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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I've heard great things about GlycoFlex; people that absolutely swear by it. We had heard of Dasuquin first, so it's the brand we use, but if it ever stops working for us, GlycoFlex is the brand we will try next.
I don't think there is anything wrong with giving Maggie a Rimadyl now and then, since she seems to tolerate it just fine (I, too, have that Vet Degree from Google like a lot of people around here LOL). But, yeah, you're definitely not alone in noticing your dog being more sore/weak now. Harley and Maggie were amputated around the same time, so maybe they are just at a point where they are still getting used to being on three legs and still building up their stamina?
Good luck!! Maybe someone else knows of some "wonder product" we should be trying!
-Gwen & Harley
Amputation on 11/10/09, due to Histiocytic Sarcoma in left elbow. Angel Harley earned his wings on 06/24/10.
Until the end (before we knew it was spinal mets and not hip dysplasia) Emily didn't need any pain relief. I really think rear leg amputations are so much easier. I wouldn't have hestitated though if she needed it.
Debra & Angel Emily
Debra & Emily, a five year old doberman mix, who was diagnosed with an osteosaecoma. She had a right rear leg amputation on May 19, 2009. On November 10, 2009 she earned her wings and regained her fourth leg.
Maggie is a rear amp. dog.....I have read many times that people say that the front amp. dogs have a harder time but I often wonder....as I've said before somewhere else here in the forums...I think alot of the 'easy-ness' that may be portrayed in a rear amp. dog might be the way they are built/structured? I've seen some video's of dogs w/ rear amp. and they are shorter backed and less angulated in the rear leg than my dog, Maggie, who is built alot like a GSD. As with all tripawds it seems, moving slower is harder...and even harder IMO, for a dog with a longish back and lots of rear leg angulation, such as Maggie has.
But these are purely my speculations and having not owned a front leg amp(and not wanting to anytime soon! 😉
Gwen, I give Mags Deramaxx...cause I am fearful of Rimadyl horror stories 😉 Seemed I have heard less bad things about Deramaxx and that is what my sister's office recommends over Rimadyl.
I am HOPING that Maggie's stamina will improve with more time....maybe you're on to something Gwen w/ Harley being amputated about a month later than Maggie. It's winter here, so puts a damper on exercise alot.
Tracy, Maggie's Mom
Maggie was amputated for soft tissue sarcoma 10-20-09
Maggie lost her battle with kidney disease on 8-24-13
I think that the bigger dogs do have a harder time being tripawds so many may end up needing an NSAID from time to time. It is important to realize that many NSAIDS (especially meloxicam and piroxicam) also have anti-angiogenic properties which is why they are used as part of the metronomic protocol. This means that these drugs may help reduce new blood vessel formation which then helps slow tumor growth.
I had Tazzie on meloxicam (Metacam) starting as soon as her carboplatin injections were done. I figured it might help slow down the tumor and I felt better knowing that I was giving her something to help reduce pain and inflammation. She also took Dasuquin as well as high dose fish oil (8000 mg of omega3/6) and those great Power Mushrooms! We also started acupuncture after about 6 or 8 months and that helped her back and remaining shoulder quite a bit.
It is always prudent to run a blood panel before starting any NSAID and then repeat every 3-6 months depending on the dog. Tazzie had a pre-existing liver condition so I checked her obsessively every month at first but she never had any problems at all. I also gave her SAM-E and milk thistle to protect her liver but most dogs probably wouldn't need those drugs. Tazzie survived for 14 months and really never had a bad day until those darn spinal mets showed up, so maybe the meloxicam played a part in that.
Pam
Thanks Pam! Much appreciated… I guess the amount of Deramaxx Maggie is getting(once or twice a week, sometimes none) that it wouldn't really matter all that much if I switched her to Metacam for the added benefits? Did you have Tazzie on it daily?
You struck another question with your Power Mushrooms comment….I was using K9Immunity mushrooms but decided to try the Health Concerns brand…purely due to cost of the K9Immunity (over $4 per day for my dog)… did you give it away from food? I believe it suggests that but man..I have a hard time remembering to give it to her…it's so much easier to give it at meal time..
Tracy, Maggie's Mom
Maggie was amputated for soft tissue sarcoma 10-20-09
Maggie lost her battle with kidney disease on 8-24-13
maggie said:
... your Power Mushrooms comment….
For anyone who may have missed the last Tripawds Nutrition Blog post, we provide information about Health Concerns Power Mushrooms and list various online resources, including bulk savings from House of Nutrition.
Power Mushrooms Immune Boosting Supplement
February 20th, 2010
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Since Sadie had arthritis for at least 2 years before her recent amputation, she has been on Rimadyl for at least 2 years. I think that since a lot of dogs that get osteosarcoma are older, large dogs that probably already have arthritis, there must be a lot of Rimadyl taking tripawds out there. I was interested in the post about meloxicam having anti-angiogenic properties. I wonder if I should switch Sadie from Rimadyl to meloxicam? By the way, the people version of Metacam (meloxicam) is available at Walmart pharmacy for $4 for 30 tabs or $10 for 90. I'm a pharmacist at Walmart and we have local vets call it in often. It comes in 15mg and 30mg strengths. I ought to look into switching anyway because of the cost difference. I asked Sadie's oncologist about K-9 Immunity and he wasn't enthusiastic about it. Any other opinions?
Sadie is my 9yr old Rott/Shepherd mix. Diagnosed with osteosarcoma in her right scapula 1/28/10. Our brave girl had her amputation 2/13/10 and her last chemotherapy on 6/6/10. Unfortunately, a tumor appeared in her back right leg and on 10/7/2010 Sadie's earthly journey came to an end. On 10/24/2010 we adopted Ranger, a handsome Rott/Lab mix tripawd (got hit by a car) I think Sadie sent him to us.
http://ranger.t.....pawds.com/
When I asked our Internal Medicine Vet about K9 Immunity, I got a "I haven't found any documented proof it works, but it doesn't look like it has bad side-effects, nor should it interfere with Harley's chemo, so if you want to spend the money to try it, go ahead" answer. We opted not to try it, but many on here use it (or other power mushrooms). We had to decide where to draw the line money wise, and K9 Immunity didn't make the cut.
Question about getting prescriptions filled at WalMart … is it all generic prescriptions that are $4 for 30 or $10 for 90? Sorry, I don't know much about getting prescriptions filled. We've been getting Harley's gabapentin at a little local pharmacy for like $25 for 30 pills. I hate not to support the little guy, but that would be quite a difference … and after all the Vet bills, anywhere I can save, I'd like to.
-Gwen & Harley
Amputation on 11/10/09, due to Histiocytic Sarcoma in left elbow. Angel Harley earned his wings on 06/24/10.
Unfortunately, not all the generic drugs are $4 or $10. There is a list you can get at the store or at walmart.com. Gabapentin is not on the list. Some drugs that dogs take that are on the list include meloxicam, amoxicillin, cephalexin, furosemide, and enalapril. Also, If your dog uses insulin, that costs about $25 for 1 vial of NPH, and $14 for 1 box of 100 syringes. Always ask your vet about changing insulin though.
Sadie is my 9yr old Rott/Shepherd mix. Diagnosed with osteosarcoma in her right scapula 1/28/10. Our brave girl had her amputation 2/13/10 and her last chemotherapy on 6/6/10. Unfortunately, a tumor appeared in her back right leg and on 10/7/2010 Sadie's earthly journey came to an end. On 10/24/2010 we adopted Ranger, a handsome Rott/Lab mix tripawd (got hit by a car) I think Sadie sent him to us.
http://ranger.t.....pawds.com/
Hopalong Harley said:
...haven't found any documented proof it works...
This is the primary reason most vets are not gung ho about K9 Immunity. There is little published evidence of its efficacy.
But Jerry's oncologist recommended K9 Immunity for us after his cancer metastasized in his lungs because we could get him in a clinical trial...
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
OMDOG! Sadie's pawrent is a PHARMACISTS! WOOHOO!
Here comes my first question...
I'm getting CIPRO from Walmart for Comet. She is on it for life for disko. She is taking 250mg 2x per day (500mg total per day). Why can't Walmart stock 250mgs pills??? It's driving me mad to have to cut the pills in half everyday since they aren't made to cut in half! I've even tried a couple of Walmarts close by and they never have the 250mgs.
P.S. I love it when I get the RX filled and they ask, "first name?", (Comet), "last name", (Vavra), and the last one, "date of birth?" -
Dunno.
I just paid $40 for amoxicillin (20 pills) for Rocket at the vet's! But I didn't make a fuss and just let it go.
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.
I'm so buying stock in Comet's Vet ... 😉
Amputation on 11/10/09, due to Histiocytic Sarcoma in left elbow. Angel Harley earned his wings on 06/24/10.
When I got a perscription for Emily at our Kroger pharmacy her name was down as Emily Dog Aldridge. We had a good laugh at that.
Debra & Angel Emily
Debra & Emily, a five year old doberman mix, who was diagnosed with an osteosaecoma. She had a right rear leg amputation on May 19, 2009. On November 10, 2009 she earned her wings and regained her fourth leg.
Jake was taking the NSAID Previcox when he first fractured his leg and then after his biopsy and amputation. He did have some vomiting around 3 days after taking it and we took care of that by adding pepcid AC... After about a week post op, we switched to the meloxicam (Metacam)... and he did very well on that. It was also a cox-2 inhibitor with anti-angiogenic properties, so we were trying to kill two birds with one stone. (that doesn't sound right... sorry). In the end, it seemed to be too little, too late for Jake... but at least his pain was controlled until it spread to his spine. At that point, none of the pain meds or anti-inflammatories helped anymore. 
We got our meloxicam filled at Walmart pharmacies for $4 (30 x 7.5mg tablets and Jake was taking half a tablet a day)... so that was a great deal compared to how much the liquid meloxicam (Metacam) would have cost. Not all generics are at that price... you have to check the list of meds on Walmart's website.
Angel Jake's Mom
Jake, 10yr old golden retriever (fractured his front right leg on 9/1, bone biopsy revealed osteosarcoma on 9/10, amputation on 9/17) and his family Marguerite, Jacques and Wolfie, 5yr old german shepherd and the newest addition to the family, Nala, a 7mth old Bengal mix kittie. Jake lost his battle on 11/9/2009, almost 8 weeks after his surgery. We will never forget our sweet golden angel… http://jakesjou.....ipawds.com ….. CANCER SUCKS!
Nova's been on Piroxicam as part of the Metronomic protocol. We originally started it right after chemo finished up along with cytoxan, but she had side effects from the cytoxan. She has remained on piroxicam, to reduce inflammation, and takes it along with a pepcid to reduce stomach issues. She's also on CAS Options, which is another type of "power mushroom" type of supplement. I like to think that these have helped her longevity.
Sue
Dane Mom Sue at nova.tripawds.com and Mom to Beautiful Great Dane Queen Nova, a Blind Tripawd, who kicked cancer's butt from 11/08-03/13. The Queen is Spirit Nova now, but her legacy lives on here at Tripawds!
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