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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Happy New Year everyone!
I spoke to the vet and sent some images and he said it was nothing to worry about so that's a relief.
Coco is sleeping a lot and not coming out of his sleeping area very much. It is day 9 post surgery and he is 13 with other conditions but other cats seem to be much more active at this point. I'm hoping it's just the healing process and he starts getting back to his old self soon.
Sleep is the best medicine for him right now, really. He had a pretty huge procedure and the body does its best healing during sleep. I have seen a large handful of older kitties that took longer without other conditions.
Happy New Year to you and your family! Hang in there 
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry 
Glad the Vet gave.you reassurance that Coco's incision area is okay.
Day nine is still very early in recovery from MAJOR surgery and especially for a "seasoned" ,kity!! Try not to compare recoveries. A
That said, actually Coco is having g a fairly "normal" recovery. Some recover at this point much slower than Coco...and yes, some faster.
If I recall. Coco is eating, drinking pottying and is already mobile all good signs. As Jackie said, rest is exactly what Coco needs right now...That's the best healing therapy of all.
Keep is posted and TRY and be patient. Coco 's sparkle will come back slowly but surely.
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!
We had some really bad news about coco today. The vet said the lab results showed a very aggressive cancer that has most likely spread and he probably has weeks or months left. I feel awful having put him through surgery and would never have done it had I known. We did all the tests and everything was clear even the lymph node aspiration but they said the aspiration probably wasn’t enough to show up the cancer. They said we could try chemo to give him more time but he has other conditions including diabetes and I feel that I don’t want whatever time he has left to be filled with vet visits and procedures. Has anyone else had a diagnosis similar. Any advice would be greatly received. X
I'm so sorry you got the crappy diagnosis. What kind of cancer did the report show?
I know this is super heartbreaking news. But here's the thing: nobody can predict the future. Even with an aggressive cancer, many animals will outlive their prognosis. Our Jerry was only supposed to have six months and he lived two years, and many others here have similar stories. Nobody can predict what will happen, or how cancer can behave. Sure there are averages but that doesn't take into account Coco's personal physiology.
Now, is your vet is an oncologist? If not, I encourage you to talk to one, if only for informational purposes so you can feel confident about whatever path you decide to take. Chemotherapy is a personal choice and people choose or don't choose to do it, and we support them no matter what path they take. But at the very least, talk to an oncologist to get the whole picture, if you haven't already.
For now, focus on making him happy. Try your best to put your heartbreak aside (I know that's so hard!). But truly all we can do is live in the moment, here and now, and make the most of every minute. With or without cancer, that's all our animals want for us. It's their greatest lesson they are here to teach.
Also, you're still so early in recovery. Coco will get his groove back and get strong. Focus on one thing at a time, with that being the most important one right now, helping him bounce back so he can have a good quality of life. How is he doing?
((((hugs))))
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I can only add to read and re-read Jerry's well thought out reply....because it's all true!
We all fo through this amputation process with hope. We make the hard decision because, even if things don't turn out as well as we woild like, ws TRIED!! We gave our cats and dogs a chance! There is no room for regret or second guessing when you love our pets enoigh to TRY, to give them a chance!! I guarantee you Coco wants that chance!! She absolutely has a chance for more qua time...more time for loving and spoiling!!
Now, do yourself a favor and re-read Jerry's ppst... and then go give Coco some ear scratches and a special treat!
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 both for your kind word and encouragement.
Coco has squamous cell carcinoma. Cats mostly get this in their mouths and if they get it elsewhere it tends to be localised so amputation in most cases would solve the problem. The oncologist said the way the cancer behaved in coco was very aggressive and the lymph node had attached to the surrounding tissue which made it harder to remove. She said it was highly likely to have spread and at the speed it had spread in the leg in could be weeks or months.
If we went the chemo route we might buy he 3-6 months more but it would require lots of hospital visits and in coco's case sedation as he doesn't tolerate IV's very well. They can give chemo orally too but there's a risk of anaemia and because he has non regenerative anaemia which is being treated with Atopica and Preds it would be risky especially when it would buy him so little time.
Having had the information I feel that its not worth putting him through any more vet visits for the short time it might buy him. All I can hope for is that he recovers some more from the surgery before the cancer takes hold elsewhere. If I could get back some quality of life for him even for a little while I'd be happy with that. He has arthritis in his lower back and that's been acting up, I think maybe because he's had to adjust how he walks it might be aggravating it. He's still on gabapentin so that should help but i'm trying to keep him off the buprenorphine unless he really needs it. He comes out to use the toilet and to eat but is spending most of the time in his box. He seems happy enough apart from the arthritic pain but it's hard to tell if he's lethargic because he's still recovering from the op (It's been 17 days) or is he pain from arthritis or has the cancer spread somewhere else. He is 13 but I feel like he should be more perky at this stage post op. It's so hard to know.
Thanks again for all your support, it's so helpful to get other peoples opinions as this is all new territory for me. xx
Lena, I can only imagine how hard it was to receive that diagnosis and prognosis. I'm really sorry. But this stood out to me in your response:
at the speed it had spread in the leg in could be weeks or months.
Key words: "could be"....right? Nobody knows, and cancer does weird things that surprises even the best onco vets sometimes. So the best thing you can do right now is to try as hard as you can to set that prognosis aside and focus on Coco in the here and now.
If he has arthritis, a regular course of pain management will help. Please don't be afraid of giving him daily prescription pain meds (under the supervision of your vet, of course). That's why they exist, especially for an older pet with arthritis. Staying ahead of the pain is critical to control it. Once pain gets to the point where it's obvious, it takes twice as much medication and time to bring it back down. So, I really encourage you to work with your vet or a pain specialist / rehabilitation therapist who is up on pain management for cats. They can come up with a strategy to get Coco to a point where you feel he has quality of life again. And the Tripawds Foundation can pay for your first rehab visit so you've got nothing to lose!
Keep us posted on how it's going OK?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I really comme d you8 mfor the way you and your BpVet have processed the best path forward for Coco. It is soooo important to evaluate how EACH individual animal responds to Vet visits, etc. If Coco gets stressed at rhe Vet and has to deal with sedation, needles and poking and prodding, that defi takes away from her quality and joy, regardless of whether chemo may, OR may not, be effective.
Letting her heal from surgery, letting her be HOME in the environment she knows and loves, being with hoomans she adores, and getting spoiled, spoiled, spoiled is the best treatment plan she could have!!
And no, it's not unusual for a dog or cat to not be quite perky judt a few days after two weeks. For over three weeks with my Happy Hannah I felt ,like I had done this surgery TO her and not FOR her.Then her sparkle started coming back and the long recovery was in the rear view mirror. In retrospect, needing three weeks to recover from MAJOR surgery was well within "normal" range. And Coco is a "mature" cat who needs extra rest to recover.
How much Gaba is she on? Dose and frequency? As Jerry said, you want to make sure her pain is managed if arthritis is a contributor. Gabapentin can...not always....but can cause a slight sedation effect. You can check with your Vet about an alternative IF you feel like the Gaba is making her sleepy. Maybe there is one more targeted to arthritis specifically for cats??
Eating, drinking and getting up to go potty in her own all good signs!! So know that those things ARE improvements!
AND...."you said he seems happy enoigh".....Another good sign! How 'bout purring or wanting ear scritches....any interest in that yet?
Stay connected and update when you can. And remember, any "little" improvement is a HUGE IMPROVEMENT and needs to be celebrated!!!
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!
I wanted to give you all an update on Coco. It is with a really heavy heart that I have to tell you that Coco was put to sleep at home last night. The cancer spread to under his neck and tumours started popping up around the scar site. Every couple of days I'd find another lump or bump somewhere on him. We took him to the vet for his post surgery check and she said it's likely to have spread given how aggressive the cancer was but could only confirm with a biopsy. We decided against this as he had been through so much and there were growths in so many places we knew we were fighting a losing battle. I feel so upset that he never really recovered from surgery to enjoy running and jumping again. A couple of weeks ago he started coughing and his breathing became crackly. He was blocked in his nose too. We got a course of antibiotics on the off chance it was an infection but the reality is that it was probably cancer in the lungs. He slowly started to go off his food and would only drink cat milk. he had 2 bad night breathing and that's when we knew it was enough. As much as we wanted to keep him he was struggling for breath and because of this couldn't eat much either. It was so hard to see him go but he had a very caring and gentle vet that sent him off as peacefully as we could have hoped for. The last 6 weeks has been an ordeal and I couldn't have got through christmas without the support of tripawds and all the caring and generous people on here. Thank you all so much for making this horrible time more bearable. Sending you all lots of love xxx
My heart is broken and so, so heavy with this news. Lena I'm really sorry. What a lousy hand Coco got dealt, I cannot even imagine the heartache you are going through right now. At least you have an amazing vet who made this terrible situation a little less awful. What a gift to help Coco transition without trauma. You gave him a final gift that was so hard for you, but the best thing for him. Still I know it hurts, there is no getting around this grief.
Every Tripawd soul who joins us is so special, and their humans are too. When one becomes an angel, we all grieve. I'm so sorry for your loss. If you feel up to it at some point, please share some photos and tell us more about your life together. Clearly you shared a very special bond with Coco, one that will never be broken.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi Lena. I'm so so sorry to hear that Coco has passed. I have followed your journey & I wanted to assure you that in each situation you & Coco were placed in, it sounds as though you made the best decision possible with the information that you had at that time. Every decision was difficult & heartbreaking but you made them with great love & care, and that is all anyone can ask of themselves. Back when I was a veterinary assistant one of my specialties was euthanasia counselor, & I can say with great certainty that giving Coco a peaceful passing in his own home & surrounded by those that he loved was the best gift you could offer him. You have gone through 6 weeks of absolute hell & the grief you are feeling must be immense. Please know that you have done an amazing job - I wish that all animals could have the advocate that you have been for Coco. Lots of love to your family & to everyone who loved Coco.
Shaking my head in disbelief. This piece of crap disease is so cunning and so brutal. Sometimes the script is already written. It runs it's course silently and goes undetected and flies under the radar of medical tests, treatments etc.
This was so well said::
hiccup19 said
........ Every decision was difficult & heartbreaking but you made them with great love & care, and that is all anyone can ask of themselves. Back when I was a veterinary assistant one of my specialties was euthanasia counselor, & I can say with great certainty that giving Coco a peaceful passing in his own home & surrounded by those that he loved was the best gift you could offer him............Please know that you have done an amazing job - I wish that all animals could have the advocate that you have been for Coco.
Your love and devotion came shining through, not just to is, but to Coco too. You have been by her side every step of the way and that brought her great comfort.
We all go this route with hope. It's a "forced choice" , but one we make because we HAVE to TRY. We HAVE to give them a chance. That is what THEY WOULD WANT. To not try, to not give them a chance is what we would regret and forever second guess. Regrettably and tragic, sometimes even with the best advice and pre-tests the medical profession has to offer, things just aren't meant to be.
Coco wants you to focus on all the good times. And even these past six weeks had some good times where you got to give Coco extra snuggles and care that gave her great comfort. Just being near you brought her calm so she could rest peacefully.
And to give her the gift of release from an earthly body that no longer served her....that was the most selfless act of love we can ever give our beloved pets. She knew you love her enough to set her free....free to run and play and chase butterflies (but not catch them). When she got to The Rainbow Bridge she had a feast of every kind of food she could ever hope for! Then after a full tummy, she stretched out the sun, groomed herself and then took a nice snooze and dreamed about all the wonderful times the two of you shared.
And yes, when you can, please share more about Coco and your adventures together. And also let us know how she connects with you....because she will, so pay attention.
Surrounding you with Coco's love and eternal light💖
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!
Nothing really helps in these kind of situations but I think that you did everything that you could and your judgement calls were clearly the right ones, even if things did not work out in the end.
You are in my thoughts and prayers.
- "what shall be done for these innocents? I have been warned not even to raise the question of animal immortality, lest I find myself “in company with all the old maids”. I have no objection to the company" - C S Lewis (The Problem of Pain)
- "Mr Toplady was touched by the cruelty of the scene, and exclaimed, ' Who could bear to see that sight, if there were not to be some compensation for these poor suffering animals in a future state' 'I certainly hope,' said my grandfather, ' that all the bulls will go to heaven; but do you think this will be the case with all the animal creation' 'Yes, certainly,' replied Mr Toplady, with great emphasis, ' all, all!" - Josiah Bull (recording a meeting with the great A. M. Toplady, author of "Rock of Ages" in "Memorials of the Rev. William Bull of Newport, Pagnel")
- "Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God" Luke 12:6
I am so very sorry for your loss. I can only echo the words of everybody else. You did everything possible to give Coco the best life possible. We are all here for you. Please know in your heart that you did the absolute best that you could for him.
Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.
Hugs,
Jackie and Huckleberry
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry
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