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
Anybody else finding it really hard not to find things wrong with your other dogs, or subsequent dogs after losing one to cancer? (Or even before I suppose, for those of you who have multiple dogs)
Quick summary on the events that brought and kept me at Tripawds.com for those of you who don't know me:
Found Tripawds after my 5 year old doberman mix Yoda's diagnosis of osteosarcoma. His right front leg was subsequently amputated and we gave chemo a go, still he passed after about 4 months. (4 good quality months overall though!). Very short (some might say a little too shortly) after losing Yoda, I was walking dogs at a local shelter and met a limpy, likely doberman mix, named Jerry. Well, it was determined he had an injured knee that could not likely be prepared and the shelter managed to get him a pro bono amputation, they just needed a foster. So I fostered him and soon adopted him, and tweaked his name to Gerry, to make things a little less confusing when chatting about him here 
Now, honestly, Gerry has had quite a few real things wrong with him. Probably some were related to whatever trauma injured his leg and others could have been from the stressors of being a shelter pup and one or two were just dumb luck. But Gerry has had a histiocytoma, a disticia, a sensitive stomach, a gum infection with fractured teeth, and I think that's been it... Perhaps not surprisingly, I began to doubt our first vet (thinking no dog could be as unlucky as Gerry seemed to be) and asked around among people at work, looking for a new one. Well, the new place was great, so we've stayed there, but they pretty much confirmed for me that the care we got at the last place was also very good and I'm quite confident now that I was never scammed by them.
Most recently I thought Gerry had ringworm. I was wrong and my reaction was actually, "Finally, I'm wrong!" (I also managed to create a bit hysteria had home, because after I told my roommate that I thought Gerry and I had it, she started having symptoms. And in the end, probably none of us did.)
So even though, Gerry has had some very real problems that I didn't imagine, from the start I've stressed far too much about his health and have stressed out about things that were completely benign. While I want to be proactive and vigilant, I need to find some balance. Does this problem sound familiar to others?
I invite others to vent out there struggles by replying here, and of course if anyone has helpful tips - let us know!!!
Gerry has been a tripawd since 12/16/2009.
He was a shelter dog with a mysterious past and an irrepairable knee injury.
Videos and pics of Gerry's pawesomeness can be found at: http://gerry.tripawds.com
Ohhh, anypawdy who's been through cancer has every reason to be paranoid. I think a lot of is has to do with that crazy guilt thing that humans are so fond of hanging over their heads. Guilt over not catching sooner, guilt over the food they ate or too much activity or whatever. Humans know how to do guilt like nopawdy else.
My Mom is a bit paranoid about my health, especially after coping with St. Jerry's osteosarcoma. Oh boy, she really beat herself up over that one. So when I came along, she told me "I'll do whatever it takes to make sure you don't get cancer or get sick, ok?"
She does all sorts of things like cook for me, makes sure I don't overdo my activity and watches me like a hawk. She got me health insurance too, which although she dreads paying because money's always tight, it does help her feel better knowing that I would get treated well if something terrible happened. I have a super sensitive belly, my skin gets flaky the minute the humidity drops, and I have what she thinks is a bum rear hip on my amputation side.
For every story about a dog getting sick or injured, it makes her jumpy, and she thinks about "what if that happened to Wyatt?"
But you know what? While she does worry sometimes, she decided that at some point she has to leave these matters up to the Universe. What will be will be and that's that. It is what it is.
Silly humans, you just can't control everything out there, you know?
So that's my best advice. Realize that while you can do lots to prevent illness and be proactive (I"ll be getting a full orthopedic workup soon to check out that rear hip),.....at some point you have to put your faith in the Universe and truly believe that no matter what, the outcome will be just fine.
I know it will be for you and Gerry. After all, you two were meant to be.
Wyatt Ray Dawg . . . The Tripawds Leg-A-Cy Continues!
Read all about my adventures at my Tripawds Blog
I totally get it. Just last week I had poor Loki in for all sorts of tests just because he turned 6 years old. I did blood work, xrayed all of his joints and ultrasounded his heart. He still has tendinitis in his shoulders but otherwise all is well.
Julian is 180 pounds now and 10 months old so I just made an appointment for him next month. He is going to the surgeon's to have a laparoscopic gastropexy performed (a surgery to prevent bloat).
As a vet I see so many bad things that I am always projecting onto my dogs so then they gets tests. I can't believe they even like going to the clinic anymore but they still do!
Pam
Ohhh…my paranoia/anxiety about Isabelle's health exacerbated last year when her arthritis so suddenly incapacitated her. I some ways, it has been helpful. I knew something different was going on with her leg, the first time she showed any evidence of discomfort. She'd had xrays of her leg less than 2 months earlier because of some other drama I'd created, so I don't think I could have caught her OS any sooner. Her leg was amputated in just a few days…too long for me, but it was the weekend! I also discovered her recent MCT very early.
Even before she had arthritis or cancer, I was insane! She's had a full cardiac w/u, including an echo. She goes to the ophthalmologist, because of pathology I imagine, gets dental xrays annually to be sure her root canals are intact (fortunately, she tolerates this without sedation). Recently, she had xrays of her rear leg & hip because I don't have another leg to compare every tiny bony prominence! I could go on & on… I still haven't ruled out a CT of her chest/abd/pelvis, or MRI of her spine, but am trying to be reasonable.
She is subject to a full physical exam at my hands at least 3 times/week, which translates into some expensive diagnostic at least twice a month. I listen to her lungs & heart constantly. Most recently, and this is embarrassing, she had a small lump distal to her (MCT resection) suture line aspirated & ultimately sent out for a formal path. Everything pointed to it being a small suture reaction, but I had to have it checked for mast cells. When there were none, but some cells couldn't be identified…had to send it out and worry all weekend!
It doesn't help that we go to an integrative vet, who is now also a friend and indulges me. All of her general care, rehab, etc is there. She gets an exam at least once a week when she has acupuncture.
Today, I was obsessed because she didn't want to get in the treadmill, then I thought she was flaring her nostrils when she was walking in it. I stopped short of requesting a CXR, because she ran around like crazy when she was finished.
I'm not quite as bad with my cats, although I check my Tripawd kitty's other legs pretty frequently, for any signs of infection, injury.
With humans, I'm so far on the other side of the spectrum. Rarely does anything (with patients or personally) cause me to over react. Recently, I had some classic symptoms of pericarditis, following a minor viral illness. I ignored it for as long as I could, then did an ECG, informally verified my self diagnosis with a cardiologist, then treated myself w/NSAIDS. I was certainly not going to take the time, pay my deductible (but, Isabelle's rehab is $400/week!), or have someone tell me I probably shouldn't carry Isabelle up the stairs five times/day!
I can't seem to find that balance. I was thinking about this yesterday, & thought how nice it would be to have just a few weeks with no new issues, but..since I create most of them… Meanwhile, Isabelle goes about her days blissfully free of stress and happy as ever, so I think I'll probably continue to worry for her in my spare time!
my hypochondria by proxy is not due to have lost another dog to cancer but maybe even a step further than that and being by proxy of having seen so may of my dear friends here lose dogs to cancer. Every whimper, every quiet moment , every noisy moment. You name it I worry about it. I dont worry constantly - and have really done pretty well overall, but I do find myself asking... did Cooper used to do that before he had cancer? I guess its probably all pretty normal under the circumstances.
Coopsdad/ Kenneth Blackburn
http://cooper.t.....ipawds.com
the monkeydogs only THINK they have invaded the tripawd state
There is probably some scientific formula that calculates the number of dogs in ones lifetime to the degree of paranoia directed to your current household of animals
Not trying to make light of the situation but we usually have 2-3 dogs in our life at once. The more dogs, the more medical "situations" you come across like
Roxanne the Dobe and Red the Dobe- Both had Cong. Heart Failure, Renal Failure and awlful cronic skin conditions.
Jack the Dobe- Bone Cancer. Pre Tripawds website days. He jumped off the couch when I came home and his forearm snapped in two. My husband wasnt home at the time so I had to carry him (90lbs) into the car and take him to the vet to be euthanized. It was horrid.
Samson the Dal- Stone Former (blocked up 2x) I am ALWAYS watching to make sure he pees. Obsessively. He developed a large lump just above his wrist (just after I joined this site for Daisy) I was CONVINCED it was OS. My vet xrayed it and said it probably was OS and suggested a cancer specialist. Went to Cornell Univ and after much debate determined that it was Osteo Arthritis. Still paranoid that it was misdiagnosed, even though 6 months have passed without incident. He also has hip dysplasia.
Daisy the Dal-Retinal Athropy and Tripawd due to a run in with a pickup truck. Hasnt walked on her own since Aug. Taking care of Daisy is like having a perpetual infant. She can only get around on her own when we put her in a wheelchair , She depends on us 100%. Because she doesnt move as much as a regular dog, her digestive system is "off schedule". Sometimes she wakes us up at 2am needing to go outside. We've driven 80 miles roundtrip to take her to phsyical therapy. Financially (we havent been brave enough to actually add it up) I ballpark her medical expenses since the accident at about 6K. Do I worry about how I will pay for the next disaster? Yes.
Will I adopt another dog or dogs after Sam and Daisy? Yes. Will I worry and obsess about the lumps, bumps, limps etc. Yes.
I have a good vet who keeps me grounded when I rush the dogs in for some rare disease only to find out the dog who is foaming at the mouth, shaking their head back and forth looking like they are going to stroke out only licked a toad.....
Sometimes we just have to take a deep breath and follow our dogs lead and ENJOY THE MOMENT. Whatever tommorow will bring will come whether we worry about it now or not. So just deal with it as it comes not before it happens.
Daisy earned her wings on Oct 22, 2011 at 14 years old
She is now the official greeter at the rainbow bridge
Everyone is guaranteed a welcome sniff and Dalmatian smile
Well, well! At least I'm not alone in the hypochondriac by proxy department!!!
Ah yup...since Maggie's been amputated, just about any symptom that comes around the bend with my two dogs...the instant reaction is "it's probably cancer".
Aside from Maggie having cancer, she was a very healthy dog for 8 years until age 9 hit her.
My other dog, Haley, has been plagued her whole life with issues of lamenesses (wrists and now her shoulder that I'm rehabbing), GI sensitivities, noise phobia's... There's only been one year, 2006, where she went the whole year NOT lame! And she's only 7.
What the cancer diagnosis did to for me though...is yes, ENJOY THE MOMENT with our dogs...as hard as that sometimes can be in our human brains and thinking the FUTURE at times!
Tracy, Maggie's Mom(and Haley 🙂
Maggie was amputated for soft tissue sarcoma 10-20-09
Maggie lost her battle with kidney disease on 8-24-13
Oh we are talented, aren't we? Both at worrying over every little possible thing and actually having dogs that have been getting nearly every little thing. Maybe it's all part of a greater plan - we were given these dogs because they need a extra vigilant eye looking out for them.
Still, with each other's help, we're going to find a balance and be proactive without being overly-obsessive - right? Right.
The vet I've taken Gerry to see most often since we've switched has admitted to me she's rather like me (and therefore you all too) with her own dogs. We've talked about my concern that I obsess about things with Gerry too much, but, as she has pointed out, if I hadn't been obsessing about... oh what was it, I think it was subcutaneous cysts that time (which are no biggy for Gerry), she wouldn't have happened to also check his mouth during that visit and discovered the gum infection that I hadn't seen (which also led to the discovery of fractured teeth that needed removing). So she's very supportive of being proactive, and understanding of being neurotic, which I think is for the best. It's just up to me not to let that further enable my tendency to over-worry. If she were the kind of vet to dismiss my worries and point out how unlikely many of them have been instead, I know initially I would have had trouble trusting her - even if she were absolutely right. Because what do so many of us go through in the lead up to a cancer diagnosis? - Misdiagnoses and lots of assurances that cancer is very unlikely. (Not always, but often, and certainly in Yoda's case).
Gerry has been a tripawd since 12/16/2009.
He was a shelter dog with a mysterious past and an irrepairable knee injury.
Videos and pics of Gerry's pawesomeness can be found at: http://gerry.tripawds.com
littlemanjake said:
Ohhh…my paranoia/anxiety about Isabelle's health exacerbated last year when her arthritis so suddenly incapacitated her. I some ways, it has been helpful. I knew something different was going on with her leg, the first time she showed any evidence of discomfort. She'd had xrays of her leg less than 2 months earlier because of some other drama I'd created, so I don't think I could have caught her OS any sooner. Her leg was amputated in just a few days…too long for me, but it was the weekend! I also discovered her recent MCT very early.
Even before she had arthritis or cancer, I was insane! She's had a full cardiac w/u, including an echo. She goes to the ophthalmologist, because of pathology I imagine, gets dental xrays annually to be sure her root canals are intact (fortunately, she tolerates this without sedation). Recently, she had xrays of her rear leg & hip because I don't have another leg to compare every tiny bony prominence! I could go on & on… I still haven't ruled out a CT of her chest/abd/pelvis, or MRI of her spine, but am trying to be reasonable.
She is subject to a full physical exam at my hands at least 3 times/week, which translates into some expensive diagnostic at least twice a month. I listen to her lungs & heart constantly. Most recently, and this is embarrassing, she had a small lump distal to her (MCT resection) suture line aspirated & ultimately sent out for a formal path. Everything pointed to it being a small suture reaction, but I had to have it checked for mast cells. When there were none, but some cells couldn't be identified…had to send it out and worry all weekend!
It doesn't help that we go to an integrative vet, who is now also a friend and indulges me. All of her general care, rehab, etc is there. She gets an exam at least once a week when she has acupuncture.
Today, I was obsessed because she didn't want to get in the treadmill, then I thought she was flaring her nostrils when she was walking in it. I stopped short of requesting a CXR, because she ran around like crazy when she was finished.
I'm not quite as bad with my cats, although I check my Tripawd kitty's other legs pretty frequently, for any signs of infection, injury.
With humans, I'm so far on the other side of the spectrum. Rarely does anything (with patients or personally) cause me to over react. Recently, I had some classic symptoms of pericarditis, following a minor viral illness. I ignored it for as long as I could, then did an ECG, informally verified my self diagnosis with a cardiologist, then treated myself w/NSAIDS. I was certainly not going to take the time, pay my deductible (but, Isabelle's rehab is $400/week!), or have someone tell me I probably shouldn't carry Isabelle up the stairs five times/day!
I can't seem to find that balance. I was thinking about this yesterday, & thought how nice it would be to have just a few weeks with no new issues, but..since I create most of them… Meanwhile, Isabelle goes about her days blissfully free of stress and happy as ever, so I think I'll probably continue to worry for her in my spare time!
I know it's not funny, but I can't help from laughing Cynthia! Especially at the flaring nostril part!
I thought I was bad! I was so bad I would bet money that my vet thought I had Munchausen by proxy syndrome because I took Comet in so much and insisted on him going to extreme on everything. And she did have a lot of maladies that I didn't make up (or create!)!
It took me a long time to think Comet wasn't going to die of hemangiosarcoma like her brother Rugby did in July 09. And just when I stopped thinking it and even stopped checking to see if she was still breathing while she was sleeping; she unexpectedly collapsed with hemangiosarcoma! But the good news, I knew what was happening to a certain degree.
Poor Rocket, I watch him like a hawk now and he's not even 2 years old! No wonder he likes his daddy more!
I'm so glad I'm not the only one that obesses and frets over everything. Because I just don't think I can stop worrying! I'm in good company here!
P.S. Cynthia, is your heart okay? Do I need to worry about you, too?
Comet - 1999 to 2011
She departed us unexpectedly January 23, 2011 at the age of 12 1/2.
She was born with a deformed front leg and a tripawd all of her life.
Dealing with a chronic dog makes the humans crazy/paranoid. How long does the paranoia last? I can't answer that - we're still on the journey. I only thought Trouble was chronic when we dealt with constant allergies, that didn't hold a candle to osteo and the constant monitoring to make sure she is as good as she can be now.
Bob says we are the vets cash cow. His phone rings or door opens and money pours out. Thank Dog he humors me, even when he thinks I'm over reacting.
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.
daisy2010 said:
I have a good vet who keeps me grounded when I rush the dogs in for some rare disease only to find out the dog who is foaming at the mouth, shaking their head back and forth looking like they are going to stroke out only licked a toad.....
Hey Cooper- guess who it was that licked the toad?? I will give you a hint, he is an 80lb black and white Monkeydog...hahahaha
Daisy
Daisy earned her wings on Oct 22, 2011 at 14 years old
She is now the official greeter at the rainbow bridge
Everyone is guaranteed a welcome sniff and Dalmatian smile
hahahaha! Thanks Daisy, somehow I knew that it must have been Samson007... good thing no one had cut his black and white locks in his sleep before he kissed the toad. good work! 007!!
Coopsdad/ Kenneth Blackburn
http://cooper.t.....ipawds.com
the monkeydogs only THINK they have invaded the tripawd state
1 Guest(s)
