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
Zoey is our 8 year old rough coated collie (picture Lassie, except with white and black fur). She is now 3 weeks post op after her left front leg was amputated due to osteosarcoma. She's doing great! When diagnosed, her lung X-rays were clear even though we know that the cancer could be there microscopically.
We are opting not to do chemo, just enjoy every second we have with her.
It's summer and husband wants to plan a vacation, I can't bear the thought of leaving Zoey even though we have a great place for her to go if we leave. What if "that time" comes while we're gone? The vet said that we will know quickly if it has gone to her lungs and I've decided that the minute I see that that has happened, we will let her go. What if it should happen while we're gone? My friend has promised me that she will take care of Zoey if that should happen (she's gone through the same thing with one of her dogs). I will get things lined up with my vet, just in case.
But, I can't bear the thought of it happening while we're gone. Has anyone else gone through this?
Also, I've always been with every dog, horse and other animal as they've been eased from this life. I just can't bear the thought of being with zoey when it should happen. I don't know what's wrong with me. I want my life and everything in it to stop while she's still here.
Not a this g is wrong with wrong with you silly.......everything g is RIGHT!! You LOVE your Zoey and everyone e ere gets that!!
Great news that Zoey is doing so well I. just three short weeks....that's a really good strong recovery.
whoaaaaa....hold up a little......I'm not a vet' HOWEVER, in MOST cases, certainly not all, if lung mets do show up, your girl can STILL have a lot of good quality time for loving and spoiling and tail wagging:-) 
And that extended time can give you a lifetime of memories and peace!
I'm sure there are others here who will chime in and give you links to those situations.
And there are protocols that you can consider, chemo, metronomics , etc.if you want to investors further.
You have already done the best tni g for your girl....you've removed the pain and she's showing you how happy she is about that!
NO ONE knows to e frames....with or without chemo, with or without lung mets, even, to a small degree, with or without amputation.
This is the big lessons. in all this junk.....living in the. moment, enjoy I g the moment' knowing all is well I. the moment and of worrying about "what its"........soooooo hard to do!! But Zoey is doing it everyday!
How lo g will you be gone? How far away?
I know I'm being no help!! K can only keep saying g Zoey would probably want you to go! Could your friend stay with her at your house? That may make you feel better.
How 'bout so e photos of Zoey, that would make us ALL feel better!!!
You are doing a great job ad so is Zoey!!
Congratulations s o. three week amuversry:-)
Sally and Happy Hannah
For me, there's nothing g. ore imporatnat for my dogs to be ho e with me surrounded by calm' love and quiet gratitude for their very existence when they make the transition to the other side of life. I understand how important that is to you. I u derstand how important it is to savor every second d with Zoey. And I also understand Zoey would want you to go!!!
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 know how you feel <3
We left for a 10 day trip two weeks post op--and that was rough, even though it was early. As time goes on, it has been both harder and easier to go away. Easier, b/c life is pretty "normal" anymore, and for the most part we treat Sam just like we always did (well, with more pills :p). Harder, b/c well...time is marching on, and we all know what that means.
But you do have to live your life--after all, we're living, right? Not waiting to die.We don't get a guarantee ANY day, so try not to stress about the ones you are on vacation/travelling.
We have an 8 day trip at the end of this month. We'll be just over four months out, at that point. So sure, I'm worried... but I'm confident in our housesitter, and our vet and ER are nearby, etc. I know Jacqie will call if she needs to (and ONLY if she needs to), and if I have to, I will come home.
This whole roller coaster of OSA and amputation and living with it all requires a lot of adaptation, but eventually life does--and NEEDS to--return to normal.
Go, trust in your sitter, have fun, enjoy your vacation--you have earned it <3
"Let us think the unthinkable, let us do the undoable, let us prepare to grapple with the ineffable itself, and see if we may not eff it after all."
-Douglas Adams, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency
"May I recommend serenity to you? A life that is burdened with expectations is a heavy life. Its fruit is sorrow and disappointment. Learn to be one with the joy of the moment."
-Douglas Adams, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul
Thank you. It sounds stupid, but it never occurred to me that I can rush home if something should happen.
This really sucks. (can I say that here?)...
LOL, yes you can say that here. If something unexpected happens, you can certainly come home. And, Sally is right about the appearance of mets not meaning an instantaneous demise. Many dogs here have lived very happily for months after the discovery of lung mets. In fact, Zeus had a lung met at the time of diagnosis. It never multiplied and barely grew, and we we finally lost him ten months later it wasn't from that met. Enjoy your vacation!!
Zeus was a Husky mix diagnosed with Osteosarcoma at age 11. A visible lung met and suspicious spot on his liver meant a poor prognosis-six weeks was our vet's best guess. We decided to fight for our boy and his right front leg was amputated on 12/1/11. We did six rounds of chemo, changed his diet and spoiled him completely rotten. We were blessed with 10 great months after diagnosis. Against the odds, the lung met remained a single met and grew very little over those months. A wonderful furbaby with the most gentle spirit, he fought with a strength that we never imagined he possessed. We have no regrets...
http://zeuspod......pawds.com/
I totally understand how you feel!! Lily is going on 18 months and we've taken 2 vacation-about 12 days each time. Each time I went through exactly what you are going through. We went because we needed to get away and we went to see our son. I came back refreshed and with Lily doing great! I also knew that if anything happened I would be on a plane home that day.
Enjoy every second with Zoey... but give yourself a break and some down time-good for everyone!
PS I do know from this site that just because it has gone to their lungs does not mean there isn't plenty of quality time left.
Joan and Lily
Our beautiful Lily was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in her front leg on 12/14/11 at age 8 and had amp on 12/16/11. She completed 5 rounds of carbo. She was so brave and kicked cancer's butt daily! She lived life fully for 4 years, 3 months, and 15 days after her amp. My angel is a warrior princess. I miss her so much.
Ahh, yes, we understand completely. Everyone faces this quandary at one time or another, whether they're going away for an hour or a week or a month.
What it comes down to, is you must live as Zoey does. You must follow her lead, and live life for today, not for the "what ifs" or the "shoulddas.
Sampson's momma wrote about this topic so eloquently, I hope this blog post helps you live life to the fullest together.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
1 Guest(s)
