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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Hi All,
My story is probably not much different then others.... My beloved Bella was limping which i thought was a pulled muscle from playing with our other lab. Took her in the day before Thanksgiving to be given the horrible news she has a tumor in her front left leg which they said was osteosarcoma. Since then I have seen 2 vets and an oncologist and a orthopedic surgeon. They did a chest x-ray on Saturday and said all looked clear for now. Today, she was seen by the orthopedic who took blood work and more xrays to see if she is going to be to handle being on 3 legs. We will get the results tomorrow. I have very nervous and want to give her a chance to fight this with the leg amputation and chemo but I am afraid they are going to tell me her back legs can't handle it given her weight(she is overweight lab) and possible hip problems etc.. She is currently on two pain meds.. tramadol and rimadyl which is working great.. she seems to be no pain and normal beside a limp. I am not sure what I am going to if amputation is not a choice. I am heartbroken.
Welcome Bella and family.
I'm so sorry Bella has cancer. We understand how heartbreaken you must be. Others will help with the details of their experience. (I don't have a cancer dog, I have a deformed front leg dog)
Try not to worry too much. It's going to be okay. We have had a few others that have some mobility issues but they amputated. It's still ultimately your decision to amputate.
Just try to remember that it's the pain from the bone cancer that you want to remove. Not to make you worry or scare you, but dogs handle the pain better than we do and if she is limping it is still very painful. (bone cancer it incredibly painful - almost unbearable with humans)
It's going to be okay. Terrifying at first! We know.
You obviously have a tremendous bond and love for Bella and your decision will done out of love and that always make it the right decision.
Keep us updated!
Lots of pawsitive thoughts coming your way.
Comet's mom
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.
Hi Bella and pack,
Welcome to Tripawds- the club no one wants to HAVE to join. But this is an excellent place for information and support when you are faced with cancer in your pup. The diagnosis and decisions you are faced with are difficult and can be overwhelming. Remember that Bella does not know that she is sick. You need to be strong and positive around her so she will know everything is OK (much easier said than done, I know!).
You should read through and bookmark Jerry's Required Reading list. A compilation of info on amputation, recovery and cancer.
You know Bella best and are a good judge of what she can handle. Overweight is fixable- it is hard work for you, but it can be done. We have many giant breeds here who have done just fine with amputation. And we have some here that have had issues with there remaining legs, and have had surgery after becoming a tripawd.
Take a deep breath and focus on the immediate decisions to be made. Have a list of questions ready for when the vet calls you tomorrow, so you know what all your options are. Come back here with your questions and concerns and if you need support. We have been through diagnosis, amputation and cancer and are here to help.
Karen and the pugapalooza
Bella and pack, first I am so sorry to meet you for the reason you are here. I became a member of this group only a month ago. My dog Cooper is half Newfy and half lab, he weighs 117 pounds post surgery, he was around 120 prior. Both vets that I talked to questioned his candicacy as an amputee, but my decision was that Cooper had too much life to put him down as the first vet suggested, and the second vet wasnt sure but made us aware that he was ready to do whatever we decided. Cooper also has weak back legs. Since his amputation he is going up and down stairs by himself and mostly is better than before surgery, he had been in such pain before but hid it so well. He is a left front leg amputee - I would never presume to tell you what to do, but if it helps to know of our circumstances then good. Coopers blog will tell you some of the things we have gone through. I will not lie it has not all been easy - mostly it was hard, the day after I brought him home - I sat out on the front step when he couldnt get back up and come in and asked myself what I had done to him. But now I look at him and all the life he has in him and all that he is doing for himself and believe I made the right choice. We are thinking of you and sending you encouraging thoughts and prayers.
Coopsdad
Coopsdad/ Kenneth Blackburn
http://cooper.t.....ipawds.com
the monkeydogs only THINK they have invaded the tripawd state
Bella, we're so sorry we missed you in the chat earlier. Thank you for sharing your story with us. We are soooo sorry about the diagnosis, but as you can see here, you're not alone in this journey. You're in a scary place right now, we all understand completely what that's like.
Kudos to you for doing all the recommended things to 1) make sure that she feels better as soon as possible, and 2) that you investigated your options. Just remember, there are no "right" answers when it comes to cancer, only what's the best for you and Bella's quality of life.
As Karen mentioned, check out the Required Reading list., and if you haven't already, check out our eBook, "Three Legs & A Spare," which goes into much more detail about what you can expect these next few weeks. And of course you can ask away here too, we're hoppy to help.
Sounds like you have a food-happy Lab (not unusual here, that's for sure). If she's overweight at all, she'll need to lose weight. But that's not impossible, and as you can see with our 2-year cancer survivor hero Trouble, it's definitely do-able. That's something you can start on now, slowly of course, and under your doctor's supervision.
As for everything else, remember to take things one step at a time. That's all you can do, and it's the best way to make it through this journey. Remember, we can't control what happens tomorrow, only how we respond to today. For if there's anything good that we learn from cancer, it's to not take tomorrow for granted, and to focus on the moment at hand.
You can do this, and you will all do great. Hang in there OK? Let us know what's going on.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi Bella and family,
Bella sure is a cutie! I'm so sorry you've had to find us this way, but also glad that you did find us because you will definitely get great information and tons of support (I know I did.) Sadie also had osteosarcoma, and I was very concerned about her ability to do well on 3 legs. She had arthritis in her hips, a partially fused spine, was 9 yrs old and weighed over 90lbs! It turned out that although the first couple of weeks were really hard, she came through it all really well. The decision is of course one that only you can make, and since you are making it with love for Bella, and her best interst at heart, there is no wrong decision. Best wishes, we hope everything goes well for you!
Lisa
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/
Welcome to the group no one 'wants' to be a member of, but are so glad they found!
As Karen & Jerry have said, Trouble was the poster child for overweight. She is a front amp, and we were told she wasn't a great candidate for surgery because of the weight and the fact she is a bully and they carry so much weight up front. Her second opinion vet (and the one who would ultimately do her surgery, chemo, and continuing care) told us surgery was the only option to stop the pain of osteosarcoma, and we would deal with the weight.
After her surgery, it was almost as if she knew she had to lighten up. By the time her chemo was comlete she had lost 14 pounds, and looked great. A little over a year later, she began to get porky again. I put her on a reduced calorie kibble and she really blossomed, and evn worse, began having mobility issues. She just had too much weight for her structure to handle. Dr F had me put her on a home cooked reducing diet. She has again lost 14 pounds and is doing well.
Don't let anyone convince you that weight is a deciding factor, it isn't.
Oh, and by the way, Trouble was diagnosed on the Monday before Thanksgiving 2008, she had her second opinion on Tuesday, and Wednesday morning I dropped her off for surgery. It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do, but we did it and never looked back. We just celebrated our 2 year mark. There is always hope.
Shanna & Spirit Trouble ~ Trouble gained her wings 3/16/2011, a 27 1/2 month cancer survivor, tail wagging. RIP sweetheart, you are my heart and soul. Run free at Rainbow Bridge.
The November Five - Spirits Max, Cherry, Tika, Trouble & Nova. 11/2008 - 3/2013 An era ends as Queen Nova crossed the Bridge.
Welcome to the family, your going to find out this is the best place to be as you start this journey. Gus was a lab-rott mix, weighed 113 when we first took him in. He was a left front amp. Once he healed you would have never known he was three legged except for the hop. We live on a farm and he was climbing the hay mows, jumping in trucks, roaming the fields just like before, I don't think he was overweight but that is something you can work on. The initial fears and anxiety of the unknown with this crap are a big reason we all found this site, so everything you are feeling is normal. Some people feel guilty for what they have done to their buddies once they have the surgery, but trust us when we say once you get by the hardest part of recovery, usually the first 2 weeks, it gets better reasonably fast, thats not to say there are times when it takes longer for some dogs to get back to their usual that others, but once you take the cancer pain away, they feel better right away. Don't be afraid to ask anything, experience gives the best answers. You say you don't know what you will do if amputation isn't an option, quality of life should be your goal no matter what, so hopefully you are comfortable with your vet and he explains all options and what goes along with each choice. Yep, this road sucks, it's the hand we're dealt and we have to take the responsibility to make the decisions we feel are best for our buddies, and when you make your choice, make sure you can live with it, because there is no time for second guessing. I have no regrets with the way I did everything for Gus, and although he only lived 3 1/2 months after surgery, they were great , and I knew I did everything I could for him. Good luck, Big Paws up, Spirit Gus and Dan
My buddy Gus had a left front amputation on April 7, 2010 and lived a great life until July 26,2010
Ditto to the welcomes and sorrys. My heart breaks for you due to Bella's age. Generally that means that the cancer can be more aggresive, however, the flip side is that you might have longer time to share with her if you are able to kick some cancer butt!
Charlie (the handsome man in the avatar) was what some would call 'overweight'. They said he was supposed to have some definition to his waist when viewing from above. Kind of an hour glass figure. Well, I don't have that, whether viewing from the side or above, so I may have been a tad offended with the 'overweight' comment. 
Anyway, Charlie ranged between 115-120 pounds his whole life until he reached double digits, then I got his weight down a bit. When he went in for the amputation he was 108 pounds, almost 11 years old, arthritic and had blown out a knee in his youth and had Lymes as a puppy. I didn't think amputation was going to be an option for him, but was truly amazed at how well he did as a tripawd. He lost 10 pounds due to the amputation and stayed in the mid 90's for the remaining time as a tripawd.
My long winded point: You are in excellent company here. All hope is not lost! Get the opinions, but most importantly, have the conversation with Bella. Sitting down with Charlie and talking to him about it helped me make the tough decisions that would take place over the next five months, knowing that he was willing to fight.
Keep us posted. Blessings and hugs to Bella and you,
Spirit Charlie and VQ
"I don't know where I am."
Viking Queen said:
Generally that means that the cancer can be more aggresive
VQ, it is our understanding that cancer is more aggressive in dogs under 5 years of age, but dogs older than 5 have a better chance of non-recurrence of symptoms.
Hopefully Dr. Pam will correct me if I'm wrong, but I do believe this is what I've read in various dog cancer publications.
Thanks for sharing your input and welcoming Bella's peeps!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Yes there are 2 populations of OSA dogs. The younger dogs (1-2 years of age) usually do have more aggressive disease. The other group is represented by dogs 5 years and up and those have a variable prognosis. Average survival with chemo is 1-2 years but you can see from this website that some dogs do better (even without chemo) and some do worse. The most important thing is to control the pain by removing the leg.
Pam
Hi Bella and family,
Welcome to the family that none of us want to have to be a part of. We are so sorry about your beautiful, beloved Bella's diagnoses. You can trust that this family knows, empathizes and understands your situation and pain on a very personal level and our hearts are broken with yours.
You are right, some stories hold similarities, yet each family, furry companion and journey is as unique as your Bella. And every experience shared helps us all on this difficult journey. Each decision you are faced with can be excruciatingly difficult and overwhelming; caring for these incredible warriors who are battling cancer is certainly not for cowards. This community offers information, guidance and emotional support from others who have traveled down this path.
Hang in there, you can do this. Your love for Bella will help guide you into making decisions that are in her best interest.
We are hoping and praying for you and your precious Bella.
Hugs from,
Angel Honeygurl’s pack
Dx Osteosarcoma 3/31/10. Amputation 7/21/10. Honey put up a valiant fight and lost her battle 9/22/10. Missing her and treasuring 9 years with our Honeygurl.
My bad.
I found my first 'official' grey hair last week and am feeling like 6 years old is way young.
Didn't mean to scare anyone. Seems my age is catching up to me.
"I don't know where I am."
Hi Bella and Family,
We're sorry you had to find us, but would like to add our welcome to the tripawds family. We got Holly's official diagnosis just before Christmas last year, and were feeling much as you are. I can't add much to the wonderful words people have already offered. You do know Bella best - as others have also pointed out, so you will make the decision based on your love of her - there is no right or wrong decision here. Holly has amazed us with how well she does - people don't usually notice she's a tripawd right away anymore. I think if she could talk, she'd say "who needed that ole leg, anyway?". She hasn't looked back and neither have we.
We are sending pawsitive thoughts to you as you make this difficult decision. And we'll be here for you whatever that decision is.
Hugs,
Holly, Zuzu and Susan
Holly joined the world of tripawds on 12/29/2009. She has a big little sister, Zuzu, who idolizes Holly and tries to make all of her toys into tripawds in Holly's honor. And she's enjoying life one hop at a time!
http://anyemery.....ipawds.com
HI Tripawds Family,
First, can I say OMG...thank you all for all the post and sharing your stories.....I can't even tell you how it feels to find people that understand what our family is going through. Its been such a roller coster ride since last week...my only goal was how to make Bella feel better and keep her around as long as possible. Well, I got the phone call late yesterday that Bella is a canidate for amputation. This sounds crazy but I was so happy.... I felt I was going to at least give her a chance to fight this.. Surgery is schedule fo tomorrow morning.. and reality is starting to set in... Not real doubts about if we are doing the right thing.. just fear of the unknown.. fear that she will not be able to stand back up and all the what if's... I guess this past week with trying to get appts and answers.. I never had a minute to sit and just think about it... Well, today I had that day .. lousy day here in NY and we just hung out all day and had that talk.. Bella is a fighter and I know deep down she can do this ... Her favorite place is going to my parents lake house on Lake George, NY and swim and swim.. and I am going to try and do everything possible to see that happens..
I am sure I am going to have tons of questions in the upcoming days...
Thanks for all the support....
Karen and Bella
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