Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hi folks, I hope this is okay - I mostly just wanted to make absolutely sure I know how to navigate these forums in case I find myself in need of help in the next few days.
Tristan is 16, pretty small (9 pounds), frisky and kittenish even in his old age. Our primary care vet found a tumor on his leg about a month ago and after a lot of tests and a biopsy, it's a cancerous tumor completely isolated to the leg. Tristan is otherwise *perfectly* healthy. For his age, even his kidneys are doing well.
We tried a week of chemo but the tumor nearly doubled in size; the primary vet, surgeon, internist and oncologist agreed that the leg had to come off.
They did the amputation yesterday, and the surgeon just called that Tristan is ready to come home. We've been looking at lots of videos and pics of happy, healthy senior tripods. We've prepared setup to make everything convenient for him, food and litter-wise.
I'm scared, but really hopeful. Looking over the different parts of this website has been unbelievably helpful and reassuring. Whatever happens with Tristan (he is 16, I know there is a lot of risk here...), you all have given me a lot of optimism and a ton of information. I feel as prepared for this as I can be, and I thank you for that.
melisser said
I hope this is okay - I mostly just wanted to make absolutely sure I know how to navigate these forums...
Of course it's OK! Welcome and best wishes for Tristan. For help using these forums and navigating the Tripawds community, don't miss this tutorial video. For help finding the many other Tripawds resources and assistance programs, start here .
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.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Well hello Tristan the Amazing Super Senior!!
You are definitely in the right place for support and information . We understand the depth of your bond with Tristan and your commitment to giving him a pain free life. All we can do is try and give our sogs and cats a chance, and it sounds like Tristan would want that chance too!
Recovery is no picnic for a week, or two, or three. Our extraordinary kitty members will chime in with lots and lots of tips and reassurance
Make sure the Vet gives you ample pain meds to carry you for about two weeks. And don't be surprised is she takes several days to start being mobile. She my not want to eat much yet either . Peeing and drinking are important though.
Here's a link to some great kitty tips https://tripawd.....gged-cats/
STAY CONNECTED! YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!
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!
Thank you so much!
We are home and wobbly but so far much better than I expected. He ate some food, used the litter box, and is now passed out in his softest bed, snoring with the volume of a much larger animal 
They gave him a fentanyl patch for the first few days... I'm curious about what happens *after* that, but this is a really great hospital and I know that if he needs more help, they'll provide it.
Yay for a smooth transition home! That's wonderful.
Fentanyl patches are a slow-release medication and typically last about 3 days. After it's done, there's nothing there, just the patch but you still want to handle it with care as it can have residue left. I love that your vet sent him home with great meds, that's a terrific practice!
Keep us posted and holler if you need any help OK?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
jerry said
Keep us posted and holler if you need any help OK?
I absolutely will! Thank you. We're doing a lot of sleeping, but he gets up every couple of hours to eat, drink, and use the litter box. I can't imagine how worn out he must feel. 
Hello and Welcome
Sorry, you have to join us & dealing with cancer.
Tristan is doing fantastic on his first day home. What a cutie!
Great job on figuring out the photos
That's all you want him doing eating, drinking, peeing, sleeping, pooping may take a bit the pain meds can constipate. So don't worry if he doesn't poop right away. If he has any issue, you can give him Miralax.
Great, they sent him home with the Fentanyl patch and as far as what happens after three days. Have a plan before he will need more pain meds. Purrkins stayed in the hospital for three nights four days and was on Fentanyl there. At home, he was Gabapentin for 14 days & Buprenorphine for 12 days.
Did you happen to see
The Tripawds Feline Amputation Recovery And Care Handbook? Cool Tips for Tripawd Cats?
Save with Tripawds Coupon: 3OFF right now during the Black Friday -Cyber Monday sale.
Keep us posted we are here to help in any way we can.
Smooch Tristan for us, please!
Hugs,
Holly & Purrkins❤️
Well, we made it through the first night!
I think the thing that is most reassuring to me right now is how affectionate he is. He has expended more energy trying to headbutt me and climb onto my lap than for anything else. He has always been a lovey cat, but he must be so tired and in pain and still wants to snuggle. Although, that could also be because he is high out of his mind on fentanyl. 
He really wanted to be on the bed last night, but wasn't quite able to manage his stairs. I didn't want him freaking out or hurting himself trying to get up and down on his own in the night, so instead I made a slumber party blanket pile on the floor and slept there. My back feels way too old to be sleeping on the floor, but he slept on my pillow curled up next to my head, like he always does.
We are about to get absolutely hammered with snow in the Midwest, so I'm glad he's doing okay and that, for now, we seem to have everything we need. Thank you again, everyone.
YAAAAY! Fantastic first night home.
The cancer is gone I imagine less pain even though we took a leg. Different type of pain. The Fentanyl doesn't hurt the mood either;) We want him seeing pink elephants! I'm sure Tristan is happy to be home and recovering it is our human brain that struggles not them!
We had restricted activity for two weeks. Purrkins chose the closest to recover in, and I slept have way in and halfway out of the closet lol not a walk in type closet. We put the mattress on the floor, and after a week of sleeping on a sleeping pad mattress pad yep you feel every bone you didn't know you had! We both slept on the mattress on the floor the 7th day waaay better for the human body, and we didn't have to worry about Purrkins falling off.
We were not to do stairs for 14 days, but we did allow Purrkins to try his pet stairs on the 10th day shhh we were right there to help if he needed it. The real steps and the rest of the house were allowed and tried on the 14 th day when his stitches came out he was a free kitty again no restrictions.
We are in Michigan we are waiting on the same snowstorm yippee🤥
Thanks for the update
Hugs & scratches to Tristan
Holly & Purrkins
Hello from Tristan, who is OVER being stuck on the floor.
Unbelievably, I had a snow day yesterday so I got an entire extra day to spend at home with him. This room is now populated with multiple stacks of things that he can manage (we call them the Soft Ziggurats) surrounded by pillows just in case. He can get up and down on his favorite chair AND the bed and he is very happy about that.
He is NOT happy about being confined to one room (which he honestly just figured out yesterday, lol) but I'm sticking with this for a little while longer, as he's still a bit wobbly.
He's eating and drinking and is able to get in and out of the litterbox on his own (thank god); he hasn't pooped yet, but he's only really eaten soft food, so this doesn't worry me yet - he's on a lot of different meds, all of which have constipation as a side effect 
. He is very into the new grooming ritual, gentle combing with a warm damp comb, spot-cleaning with unscented baby wipes followed by a warm towel cuddle. I have a feeling we are going to be continuing this ritual long after the cone comes off.
I have to take the fentanyl patch off today, which I'm nervous about - he is (understandably!) very protective of the remaining hind leg, and I imagine it's also a bit sore from the weight redistribution. I have lots of treats handy to make it a little less scary for him (and me), I hope.
Thanks again for all the info and support!
Awww Tristan! You are such a good kitty! And a lucky one too, that recovery room is sweeeeeet 🙂
Your grooming ritual makes me jealous, that sounds like a lovely spaw treatment.
As for the fentanyl patch....sometimes they're stapled on so be sure to watch for those little buggers. Let us know it goes, we're cheering you on for the day you get to break out into the rest of the house!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Tristan is doing fantastic, and he is thrilled to be up off the floor.
Love the steps you set up for him good job! Yes, they do not like being closed in any room and that is a great sign he is recovering 😉
You can add 1/8 tsp tiny dose to 1/4 teaspoon of Miralax to Tristan's wet food add some water - He is a small kitty that should be plenty.
Miralax needs the water to work. There is a wide range of safety doses for Miralax in cats start small and give 2 X a day the poop will come!
Thanks for the update
Nose kisses to Tristan, please
Holly & Purrkins❤️
I wanted to pop in to say hello and thank you again... I've made a lot of use of this site in the last 4 months.
Tristan's follow-up scans so far have been completely clear; it really does look like we caught the cancer in time and got it all with the leg amputation [all fingers still crossed]
He's adapted pretty well for his Ancient status. He's a little slow and creaky, and gets cranky (and shouty!) when he can't get where he wants to go, but gosh he is still the sweetest, most affectionate cat. I am so grateful to get more time with him.
My goofball living his Best Tripawd Life:
Look at that frisky old guy of yours! I'm so happy to hear he's handled recovery so well and is back to his typical day-in-the-life! He is a true inspawration, thank you for coming back to let us know how things are going.
Do I see two different colored eyes of his or is my monitor wacky? Wow he's neat looking!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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