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
We had to say goodbye to Mabey on Monday. Her Surgery was jus six weeks ago and she was doing incredibly well. Over the weekend she started to lose her appetite, her abdomen was swollen, vomiting, and wouldn't come into the bedroom to sleep with us--- which has never happened in the 10 years we had her. We took her to the vet and she had tumors all throughout her liver, starting in her kidney, and spots on her lungs. There were no options but to ease her suffering. We spent the afternoon with her doing a few of her favorite things. I also have a horse and she would often come to the barn with me. It was by far one of her favorite places to be with the horses, donkeys, and goats. We took her there for a visit and got her tail wagging. I just got off the phone interrogating my vet again and second guesing my decision. He was very comforting that we made the right decision. We did get two opinions on Monday and they both said the same thing. It was a matter of days a month at the most. She may have bled out and died. At least we got to look into her eyes, tell her we loved her, and let her go peacefully. We also have 6 month old puppy that is a golden/lab mix. Now I'm terrified she will get sick. Beating myself up that I fed her the wrong food, something in our water, did we expose her to too many chemicals? The fact that she may have had two cancers is absolutely devastating to me. I know eventually I will stop crying but right now it seems all I can do. Winnie, our puppy, has been a saving grace for sure but I know she misses her sister terribly. I have some peace that after we did the amputation she was pain free for at least five weeks. She was running, playing, going to the barn before the cancer either spread or another one surfaced. I'm just really asking a lot of questions as to how that could happen. I am curious if anyone has had a similar experience. Were you able to attribute it to anything? My grief, paranoia, and regret have a pretty strong hold on me right now and am looking for some help. I miss her soooo much I can barely stand it.
Shelly and her Angel Mabey
Oh Shelly, I'm so sorry to hear this about your sweet Mabey. My broken heart goes out to you as you grieve and question your decisions. Our Harmony only lived 11 days post-amp and I absolutely understand everything you're feeling right now. It's so difficult to get past these emotions that set up shop. But you have to know you did everything you could for her and she knows it as well. But It also says a lot about how much you loved her and would have done anything (and you did) to keep her pain-free, otherwise you wouldn't be beating yourself up right now.
For me, as time marches on, those negative emotions fade a little more each day. Then one day the logic of it all will remind you that cancer is to blame, not the vet, not the meds, not the food, and certainly not you.
Just focus on the joy while you grieve. Before you know it, one morning you'll wake with nothing but joy as all the emotional baggage will have slinked away.
Peace to you my friend.
Pam
Harmony became a Tripawd on 10/21/14 (MCT). She left us way too soon on 11/1/14.
"We miss you so much; our love, our heart, our Harmony."
- Pam, Ron and Melody, Meesha, Doublestuff and Mariah Carey
I am sooooo sorry for the loss of your beloved Mabey.... way too soon. It always is. I was like you, I blamed myself, the food I fed Shelby, the drugs, did I make the right decisions?! It didn't make sense. And how could she be happy and healthy to sick? Did I miss the signs? The mind is a powerful thing and I have had to work really hard to 'silence' it ... and it DOES get better. The sadness is overpowering and grief is so powerful. But it WILL get better.
I have a new dog now and I adore her but I have the same worries all the time. Things I would let Shelby do, I NEVER let Jasper do. It gets better with time but it is hard.
Know that we are ALL here for you. Sending you love and hugs ...
alison with the spirit of shelby fur-ever in her heart
Shelby Lynne; Jack Russell/Shiba Inu mix. Proud member of the April Angels of 2014.
October 15, 2000 to April 8, 2014
Our story: Broke rear leg in June 2013 - non-conclusive results for cancer so leg was plated and pinned. Enlarged spleen in September 2013 and had it removed and was diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma and started chemotherapy. Became a Tripawd January 8th, 2014 and definitive Hemangiosarcoma diagnosis. Three major surgeries in 7 months and Shelby took them all like a champ only to lose her battle to cancer in her brain. We had 8 amazing extra months together and no regrets. #shelbystrong #loveofmylife
Shelly and family, this is so devastating, I'm really sorry and hope with all my heart you can find peace knowing that you made the best decision for her. Getting those other opinions shows how much she meant to you and by following through you showed Mabey that you loved her. I know it's hard to believe, especially in these first few weeks, but in the end, you did spare her a potentially awful, painful death that would be even more traumatizing to all of you.
Cancer is not a fair opponent and it often comes from out of left field like this, stumping the brightest minds in the scientific universe. When there is a cure we will know why things like this happen but until that day it will make all of us crazy wondering why, why why. Instead of focusing on that, try to focus on the GREAT life you gave her in your family, surrounded by love and kindness right up until her last breath. No animal could ever ask for more, it's all they ever want from us and you fulfilled that duty 110%.
Undoubtedly you will wonder how you can prevent it in your other animals, all of us get this education we never wanted, but if we use it to our advantage and help our existing pets be healthy and strong, we are honoring our beloved cancer hero angels. I know you will do that too.
Hang in there, things do get better and until then you can come here to vent, cry, share and celebrate Mabey's life with you. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your journey, you are always family here.
{{{{hugs}}}}}
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I am sorry that Mabey's journey ended so soon, what a devastating turn of events.
It is our nature to second guess ourselves after a devastating loss, we want answers. But sometimes, especially when dealing with the bastard that is cancer, there are no answers. You only wanted the best for your girl and that is how you made your choices. I remember an earlier post from you about how you loved and trusted your vets. They wanted the best thing for Mabey too.
You gave your girl a chance and that is all we really have control of. Sometimes, like with Mabey, it doesn't work out, but that does not mean you did anything wrong.
I hope the good memories will bring some strength and peace in the coming days and weeks. You are always part of our family here and we can help carry a little bit of the grief with you.
Karen and Spirit Maggie
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Shelly - I am so so sorry ... this is the hardest thing in the world - and clearly you loved that girl so much and everything you did for each other was Love ,,,,, all the way ... no matter how or when our dogs die we have grief .. and cancer is so random ... it just happens to the just and the unjust ... it just happens -..
what a horribly sad and painful time you have had ... I feel for you so much ... please be gentle with yourself ... treat yourself as you would treat someone who is feeling the way you feel .. I will pray for you and for your beautiful girl dog ,,, who is in heaven chasing squirrels on all 4 legs ! and no pain ,,,, !
Our hearts break when we read these posts. We love to share the joys with the successes as well as share the sorrow when we lose one of our Tripawd land pack! You have to know that our hearts ache along with yours. Cause the main thing is.. we all understand. Those of us who's furbabies are at the bridge to help welcome newcomers, know exactly how you feel. Those whose furbabies are still down here with us, know how you feel because they know how they would feel! When you love hard, you grieve hard.. I believe that. And how could we not love these three legged mugs that we have shared our life with?
You have to know that.. even though Mabey was with you for only an extra 6 weeks.. it was 6 weeks pain free.. and like you said.. she enjoyed it and was doing very well. Unfortunately, sometimes cancer rears its ugly head in places that are beyond our control. You could have brought her home and let her go in her own time.. but what fun would that have been for her? Not at all.. you know, we all know, that we do the best thing for our sweet furkids when we have to let that leash go one for time... it is the ultimately, most loving thing that we can do... we have to believe that.... She left peacefully, surrounding with your love knowing that all was well... because you were there.
And.. not to mention, the Bridge just became more beautiful with her arrival! My goodness.. the pawties that happen up there when new doggers and kits and others arrive. Do they know how to celebrate!! Pig ears, milk bones, Chewy toys and squeaky toys galore!! They never run out.. and they never gain weight from eating too many!!! How cool is that!! Well... that's pretty cool for my Franklin cause he did love his pig ears... I swear I hear constant crunching in my ears sometimes!!
And yes, Winnie feels it too... even though she is still a pupy, she had a big sister, furry Aunt to look up to! Love her up, give her some extra attention.. besides.. puppy kisses make you smile!!
She's always in your heart... always will be... cancer can't take that away. There is a door there with her pawprint on it! Cancer doesn't destroy everything....
Cancer is so limited
It cannot cripple love
It cannot shatter hope
It cannot corrode faith
It cannot destroy peace
It cannot kill friendship
It cannot suppress memories
It cannot silence courage
It cannot invade the soul
It cannot steal eternal life
It cannot conquer the spirit.
and most of all.. it will never destroy the bond and love that you had for each other.. ever!
Christine... with Franklin in her heart♥
Franklin, he was the Happiest Dog on Three Legs! Diagnosed 09/26/2012 with Osteosarcoma, amputated 12/4/2012. Had a wonderful 5 1/2 months painfree until he ran for the Bridge on 5/15/2013. Always in my heart, and always a guardian angel of my pack... You can follow his Tripawd Adventures, before and after, in my blog, Frank'n'Farter!
Shelly I'm so sorry. There is never ever enough time with them. I was in the same boat as you, my Jake was doing great and then he just didn't want to eat. When I took him to the vet, we got the news that he had a second unrelated type of cancer and because of where it was there was nothing we could do. In two weeks, my Jake will have been gone for 1 year already. We have all second guessed ourselves and we have all become hypervigilant. It's an unfortunate byproduct of the loss we all have come to know too well here. I think we all still cry over our angels, and for me almost a year out now, I can say that the good memories have definitely started to outweigh the bad. I'm so glad Christine posted what cancer can never take away. Cancer is just a speck on their lifetime. Their death is but a small moment in the totality of their life. Mabey may only have been a tripawd for a short time, but she got to live the last few weeks of her life pain free because of you and no one knows what causes cancer, so there is no way you could have done anything to keep her from getting it.
HUGS
Mom to Tripawd Angels Jake (2001-2014) and Rosco (2012-2015) and Tripawd Tanner. “Whatever happens tomorrow, we had today; and I'll always remember it”
Shelly, I was so sorry to hear about your precious Mabey. We have lost way too many of our Goldens this month. Please know that Mabey loved you and knew that you loved her. We are all here grieving with you,
Kathi and Murphy
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!
Shelly, I am so sorry to hear about Mabey. It is so normal to second guess your decisions this early on. My TY lived for 72 days after his amp and a lot of them were not good days. I still questioned my decision to let him go. Then I felt guilty for putting him through all of the de riding and surgery for the MRSA a infection. It was not diagnosed, but I truly think that his cancer had spread by the time I took him to end his suffering. His fevers were high, he wouldn't eat, just laid in his bed. Then we start questioning what we fed them, where we took them etc. try to be kind to yourself, you made all of your decisions out of love for Mabey. I just recently came across Ty's pathology report. I kept it for some reason. I was able to read it with clearer eyes now and realized that he was really sick. At the time, I thought he would live a long time and beat the odds. Then when he didn't, I wondered what I had done wrong. The answer is nothing. This disease is so evil and unpredictable that it has to get any blame. Mabey knows how much you love her, enough to give her the unselfish gift of ending her suffering. It hurts! For a long time. One day though, you will be thinking of something she used to do and you will find a smile creeping out through the tears. Hugs, Lori, Ty and gang
TY GUY, Best Black Lab ever! Diagnosed and had amp in January, 2014. Kicked MRSA's butt. Earned his angel wings on April 16, 2014. Run Free my boy and don't forget a shoe. Ty is a proud member of the " April Angels". Ty sent us Daryl, a Tripawd rescue in Sept. of 2016. Daryl is 5 +or -. We are also Pawrents to Chandler, a Border Collie mix who is 15 and 1/2, Lucy, a Corgi who is 7, 2 minis, 2 horses, and a feisty cat named Zoe. Zoe had a non skeletal Osteosarcoma removed in July 2015. No Chemo, she was at least 16. She is going strong although she is now completely blind. She is now close to 20 and her hobbies are eating and sleeping in front of her personal heater.
I am so sorry to hear of your loss. Cancer just plain sucks. No matter how long you have it is never ever long enough. We all 2nd guess ourselves when it comes to that time. You got to spend quality time with her and she got to say her good bye she will meet you again at the Rainbow Bridge until that time she will be playing and enjoying herself 100% healthy again.
Hugs
Michelle & Angel Sassy
Sassy is a proud member of the Winter Warriors. Live long, & strong Winter Warriors.
sassysugarbear.tripawds.com
07/26/2006 - Sassy earned her wings 08/20/2013
05/04/2006 - Bosch, Sassy's pal, earned his wings 03/29/19 fought cancer for 4 months.
"You aren't doing it TO her, you are doing it FOR her. Give her a chance at life."
Shelly, My heart hurts for you. I just went through this last week. Our Eddy had five months as a tripawd and was really doing well. Toward the end of December, that changed. His last oncology appointment, the doctor voiced to me her concerns that perhaps he had more going on than just the osteosarcoma, she suspected maybe a brain tumor. On his final day with us, my husband gently tried to lift him and he snapped at him...something he had never done before. My husband thinks he may have had something going on in his abdominal area as well. He also was running a very high temp 104.2. And, like Mabey, he had become lethargic and wasn't eating as much. He went to heaven Jan. 6th.
Like you, I have spent the past week analyzing and second guessing my decision. Ironically, when we got to the vet for that final appointment, he had really perked up. He was smiling that Golden Retriever smile and was wagging his tail, looking around at all four of us. The vet offered him a treat and he inhaled it, looking at her for more. She grabbed a handful of them and he gobbled those up as well. These are the things that are haunting me now. Even though I questioned his vet that day, and she agreed it was time, the fact that he perked up so much in that room is hard to accept. I asked a vet friend "when is the right time to euthanize?" And, her response was "Anytime from diagnosis on". That helped me. You gave Mabey the most awesome gift of 5 extra pain free weeks. I know it doesn't sound like a lot of time, our 5 months doesn't seem long enough either. But please take solace in that you did everything you could to help her and relieve her pain. I am so sorry for your loss. I know how hard it is.
Peace,
Betsy
Betsy Golden and Angel, Eddy. Eddy was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma 7-23-14, had a left rear amputation 8-07-14, had 3 rounds of carboplatin chemotherapy, a small lung met was discovered in October, had 2 rounds of doxorubicin, and unfortunately more lung mets were discovered. Eddy fought cancer valiantly and went to the Rainbow Bridge 1-6-15, at the age of 7 years and 359 days, just six days short of his 8th birthday. Best Dog, Ever....you will never be forgotten.
My heart breaks for you. Each and every tripawd warrior is a hero, and Mabey is no exception. I am sorry you had such a short time after the diagnosis. Please do not beat yourself up. None of us know when we are faced with this diagnosis how long we will have. You made the best decision you could with the information you had available. Mabey was loved, and she knew it. She knew you did everything within your power for her. Sometimes we just can't fix it, no matter how much we want to or how hard we try.
I hope you are able to heal and remember the great memories that you had with your girl.
RIP sweet Mabey. Run free at Rainbow Bridge.
Shanna & Spirit Trouble ~ Trouble gained her wings 3/16/2011, a 27 1/2 month cancer survivor, tail wagging. RIP sweetheart, you are my heart and soul. Run free at Rainbow Bridge.
The November Five - Spirits Max, Cherry, Tika, Trouble & Nova. 11/2008 - 3/2013 An era ends as Queen Nova crossed the Bridge.
Online
Mabey and Shelly, this just knocks us to our knees. I'm so grateful that others in the community have been able to step up and offer comforting and loving support. Every single soul who has responded, with the exception of one of us, has gone through the gut wrenching "forced choice" decision to help our best friends transition to Spirit. We understand like no others can. We understand the upcoming void, the change in the intense routine of watching our tripawd's every move, the hope for more time, the fear, the joys, and it always comes back to the void.....
Mabey KNEW she could count on you every single moment of her life to do what's best for her. And she knew she coukd count on you when she needed your gift of selfless love the most...and you did not fail her...ever!!! You gave her some bonus pain free time...time for more spoling, more loving, more tummy rubs, more ear scratches, more time with the horses, more playing time with Winnie....and six weeks in dog years is the equivalent of MANY MONTHS!!!
Mabey was so happy to have this bonus time with you.
I went back and watched the video of Mabey and Winnie playing....Mabey jumping on the sofa, tail wagging, and even through the tears I was able to smile. I hope you soon will be able to do the same
Please stay connected...please! This part is sooooo hard. And please read these beautiful responses others have made...there is so much wisdom...so many comforting thoughts from people who understand.
I just want to add one thing....and its someting shared with me when I was trying to find the courage to release my Happy Hannah while she still had quality...before it got too bad. And when a dog is wagging and eating, it's hard. But the lung mets were takeing a toll..it was harder for her to reet, very tiring for her to go out just to pee. My dear friend said..."Which experience to you want to remember....this one....or one a few weeks from now where she is suffering?" The experience you and Mabey had at the barn..yeah....that's a good memory to have.
Sending you so much love
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle
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!
Shelly,
I am so sorry for your loss of your precious Mabey. I TRULY understand what you are going through....I had to let my Leland go 4 weeks to the day after his amputation. When our time is cut so short with our babies it's natural to second guess if what we did was right or if something we had done caused this to happen. For our Leland it seemed his health rapidly declined 2-3 weeks post amp. He wasn't dealing with a cancer but he was losing a lot of weight which the vet said was due to an autoimmune disorder. His thyroid was functioning properly either. The vet put Leland on a high dose of prednisone to combat the autoimmune which caused him to urinate a lot but then he started urinating in his sleep in the bed. Then finally the cruciate ligament went out in his remaining hind leg so my husband and I thought the only dignified thing we could do for our boy was let him go instead of putting him through more. It was the HARDEST thing for us to do.
You will cry on and off in the days to come. I'm coming up on 7 months since letting Leland go and I still cry from time to time but it's not like it was. We too have a new puppy, Lucian, and he'll be 8 months on the 17th. He has helped our hearts to heal. He doesn't replace our Leland...his job is to bring to smiles and laughter back into the house...which he does quite well with his antics.
I want you to know that there is no time limit set on how long you should grieve your sweet Mabey. Some people you speak with will probably not understand why you're still sad...they're thinking is "it's just a dog." Just know that you're always welcome here and this community is here for you to lean on for support. A LOT of us have gone through and are still going through the grief process of losing a furbaby.
Things will get better with time...your heart won't ache as much as it is right now. Know that you did right by Mabey in trying to give her the best quality of life she could have and her dignity remained because you were able to let her go. I find it comforting to know that my Leland will be waiting for me when it's my time to leave this earth and I know Mabey will be there waiting for you. Right now both our babies are having fun playing at the Bridge with all the other Tripawds there. They are both young, healthy, and full of life again.
Hugs
Sahana and her Angel Leland
November 17, 2009 - June 30, 2014
May you finally be healthy and running free at the Rainbow Bridge. Until we meet again my sweet boy!
1 Guest(s)
