Hi Ruby and Jess, and welcome!

im so sorry you are going through all this but really pleased that you have found your way here. 

Your story has a number of parallels with my Meg, who will celebrate three years on three in a couple of weeks’ time. She likewise lost her leg to complications following a nasty break. In her case the original break was repaired but in a couple of years developed end stage arthritis in her elbow. This is pretty much inevitable, as I understand, after a break of this nature. As amputation was not considered an option for her because of problems with her remaining elbow, we went for elbow replacement surgery and there followed nine months of increasingly desperate attempts to save her leg. Multiple surgeries, scans, X-rays and a total of more than two months in hospital as her leg failed to heal. In the end she developed a chronic infection and further scans revealed that not only was the bone failing to join with the implant but actually retracting from it. We were left with two options: amputation or euthanasia. I decided that after all she had been through I owed it to Meg to give her a chance at life on three. 

I felt, as you do, that at least she would be able to be free of the restrictions she had been living under for close to a year. In her case, she LOVES to swim and had been unable to get her leg wet because she still had an open wound on it. I felt great trepidation though, particularly as I didn’t know whether her remaining front leg would be able to support her. I now look back on her amputation with a feeling of immense relief. That was when everything started to get better. As Sally says, this is major surgery and certainly Ruby will appreciate having her Mums undivided attention for a week or so, but certainly for us, compared with Meg’s previous surgeries this was FAR less stressful. With a fracture repair, or an implant, you are constantly stressed that she is somehow going to damage it and send everything back to square one. Amputation is actually extremely simple. Of course you need to keep on top of pain as with any surgery and keep her as quiet as possible to give her body a chance to recover, but there’s not that feeling of constant tenterhooks. Also, as Ruby must have been pfretty one sided for months now, it is likely that she will adjust more easily than a sudden and abrupt change from four to three. Her body will have already started to adjust, in terms of all the muscles and tendons etc. In fact, perhaps you could even start some core strength exercises now (check with your vet first, of course). That will help her even more when it comes to recovery. 

Sally is absolutely right. One more surgery and THAT’S IT. You can put all this behind you and get back to enjoying life. Click on the link below to Meg’s blog, and check out her videos. You will see that life on three can be every bit as fun and full of joy as life on four. 

Sending love to you both. There is light at the end of this tunnel, I promise. 

Meg, Clare and Angel Pie xxx