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Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat

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sciatic nerve damage and rear leg amputation?
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Member Since:
11 January 2017
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16
22 January 2017 - 5:41 am
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Hi everyone,

Ernie had successful surgery on Friday and is being a legend. Prior to amputation he needed help to get in the car, less than 12 hours after surgery he jumped into the car unaided!

He's pretty nimble on 3 legs already, which is a huge relief. He has three drains inserted, two of which are sewn internally onto the remainder of the sciatic nerve, one of these is to inject local anaesthetic if required. The drain from his wound is leaking/bleeding and I'm getting myself mentally prepared to change the huge dressing, which the vet has given me instructions to do. 

Thanks so much for all your ideas and support, hopefully it will continue to be a positive move for Ernie. 

All the best, Vicky. 

Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
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22 January 2017 - 6:09 am
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EENIE IS A ROCK STAR!!!! So glad he is home and surgery went well!! 🙂 🙂 🙂

It may ve a eough couple of days and some long nights, but it spunds like Ernie is already Loving Life On Three Legs !!! Super duper news!! 🙂

Stay connected and update as you can!

Hugs!

Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!

PS. You'll become a pro at bandsge changing in no time!

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!

Member Since:
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22 January 2017 - 6:57 am
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So glad the surgery went well!

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.

Minneapolis, MN
Member Since:
23 April 2016
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22 January 2017 - 10:59 am
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What great news for Ernie!  So pleased to hear it!  Thanks for the great update, Vicky.

Lisa, Minneapolis

On October 27, 2016, nearly 6 months after amputation, and 18 months since his cancer likely started, we lost Pofi to a recurrence of Soft Tissue Sarcoma in his spine quite suddenly.  His canine sister also succumbed to cancer on March 1, 2019 - we lavished her with our love in the interim, but life was never quite the same without her only real canine friend. Cliff kitty had to leave us, too, suddenly, in August 2019. Lucia kitty grieved all these losses, but helped us welcome two new Lurchers into our home and our lives, Shae and Barley.

Blog: Pofi, Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor Amputation

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22 December 2016
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22 January 2017 - 5:46 pm
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Hooray! No experience to share but I just wanted give support and say I'm glad the surgery went well!  Also you should give us some more pictures of your handsome boy! big-grin

London, UK


Member Since:
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23 January 2017 - 4:27 am
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This is great news, Vicky. We've been thinking of you. So pleased Ernie is doing well.

Meg, Clare and Elsie Pie xxx

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...

The Amazing Adventures of Ruby Tuesday 

My Life as a Megastar

Member Since:
11 January 2017
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22 April 2017 - 1:40 pm
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Hi to everyone who supported me through the amputation decision, thank you so much xx

When the vet operated he removed his sciatic nerve entirely and found a tiny tumour on a side branch of the nerve, which he said he has never seen in 30 years of practice. It also didn't show on the MRI scans. So, thankfully it was completely the right decision to make...PHEW. 

I really appreciated all your kind words and encouragement. Ernie, who is now fully healed, with a thin coating of fur now and he's boinging about like a canine kangaroo! He's also medication-free now which is a relief.

It has been a while since I logged in so I hope all your dogs are well too? 

Ernie is physically fit again, can still play football and has been going to hydrotherapy which he loves. The only down side of the operation is that his larynx is slightly damaged and he has a loud snore/gurgle going on at night. He's had 5 sessions under general anaesthetic and the tube down his throat has caused a partial paralysis of the larynx sad. This has to be weighed up against the new freedom he has I suppose, and there's no option for another operation anyway.

The other thing I'm curious about is if anyone's dog had anal gland problems after a hind leg removal? It may not be linked, but seems to have started right afterwards. One side, the remaining leg side is infected and is still not good after antibiotics. 

Ernie has also developed a new trick of peeing while standing on two front legs, which for a massive lurcher looks hilarious and causes a lot of attention!! 

Also, I mentioned I have another dog, a saluki who now protects Ernie from other dogs approaching, while mine are on the lead. This is getting annoying as I managed to train him out of lead aggression previously. Ernie was knocked over a few days ago by a fast moving dog and Pharaoh went insane and knocked the in-coming dog to the ground. I suppose split second accidents will happen, I just hope a fall doesn't damage his other back leg. Does anyone have any experience of this 'over-protection'? 

Anyway, thanks again. I felt like there was always someone out there, completely getting where I was coming from. 

I hope you are all well, Vicky, Ernie and Pharaoh xx

Member Since:
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22 April 2017 - 1:50 pm
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https://www.ins.....gW1xNgJqw/

I hope this works??!

Member Since:
14 February 2016
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22 April 2017 - 3:27 pm
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So glad to hear from you and that Ernie is doing so well!

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.

On The Road


Member Since:
24 September 2009
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25
22 April 2017 - 4:21 pm
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Vicky it's so great to hear from you! I fixed your video so we could all see it. All you need to do when sharing from instagram is to paste the URL of your photo. Here are instructions for adding Instagram photos.

He looks terrific! I'm glad to see what a happy boy he is again. 

Our Wyatt Ray has never had anal gland issues. But this topic was recently brought up, you may want to read:

Let's talk about poop And here are some other discussions about anal gland problems.

I'm also not much help about challenges with multiple dogs and a Tripawd. But I know others here do have experience in that area so stay tuned and they'll chime in. Congrats on the great update!

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

Member Since:
11 January 2017
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23 April 2017 - 2:37 am
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Hi,

Thanks for fixing the video Jerry. I copied the URL but wasn't certain it was correct at the time! I've read 'let's talk about poop' thread, which is interesting, thanks you. 

Thanks Otis and Tess. Really sorry to read about your dogs. That was a very tough year for you. xx

Vicky, Ernie and Pharaoh. 

Michigan
Member Since:
2 April 2013
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27
23 April 2017 - 9:18 pm
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Vicky ~

Ernie looks amazing!!! clapIt's so great to hear that he's doing well! 

I for one (and I bet I'm not the only one!) would get a laugh out of seeing him pee on 2 legs!  lol  It really is the little things that keep us going around here you know laughing Murphy normally just stands to pee at home (he had a front leg removed), but when we go out for a walk, he always has to pee on everything ... I crack up when he forgets and tries to lift his left leg, leaving him with just his back leg on his right side to balance (and his left front)..doesn't work so well!  Then he has to circle around to figure out what he wants to do lol

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

Donna.png

Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
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23 April 2017 - 9:43 pm
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ERNIE! YOU ARE A. ROCK STAR SUPER STAR WILD AND CRAZY PUL!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂

GRRRRREAT VIDEO!!!

So glad to get this wo derful update....and we'll be waiti g for the pee videp! 🙂 🙂

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!

London, UK


Member Since:
15 December 2015
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24 April 2017 - 12:29 pm
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Great video! I'm thrilled to hear how well Ernie's doing. 

No great insight re the problems with Pharaoh, only just that perhaps with Ernie's being 'off games' for a while it's thrown the pack off balance slightly, and Pharaoh is dealing with this by regressing to his former behaviour? I doubt it's anything to do with Ernie being three-legged per se. Also, I guess if you are (understandably) feeling slightly more protective, Pharaoh may be picking up on this? The one thing I feel very confident of is that having trained Pharaoh out of this before, you can do so again and it will probably take a good deal less time and effort than it did before. I do empathise with the feelings of frustration, having dealt with behavioural problems myself, but I don't believe for a second you are back to square one.

Re the falling, yes it does stress me out, though a lot less than it used to, as I've seen Meg fall a hundred times and she just bounces right back up. But that other leg just feels so precious, doesn't it, and sometimes you can't help but hold your breath. 

All best,

Meg, Clare and Elsie Pie xxx

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...

The Amazing Adventures of Ruby Tuesday 

My Life as a Megastar

Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
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30
24 April 2017 - 6:03 pm
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Good insight Clare!

...

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!

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