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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Welcome to Lady and her person. We are sorry you had to find us, but now that you have, please join us.
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.
I chose cyberknife. My onco vet says iover 95% of osteosarcoma dogs will have lung mets after year one to year one and a half. I did my cyber knife in February. And I do monthly zoledronate each month there after. I also did the six rounds of chemo.
Hi Paul,
My 7 year old rescue Pittie girl was diagnosed in Feb. We had the amputation in March and have finished the chemo and just started the vaccine.
I know how devastating the diagnosis Is, but boy do they do great on three legs. Did I second guess my decision, oh heck yes, every day. She was chasing squirrels 3 weeks later. The side effects of the chemo were slight , and her quality of life thus far is very very good.
Best of luck for you and your family.
Thank you all for your responses. It has really been helpful. Are their any questions that you think may be important that I may not think of that I should ask surgeon/oncologist?
So far Paul is doing great. We made the appointment for the amputation for Monday September 17 just so we could get in and since the surgeon was away this week it has given me the time to research. Paul is making me nervous because he still tries to run and jump. I get scared every time he does it. He is still putting a little weight and uses his right leg but the other day I touch it by accident and he yelped so the site is painful. 🙁 I think he masks a lot of his pain. i am just trying to give him his best chance.
Did any of you get second opinions on treatment?
Hi Paul and family 🐾🌸
So glad to hear you’ve got his surgery scheduled so he can get rid of that painful leg.
Dogs are masters at hiding pain, no doubt about it and your Paul is doing it to perfection as you well know ...
Try and avoid jumping and running if you can ...
We did get second opinions on treatment, yes, and were given the same options, all of which you are aware of.
Basically, nobody can guarantee for sure one treatment is better than the next, and what I gathered was first line treatments at least have some serious studies behind and its use is more known.
So we went for carboplatin which is safer and more widely used, as our first treatment.
But I always took into account there is no miracle drug and each dog is different so what might work beautifully with one may not do so well with another.
Having said this, we only know when we try.
There are more success stories here than one can count so I always moved forward thinking « why shouldn’t my girl be one of them? »
I digressed a bit from what you asked in your post, sorry for that ...
My advise is, follow the pros advise, get second opinions if you can and then follow your instinct to select what you think is best for Paul.
Hugs and cuddles 😘🐮💫✨🌟🌹
Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-)
Here are some questions you can look through:
Top 10 Questions to Ask Before Amputation Surgery (in two parts, the link to part 2 is at the bottom)
Questions to Ask Your Veterinary Oncologist
I got a second opinion on the need for amputation for my Pug Maggie, actually I ended up with three opinions. All three agreed amputation was the right choice (mast cell cancer, rear leg). I wasn't planning on chemo as I thought the surgery would be curative, but it turned out there was spread to the lymph node removed with her leg. I wasn't really prepared to ask questions about that- I felt that since I had done the surgery I had to do chemo. Good for you for taking the time to research!
It turned out well for us as Maggie beat her prognosis of 6 to 9 months WITH chemo and lived almost 4 years.
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Letting you all know I had talked to Paul's mom a few times via FB Messenger - she did seek a second opinion and that vet said they would not pursue amp for their own dog or something to that effect.
So after some soul searching, they did decide to go "all in" and give Paul a chance. He had his surgery today and surgeon said all went well. Paul should come home sometime between tomorrow afternoon and Thursday.
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.
thanks for the update Lisa, hoping all is well with their pack.
Paula
Nitro 11 1/2 yr old Doberman; right front amp June 2014. Had 6 doses carboplatin, followed by metronomic therapy. Rocked it on 3 legs for over 3 years! My Warrior beat cancer, but couldn't beat old age. He crossed the Bridge peacefully on July 25, 2017, with dignity and on his terms. Follow his blog entitled "Doberman's journey"
"Be good, mama loves you".....run free my beautiful Warrior
That is really sweet of you to update us Lisa, thanks! We send all our best and hope that everything goes well.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Great to know Paul’s surgery is done and all went well!
Hope he is recovering well at the hospital and look forward to hearing how everything is going after he is home.
😘🐮💫✨🌟🌹
Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-)
Thanks for the update Lisa!!!
Wishing an uneventful recovery for sweet Paul so he can get on to living his life to the fullest!!
Hugs
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
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!
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