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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hello Cali and Eve -
I hope for a speedy recovery time for the two of you and many more adventures to come!
-Patricia and Chance
Hi & welcome! First of all, what a beautiful girl you have there! From one black lab lover to another 
Well clearly, there is a pattern here!! I too want to chime in and say how happy I was with my decision (AND finding this site!!)
Kylie is 9 and was diagnosed end of Aug with osteosarcoma, we saw the oncologist for the consult Sept 1, she had her amputation surgery Sept 2! It alll happens so fast doesn't it??? But we've never been happier in this journey as we are right now. YES, it was tough for several weeks after surgery, but you can get through that! 
Especially with all of our support! Quality of life after amputation, and with chemo has been amazing for us. We are...7wks post op! and let me just show you this, since actions speak louder than words.
So proud of my happy, strong girl. She just doesn't stop!! We went from lethargic and constant pain, to non stop energy and wanting to play! You would think she's 2 again, not 9 lol So hang in there, it does get better!
Chris & Kylie xo
p.s. I hope you will be so happy with your decision
Hello Cali and Eve!! Your girl is beautiful and soon will be completely pain free yay! Welcome to the most supportive place you can be in this situation. My 7 yo golden retriever Fionn is 2.5 weeks out from front amp surgery and so much that I did for him during these weeks has been based on advice I got here. Because I wanted to help someone else be prepared, I did a daily blog post for 2 weeks, detailing everything. The good AND the bad and the funny/not so funny bits.
http://fionnsjo.....pawds.com/
The last page is the highlight reel, so you can skip the rest if you aren't into reading details. There's a lot of pages. I was home for the first week and it gave me something to do! And, I write like I talk- a lot.
Just so you know, Fionn is back to his normal routines now, just needs to build up stamina. He's an absolute BOSS on stairs, jumps in the back seat of my truck like it's no big deal and figured out the dog door amazingly fast. You will be amazed how well Eve manages, really!
Best wishes for a speedy and uneventful recovery
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/
WOW!! Just catching up! You've gotten great support and, as you can see, you are certainly not alone! We understand like no others can!
Surgery is over and Eve is seeing pudgy pink elephants! TRY and get some rest tonight! The first sveral days and following week can be a bit rough.
You may want to stock up on CHOCOLATE. It does wonders for the nerves! 🙂
When you pick Eve up, don't even bother to look at her incision. Just look into her druggy eyes and tell her what a good girl she is and give her a smooch! When I finally did glance at it on my Happy Hannah, I found that the amount of fur they shaved startled me more than the incision!
Stay connected! We are here for you and 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!
Thanks for updating. I'm so pleased that Eve is through her surgery and will soon be enjoying the pain free life she deserves. As others have said, the first couple of weeks can be a bit up and down, but soon she will be feeling so much better and so will you. Do please, please keep reminding yourself that you have nothing whatever to feel guilty for. The decision to amputate was made out of the love you have for Eve. It was It was a loving, courageous, compassionate and entirely responsible thing to do. Or, as Sally would say, remember you are doing this FOR Eve, you are not doing it TO her.
Sending pawsitive healing vibes....
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...
Here's wishing Eve a pain-free and speedy recovery. Do keep us posted on how she's doing.
Read about Gabbar's journey from diagnosis to amputation at
Sending Eve and your lovely self a big hug and lots of pawsitive energy to both 💕😘💞🐾🐶
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 :-)
Thanks everyone for all the encouragement. I picked up Eve yesterday night after her surgery and she seems good! Such a relief to see her wagging her tail and hopping around. They said she had one of the the quickest transitions they had seen - hopping right around and even wagging her tail in the crate. She seems ok at home - eating and drinking and getting around all right. My cat isn't so sure about the cone or how she smells 🙂 The incision is definitely a huge shock! I had looked at some of the pics online, but it looks so much bigger in real life. She doesn't really seem uncomfortable so I guess the pain meds are working well. Went home for lunch and she greeted me @ the door. She wanted to come back to work with me this afternoon like she used to, but I'll wait a few weeks until she is more healed. Now we await pathology...
Awww, that's great news Eve's home and doing so well. She's probably still pretty high on the hospital meds, so don't be surprised if she has a bit of a dip somewhere around day 3-5 post op. Not saying this to worry you, but just so you don't panic if that happens. It may not, but it's pretty common. Sometimes pain meds need adjusting around then too, so keep a close eye for signs of pain. For now Eve just needs lots of rest and short potty breaks.
And the incision will vanish once the fur grows back. It really doesn't take long. Meg's a front amp, but people don't even notice. More than once someone's stopped me to point out my dog's limping, thinking I hadn't noticed. 'Yes,' I say. 'It's cause she's got three legs'
Sending hugs to you and a welcome home cuddle to lovely Miss Eve,
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...
That's awesome that Eve is doing so well. They do say that the post op pain is nothing like the bone pain and I have to say I agree. She's just happy she is mostly pain free. Like Clare said, when the anesthesia meds wear off they can have an increase in discomfort, but not always! Some just sail right through. My Fionn is a bit of a drama queen and his mom's a worrywart so he got lots of meds!
Virtual kisses and belly rubs from 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/
Hi Cali and Eve,
Glad you have joined us. My Baby Bandit was ten when he was diagnosed with osteo and he has just reached his 11th birthday. He is 5 months post amp and he has developed Mets in his lungs. BUT he still smiles and seems to enjoy life. He has had a couple of rough days, but he keeps on living. I love the saying "Be More Dog " because it is so true. They live in the moment. So we live in that moment with them. Just give Eve lots of lovin's. it will be good for both of you!
Deb and Baby Bandit.
Thanks for the update...and it's a good one!!
Good job Eve! Take it slow for now! You'll be back to work with your mom in no time! 🙂
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!
Update on Eve - she is doing so well! I can't believe she has adjusted so easily to the amputation. It's been just a week since I picked her up from surgery and she gets around very well and seems back to her regular happy self. The tests came back positive for osteosarcoma so she will start chemo next week at the same time she gets her stitches out. Hoping she is ok with that but just taking it a day at a time.
So glad that she is doing so well - also a black lab lover, my Otis lost his leg to osteo in early February. He unfortunately passed in September, but the time we had together was so worth it!
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.
Sounds like Miss Eve has really rocked fhis recovery stuff!! @pve it when there are no hurdles and just day by day improvement!
You've probably been in the site enough tomknow what ro expect with chemo, but don't hesitate to ask should you have any questions, okay?
My Hapoy Haw actuae sailed through four rounds of chemo with virtually no side effects. Most dogs generally have a little nausea and lethargy.
And remember, the "diagnosis" doesn't mean squat to Eve! She didn't read the report and she didn't talk tonthe Vet! All she knows is she is pain free and getting on with living life to the fullest!!
Love, spoil and love in the moment and you'll be fine!!
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!
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