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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Logan is my sweet 11 year old yellow lab. I just love him so much. He has a soft tissue sarcoma, grade three (aggressive), on his left front paw. We just found out Friday and he will have his limb amputated next Thursday. I'm so worried about what to expect. I've read all the applicable Q and As on the required reading but am still having a hard time wrapping my mind around what is to come. Is he going to be able to go outside to pee? I ordered him a RuffWear WebMaster Plus harness but it says not to use until stitches are out. What do I use until then? I'm so scared. Any advice?
Hi Logan and family, welcome. Your future posts won't need approval so you're good to go, post away.
We totally understand your fears about the coming months. When you love your dog so much its difficult to make such a huge decision on their behalf. But one thing that helps to remember is to remind yourself that you're not doing this to him, you're doing it for him. Logan won't be mad at you or miss that bum leg, he will just be happy to be free of the pain of a cancerous tumor. In time you'll see it, and until then we are here for your sounding board. It's OK to be worried, but do your best to be strong and pawsitive around him and he will follow you're lead.
I'm so glad you read Jerry's Required Reading List ! If you poke around our community some more you'll see videos of dogs who can do the things they did before, including doing their business! Whether they're missing a front leg or a rear, they manage to figure things out. You'll worry each time he tries something new but that's normal. Watch him and be there for him but don't hover or baby him, and he will get back to his usual self.
About the harness. Thanks for ordering! You'll find it super useful for getting into and out of the car, up and down stairs, and assisting him on slippery floors among other things. If you have a lot of stairs in your home and you need to use it before stitches come out, that's OK, you can, but just put a t-shirt on underneath. We recommend waiting because we don't want to bother the incision, but sometimes it's necessary to put it on if you have many stairs inside your home or the dog needs a lot of assistance. In the meantime you can use a grocery bag sling.
One more thought. Logan is a Lab, so is he a big boy? If so, if he's even a pound or two overweight, it will be super helpful for you to help him lose weight asap. Your vet can guide you in that area so be sure to ask.
I hope this helps. Let us know what other questions you have OK? We're here to help ease your worries before and after surgery day.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Logan's avatar locture isso cute! Can't wait to see more!
From this point forward. YOU ARE. NOT ALONE 🙂 🙂 We understand lik no others can! It is such a stressful time, full of fear, uncertainty, panic sleepless ights, crying, lots of crying! Yeah, we understand!!
And Logan isn't worried about a thing!! Nothing has changed in Logan's world! Prognosis schmognosis!! Statistics don't mean squat and he doesn't count days on a calendar!
All Logan cares about is getting rid ofnthat bum leg so he can get on with living @ife to the fullest...and tummy rubs....and treats...and loving and spoiling 🙂
Recovery is no picnic for a couple of weeks, okay? You maynhave a few ights with very little s@eep. It is MAJOR surgery and it does hurt! Your Vet will send you home with Tramadol, Gabapentin, Rimadyl and an antibiotic. Getting the pain managed can take a little bit of tweaking the doses, but yiu'll figure it out pretty quickly.
Logan will spend one night at the Clinic, maybe more. Sometimes older dogs take a bit longer to get their mobility worked out, but usually they are up and moving within 24'hrs. Do NOT panic ifnit takes him a bit @onger, as it often does with larger "mature" dogs!
The links Jerry gave you will fill you in on pretty much everything you need to know as far as stairs, traction , ramps, etc. The first two weeks are all about rest, rest, rest potty breaks and more rest!
Logan may not even need any harness help as far as recovery related mobility, so just playnthat by ear. I tried to use a towel sling for my Happy Hannah (125 lb Bull Mastiff) and she would have nothing to do with it!!
Logan will figure out peeing! It may be a bit trial and error at first with a front kegger boy, but he'll master it just fine!! One dog learn to lean against the fence so he could cock up his leg! My adopted tripawd Frankie, just does a "tall squat" like a girlie and that works nust fine!!
STAY CCONNECTED and ket us know any questions you have. We are bynyiur side the whole way, okay? Can't wait to celebrate all his victories!! 🙂
Hugs and 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!
Hello and welcome.
Of course you are worried- this was new ground for all of us at first. It never occurred to me that dogs could get cancer and I don't think I had ever seen a three legged dog before my little pug Maggie lost a leg to mast cell cancer.
Our pups are very resilient! As Sally said the first couple weeks after surgery can be full of ups and downs, so be mentally prepared for that and don't get discouraged if Logan isn't himself.
There is lots of experience and support to be found here- take advantage! We have been where you are now and can help.
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Do you have any suggestions of things I should have ready? We’re making a ramp to get off the porch so he can go to the bathroom. I read he should have an elevated dog dish? So I still need to get one. We started preloading with the meds for nerve pain tonight and I’m telling you it really got me choked up to need to go get that med. It seemed too real all of a sudden. I should get some kind of big canvas bag to make a sling out of? Anything else??
Okay, you've got the links Jerry gave you to give you a really good foundation for caring for tripawds. You've got the bowls, the traction etc. The canvass bag is good to have on hand.
Logan's doggy bed needs to be supportive and not too squishy. The squishy ones make it jard for them to get up and stand without slipping.
Keep.lots lf yummy food around for Logan as he may not have much of an appetite for a couple of days. And keepmLOFTS OF CHOCOLATE FOR YOU!!! It's a great stress reliever!
Most of us make arrangements so we can sleep with our dogs and cats in the same room they're in. So get some blankies, pillows for yourself to sleep in the couch or on a mattress next to them on the floor.
Qhen you so gompick Logan up, don't even bother looking at the incision. Just look into his sweet face and tell him what a good boy henis and he's going HOME!!! Whenever you do take a glance later, just know that Vets get really clipper happy and love to shave a lot of fur!
STAY CONNECTED! YOU ARE NOT ALONE!! We have the Hepline and we jave the forums to help you navigate through recovery. 1 844 TRIPAWDS.
Now go ahead and get ahead start on that CHOCOLATE!!
Lots of 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!
ginam said
Do you have any suggestions of things I should have ready?
Be sure to boomark Jerry's Required Reading List for lots of helpful links, or consider downloading the Tripawds e-books for fast answers to most common concerns. Start here if you need help navigating the many Tripawds resources and assistance programs or feel free to call the toll-free Tripawds Helpline anytime.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I read the required reading and downloaded the books. I got non slip stuff for the floors and evaluated dog dishes. He had a supportive bed and we made a ramp to get on and off the porch steps if he needs it. I have a canvas bag and a ruffwear webmaster plus harness. Am I ready? My sweet boy comes home from the vet tomorrow. He had his surgery today and did great they said! ❤️
YAY!! SURGERY IS DONE!! 🙂
A d yes! You've sone an excellent job of preparation!
When you go pick Logan up, don't even bother looking at Logan's incision site! Logan just wants to see your smiling face and tell him whst a good boy he is and he's going home! 🙂
Try and get a goo night's sleep tonight. Logan is highas a kite and seeing a few pink elephants!
We'll @ook forward to yiur update tomorrow when Logan comes home! 🙂 And remember, we're all right here by your side 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!
One other thing you might do is to look at some post amp pictures so you know what to expect. You can see pics here in our gallery, scroll down to the surgery and treatment section. It can be shocking the first time you see your boy in his new body- and there is usually a lot of shaved area. Just look into his eyes and see how happy he is to see you!
Keep a positive attitude- remember that you did this FOR Logan!
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
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