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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Sweet Amy
I so understand you'd wish Izzy would leave peacefully in her sleep, I thought about that myself a few times when my baby was still here...
Thing is I don't think there's a lot of chances of that happening, at least if lung tumours are involved.
When that is the case the end is indescribably dreadful so none of us lets our babies get that far.
Do not be afraid of making a decision when the moment is right.
When you will be at that point (in a veeeeeeeeeeeery long time from now) Izzy will show you she is ready and it will be "easier" for you than you imagine.
In the meantime don't even think of any of this.
Enjoy your girl, live the day, get her new outfits and post pictures of her so we can all smile and share her with you!
You really made me laugh at the thought of Izzy and Eurydice comparing notes on our "gracefulness on staircases"
Stay happy and well, sweet friend, and give your girl a trillion cuddles from auntie Teresa and some slobber coming down from the sky too
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 :-)
Darling Wanda
Thank you so, so much for your wonderful, heartfelt words ...
It was an enormous pleasure to be able to share Miss Cow with everybody, I am so touched by how our trips were so enjoyed and gave such a good example of what life is really about.
Everybody can do it.
Everybody.
Even when our babies' body starts to fail we can still enjoy our lives together by adapting to what they can do and not dwelling on what they could do before.
It is a very, very, very demanding journey, that's for sure.
I had to disconnect my brain quite a few times during ours.
I, too, wish I could hug you, sweet Wanda and I so wish we could cuddle up with Eurydice and Ted
One day we will and what a marvellous day it will be !
Sending you all my love, sweetie
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 :-)
Kerren, my wonderful, wonderful sweetie pie
Thank you SO much for cheering me up, I loved your list!
You have such a great sense of humour, sweetie and me and Miss Cow took so much pleasure engaging with you and our lovely Mona during our travels.
You were always, always on our wave length 
I am sure if you and Nancy had been able to come visit whilst Miss Cow was around it would have been totally magical for all of us!
She would recognise auntie Kerren and auntie Nancy immediately, I am completely sure!
For me, you were one of the people who was more in tune with Eurydice and "played the game" brilliantly, always.
You are really special and so is your sister, the human who masters being more dog to a T.
Just the thought of us meeting and having a ball of a time with Missy Cow brings a huge smile to my face regardless of the fact it will never happen.
Pedro and Woody are always by my side, always.
They are covered in dribble, Eurydice's happy dribble.
They are a powerful reminder of how happy a dog Eurydice was, a lovely, goofy, easy going girl.
Our girl
I am sure now she can truly fly to Vancouver Island, at last Mona can have a rest and just wait for her in her home turf rather than having to sneak from under the covers and come all the way here, always keeping an eye on the time to go back before you woke up ...
Great Danes are indeed thinkers.
And they work miracles too.
Let's see if she will make it possible for you, me and Nancy to meet next year.
I have a feeling she will 
Sending you and Nancy all my love and zillion cuddles to Eli and Mona
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 :-)
Oh, Kerren, thank you so much for your translation of the vet's message. I am glad you eat corn flakes, good job!
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 :-)
Sweet Alison
You are such a lovely, lovely person
"I think if we could all come back in our next life, we would want to be her" darling friend, this was the sweetest thing anybody ever said to me, it really really touched my heart ...
I would so like to hug you right now!
Whenever we traveled I always knew you were there with us, I remember you mentioning at some point you were too busy to reply most of the times (whilst you were saving the world, your real job!) but you were enjoying the ride.
I am so happy you did.
And I am so happy Eurydice was able to show giant breed pawrents how it's done!
Everytime some stupid vet says a big dog is not a candidate for amputation due to his/her size I feel like kicking him/her hard.
It is totally CRIMINAL to say something like that!
Eurydice is the living proof it can be done.
She is no more special than any of the other giant breeds who went through the same journey, the only difference is we got to document it all so all any idiotic vet has to do is look at her videos, she ran like the wind on three legs and was as happy as a grossly oversized bunny.
I am sad beyond words for having lost her but she did have the most amazing 13 months and one week.
Thank you for being there, Alison
Sending you all my love and zillion cuddles to Jasper and little Shelby who is nw playing with her HUGE new friend
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 :-)
Darling Norene
Oh boy, did you hit it on the nail, sugar !
That song was written for Miss Cow, I heard it a million times now and every single time it just brings a wave of wonderful memories back to me.
My baby did live life to the full and was the happiest, goofiest, loveliest of dogs
Our time was precious, every single second was precious, all 404 days we shared together after surgery were precious to us.
And even the two first difficult weeks of recovery were ok because she was healing then and getting stronger and more confident, my adored baby.
I, too, am thankful I joined this community, one doesn't find this kind of support and friendship anywhere else.
Going through osteosarcoma is quite a life changing experience, one that I hope I will never have to go through ever ever ever ever again, once in one's life is more than enough.
But if this does happen again, all I can say is I will do exactly the same as I did for my beloved baby girl.
No regrets concerning amputation, no regrets concerning chemo ... just unbelievably sad it was all so short lived (compared to what would have been potentially her life span)
Sending you all my love, zillion cuddles to your pack and happy woof woofs from the sky from both Eurydice and Melody
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 :-)
Sweet Kerry
Thank you so so much for your kind words
I am glad Eurydice's example meant a lot to you and Mosby ...
It's all about not letting that despicable, ugly cancer monster take control of your heart (and brain) ...
Mosby will follow your lead, he is never going to be worried about cancer if you can remain his loving, calm Mom throughout his journey.
It is not difficult to do once you set your mind into it.
And, I'm afraid, there is no other possible way to win the war.
Mosby looks as goofy as Eurydice in his avatar picture, I'm sure he's a joy to have around
I will be keeping you and your boy in my heart and crossing my fingers you'll have a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong ride together !
Sending you all my love and zillion cuddles to Mosby
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 :-)
Sweet Teri
You are so kind and lovely
And so was Isa, the loveliest of dogs ...
It is a terrible shame they had to leave us but what can we do?
You and me did all we could for our sugar buns but there is just that point of no return where we have to accept reality and let them free, forever free.
Cancer is never fair but me and Eurydice had the greatest time we could, whilst we could.
I always knew since her diagnosis that we would loose the war in the end but we did win many, many battles for as long as Eurydice possibly could ...
I miss her terribly but take some comfort in knowing she is with all those marvellous angels that I got to know so well through this site.
One of them is our gorgeous Isa, I'm sure our girls are best friends forever
Sending you all my love and lots of happy playing from the sky
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 :-)
Darling Patricia
Thank you so so much for your kind words
It is really hard to think Eurydice is no longer here, her energy and determination were second to none ...
And she fought hard until the very end, even her vets do not understand how that was clinically possible ...
As you say, the travel logs remain ...
They transport me back to those happy, happy times and I am so pleased to hear they do the same for you.
Death is not even a consideration when we revisit her life and her travels, all one can see is happiness and sheer joy for life
As it should be.
Do not be sad for Eurydice, she left at the right moment, she was ready, there was nothing else she could do to stay by my side.
A true warrior until the end.
She is now with me, with you, with everybody who loved her and rooted for her during her journey.
I am overjoyed you have your girl with you and a new baby coming into your life in a few months time.
Stay happy and well, sweetie and keep enjoying Chance every day, we'll all be waiting for lovely pictures of her and the new baby when he arrives !
Sending you all my love and zillion cuddles to Chanceypants, Eurydice is winking at you both from above
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 Christine
Thank you for your kind words ...
I saw the banner and was really touched at how Renee managed to capture Eurydice's joyful spirit so well.
We did fight the good fight, as you say, had a lot of fun together and for me Eurydice is, indeed, the poster for being more dog.
She never moaned, she never complained, she was always up for anything and excited with whatever each day had to offer.
I was so lucky to have had her in my life
Sending you all my love and zillion cuddles to Gator, I'm sure Otis and Tess are having a great time with Eurydice in the sky
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 :-)
Sweet Sally
Thank you so much for publishing Eurydice's banner, that was so kind of you ...
I will be publishing her last happy days from when Sandrine arrived to her last night soon ...
She was such a happy girl, my sweet Miss Cow
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 :-)
Ya' know Teresa, I've read every post Eurydice wrote. Ive read every reply to Eurydice. I've read every post of yours and every reply since Eurydice flew to the Bridge with jowls flapping in the breeze.
And what is so beautiful about a life soooo well lived and soooo well loved is that NOTHING has been left unsaid! We had the most divine privilege to travel with Eurydice to places .most of us would never see. We .marveled at how she brought smiles and life lessons to EVERYONE she met! We were in absolute awe at how people gravitated to her and stepped into her loving light. Every single person was rouched by her ge tle grace and welcoming heart.
We didn't need to "meet" her ro get to know her. We knew her because she invited us to be by her side, and your side, as she shared her living legacy with us everyday.....every beautiful day. Not many of us get to know our "legacy" while in our earth clothes. Not many of us get to know if we mzde a difference while we're here in our earth clothes. We had the TRUE HONOR of being able to tell Eurydice and you every single day how much you impacted you our lives...how much you made us all be better human beings because your shared your loving light with us. Yes, you KNEW your life mattered long before you headed to the Bridge. You knew your mission and you fulfilled it with perfection!!!
And you, Teresa, have shown us all the definition of the most beautiful expression of grace with your eloquent words...your hearfelt divinely vuided words. You have comforted us, while we try to comfort you!! You are the embodiment of an Enlightened Soul. You constantly remkndnus to celebrate Eurydice's SPECTACULAR life and use all the lessons she taught us to make us a little more loving, a little more kind, a little more tolerant and to have a lot of fun everyday!! And, of course, she taught us all the value of a good night's sleep!
So thank you Teresa, thank you for being the best humanity has to offer. And thank you and Eurydice for showing us how to live everyday to the fullest no matter what!! 🙂
With so much love and admiration,
Sally and My Chunky Spiritual Being Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie
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!
What an eloquent and loving tribute to The True Love Story of Teresa and Miss Eurydice, no one could have said it better Sally. I can't help but shed more tears for Eurydice and Teresa as I read this tonight - but these are happy tears. You are entirely correct, Teresa is the best humanity has to offer as are you, Sally. I am continually astounded by the love and compassion that I find on these pages. What an honor to be a witness to this kind of true emotion, true heroism, true selflessness and true joy.
Just Beautiful.
Amy & Rusty
It is absolutely HEARTBREAKING that Teresa's posts telling Eurydice's story have been so decimated by the Photofubucket fiasco. We are working to resolve this, and the threads WILL be restored so that they stand as they always did, a tribute to one remarkable dog and her equally remarkable human. This is going to take time, inevitably, but have no doubt we will do it.
In the meantime, this is a tribute to the one and only Miss Cow, comprised of photos from her travels.
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...
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