Tripawds Three Legged Dog & Cat Forum Archives

Welcome to Tripawds Ursa and Ursa's Mom. I am so sorry to hear about Ursa's diagnosis. I still remember the day I found out about my Valentina's osteo. I felt like I was in a crazy dream or in some kind of fog but I still remember it very clearly. The overwhelming fear is what I remember most. I sure wish that you didn't have to go through this but the good news is you have Tripawds to help you through. We all know how you are feeling and we want to help in any way we can. It is such a difficult journey. And for Ursa to be diagnosed at such an early age is totally unfair. My Great Dane Valentina was diagnosed when she was about 7 1/2 but most Danes have a much shorter life span of 7-9 years. Although I have seen many living till 11 or12. I kind of got lucky in that Valentina was the oldest living Dane in her family. Her Mom, Dad and all of her littermates died well before she did. I know how unexpected this must be for you. I'm sure that you have already read that most Dogs do wonderfully well with amputation and can live quality lives afterwards. The most stressful part of this is the recovery period. You'll need to get lots of rest beforehand and expect to not get much rest once Ursa comes home the first few days. Many people describe it as taking care of a newborn and I have to agree with that. But it won't be long before your new Tripawd is up and running around doing all the things she did before. Most Dogs are getting back to normal and their usual routines in 2-3 weeks after the surgery. They may tire easily for a while after that but for the most part things will be great again. Then you can just have the simple joy of being together. Praying for a flawless surgery and speedy healing for Ursa and strength for you as you go through this challenging time.