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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voodoo said
Will the rollercoaster of emotions will end someday?
Yes. Our best advice is to Be More Dog .
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
The emotional part of this will get better - making a decision like this is really hard. We did not crate Otis - he has never been crated and wouldn't have wanted it. He really did not want to move around much, and I was with him that whole first week. Lots of sleep, and short leashed potty breaks are ideal. I moved my mattress to the first floor and had three dogs beds down there. Some dogs want to be more active and you have to keep them quiet. Otis pretty much just moved from bed to bed, and then not often. The first two weeks will be really hard - great that you came time her vacation to stay home with him. But, once the staples come out (about day 10), most dogs start to perk up.
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.
We didn't use Murphy's crate for him during the early part of his recovery. We got two of the small exercise pens and hooked them together. We made a pad from a queen sized egg crate foam mattress pad that we doubled over and wrapped in some sweatshirt material (like a pillowcase for it). The pen gave him enough room to move around for comfort, but was small enough to keep him from doing too much. We even fed and watered him in there for the first few days. He only came out of the pen for leashed potty time.
Murphy's case was different from most here because he had a total hip replacement about two months after his amputation, so he spent almost seven months on leash when he needed to go outside. He was allowed to be off leash in the house after he was through the initial recovery period from the THR.
Kathi and the Turbotail April Angel...and the Labradork
Murphy is a five year old Lab/Chessie cross. He was hit by a car on 10/29/12 and became a Tripawd on 11/24/12. On 2/5/13, he had a total hip replacement on his remaining back leg. He has absolutely no idea that he has only three legs!
UPDATE: Murphy lived his life to the fullest, right up until an aggressive bone lesion took him across the Rainbow Bridge on April 9, 2015 and he gained his membership in the April Angels. Run free, my love. You deserve it!
Novak is a VERY active dog, so we'll see how he his after the surgery, but Im guessing I will need to stop him a bit. I have a xpen as well, so maybe he will have more room in that, than the crate. Thanks for the help and feedback. 
Now, ordering the Web Master harness
, my god its expensive LOLOL The canadian exchange is bad 🙁
It is pricey, but I love the Ruffwear Webmaster Plus harness, and so does Otis. He is 100 pounds, so I cannot lift him on my own. It allows me to assist him with the handle without any straps cutting into his body. I hook the lead to the back, so it keeps up and away from his feet when he hops/walks. Otis is very comfortable in it - he reacts in the same way that he does to his collar, lots of excitement. He seems very comfortable in it, even rolls in it. (Rolling is his thing, he is not trying to get rid of it, he likes to roll). And, notwithstanding the rolling, it is holding up well, dirt resistant, etc. So, for me, worth the money. It does twist a bit on a front legger, but works just fine that way. Our blog has a couple of photos of Otis wearing it if you are interested.
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.
Oh you handsome pup! It's nice to see you looking like a king!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Looks like Novak loves it too! He sure is a handsome boy! We'll all be keeping you and him in our thoughts and prayers on surgery day. Please keep us posted when you can. We too found the Ruff Wear harness an invaluable tool and worth every penny.
Hugs,
Linda, Riley & Spirits Mighty Max & Ollie
Hi there
So, are you going to remove the entire leg in the end? Our surgeon's opinion is not to leave any of it as it is more weight to carry around and apparently doesn't help balance either ...
Are you considering actually watching the operation ??? That is extremely brave of you, I don't think I would have the courage to do it myself ...
As others said the first couple of weeks are the hardest, you will have better days and worse days but as soon as the stitches come out you should see a big improvement.
Love his new bed and so does he !!!
And the harness is a good move too, a reality important tool for us pawrents to help our furry babies whenever needed.
Pay special attention to traction if you have slippery floors, it is very important they feel as steady as possible not to compromise their confidence whilst learning to hop on 3.
Sending you much love and pawsitive energy and big cuddles to your fluffy
Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-)
I decided to cut the femur short, so I won't do a coxofemoral disarticulation, I know that both ways are proned by different vets and I read about it and had the input of orthopedic surgeons and after all that I decided to leave a piece. There always the option of going back to surgery if any problem occurs(I REALLY DON'T WISH THAT) but thats what I decided. Im not a vet and it was hard to decide because I had both ways explained to me and suggested by different vets, but 90% of the vets that I consulted with are for leaving at part of the femur.
The surgeon who will do the amputation has an analgesic specialisation, the only one here in Quebec, so pain management will be 200%.
I will be working on the day of the surgery, I wont be watching directly, but I will be in the clinic and maybe have glimps of it, but I will try to occupied myself so my mind doesn't go crazy. The surgery is planned for 9 am and I will be working till 9 pm, so I will be leaving with him after that and manage everything at home, because there no one at the clinic at night anyway, so I prefer to look after him at home. And after Im on vacation for 1 week and after that week, my boyfriend has 2 other weeks on vacation, so for a total of 3 weeks, Novak won't be alone much.
I will do a paw print of the paw and keep it for a future tattoo that Im working on and for a souvenir. I also want to dissect the knee to really see for real, how bad it is, I know, its gore, but I love surgery and we do a lot of these when an animal is euthanize and it helps a lot to see what was really happening. Im really lucky to work at a vet clinic and to have a fabulous team with me, but this web site is really the most help I had, I really feel that Im not alone and that we really understand what Im feeling. No one can really feel what Im feeling without going through this themselves. Yes, we can sympathize, try to help and listen, but its not the same. So thanks for that website!!! 
Hi there
Yes, I can imagine how difficult it was to make that decision and as you say you can always have it done in the future if needed (touch wood it will never happen!)
And it sounds like you will have a great team on your side!
You know I didn't realise you work at the clinic ... I now understand why you would be able to be there during his operation and why you are braver than most of us
Novak has a head start in his recovery having you as a mommy and great to hear you and your boyfriend can be there for the first 3 weeks!
Sending you a big hug and lots of cuddles to gorgeous Novak
Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-)
Oh my oh my, Novak didn't need this he has a big hot spot on his belly/scrotal area and its my fault! I was on vacation last week and he was swimming everyday, didn't think about making sure he was dry enought, it was so warm here! I wanted to make sure he swam a lot to build muscle so the surgeon could have a big muscle to make a cushion! So now, he's on antibiotics and a topical solution, that I can't put with the AINS, so I stopped the AINS till the hot spot is healed... I hope he will be ok before the surgery, I don't want him to have any complication and when the body is fighting a bacteria and you go in surgery, its not ideal! And the cone......arghhhhhh hate that thing LOL I tried the dognut collar, but he can reach and lick, so I will continue using the big cone and poor Novak, he will have that thing for 2 weeks after his amputation and now, at least till the hot spot is healed...so maybe, what 2 weeks more? Poor Novak....since I shaved him, he,s like running from his butt!!! He sit and is very unconfortable! Anyway, what can I do, except take care of him and let time pass....it will end one day, right? 🙂
It's not your fault - these happen. Cassie had her 1st ever hot spot last year, at 10 years old, under her tail. When the vet finally was able to shave the hair to get a good look at it I was horrified at how big it was! But he did explain to me that they can spread even just overnight because the dog licks. She was put on steroids, antibiotics and an antibiotic spray.
I'm not sure what AINS is. What about boxer shorts? Put them on with the fly where his tail is ... at least when he's not going out to go potty... it should help keep the area covered.
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
AINS is anti inflammatory meds, sorry about my clinic language LOL The hot spot seem a bit better tonight, it was awfull this morning, but only started the meds last night. But now, he's got a reaction on his mouth, chin, redness, pimple, decolation of the lips(usually black) and his pannus is flaring up 🙁 poor Novak, his system is going crazy right now. Don't know if its a reaction to the meds, the cone, but when I remove his cone to go outside he rubs his face against the grass, clearly its scratching him. Now, Im thinking about postponing the surgery... Im starting another meds to help relieve the scratching, will see... I really want him to heal and feel better soon!
oh, ok - we call them NSAIDS - non steroidal anti-inflammatory meds.
Hope Novak feels better soon!
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
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