob into his mouth back on his tongue is relatively easy even when he is feeling poorly and if it is more in the middle of his tongue or toward the back, he just can't spit it out!
He actually takes PB quite willingly when he is feeling good, but when he isn't, I am more successful with this than any other method.
Best thoughts for Jynx!!
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.
If it looks like cancer on the xray then it probably is. It is often hard to biopsy the proper area without fluoroscopy so a false negative is not that uncommon. Often your vet can do a fine needle aspirate on the awake dog and get the diagnosis of sarcoma and then you can confirm the type with a biopsy after amputation.
I would amputate ASAP if 4 vets say it looks like cancer and it is in the right location.
Pam
I swear this just keeps getting worse so I talked to the vet this morning about Jynx not eating (she has been drinking some water) and they now want me to do another ultrasound tomorrow morning at 9 am to be sure the cancer hasnt spread to her stomach. If it has then we are out of options and we put her down or it hasnt and we move forward with amputation. I am so over this roller coaster ride.
jynx said
I swear this just keeps getting worse so I talked to the vet this morning about Jynx not eating (she has been drinking some water) and they now want me to do another ultrasound tomorrow morning at 9 am to be sure the cancer hasnt spread to her stomach. If it has then we are out of options and we put her down or it hasnt and we move forward with amputation. I am so over this roller coaster ride.
I dearly hope it isn't so - and yes, it is a roller coaster ride none of us wanted to be on.
Best thoughts for sweet Jynx.
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.
Try...try hard, NOT to jump ahead to any worse case scenario! Mlst of the times thing aren't nearly as bad as we make up in our heads! Not wanting to eat can be soooooo many harmless things! It could be as simple as her leg hurts and she doesn't feel like eating. Also, if yiu did get some pain meds in ner without food, that can make her tummy feel upset too.
Do you have any Cerenia that you can give her (with vet approval of course) in case she's nauseous?
Update when you can. Werew all sending pawsitive energy!!
Love
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!
Not wanting to eat is a big pain indicator. Appetite is the first thing to go usually, so hopefully that's all it is. Sounds like your vet is just taking a precaution, which is smart. Don't beat yourself up, you're doing your best and your pup knows it. Hang in there OK? Keep us posted.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
My heart is broken- Jynx died this morning during the surgery to amputate her leg. I know she isnt in pain anymore but that just doesn't make it easier. It's my fault for not being able to make the call to amputate when she was healthier. I am so mad at myself and my heart is just shattered.
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