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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Henry became a tripawd 6 days after his 10th birthday on 6/8/16 due to a sarcoma on his left front leg. He had a tough time at the beginning, being a 26lb pekepoo without any prior leg pain it took him a few months to find his normal. I switched him to a raw diet and he is down from 26.2lbs to 23.8lbs and he's on 1/2 a tab of consequin msm every day. He did not have to undergo any chemo or radiation as the amputation provided clean margins and although he's a bit tired by bedtime, he wakes up every day happy and usually walks too far and needs a little cuddle/snuggle for part of the way home and then after that short rest he is hopping all around right up to our door.
I noticed a lump on his left side about a week ago and had been watching it. (He has a number of fatty cysts, two that he had removed from his left leg in 2012 and again in 2015). Others were not in locations where they needed to be removed so we just keep an eye on them.) Wednesday and Friday my puppy/security cam caught him having "episodes" that looked like he was spooked or in pain. Pacing, panting, digging, crying, yelping. He sleeps all day so this was very odd. My parents are about 5 mins away by car and picked him up and he was fine. I decided to take him to the vet on Saturday to see if he was in pain and to have the lump looked at.
The lump has been diagnosed as a Mast Cell Tumor. The vet stated they have a really good success rate with this type of tumor, we caught it early and if they get good margins he won't need chemo or radiation. I scheduled the surgery because I'm not ready to stop fighting and he has come so far. He is my little warrior and mast cell tumors compared to other cancers our tripawds have fought seems beatable. I feel bad because I told him no more surgeries, but he has had similar surgeries like this without incident. (Also it stinks that we can't stage these tumors without removal. If I knew it wasn't aggressive and not likely to do anything in the next couple years I'd let it go, even a year. I just can't leave it not knowing if it will shorten his life or not.)
I'm just concerned that it's only been 5 months since his amputation. Has anyone gone through another surgery after amputation? Was it to remove another cancer? I know a lot of larger dogs have issues with hips and knees. I know at some point I have to let go and what will be will be. But this just doesn't seem like that time.
I guess I'm just more concerned with any input on how your tripawd did with an additional surgery. He's scheduled for the 22nd.
Thanks Tripawd Family 
justdebbie9 said
Has anyone gone through another surgery after amputation?
Search the blogs and forums and you'll find many stories of Tripawds members helping their dogs and cats through remaining limb surgeries.
Use the Advanced Search above to refine your search results with specific phrases, and you're sure to find lots of helpful feedback. You can also search all blogs here .
Here are a just couple posts from the Tripawds News blog you may find helpful...
Remaining limb surgery recovery for tripawds
When a tripawd needs another leg surgery
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
The surgery is on his side/belly, but goodness if others have had additional leg surgeries I have a bit more confidence about this. Thanks and I'll read up on the links.
Hello:
My boy Pofi did have an additional surgery back at the end of September to remove what was a benign tumor (an old one) that had been suddenly irritating to him and he was licking it and making it raw. I was on his remaining front leg and was also preventing us from getting a carpal brace for that leg. It was not infected yet, but it was clearly only a matter of time before it was.
He had no issues with the surgery - they removed this growth cleanly, and it was confirmed it was still benign. For us the compromise was stopping Palladia as part of his metronomic chemo approach in order for the incision to heal. It was a calculated risk - in hindsight, it was a bad risk for us to take. His sarcoma had probably already returned (nerve sheath tumor) and I now firmly believe was the reason he was "bothering" that old growth. Stopping the Palladia likely allowed the forming tumor to grow rapidly and we had to let him go two weeks ago as it had invaded his spine and he had become immobilized. I wish I had put him back on Palladia at 10 days before stitches were out because it had healed very well. And a few days later, he ripped them all out and we had to delay start of Palladia further. While I think it was only a matter of time for us, I think the change in his chemo cost us some time we might have had otherwise.
My choices were not easy or clear - allowing him to create a wound and infection on his remaining front leg really was not a good option.
But he did handle the surgery and recovery with ease. And a mast cell is serious business, so you also don't have an easy choice, but I would not be so concerned about the surgery itself. It will be much quicker and less complex than his amputation.
Best thoughts...
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.
Did the vet have any insight on the 'episode'? I've had a lot of experience with mast cell tumors in two dogs and none of them produced an episode like you saw.
My pug Maggie lost her rear leg to a MCT and had several tumors after her amp. Mag's little sis Tani had many MCTs, some I took off and some I left alone. After Mag's amp I only removed tumors with a punch and a stitch or two, no big margins.
The good new is that the tumor is on her side and so the surgeon should be able to get good margins. The incision will probably be pretty big. Maggie had a MCT removed from her side about 6 months before her amp and that incision was way bigger than her amp incision. The surgery is not nearly as painful as an amputation and the recovery is pretty quick. Maggie was very unhappy when the tumor was removed from her side because the incision was tight around her side, but there was not much pain.
There are several pups here who had amps due to one cancer and then developed a mast cell tumor. Ajax is one I can think of, I know there have been some more recently.
When you get the path report back be sure and find out the mitotic index (MI). A low MI is good and indicates the cancer is not aggressive.
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
Lisa-
Thank you for posting Pofi's story. These impossible decisions we have to make are just not fair. I wouldn't have done anything different than what you did. My heart goes out to you and your family. xoxo
Karen-
We haven't had any more episodes since Friday. I've been leaving the TV on for him as background noise when I go to work and hopefully that will help. I do know that the episodes made me take him to the vet and ultimately that is how I found out he had the new cancer so, maybe it was another power pushing me along. He wasn't due to go back until December for his 6 month post amputation check up. Hopefully we caught it early enough and get good margins.
Deb
Karen-
I also wanted to ask you about the incision. Were you able to put a t-shirt on Maggie or did she have to wear a cone?
Thanks-
Deb
Maggie's incision was so far up on her torso that she couldn't reach it because of her short neck and pug face. It ran from her shoulder area down almost in her armpit and around her chest. Unfortunately she could scratch one end of it with her back leg (she was still a quad then) and managed to pull a couple stitches out.
Maggie HATED wearing anything, even her harness. I think that is why she was so mad about the incision pulling, it felt to her like she had something around her torso which she couldn't get off!
You will have to see where the incision is, maybe he can't get to it. If he is home alone the safest thing is a cone (if he can reach the incision). An inflatable collar like this might work, I used it with great success when quad-pug Obie had his knee surgeries. Make sure he can't get to it with his back feet. I would have put a bootie on Maggie but she absolutely refused to wear them either.
Karen
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Hi there,
Sorry to hear about the MCT. My Izzy is 13 and had her front leg amputated in Sept 2015. She developed a MCT on one of her hind feet - I finally noticed it once it was nearly the size of her toe - but because it is between the pads, we can't remove it surgically. So she started on palladia in June and has responded really well. Then in August, she went lame and wouldn't use her hind leg on the same side as the front amputation. She ended up having knee surgery to repair her ruptured cruciate ligament in SEptember 2106 - one year to the day after her amputation. It was a tougher recovery and, because Izzy is a long legged girl, it was tough to keep her off the staples, even with a cone. I found some GREAT dog pj's that kept her leg covered and that was a blessing. I wish I'd researched them better before the surgery. It was hard to find any that fit her as she's a big dog.
Anyway, feel free to ask any questions if you have them!
-Amy & Izzy, too!
Momma to the world's most beautiful American Bulldog, Izzy!! Lost her front leg to OSA 9/18/15. Diagnosed w MCT in June 2016. Celebrated her 1 year ampuversary with knee surgery on 9/18/16! MCT recurrence in Dec 2016. Happy & hungry til nearly 14, earning her wings on 7/31/17.
Thanks for the info Amy! Izzy is adorbs! His surgery is Tuesday the 22nd so hopefully I can find some PJ's before then. He's a perfect size 2T so I can probably modify something from the baby dept if necessary. 
Isn't that picture of Izzy precious! Such a sweet firl....pretty in pink too!
Just cate up on the latest with ADORABLE HENRY!! You've gotten great advice, as usual!
Glad you're feeling less fearful now and know that Henry will do just fine. He's a WARRIOR! And no I deedy, he's not done yet...not anywhere close!!
Update when you can. Give Henry a big smooch for us!
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!
Oh, if he's a 2T it's easy enough. Carter's makes a "sleep n play" onesie that is perfect ... just put the snaps up the back to let the tail wag free!
We'll have paws crossed for you on the 22nd!
Momma to the world's most beautiful American Bulldog, Izzy!! Lost her front leg to OSA 9/18/15. Diagnosed w MCT in June 2016. Celebrated her 1 year ampuversary with knee surgery on 9/18/16! MCT recurrence in Dec 2016. Happy & hungry til nearly 14, earning her wings on 7/31/17.
Just wanted to update. Henry made it through surgery like a trooper. When I got him home all he wanted to do was eat. We had to go for a walk for him to go potty (I live in a condo so we have to walk all the time) I thought he'd want to stay in front of the house but he wanted to go his usual route. I had to stop him as I was worried, he had just had surgery and a fresh incision/stitches. I am amazed by these wonderful animals of ours and the resilience they have. When people post "Be More Dog " on here, they are telling the truth!
As for biopsy reports, the mast cell tumor was a low grade level 2 with a mitotic index of 0!!! Clean margins, couldn't have asked for better results given the situation. He has beat 2 cancers in less than 6 months and I am in awe of him and his spirit. I am so blessed that he has had the strength, and I have had the resources to to get through this.
My heart goes out to all the pups, cats and humans fighting cancer. We aren't taking any day for granted because we all know how fast things can change. But I will Be More Dog and live in the moment, and never lose hope.
Deb & Henry
Fabulous news! Go Henry! So pleased.
Meg, Clare and Elsie Pie xxx
Ruby, Staffy, born June 2022, became a Tripawd, 23 November 2023, adopted 12 January 2024.
Also Angel Tripawd Meg (aka The Megastar), who died in April 2023, aged 14, after seven glorious years on three, and Angel Staffies Pie and Bille. In the pawprints of giants...
Great news! So glad the surgery went well and the outcome was so positive.
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.
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