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
Good evening,
I am so glad to have found you all! Thank you to Erica (Jill's mom) for encouraging me via FB to head on over there to share our story. Cashie is a 14 year old tiger cat who we adopted in 2008, we adopted he and his liter mate sister Lily. Lily died December 2008 from a liver disease and so it has been my family of 4 children, my husband and Cashie.
On Sunday Cashie was attacked by a raccoon in our yard, during the afternoon and I believe I found him very soon afterwards. We rushed him to the Cumming School of Veterinary Medicine Hospital where the preliminary diagnosis was that he had been hit by a car, later it was ascertained, during a dressing change, that it was not a car that caused him his injury, but a raccoon, as evidenced by the bite marks (my husband had witnessed a raccoon leaving our driveway). When I found him it was very obvious that his leg was broken and the doctor gently suggested, after her exam, that amputation would be the best course of action. We scheduled it for Tuesday and I picked him up tonight at 5 p.m. He is taking pain meds and antibiotics. His right hind leg does have some wounds but nothing at all what his left leg sustained.
It has been a rough couple of days for him and I hope now that the procedure is complete we can get on our road to recovery and normalcy. I am ever so thankful that I work from home and had scheduled Thursday and Friday off this week.
I have read that this is harder on the 'mom' than it is on the kitty and since I have tears, I'd say for now it is pretty tough for me. But he seems to be holding his own. He is able to hobble from one cozy bed to another and has tried to use the liter box (we cut the sides down of a small cardboard box and put liter inside) without success.
I am hopeful that day 2 will bring more comfort to him and more confidence in his body.
Thanks for the support.
Welcome and best wishes for Cashie's Speedy recovery! Please keep us posted. Your future forum posts will not require moderation.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thank you!!
I think we have made progress! We had fashioned a liter box out of cardboard which was not very deep, so no liter to scratch at. I brought his regular liter box to him and though he fell a couple of times but much preferred to have the depth to scratch at and used that one. He had his front paws out of the liter box and his back paw in, he was able to do his business. He then stumbled back to his cozy bed.
1:57 a.m. and no sleep for me.
Ohhhh your poor Cashie! What a miracle he survived, especially at his age. He's one incredible kitty!
Going potty is a VERY big deal for post-amputation dogs and cats, that's awesome. How is he doing today?
We would love to see more photos when you have a chance, he's sure handsome.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi Cashie and Mom!
I'm so glad you came over to introduce us to Cashie! How is he doing today???
What a little survivor he sounds like!!!
Keep us posted!
xoxo,
Erica & Jill
Jill is a 9-year-old tuxedo kitty. She was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in June 2012 on her toe in her right hind leg. Her leg was amputated on 12/12/12 and she completed four rounds of chemo (2 of Carbo, 2 of Doxy) in April 2013. "Like" Jill's facebook page: https://www.fac.....tty?ref=hl Proud member of the WINTER WARRIORS!!!! Her blog can be read at http://jillsjou.....ipawds.com. xoxo
Well, I had a tough morning...he seemed so far away from himself and he is quite elderly, so I was down, really down. BUT, I am happy to report the following:
He drank water with much gusto.
I opened a can of canned chicken and poured out the juice, he lapped it up like a champ.
Drank more water
Used the liter box, successfully. I moved it very close to his cozy bed.
I ran to the pet store to see if I could find something specific for cats that is broth like. And while I was doing that, he CLIMBED INTO THE BATHTUB!!!!! When my husband heard some movement upstairs he went up to investigate and found him in the tub!!!
My trip to the pet store yielded a new product that is just perfect for him called, Fancy Feast Broths!! I gave him one and he lapped it up. He did not eat the 'chunks.' I am so happy!!!
Thank you everyone, this is a rough journey and made less stressful knowing you are all here.
WOOO HOO! that's all great news!!!! You can also try this food - when Jill was on a chemo that was bothering her tummy, she like Cashie, wouldn't eat the chunks but she LAPPED up the gravy!
Jill is a 9-year-old tuxedo kitty. She was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in June 2012 on her toe in her right hind leg. Her leg was amputated on 12/12/12 and she completed four rounds of chemo (2 of Carbo, 2 of Doxy) in April 2013. "Like" Jill's facebook page: https://www.fac.....tty?ref=hl Proud member of the WINTER WARRIORS!!!! Her blog can be read at http://jillsjou.....ipawds.com. xoxo
OH gosh I started to get scared when I read your post, but then I kept on and wow that's good to hear he ate!
I love how you're keeping track of these milestones. They do add up and in time you'll just be so amazed at how many leaps and bounds he's made during recovery. Celebrate every single one. Even the ordinary is extraordinary when you go through amputation recovery.
Here's to an even better day tomorrow!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thank you so much, Jerry!
I gave him some more food, and literally I hold it up for him and he laps it up. I put a heater in the bathroom as the temperature is dropping outside and the house is so old and cold. He is no longer switching around his sleeping spots but seems to have settled on one. His liter box is two hops away and his food/water is also two hops away. I do hope I am able to sleep tonight, the baby monitor works just fine, but I fear I won't hear him meow. He has been purring away and cleaning his face after he eats, good good signs.
Purring and grooming are GREAT signs indeed!
I think a lot of times we tend to over-baby our patients, when we sit back and let them do their thing we are surprised by their independence but they're sure not, they knew they were capable of it all along.
By the way did you ever see Fangs blog? Lots of good kitty recovery info here. Maybe if you can't sleep tonight you should check it out.
Keep us posted and good luck! Sweet dreams!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thank you, Jerry! Fang and Jill's blogs have been VERY helpful to me!!!
I just checked on the patient...and he is starting to lick his wound. I suppose it is now time to put on the collar...
And he ate some more. Still quite wobbly, and purring, I'll take it.
oh good sounds like things are just getting better and better!!! Keep us posted!
Jill is a 9-year-old tuxedo kitty. She was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in June 2012 on her toe in her right hind leg. Her leg was amputated on 12/12/12 and she completed four rounds of chemo (2 of Carbo, 2 of Doxy) in April 2013. "Like" Jill's facebook page: https://www.fac.....tty?ref=hl Proud member of the WINTER WARRIORS!!!! Her blog can be read at http://jillsjou.....ipawds.com. xoxo
Ohh yeah, be strong, keep the collar on, it's worth it.
Yay for more eating!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Ok, so I have not put the collar on, he isn't really all that interested in licking, though I am of the mind to let him lick. It is a natural and comforting response to his injury. Though I will see how vigorous it gets.
Nothing really new today, but he IS laying on the 'empty' side, which, I think, is huge in his recovery. Still pretty wobbly but purring, grooming, eating, drinking and liter boxing continue!
48 hours post surgery, we are pleased.
1 Guest(s)
