Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat

Hi Holly and Ellie, welcome. We are so glad you found us, sorry you had to though. This is the club nopawdy wants to join. But if you have to, we are here every step of the way and will support you in your journey.

I'm going to be blunt here: your vet is thinking in a very old-school way. First, Ellie is in pain. Did he give her any pain management ? A limp is pain, and a limp from osteosarcoma is the worst kind of pain there is. Also, because dogs are masters at hiding pain signals , by the time they show they hurt with a limp, things are really, really painful. So please please please get her on some pain relief asap OK? Don't settle for Tramadol either, it's worthless. Gabapentin, Amantadine, Hydrocodone, and an NSAID, these are all good options right now. But they are very short term, and won't get rid of the pain, just dull it.

Also, I know this will be hard to hear, but please prevent her from running and doing any kind of impactful activity on that leg, only for now OK? There is a HUGE risk of pathological fracture (did your vet not tell you about that?). If she shatters that leg you'll get put on the spot to make a decision, amputate or euthanize. You don't want to be in that situation, it's horrible. We see it all the time here.

One more thing:

my general vet warned me that 3-legged dog life is a big change and to maybe delay surgery to get a few more good months of 4-legged life. 

First, let me get this off my chest, because it bothers me that your vet recommended this route. And it's contradictory. Based on what we've seen here again and what vet experts tell us, is that delaying surgery, or forgoing it for any length of time without further treatment, delays pain relief. This is what amputation provides for osteosarcoma: immediate pain relief. And living a 4-legged life in pain is not a good quality of life. That's what I mean by being contradictory.

If you're unsure about amputation you might want to talk to your oncologist about palliative stereotactic radiation therapy, or a new technique like cementoplasty (neither gets rid of cancer, but buys more quality time). These are valid options instead of amputation. But doing nothing means she will be in pain, and a pain medication haze, until she can no longer tolerate the pain. That is usually only a matter of a few months. No pain control can match the pain from osteosarcoma tumors. 

Amputation can buy much longer than pain meds (Boone is still with his family enjoying life!). The surgery and chemo can give a year according to statistics, but we've seen dogs blow those stats out of the water and go up to 7 years here, living out their normal life expectancy.

Any advice on this? Do folks have dogs that are able to get back to activities they loved post amputation? I just don't want to take away her joy. 

If your dog is otherwise healthy, there is no reason why she cannot do well on three legs and do what she loves. You will need to modify her fun and re-think what fun is all about, but as you can see from Tripawds Quality of Life Survey Results, people are almost unanimously happy with the results.

There are dogs much much larger than her who adapt and move on, continuing to enjoy life as before, with modifications to help them a bit. You will not be able to hike for miles and miles with her again, but she will be able to do so many other fun things! And, you can take her on long long walks in a dog stroller . This allows her to be with you, get out and sniff, walk a little and ride a little, without putting excessive strain on her body and joints. We encourage everyone to see a canine rehab therapist (Tripawds Foundation can pay for your first rehab visit !), to find out what activities are safe, fun, and healthy for their new Tripawd.

I'm also wondering what folks think about amputating at a specialty clinic vs their vet. The oncology / surgery vet quoted me for around $5500. I've read that you get what you pay for, is the care at the specialty vet that much more comfortable for the dog? 

Have you seen an oncologist yet? Or did you just call to get that number? If you haven't consulted with an oncologist please do asap.

The price you were quoted is the going rate in most major cities. Are you in the US?  General practice vets can usually do amputations (ask these questions first before choosing one), and some do them just as well as a board-certified vet surgeon (ACVS). But most general practice clinics don't have the same systems, staff, equipment, or experience that specialty care offers. What you want is a vet who does amputations all the time, a vet who knows what to do if things go wrong, or if complications happen. What you are paying for at a specialty clinic experience, training, staff, and safety. And if you make it an AAHA-accredited clinic you are in the best hands possible. 

One last thing: check out these videos from Dr. Robin Downing. She's the leader of veterinary pain management , and an excellent teacher about how to advocate for our pets. I know you'll find some helpful information from her discussions, especially about finding good vet care.

I hope this helps. Please keep us posted OK? And ask any questions you'd like, that's why we are here. The Tripawds e-books library is a good resource, so is Jerry's Required Reading List and our What to Expect articles .

Yay for Ellie! So glad she is on the mend. Keep in mind that bringing her home same day can be ruff. She may be dysphoric (seeing pink elephants) and anxious. Talk to your vet about her pain control and managing anxiety and restlessness if it happens.

Yes definitely do rehab! Tripawds Foundation can pay for your first rehab visit too! Here are great examples of members who have taken advantage of the program:

https://tripawd.....tag/rehab/

Let us know how today goes!