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
WHEEEEEE! 
Great news all around for everypawdy!
Please never ever feel badly about sharing good news, we NEED that here and some weeks more than ever. Good news is why the Tripawds Community started. It gives us hope and pawsitivity, without it, the Tripawd life would be pretty sad. YAY PURRKINS!
And YAY MSU, I LOVE the new Center for Feline Health! It's about time that cats get equal treatment in vet medicine.
When we were at CSU's vet hospital recently for a Wyatt Ray wellness check, the waiting area was chaos. There were a few kitties in carriers and I felt terrible for them. I hope other teaching hospitals are taking notes on MSU's pawgress.
Super duper good news Holly & family, purrpuchinos all around!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Drats, can't get rhe cideos working right now (it's just a Verizon connection issue...I'll get to see them later) because of weak signal.
I DID get to see that YUMMY waffle cone with the most gorgeous scoops of chocolate ever created!! Such a tantalizing picture!! 🙂 🙂
It really is interesting how Saxton reacts when Purrkins comes home from the Vet. And he's just fine if he goes with him! Too funnh! Well, not funny to Purrkins! 🙂
Can't wait to see the videos....I can already see there isn't one single strand of drool or spit vubbles anywhere! 🙂
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!
I wanted to let you all know that many vets are signing on to be a "Cat Friendly Practice". Here is the website where they educate vets and cat caregivers http://www.catv.....om/cfp/cfp
Holly, I'd love to loan Mona out. It would make her feel pretty special. I also met a man at the vet clinic who brings his cat along to comfort his dog.
Thanks for showing the videos. You sure had a great day celebrating!!
Kerren and Comfort Cat Mona
Thank you Kerren. We don't have cats but totally respect vets who go the extra mile to put cats on equal footing with the doggies.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Yay so glad for great news 🙂 xoxoxoxo
Keep kicking butt Purrkins
loved the ice cream pictures too.
hugs
Michelle & Angel Sassy
Sassy is a proud member of the Winter Warriors. Live long, & strong Winter Warriors.
sassysugarbear.tripawds.com
07/26/2006 - Sassy earned her wings 08/20/2013
05/04/2006 - Bosch, Sassy's pal, earned his wings 03/29/19 fought cancer for 4 months.
"You aren't doing it TO her, you are doing it FOR her. Give her a chance at life."
Rene, Thank you!!
Yaaaay We are really relieved and ecstatic here! I was really happy to see kitties go up a notch:) They do deserve equal care etc;)
I hope the other teaching hospitals follow MSU lead! I hope things keep changing in that direction everywhere!
Thanks Kerren, that is a very useful site for all cat people looking for a feline friendly practice !
We have used it before looking for a new vet:) We need to have Feline Friendly Vaccine as needed practices too, hope all of this is in the near future !!
Michelle, Thank you! Purrkins plans on iti;)
XOXOXOXO
This was Purrkins most of yesterday! I feel so bad for him! MSU is just too much for him! He had little nightmares! Thank god we are spacing these appointments out!! I can not keep doing that to him! It is not good for him! He loves going to Dr. Matt! MSU is entirely different story !
Happy to report today things are back to normal!!
Love to all
So happy to hear that things are all clear! Yeah Purrkins!!! I was stalking your blog last night to see if there was an update, I didn't think to check here.
When we would go to MSU, I got pretty good at figuring out things to do ...I found a place to get a pedicure, a Salvation Army store, and there's always the public library (comfortable chairs and a clean bathroom!). And great pizza at a place on Grand River called Bell's ...yumm! lol Murphy's belly was shaved clean a time or two, also.
Our regular vet has 2 separate doors when you walk in - 1 for dogs & 1 for cats. There's only 1 room on the cat side, so sometimes cats end up coming over to the other side to go to the exam room, but at least the entrance & waiting area is separated for them.
It's kind of like a pediatrician's office that has a separate waiting area for sick kids ..I think I've only seen that once.
I agree with everyone else - keep the happy stories coming! We all need them.
Donna
Donna, Glenn & Murphy
Murphy had his right front leg amputated due to histiocytic sarcoma at 7 years old. He survived 4 years, 2 months & 1 week, only to be taken by hemangiosarcoma at 11 1/2 years 6/12/17
Read about Murphy's Life on Three Legs
Thank you Donna,
Your so sweet thank you for Stalking Purrkins blog;) I’m sorry, I obviously haven't got to the blog yet! I looked pretty close to the way Purrkins did after that appointment and the next day 😒🙄
We will check out the Bell’s pizza, I guess it is right by the Starbucks we stop at to Celebrate on our way home! We are spoiled we can just come back home its only about 20 minutes away! Sounds like you knew just where to go:) Yay for you! A pedicure & pizza you missed the MSU Dairy store;) I am hoping for your pack there is no more MSU just saying!
P.S.
Dr. Swanson was not on. We ended up NOT seeing Dr. Vilar and saw Dr. Honkisz she was great too! Maybe next time.
Hugs
So glad you got good news! Our cats, Princess and Sophia, always go to the vet together, but it gets worse. My 18 year old daughter must also be present or Sophia's BP goes so high we have to come back for a recheck. So me (credit card), two cats (the patients) and my daughter every time these cats go in. Enzo the cat used to go in with Tess and Otis.
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
Thanks Christine!
Oh my it does get worse then! We know the 2 cats and the credit card! Poor Enzo maybe Gator can be his new escort and comfort Enzo!
There are vets that will do home visits! We haven't tried those. This MSU is unavoidable I'm afraid at least it will be less often! Saxton will be going along the next time! They do great at our one vet! MSU is another story!
Chin & ear scratches to the kitties!! Catmandoo bonito flakes😻
Love to Gator!
Poor Purrkins! A bald belly AND kitty nightmares! Too traumatic for sweet Purrkins!! At least you can console yourself with CHOCOLATE!! 🙂
And Christine...such a special connection your daughter has! Sweeet!
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!
Yeah Purrkins!!!!!!😻😻😻😻😻😻
Not sure how I missed seeing this wonderful news earlier. So good to hear that the little trooper is not only hanging in there but thriving.
I got Purrkins official dismissal paper from MSU yesterday(email) ! We are always sent home with bloodwork & the official dismissal comes later. 2 weeks later this time! Normally no big deal we have discussed everything with Onco so we thought !!
This was in there # 4 Sent me into a spiral ! I clearly see it say's less likely ok! But this was never mentioned at our appointment , what was mentioned was in the dismissal info below! A fatty tumor and she clearly said nothing to worry about!!
I emailed Ame Dabear and she got me breathing again! I had got myself to the nauseous state. I have emailed our Lovely Dr. Matt for more clarification and Mark is calling the Onco for clarification as well! Less likely or not this should of been discussed at our appointment and not show up on a freakin paper on a freakin Sunday and OMC Frantic & Piffed does not begin to say !!
The dismassal info is what we discussed and there is no mast cell mentioned!! Do not slip mast cell in a document that comes in a email that was NEVER mentioned to people with a 3 legged cat!! Seriously? UGH
Full abdominal ultrasound
Diagnostic summary: This has not been evaluated by a board certified radiologist.
1. Previously noted hepatic cyst was not present on today's examination.
2. Suspended hyperechoic urinary bladder material likely lipid, mucus, protein, cells, or crystals.
3. Bilateral renal mineralized foci.
4. Hyperechoic splenic nodule most consistent with splenic myelolipoma. Hyperechoic nodules have been associated with mast cell tumors, but this is less likely given the lack of other sonographic findings.
Dismissal Information:
Purrkins was his wonderful self for us today! We are very happy to hear that he has been doing well at home and glad to see that he is gradually losing weight
Please continue to work on Purrkin's weight by encouraging exercise and play time, as well as decreasing his caloric intake.
No new or concerning findings were detected on physical exam today. Purrkins' blood work looked good overall, except for a mild elevation in ALT, which we recommend be rechecked in 4 to 6 weeks.
His urinalysis was within normal limits with no concerning findings.
Chest x-rays today did not reveal any detectable evidence of metastatic disease to Purrkins' lungs and were otherwise
normal.
The full abdominal ultrasound revealed resolution of the previously seen liver cyst. A myelolipoma (fatty
nodule) was observed in the spleen along with some mineralized foci in each kidney. All of these findings are considered incidental at this time. he ultrasound was otherwise within normal limits.
Based on today's results, we discussed the need to continue to evaluate Purrkins' chest x-rays and lab work every 6
months to monitor for metastatic disease. However, we decided to only perform an abdominal ultrasound once a year
from now on unless a change occurs that would indicate the need to have an ultrasound performed more often.
Please continue to monitor Purrkins for any inappetance, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loose stools, lethergy, or any other abnormal behaviors. If any of these signs are seen, please contact a veterinarian as soon as possible.
Purrkins is due for recheck blood work (liver values) in 4 to 6 weeks, which can be done with your regular veterinarian.
We would like to see Purrkins back at MSU in 6 months for re-evaluation. In the meantime, please do not hesitate calling us with any questions or concerns that arise at 517-432-4700
We look forward to seeing Purrkins again in the near future!
I sent off a email to Dr Matt yesterday and today Mark is calling MSU on this for more clarification!! If I called well lets just say Mark will handle it better 😉
My Email back from Dr. Matt says-
I would not be too concerned about that. I think they likely mentioned that more specifically to cover all potential scenarios. With all other systems in check and based on how well he is clinically doing, I would note it and recheck ultrasound in six months, not a year - looking for any changes. Hope that helps. Have a good day.
--
Matt Januszewski, DVM, CVA, CVSMT
Integrative Veterinary Services of Southeast Michigan
1122 S. Michigan Ave.
Howell, MI 48843
517-292-8880
http://www.inte.....rvices.com
Will post what we hear back from MSU! I just wanted to post this for future reference and because I fell off the ledge yesterday! I completely freaked out!
If anyone has any further input please add too please. Mark & I were both thinking we should redo the ultrasound in 6 months now and with Dr. Matt saying the same! That was my clarification just to see where this is?!?!?! Likely or not!
Ok, I am done venting and will resume my bucketeer duties! Thank you 😉
1 Guest(s)
