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
Oh my....😪😪
She's not feeling well, something looks def wrong to me. This is not normal. How heartbreaking.
I know you've spent a lot of time and money on her, but i honestly think she needs to go somewhere else for evaluation. She looks positively miserable. I am so sorry.
I am at work now but i will be home later on, i have to scoot.
Hugs
Jackie and Huck❤
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry 
THIS BREAKS MY HEART! I CANNOT believe this has gone this far. Willow is suffering! I'm sorry this is crazy she is not on MEDS! 🤬
Willow needs a second opinion and on pain management ASAP! WE cannot stress this enough. NO ANIMAL SHOULD HAVE TO SUFFER LIKE THIS! PAIN NOT FRUSTRATION! I CAN'T EVEN WATCH THE ENTIRE VIDEO RIGHT NOW. SHE NEEDS HELP! I DO believe they can get to the bottom of this. TAKE THIS VIDEO WITH YOU!
Here are links to pain specialists in Iowa, and I'm praying one is close by that you can call and get in asap. I would not let this go on another day!I had to do some digging to get the links etc,. That IVAMP site needs a redo! I made one red and so hope this one is close - there is a coupon for the first free exam. I included that link as well. A cat hospital & like the rest pain specialist. PURRFECT, to be clear, any of these would be great. This one would be no cost if it is close by.
https://ivapm.w.....-Directory
Adel Veterinary Clinic
619 Greene St
Adel, Iowa 50003
515-993-4707
Connie Niklasen, DVM ( NO WEBSITE I COULD FIND)
Bernard, Iowa
50003
USA
563-543-7759
Eastern Iowa Veterinary Specialty Center
755 Capital Drive SW | Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
(319) 841-5161
Stephanie Parks BS, RVT, VTS (Anesthesia & Analgesia), CVPP - BluePearl Veterinary Partners
https://bluepea...../our-vets/
4631 Merle Hay Rd
Des Moines, IA 50322
(515)727-4872
This is my pick if you are near here?
free first visit, a cat hospital and pain specialist on board.
Avondale Animal Hospital
https://vcahosp.....m/avondale
4318 E Army Post Rd
Des Moines, Iowa 50320
(515)262-6111
FREE FIRST VISIT COUPON
https://vcahosp.....e-pet-exam
Family Pet Veterinary Centers
https://fampetv.....es-moines/
1215 Prospect Ave.
West Des Moines, IA 50265
Phone: 515-224-9747
Email: west@fampetvet.com
TEAM WILLOW❤️❤️❤️
I wish they could find whomever did this to her and make them pay dearly. I am so very sorry, and this video speaks volumes. Holly, you are an angel for getting all of this together.
No doctor in their right mind could ever consciously look at this and think she is ok. Serious.
I hope one of these places is close enough by. I do not know where you live but if these don't do, please say something. There HAS to be somebody close enough for you to be able to get her re-evaluated. I am not a vet, but probably more rads and maybe ultrasound can get to the bottom of it. Ultrasound can show much more detail to tissue, muscle, things an xray may not pick up on.
Please keep in touch, please keep us in the loop. Seeing it up close and personal is just devastating.
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry
I wanted to add this earlier, but honestly, I was so shaken up, but what i saw i had to come back.
I understand your concern of NSAIDs and cats, I USED to feel the same, but there are a time and a place for all meds. With monitoring, they can be very safe and USEFUL. It will be determined by a pain specialist what is best likely a multimodal approach will be used. The thinking has changed on long Term use of NSAID in cats.
Excellent paper for future reference if needed.
Long Term use of NSAID in cats
Some screenshots from this paper
We are horrified you have not received help thus far, and feel terrible for you all! I HOPE and PRAY; you will find one of the pain specialists useful and can be seen.
Hugs
Holly & Purrkins❤️
The time and knowledge all the kitty members here are sharing is because they care sooooo deeply about what you andWillow are going through!
You TRULY have some of THE most knowledgeable and supportive group of kitty members chiming in that anyone could hope for in this unbelievable situation. And I have to say, they are being forceful and direct in a way that I've rarely seen in my years on this site. That's driven by Aoul deep compass6 for Willow and for you.
We hope this information can somehow catapu6 you in a direction where you can get answers AND some pain management until things get figured out!
How can we help you? Can we make calls for you to some of these places Holly outlines for you?
Obviously we don't have fund raising on the site. We do know you have GoFundMe page that we, of course, can't link. I guess there aren't too many pages that mention a cat named Willow😉
We are all on Team Willow and cannot applaud you enoigh for staying the course. What you jave veen experiencing is horrific to watch. You are unbelievably devoted and we cannot wait to celebrate as Willow gets better!!!
Oh, one last thought that a techie, yet again, will have to figure out the link..as well as what I'm trying to say!
TECHIE ALERT. 👨🏫 There was a dog...I think his name was Ollie, not 100% sure. He went thru hell during tecovery snd cried out in pain with any mov emwnt or any touch. FINALLY it was determined that nerve end were left "open" and causing excruciating pain. It did take a surgeon foing baxk kn snd cutting off, or closi g off, the endings. But, of I recall, results were immediate.
PLEASE STAY CONNECTED as frequently as you can and let us know if this feedback and links are helping.
((((((((((((((((((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'm happy to see that both Holly and I referred to the same paper on NSAIDs for cats. One thing that stood out for me in the paper stated:
"Clinicians are aware of their duty to promote animal welfare and relieve suffering, but are also often reminded of Hippocrates’ advice to
‘first do no harm’. This is often rightly used to question whether an intervention will actually do more harm than good, and to withhold that
intervention when doubts exist. However, we need also to recognise that withholding treatments such as analgesics can sometimes cause
the greater harm, because we are no longer addressing the pain and suffering the animal is enduring."
You have been doing your best at getting Willow the needed treatment. The vet is causing greater harm by not addressing Willow's pain and suffering.
I know it's uncomfortable to second guess a vet we have trusted but it's quite common for vets to also reach out to their colleagues for second opinions. Before my vet amputated my cat's leg he consulted with another vet and with a surgeon. I was happy he didn't go it alone. As you see with the support of Team Willow you don't have to go it alone either. Holly provided a great list of other resources for you. We are here for you.
Kerren and Tripawd Kitty Mona
benny55 said
TECHIE ALERT. 👨🏫 There was a dog...I think his name was Ollie, not 100% sure. He went thru hell during tecovery snd cried out in pain with any mov emwnt or any touch. FINALLY it was determined that nerve end were left "open" and causing excruciating pain. It did take a surgeon foing baxk kn snd cutting off, or closi g off, the endings. But, of I recall, results were immediate.
Ask and ye shall receive:
https://tripawd.....mputation/
Yes, even though Ollie was a dog, the story is quite similar. All creatures feel pain similarly.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
kazann said
I'm happy to see that both Holly and I referred to the same paper on NSAIDs for cats. One thing that stood out for me in the paper stated:
Sorry, Kerren I missed you added that link. I did not get all the posts read. i was trying to get all the info on here. No surprise we have the same info😘
As Sally has stated, we all genuinely care and our doing out best to help.
Reposting this just in case - this place offers a free first exam if they are close by.?
VCA Avondale Animal Hospital
4318 E Army Post Rd
Des Moines, Iowa 50320
(515)262-6111
FREE FIRST VISIT COUPON
https://vcahosp.....e-pet-exam
Hugs
You all are simply amazing!! I can't thank you enough for your time and research!
I made phone calls yesterday to figure out what our next step is. This is what I discovered...
Everyone is pretty much 2-3 hours from us, which is not a problem. I called the one that Holly had marked in red and I asked what orthopedic surgeons worked there. I was surprised that one of the doctors was actually the surgeon who was asked to take a look at her by her current vet. He was the one that tried to reproduce the 'pain' we were seeing. He also commented that it couldn't be her back because when they got her out of the kennel, she arched her back up high to stretch. He said if it were her back, she wouldn't/couldn't do that. He truly believed it was frustration and that she needs more time. How much time, I do not know. I absolutely hate this. They are the professionals, and I am just going by my gut instinct (and I know my cat). They see her for 20 minutes, I spend all day with her.
I called another one and she was a holistic doctor, more or less. We spoke for quite a while and at great length. She mentioned laser therapy (which she has had a ton of), Solliquin to help calm her (apparently it has tryptophan in it). I have been giving her calming treats when I need something to work relatively quickly, but have not tried that brand. I have been using the GNC brand. She is also an animal chiropractor. Also, she wants me to work with an acquaintance of hers that is an 'animal communicator'. She also thinks that she needs to be on Meloxicam and Gabapentin.
I have also wondered if there is a nerve trapped in the muscle, and I did mention the possibility to her vet. He said that wasn't possible because of the way the surgery was done. What this means, I have no idea. I'm still trying, guys! These vets are just going to think I am vet hopping - if I take her somewhere else, this will be the third vet.
This really means the world to me that you are allowing me to bounce ideas off of you and that you are taking the time out of your days to help us. Willow appreciates it so much, and so do we. I will be back later today to address more of your comments!
Pam, Nova and Willow
Getting second and third opinions is something we see often here, so don worry about what "they" think about "Vet hopping". Any Vet worth their salt would be thrilled if some could figure out what's going on with Willow
You said it so well....I amjust going by my gut instinct (and I know my cat). They see her for 20 minutes, I spend all day with her
Thrilled someone finally suggested Gabapentin!!!! Have you had a chance to get it yet and start the dosing??? Truly hoping this gives her some relief!!!
Refresh my memory. Is the hissing, growling just when she tries to walk, or at other times too?? Point being, if it's at other times too, this would certainly point to pain.
The kitty experts will chime jn with feedback on your responses from the calls you've made. . Hang in there!!!!!!!
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!
Did you get Willow on pain meds? The Gaba and Meloxicam yesterday?
We can only make suggestions and direct you on our own experiences. A path to follow and hope and pray you hear us.
From the ACVS website
haizer9 said
this is not a life any cat would want to live.
We agree! She needs meds and finding the solution so she can be pain-free and be a cat again.
haizer9 said
Everyone is pretty much 2-3 hours from us, which is not a problem. I called the one that Holly had marked in red and I asked what orthopedic surgeons worked there. I was surprised that one of the doctors was actually the surgeon who was asked to take a look at her by her current vet. He was the one that tried to reproduce the ''pain'' we were seeing.
I took all the pain specialists in your state off that list, and I am sickened to hear one you mention has been involved. Did they see Willow like this in the Video?
There were others listed....Also, Look into the feline practices near you. If no vet has seen these videos, can you email your vet? Call them and ask if you can send a video link to them so they can see she needs meds.
Here is the link Jerry posted earlier. Maybe one of these will be closer to you.
Here is a link for a
We only have you state if you want to give your city /zip code, someone here has to know a good place to go.
haizer9 said
He also commented that it couldn'tcouldn't be her back because when they got her out of the kennel, she arched her back up high to stretch. He said if it were her back, she wouldn'twouldn't/couldn'tcouldn't do that. He truly believed it was frustration and that she needs more time. How much time, I do not know. I absolutely hate this.
NO, she does not need more time suffering! She needs meds and finding the root cause no more time like this. I don't like being so blunt
(sorry sally)
haizer9 said
They are the professionals, and I am just going by my gut instinct (and I know my cat). They see her for 20 minutes, I spend all day with her.
ALWAYS LISTEN to it your gut instinct, we have it for a reason. it will never you steer you wrong.
haizer9 said
These vets are just going to think I am vet hopping – if I take her somewhere else, this will be the third vet.
If it helps any, we went through 4 vets to find one and when Purrkins was diagnosed with Cancer we got multiple opinions until we felt comfortable. Many here do the same. Professional or not, they are not the same. Some are not up to date on the latest pain management etc.
Ditto, SAlly The bottom line is Willow is suffering! Who cares if they think your vet hopping?
Did you look a the links posted on Ollie?
I did not go more into the peeing issues again because I would be peeing on the floor too if i was Willow! The poor soul can't walk how we can expect her to pee in a box? I don't!
What you can do is make the box easy for her to get into it may or may not help—See, these ideas it can't hurt may help.
DIY Low-profile Litterbox Modification
Litter Box Tips for Tripawds - Member Tips
Please keep trying the answers and solutions out there.
I'm not sure what else i can add.
Hugs
Team Willow
Holly & Purrkins
All I can do is totally DITTO Sally and Holly! I hope you have been able to get her somewhere for pain relief. You have a whole support group here that is just a mess over the pain your poor kitty is experiencing.
Team Willow!
Holly and Kerrin have given you so much information. A lot of time and effort has gone into this. If there is any other information that you need, any questions that you have, please let us know.
We are praying you can get to the bottom of this problem so that she can be pain free.
Please stay in touch!
Hugs,
Jackie and Huck (more Team Willow supporters)
PS.. You don't want to know how many vets we have been through, not ashamed of it, either. It's no different than going to a human doctor and then going for second, third, fourth opinions... whatever it takes!
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry
I posted to our site Vet for her input on Willow - https://tripawd.....d/#p229011
this is her response if you have additional questions please post under that topic.
Holly & Purrkins
And my non vet opinion I WOULD add the buprenorphine back in.
I hope this helps you see you are not alone. This is pain and needs to be treated.
Holly: thanks for your care and hard work in adding even more resources, starting a post for Vet Pam for her great advice! I appreciate that we both supplied the same link about NSAIDS for cats. For 30 years my cats have used it in Canada and I became surprised and concerned when I joined this site and saw there the warnings of its use. It's good to know that vets now have clear guidance in its use. I value your opinion and that you acknowledge NSAIDS as an option.
Pam, Nova and Willow: My front leg amputee Mona stretches her back but still needs some chiropractic treatment particularly at her pelvis and neck to help her move more smoothly. That's great you have found a holistic vet / chiropractor. Trying the pain medications will not hurt Willow and hopefully will give her relief.
Sally always says to "chunk it down". There is a huge amount of info and opinions here but there are clear threads throughout the posts: Willow looks like she is in pain; needs another vet's opinion; may have nerve pain; needs pain meds; and you are doing a great job!
Kerren and Tripawd Kitty Mona
3 Guest(s)
