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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My 4 1/2 month old standard poodle Jams broke her leg. The x-rays show a fracture of the distal femur just above the condyles...the options are euthanize (which is absolutely out of the question!) Surgery, ( which is very expensive and no vets in our area are able to perform this type of operation) or amputation 🙁 (even the thought of letting them take her leg is devastating me!) Kind of feeling at a lose and cannot make a decision!! Every time I tell myself OK I'm doing one or the other I break down and I know time is really of the essence!
I was given the numbers of 2 places out of town that are able to perform this surgery and one quoted me a price of 1500.- 1700. The 2nd started at 3400 and upwards..amputation with primary vet is 300.-500. I could get the surgery done at the lower price requiring borrowing the funds and making finances really tight (which would be OK) I love her legs!! She is truly an amazing pup...since we brought her home at 11 weeks old she has slept with us from day one, doesn't potty till taken outside to go, if I leave for a bit she will be laying by the door when I open it to come in just waiting on me to return :), and has never chewed or gotten into anything!! ( only her own toys)!
My dilemma is if I stretch our finances to the limit and anything should go wrong with the surgery down the road I would be in a bind! My daughter and husband think she would be better off with the amputation stating that I have a plate in my neck and I have pain with it alot even after many years God I hate that word...it makes me cry to think of it!). My older son says f that mom I would never let them cut my dogs leg off!....this happened on Wednesday and I know I have to have come to a decision by Monday!
And I'm still at a lose :(...it is breaking my heart to watch her...she wouldn't get up at all till the day after it happened then she hobbled outside to potty and I carried her back up the few stairs..yesterday after vet put a soft splint on it to protect it she took off running with it hanging like she hadn't a care at all 🙂 and handling the stairs on her own..just a little slower since her unfunctioning leg is awkward..so I am just keeping her calm for now..is there anyone been through this?
Anyone had this surgery on their dog that could tell me the pros and cons versus amputation? I would appreciate any input!!
Hi and welcome. We're so sorry you're in a tough spot, we know it's difficult to decide. What is your dog's name? How did she break her leg?
Regarding surgery to save the leg: when the right surgeon does it and it heals without incident, it's beautiful. We've seen it work wonders. But we've also had a fair amount of members who join us because they tried the surgery and it failed after having spent thousands trying to save that leg.
When it comes to amputation surgery, the healing is faster and easier if you choose a qualified vet. The number your vet quoted has me very concerned: I've never, ever seen it done for that amount, even by a low-cost clinic called Helping Hands in Virginia (which we totally trust and know is a qualified vet. She starts at $800).
Please review this post about low cost clinics versus regular clinics:
The Difference Between Low Cost and Regular Clinics
and this one about amputation costs.
Costs of Amputation and Chemotherapy for Dogs: What Did You Pay?
At four months old, she should bounce back and do great on three. She can have a great life ahead of her, as you can see here. I know your son is opposed to it, but have you shown him our Tripawds blogs and videos? It's a huge surprise to so many people that animals can be happy on three, you should have him take a look.
I hope this helps. Stay tuned, others will chime in. Oh and check out Jerry's Required Reading List and our Tripawds "Beyond Cancer" forum where members in your very situation have shared their similar stories.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
It looks like your dog is a beauty. I'm sorry to hear about your dog's broken leg. It sounds like you have a difficult choice to make. It helps me to look at pros and cons so the options are clear.
1. Euthanize - you say no so strike this one off as an option
2. Surgery - PROS - 1. dog lives pain free; 2. keeps the leg CONS - 1. very expensive; 2. no vet in your area; 3. any surgery is somewhat risky; 4. may not be successful; 5. recovery time?
3. Amputation - PROS 1. dog lives pain free; 2. surgery is affordable. CONS - 1. dog has less mobility than with 4 legs; 2. any surgery is somewhat risky; 3. recovery time required; 4. your eldest son says no.
Perhaps your family and others could add to the pro/con list. Many times the unknown is scary. Let us know if you have any questions about amputations.
I'll leave you with a few videos of dogs with amputations. It might help your family to see how a tripawd moves:
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Kerren and Tripawd Kitty Mona
So sorry about your puppy! I've not got much experience, having just found out my dog had to have his leg amputated due to bone cancer. But I can tell you that my vet said its an easier adaptation with a rear leg amputation because larger dogs bear as much as 65% of their weight on their front legs. My dog had a front limb amputated and so this discussion came up while I was making the choice. Just thought I'd mention that - look at the videos, those rear leg amputees are racing around!
I know what you mean about loving their fuzzy legs! Good luck!
Where are you? Is there a teaching hospital anyplace nearby? We had to drive 1 1/2 hours for Murphy to see the orthopedic specialist. You are doing the right thing by doing your research first. Make sure that your other family members are also doing their due diligence. Kerren has given you some great videos to see how well dogs do on 3 legs, if that's the route you choose to go. A back leg is better than a front leg - they say that dogs carry more weight in the front than they do in the back (something like 30% on each front leg & 20% on each back leg). I agree about being cautious with the price difference - why is your vet only $300-$500? That is extremely low. I get that there wouldn't be any biopsy needed, like many of us needed, but there is anesthesia and it's a complicated surgery (has he/she done many of these??). Just like when a human has surgery, you don't want to just have anybody do it. Murphy had cancer, so we had no options, so I don't have any input on the repair surgery, sorry.
Donna
Donna, Glenn & Murphy
Murphy had his right front leg amputated due to histiocytic sarcoma at 7 years old. He survived 4 years, 2 months & 1 week, only to be taken by hemangiosarcoma at 11 1/2 years 6/12/17
Read about Murphy's Life on Three Legs
I just had my dog's leg amputated due to a severe break with a high risk of infection (open fracture, with the bone exposed). It was a front leg amputation, we're 8 days post-surgery, and she's getting around just fine and is already hating the confinement. I can't imagine the 3+ months required for repair. It was a tough decision, I won't pretend otherwise.
No one can make the decision for you, but here are the factors I considered in making my decision:
1) Cost (we hate it, but let's be honest, it's a factor)
2) Recovery time - In both cases, your dog will need to be kept quiet, with minimal activity.
3) Risk of complications
4) Long term results - There are potential long term issues with both choices. Some dogs will require a second surgery to remove plates down the road, for instance. Amputation does increase the stress on the other limbs.
We also came to amputation due to cancer, so I also cannot comment on you two choices. My only thought is that, if amputation is the right decision for you, do not be afraid of it. Three legged dogs are happy, they can do most anything they did before (long walks are the exception for many Tripawds) and they do not have the emotional dimension that people have. A Tripawd does not think about disability, or spend time wishing they were whole, they think only about finding a new way to do whatever it is they want to do. And the list of things Tripawds can do is way longer than the list of things they cannot do!
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.
Let me add that whatever you decide, you will probably second guess it, especially if there are any kind of setbacks along the way. This will not mean you made the wrong choice. It means you're human.
I'll add one more video here...the one of the happiest dog in the world. Our Murphy was hit by a car and after spending over three weeks in the hospital while they tried everything to save his leg, he finally had the amputation. He also had a total hip replacement in his remaining hip because the hip was dislocated in the accident and wouldn't stay in the socket, even after multiple surgeries. There were times that people didn't even realize that he was missing that back keg. He stayed happy and loving throughout the rest of his life.
Kathi and the Turbotail April Angel...and the Labradork
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!
Ohhhh hoppy Murphy, you sweet boy. What a hoppy day indeed!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi and welcome.
I'm sorry about Jams' accident.
About seven months ago I adopted my second tripawd, a little pug Mix I named Elly. She was hit by a car when she was 7 months old and lost her right rear leg as a result. She came to my pack 2.5 months post amp so I didn't have to make the decision this time. I have seen one x-ray and the leg was badly broken, I doubt it could have been repaired.
Obviously I didn't know Elly as a quad-puggle, but I can tell you being a tri-puggle has not slowed her down. She runs and plays, does stairs without a problem, she digs holes, and can even 'sit pretty'.
Everyone will have an opinion on what you should do...but Jams is your pup and you know her best.
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
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