Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Day 1, (or perhaps day 0) is here unexpectedly soon! Toby, our 9 year old boxer boy was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in his back leg on Friday. He was due his leg amputation this Friday morning (so 1 week post diagnosis), but as he had become increasingly in pain yesterday they agreed to have him in and take it off this morning.
We are home, having just got him from the vet, and he's resting on his bed with me beside him. I have to admit, I'm really daunted, questioning every decision I make from whether to offer food, how best to keep him safe, whether to leave his harness on or take it off overnight etc etc - tiny things really that I don't know the answer to.
Because Toby lives with my parents and has for about 5 years (after he got separation anxiety when I was at work and realised he likes it staying with grandpa and grandma better!) I will be staying with them for a week or so till he's a little stronger, then we'll go from there as to how much extra care he needs, how often I'm here, and so on. I only live 10 minutes away. They both adore him, but they're not as young as they once were and with something like this I want to be with my boy as often as possible. It does mean that I'm here while my husband is at home with the other dogs, so I'm making the care decisions alone - scary!
Anyway, after being amazingly active at the vets, Toby has finally settled down on his bed and seems to be exhausted.
I know that we can get through this, he's such a sweet, gentle boy with so much resilience. I just want to make sure I'm doing everything right for him. So... Top tips? What made your dog feel most comfortable this soon in the healing process? Is it normal for him to seem restless? Should I take the harness off overnight? Is his panting so much normal post surgery? Will he tell me when he needs to go for a wee? So many silly questions!
Anyway, thanks for reading ☺️
Katherine and Toby. Xx
Welcome and best wishes for Toby's speedy recovery! There are no silly questions. You will, however, find all the most common questions answered in the many links on Jerry's Required Reading List and in the Tripawds e-books if you would like to save time spent searching. As for top tips? You'll find plenty of those too...there are even quite a few video interviews with vets offering top tips for recovery and care!
While you wait for comments from others, use the Advanced Search above to refine your forum search results with specific phrases, and you're sure to find lots of helpful feedback. You can also search all blogs here . Or, consider downloading the Tripawds e-books for fast answers to common concerns and feel free to call the toll-free Tripawds Helpline anytime!
Please keep us posted. Your future forum posts will not require moderation.Meanwhile, start here f or help finding all the helpful Tripawds resources and assistance programs.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi there Toby and Katherine 🌺
Your boy is so lucky to have you looking after him just as you are doing 💗
Reassurance and plenty of love are fundamental for a smooth recovery and I can see you’re providing plenty of it to your sweet boy💕
As for your questions and some suggestions:
- a comfortable bed is important during recovery as Toby will be spending a lot of time lying down, bed should be comfy but not wobbly so as to allow him to stand up safely.
- Toby should not be allowed to go for more than toilet breaks until he is comfortable on 3. It is crucial to give time for the body to adjust to his new normal and he must rest, rest, rest to allow his body to heal from surgery.
- restlessness can be a side effect from the medicine and/or be a sign of pain. Make sure you give him his medicine on schedule and do not hesitate to talk to his surgeon with any questions. Most of our babies came back with tramadol, gabapentin (for phantom pain ), anti-inflamatory and an antibiotic, what is Toby taking?
- I left the harness on 24/7 but my girl was a huge Great Dane and I would not have been able to help her standing up without it so no choice there. I used a soft harness until stitches came out so it was no problem keeping it on all the time as there were no rough areas which could create sores or fiddle with her incision. After stitches were removed I switched to a ruffwear harness which has a handle on top (great to help getting in and out of the car, etc) and is very solidly built.
- panting can be a side effect from the drugs and/or a sign of pain, you should consider asking your surgeon’s opinion. My baby had episodes where she would start panting heavily and it turned out we had to adjust gabapentin (in our case, we reduced the dosage)
- Eurydice always let me know when she needed a pee, I suppose Toby will do the same.
- have you covered your floors if they are slippery? Traction is a crucial point in recovery so if you’ve got hardwood or tiled floors you should create paths with carpet, rubber underlay or yoga mats for Toby to safely hop on.
- a lot of pawrents here got their dogs to use boxer shorts to protect the incision, placing the tail through the fly.
- you should prepare for a possible crash between days 3-5 when hospital meds get out of Toby’s system. If this happens, it is normal.
- the hardest part of recovery is until stitches are removed so do not get discouraged, remember, recovery does not last forever and Toby has a whole new happy life ahead of him.
As you mentioned, you can get through this and you will be amazed at his well your boy will do on 3!
In the meantime do not hesitate to reach out to us, we’re all here for you and your sweetie pie 🌺💗
Sending you a big hug and tons of cuddles to Toby 😘😘🐮💫✨🌟🌹
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 :-)
Hi both - thanks for your lovely replies and advice. The resources on the website are really useful, although it's interesting to observe the different approaches that vets have in the UK vs US by reading what you guys have that we don't easily get (more medical trials, more pain meds, more specialist oncologists - generally a bit more support I think, but then the grass is always greener!)
Eurydice - that's so useful to know, especially about the expecting a crash when the meds wear off. I wouldn't have considered that, thanks. It sounds from what you've said that we've got most bases covered, just a case now of taking it as it comes. He's on Tramadol and antibiotics - I'm not sure that garbopentin is used much in the UK but I'll ask about it.
I'm not going to lie, it's been a really hard night - I've hardly slept and he hasn't either, he's done lots of walking about, panting and generally seems unable to get comfy, restless. To make things worse, I noticed this evening that he's got a hard lump that's appeared quickly on his front right wrist - not a good sign and I can't help but wonder if this has all been in vain and the cancer has spread, although the xrays that were taken recently showed no mets. So Toby and I are both feeling sorry for ourselves and exhausted, and as soon as I reasonably can (it's 04.38 here) I will call the vet and ask if they think he might need more pain meds than he's getting.
Sorry for the less than uplifting reply - I guess I'm just tired and feeling really overwhelmed and emotionally shattered, I was all set to take care of him but didn't consider the possibility that he wouldn't sleep so this has been a curveball.
Signing off as 'sleepless in Herefordshire'.
K&T. X
Hi Toby,
We are classmates! I had my surgery on Monday April 16, too. Like you, my surgery was speeded up when I unexpectedly “did something” to my knee over the weekend. Fortunately my parents were scheduled to talk to the surgeon on Saturday and he said he had an opening on Monday. So “Wait and See” became “Do it Now”. Please!
So off we went in the dark at 5:30. a.m. The surgeon said he x-rayed my hind knee and I had broken off a chunk of the kneecap. No wonder I was in such pain. Stinky, supid cancer!
I am home. We have walked outside 3 times so far. I have already figured out how to balance to pee minus one back leg.
Be sure to offer lots of water regularly, I seem to be much more thirsty than usual.
Looking forward to our healing journey together,
Adriana and Miss Kitty
Hi Katherine, sweetheart 💗
Eurydice’s surgery and main treatments were done in the UK as we were living in London at the time 😉
I am no vet but trust me: Gabapentin is a must in every recovery as it targets phantom pain specifically.
It is a nerve blocker ie blocks the messages sent by the nerves which were connected to the leg and prevents the brain from “thinking” there is pain in the lost limb.
Normally with phantom pain dogs may whine, they can jump up suddenly out of the blue and stand there looking confused and panting heavily, they can also lick compulsively the area where the leg used to be (ie licking the bed or wherever they are lying down)
Please insist with your surgeon so Toby can be on Gabapentin (unless there is a specific reason why he cannot take it, of course) before he starts potentially suffering from phantom pain .
Tramadol targets pain but Gabapentin targets phantom pain .
Eurydice also took metacam, an anti-Inflammatory.
Not being a vet again, I’d say the panting and restlessness you mentioned are as expected: remember he’a just been through major surgery and is drugged to his eyeballs too ...
As for the wrist lump, was that specific area x-rayed? When was that done? Osteosarcoma is a fast growing cancer but if the X-ray was done just before surgery I’d be shocked beyond words if that was another tumor.
Plus, I’m sure there are lots of other possibilities to explain the lump but I would definitely see the surgeon to get peace of mind on that matter..
Sleepless night are expected for a while now, I’m afraid, so brace yourself for lack of sleep ... but remember recovery doesn’t last forever, the hardest part is before stitches are removed ( that should happen about 10 days after surgery) ...
Another little thing; if Toby takes his time to poop do not worry, that will happen eventually. It can take days until he does it and that is normal.
Eurydice took five days to go and as faith would have it, she woke me up in the middle of the night and we “rushed” out into the pouring rain and unforgiving winds and came back completely soaked ... but it was worth it!
Please let us know what his surgeon says regarding phantom pain and his lump and do not hesitate to ask any questions, anytime !
Sending you an avalanche of kisses sweetie pie and tons of ear scratches to your baby boy and remember: you can do this and you’ll both be happy soon 😘😘😘🐮💫✨🌟🌹
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 :-)
Hi all
Today has so far been alot more positive. Toby has slept, eaten a little scrambled egg with butter (the only thing I can tempt him with!), drank plenty of water, hung out with his girlfriend cassie, been for some wees and even spent a little time on his bed in the sunshine outside! So that's all good. My lovely husband has agreed to take tomorrow and Friday off to be here with me in the day time, as I've found it all a bit overwhelming - ironic really that when we need our strength, it is tested to the limit by having to watch someone we love so much suffer.
I spoke to the vet about his pain management and got some ideas for maximum dosage if I feel he's suffering in the dark hours.
Eurydice - I will certainly speak to the vet about garbapentin (turns out, bizarrely, my father has the human version for his nerve pain following his recent hip replacement) when he has his appointment on Friday, if not over the phone tomorrow. I had assumed they had x rayed his whole body, but perhaps not as it's all been such a blur and I guess I could have missed that - I honestly only noticed the lump last night but perhaps I've been distracted by focusing on the other leg. It would be tragic to get this far and then have to say goodbye so soon after amputation, but if it is another tumor then I think I would save him any more pain and make that decision - I just can't put him through more suffering. I'm praying that I'm being neurotic and it's nothing or nothing serious. Thank you soooo much for your kind words, they are such a comfort right now. Eurydice sounds like a real star of a dog, and the late night rain soaked pooping visit gave me a chuckle!
Adriana and Miss Kitty (a great name for a dog!) it's great to meet a classmate ☺️ how's Miss Kitty doing today? Good to hear she's been out and mastered the art of three legged peeing! Poor baby must be pleased to be rid of that nasty knee.
Sending lots of love and slobbery kisses from Toby to all who need it. Xx
Katherine I'm so glad to hear Toby's doing better! And you sound much brighter too, that's terrific. Bringing a new amputee home the same day of surgery is incredibly difficult (most animals stay overnight, and the parents don't have to endure the post-op restlessness). You are getting the hang of being a good advocate for Toby, good job on having a pain management discussion! You may want to review today's Tripawds News Blog post as it's about this very subject:
How To Help Your Tripawd’s Post-Amputation Recovery Pain
We are glad you found us. You will learn so much about helping Toby be the happiest dog on three legs! And while sometimes the approach between vets in the US and the UK may differ, in our community you will find the emotional support you need to continue advocating for a pain-free life as a Tripawd. We have many UK members, among them, Clare and Meg, who know lots about being great advocates in the veterinary clinic!
Meanwhile, get your rest and know that we are here for you. Ask any questions you'd like.
Oh about the lump...nine times out of ten it is not the horrible thing we think it is. We see this happen often and most time, the lump is harmless. Do have your vet look at it and aspirate to verify what exactly it is, but try not to panic OK?
Sending lots of love & pawsitivity your way!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi there, Katherine and Toby, and well done on getting through Day 0. It sounds as though you are doing really well. As Jerry says, it's not easy at all bringing a new amputee home on the day of surgery. It's great that Toby's slept and that he's eaten something. My Meg lost her leg due to orthopaedic issues, rather than Cancer, so I can't offer insight there, but I certainly do know that a lump can be, and usually is, any of a hundred harmless things. I'm so pleased your husband is able to be with you tomorrow and Friday. I'm sure it will make a huge difference to have his support. I know it can feel overwhelming, but don't forget we are all here for you too. Keep posting. There's always someone around, and we all know what it's like to go through this.
jerry said
And while sometimes the approach between vets in the US and the UK may differ, in our community you will find the emotional support you need to continue advocating for a pain-free life as a Tripawd.
To be honest, my impression (and that's obviously all it is) is that there aren't any major differences between the UK and the US in terms of veterinary care. There are of course huge differences between different vets and practices in both countries, but so many vets from the UK/Europe have worked and trained in the US, and vice versa that I think it's hard to generalise. There are sometimes differences in terms of when new medications become available, and this works in both directions. Adequan is not licensed for use in dogs here, for example (it is licensed for use in horses), while Cartrophen is licensed here, but not, so far as I am aware, in the US. Sometimes terminology is different: we don't usually use the term 'board-certified specialist' (although actually increasingly we do) but we still have RCVS and European certified specialists, we just call them something different.
Re the gabapentin, for what it's worth, Meg wasn't prescribed this either, and was absolutely fine. A nerve block was used prior to amputation, and she had no issues with phantom pain . That's not to say every dog would be the same; I don't know. Perhaps we were just lucky. Also, she stayed in hospital three nights post surgery so I wasn't caring for her at this stage.
Sending big hugs to you, Katherine and Toby and here's to another positive day tomorrow.
Meg, Clare and Angel 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...
Hi Katherine and Toby!
Please bear with us here, it appears we may be having some technical difficulties. I have no doubt they are working hard to keep us up and running again. It doesn't happen very often, but timing is everything, right? 
You may find brief periods of inability to connect. Please hang tight and hang in there. You can always call the Tripawds helpline if you need to talk. 844-874-7293
Huckleberry's amputation was also due to traumatic injury. I had a very difficult time keeping his pain meds and gabapentin regulated because we kept running out at times that we couldn't just call and get a refill right away. Huckleberry did have some phantom pain issues, and from what I have read so far, if you end up in the same spot I don't think you will be very happy. Worst case scenario, try to get gabapentin to at least have on hand for the possibility that you'll need it.
Personally, just my opinion, I would keep pain meds and gaba in his system for the first couple of weeks. There are just a lot more pros than cons to keeping him well medicated. Once sutures are out, incision is healed, and he's learned his balance on three you'll be in a much better spot to gauge his pain level as you wean him down off of each.
This is a bit of a rollercoaster ride, and it can be quite stressful as you nurse your boy back to health. You're gonna want to question every little thing and want to know if it's ok. Some glide through like professional skiers 
Some have a harder time. No two are ever the exact same. Most of us here have been through a similar scenario of one extreme or the other, so ask away.
Good luck on your journey, and sending you lots of pawsitive healing waves.
Jackie and Huckleberry ❤️❤️
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry 
paws120 said
Please bear with us here, it appears we may be having some technical difficulties. I have no doubt they are working hard to keep us up and running again...
Thank you. This one was beyond our control...a serious outage at the data center hosting Tripawds affected thousands of websites for hours today.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
You have gotten such great advice and support from everyone. I can only add a very belated welcome to the family!
You have been through an incredibly stressful and exhausting time getting to this point. Your first night home sou d's like my first three looooong nights with my Happy Hannah. Sleep was non-existent djring those first several days. TRY and get some rest as you can. Everything looks better after some solid rest.
And eat chocolate, lots of chocolate 😎
Hugs
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
PS As Jerry said, almost always lumps turn out to be just lumps. Usually the only xrays done prior to surgery are just of the lungs anyway. So don't m feel like you "-missed" something because the other limbs weren't xrayed...they rarely are.
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!
There are just a lot more pros than cons to keeping him well medicated. Once sutures are out, incision is healed, and he's learned his balance on three you'll be in a much better spot to gauge his pain level as you wean him down off of each.
Absolutely, I agree, but the nature of that medication may vary depending on the pain management protocol followed during surgery, and most particularly pre-operatively. You can read more about it in this recent Tripawds blog , which quotes from Dr Pam "“It used to be that pain was dealt with post-op, but a lot of pain can be prevented now by administering the drug Gabapentin pre-op, using an MLK (morphine) drip during and after surgery, and performing nerve blocks intra-op,” says Tripawds Fairy Vet Mother Dr. Pam Wiltzius."
I just don't want you to worry, Katherine, if Toby is being managed differently, the crucial thing is that his pain is managed one way or another, that you monitor Toby for signs of pain, and that you have vets you can call on 24/7, if needed. As a matter of fact, Meg didn't have sutures or staples either, or none that you could see, which confused me enormously at first, lol, as people kept referring to the staples coming out, but was great as there was nothing to remove.
Big hugs, and hope you are all asleep...
Meg, Clare and Angel 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...
Hello and welcome.
You asked about leaving the harness on- since Toby is a rear amp he should be able to wear his harness as long as he needs. Once he gets his balance he may not need help getting up or around. It is helpful to have a 'handle' to help if he needs it while he gets used to his new normal. My quad pug Obie has had both knees repaired and he lived in his Ruffwear webmaster harness during his long recoveries. He was always being supervised so if he got caught on anything someone was there.
As far as pain meds- for the 3 big surgeries I've been through with the pugs (one rear amp, two knee surgeries) each came home with a fentanyl patch and had tramadol and rimadyl. I have used gabapentin only in my quad Pug Tani who used it long term for her arthritis. As Clare said the most important thing is that his pain is managed.
You are quite a trooper for bringing him home the day of surgery! It's hard but you guys got through it- good for you! Remember to celebrate each little victory- things will get better, Toby will get back to himself.
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
Hi Katherine and Toby 🌺🐾
So lovely to hear he’s having a great day lying there in the sunshine with his little belly full of scrambled eggs ☺️
Great you spoke to the vet reg pain management and got help from your hubby to help look after your boy, it’s all good news 👍🏽
Keep’em coming, we luuurve good news (but need pictures too, can you post some ?)
Sending you a huuuge hug and tons of cuddles to your cutie pie 😘😘😘🐮💫✨🌟🌹
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 :-)
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