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
My heart aches for you, I know this is so tough. First, put aside what other people think. They don't know Brady like you do, they are not in his paws or your shoes. You and your husband sound like you're on the same page, if you can agree on the things that determine when he has crossed the line and his quality of life is no more, then you can come up with a plan of action.
Have any oncologists actually seen him at this point? It sounds to me like you have a lot of "probablys" from vets who aren't oncologists. If knowing for sure will ease your heart and give you peace right now, then that's what you need to do next. Even if they say that a biopsy is the only way to determine what's really going on and what treatment to take, at least they can give you clarity in what is happening, or could.
I'm so sorry. If you want to talk please remember our Tripawds Helpline is also available OK?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thank you. I gave him more of his Tramadol to help with the pain. It is SOOO hard to know what to do. He walks better for my husband. Last night he stood there & just kept having his legs go out from under him when we took him out to potty. I had a towel under him as a sling to hold him up. He just went limp. Hubby comes over & says "let go" and proceeded to lead him away from me & he just started walking.
Today when I took him out at first he wouldn't stand & lied down in the grass a while. Then he was trying to get up so I helped him & he started trotting across the yard, squatted to go #2, & then trotted back across the yard to go in. I had to hold him up/assist him when he squatted to potty or he wouldn't fallen over. I keep thinking he can't walk and then he does things like this. Makes it that much harder to make the decision. Then when I'm sitting on the couch with him he is all happy & perky, his normal self. Extremely food driven!! If anyone has food he jumps & acts like he's gonna jump off the couch. I don't think anything could kill this dogs appetite!
So my husband wants to give it a few more days. I was all set (well, kind of) to take him in tomorrow. He said he thinks we have time as long as he is still eating & can go potty. I need to get a harness. The one I bought is useless. It slips all around & just slides down his body. I got one at Petsmart yesterday but I got the wrong kind & it's not gonna work.
I'm not sure I'm doing the right thing.... So hard to know. If only they could talk & tell us how they feel & what they want! I do know that I am EXTREMELY emotional & don't make good decisions when I'm all worked up. All I've done is cry today, half of yesterday & all the day b4. I'm a wreck. So for now, I'm listening to the hubby & searching for a harness & upping his pain meds. He was on a very low dose. 50 mg. Tramadol 1/2 pill twice daily. So I gave him a whole one after talking to my vet tech friend who told me that wasn't enough.
I guess we'l reassess in a couple days.
I saw an oncologist way back b4 we had his amp done but not recently, no. I remember then that they said the same thing; it's probably cancer but we won't know for sure unless we do a biopsy. I don't want to put him through that. I guess I could contact a different one but I suspect they'll say the same thing.
I did a response a minute ago but forgot to log in so it's awaiting moderation as it went as a guest. Hubby wants to give it a couple days at least. I really need to find a harness that will help me support him. He does NOT like to do his business with me holding him up & refused until I let go, then he falls, so I have to let go, he starts, then I have to try to catch him in time b4 he falls over. It really sucks! Last thing I want is for him to fall anymore.
So I'm going to search for a harness.
Thank you Jerry. I knew this was going to be very hard, but omg it's way worse than i even thought. I am an absolute wreck! I feel like I'm gonna need to be committed. I seriously don't know how I'm going to be in the room & watch this. I feel like i need to be, for him. I am his mommy, I am his world. This dog just adores me. I feel like it would be awful selfish of me to not be there to spare myself the pain. But then I feel like I'm going to be so hysterical I'll make everyone else worse, make Brady more anxious in the end & it'll be even harder for me to recover. Such an awful thing. I just wish he would go peacefully in his sleep. Not that I even want him to go at all!! I just don't know how I'm going to deal with this at all, either way. I have a very special connection with him. Almost feel like I'm losing a child. It's agony.
dogzlyfe said
I really need to find a harness that will help me support him...
So I'm going to search for a harness.
The Ruffwear Webmaster is the most popular all purpose harness we recommend for most Tripawds. We have many reviews and posts in the Tripawds Gear blog to help you to decide which harness is best for you and your dog...here are just a couple to help you decide:
gear.tripawds.com/2014/03/13/best-harnesses-for-three-legged-dogs
gear.tripawds.com/2012/04/06/which-harness-is-right-for-my-dog/
Find all harness recommendations, reviews and videos on the Tripawds Gear Shop!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I am so sorry Brady is suddenly having such a hard time after doing so well post amp and for such a good long time. I hope you can get a harness quickly to at least make the present more manageable. I don't know what to say about whether it is a new cancer or tumor, but I wonder if you can't get your vet to provide a different modality of pain management at the moment to try to suppress the pain different ways? An anti inflammatory? Rimadyl or another?
Thinking of you and hoping you and hubby can have a good weekend with Brady.
Lisa, Minneapolis
On October 27, 2016, nearly 6 months after amputation, and 18 months since his cancer likely started, we lost Pofi to a recurrence of Soft Tissue Sarcoma in his spine quite suddenly. His canine sister also succumbed to cancer on March 1, 2019 - we lavished her with our love in the interim, but life was never quite the same without her only real canine friend. Cliff kitty had to leave us, too, suddenly, in August 2019. Lucia kitty grieved all these losses, but helped us welcome two new Lurchers into our home and our lives, Shae and Barley.
Oh Amy my heart hurts for you. Take one day at a time and like hubby says take a few days to assess the situation. It's going to be hard but especially around Brady be strong and positive. He's feeding off your emotions and he knows you're upset. He needs both you and hubby to be strong pack leaders right now. We know how very hard this is. Cancer so so sucks!! Love on that beautiful boy every day he's with you and make each one special for Brady. Sending you much love and many hugs!
Linda, Riley & Spirits Mighty Max & Ollie
linda8115 said
Oh Amy my heart hurts for you. Take one day at a time and like hubby says take a few days to assess the situation. It's going to be hard but especially around Brady be strong and positive. He's feeding off your emotions and he knows you're upset. He needs both you and hubby to be strong pack leaders right now. We know how very hard this is. Cancer so so sucks!! Love on that beautiful boy every day he's with you and make each one special for Brady. Sending you much love and many hugs!Linda, Riley & Spirits Mighty Max & Ollie
PS I too was going to recommend the Ruff Wear harness Rene mentioned. I believe someone on this forum just got one with next day delivery.
Oh Amy, dear sweet Amy. You WILL stay strong for Brady because you love him soooo deeply and because you understand that Brady needs you to be strong now more than ever!! It is clear that your love for him will give you the courage needed to get from one day to the next. As hard as it is, and so many of us here can relate, you MUST put off grieving and not let it interfere with your time together NOW. NOW is the time to savor every second you have together. You need not worry about tomorrow, or even the next hour, just stay present in tbe moment.
Brady is a senior. You have given him wonderful extended quality time these last nine months (equals almost an additional 7 yrs in human years!) This has been a very special time where the loving and spoiling reached heights non of is ever thought possible!! His issues may be related to the agi g lrocess as much as anything else. I certainly understand why you woukd not want to put him through a biopsy. A lot of the time they are inconclusive anyway.
Your hisband seems to have a good grasp on Brady's situation and his plan to asses him over the next couple of days. He puts out a calm and confident energy that Brady seems to respond to in a positive manner.
Whenever Brady needs to transition, and it doesn't sound like he plans on doing that quite yet, Brady needs to know you will be okay. He needs to know you will understand and support his decision to transition and celebrate his great life with him whenever that time may come. Brady needs to know that you will celebrate with him in a peaceful, calm and loving energy as he sheds his earth clothes that no longer serve him.
I don't mean to be talking about his transition in the future so much, but if you want to be with him, you MUST be with him in a manner that assures him he is surrounded by your love and that you understand his need to head to the Bridge. You can fall to pieces later and become hysterical and fall to your knees in grief....and you will....after he crossed over. If possible, when it's time, have the vet come to the house a dgood bring him some cookies when he comes. My Happy Hannah had a "celebration of life meal" consisting of steak, ice cream, some M&Ms and I went outside and got her a scoop of deer poop to put on her plate! Yeah, deer poop! She loved deer poop and that's how she made her exit...eating all that good stuff!
And I state again. Your love for Brady is so strong and so deep you WILL stay calm and you WILL.project a peaceful energy over the next several days...or weeks!
Make no mistake about it, your entire Trilawd Family is walking right by your side. We understand. Many of us have .lived through life's twilight phase. We will hold you up. Your love for Brady will hold you up.
But for now, you celebrate every moment! You give him treats! You give him ice cream! And let your husband take him out to potty! Apparently he and Brady have a great system!
Sending lots of love
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie
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!
We are also big fans of the Ruffwear Webmaster Plus harness - it makes it so easy to assist Otis without straps cutting into his body. It slides around a bit, but the handle is always on top, within reach.
So sorry you are reaching this point with Brady, but I think your husband's wait and see approach makes sense. When Otis broke his leg, and we made the decision to amputate, a vet tech said that you can tell when they are ready. Not sure if that is true, but it doesn't sound like he is quite ready yet. And he might seem "weaker" with you because of your special bond - you are his mom and he feels that he does not need to be a strong around you. So, you sit on the sofa with him eating treats, and hubby can do the potty routine!
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.
1 Guest(s)
