He looks adorable!

Have you checked with the vet about putting him on half-rations? I say this because I know cats should not lose weight too quickly but I don't know about dogs. Also he may eat that well during the first few days after his amputation.

You can find lots of ideas on nutrition on this site. One thing I do for my cats is to weigh the food rather than measure it so that I'm consistent.

I'll send positive thoughts for a smooth surgery and easy recovery.

Kerren and Tripawd Kitty Mona

Hi there, and welcome. The title of this thread caught my eye because it could almost be a description of my Meg. Big head (in more ways than one), not especially broad in the chest, but certainly long in the body and with very short legs. She is in fact half Rottweiler, so it's funny you should mention that, and I've often joked the other half must be Corgi. It's actually a whole mishmash of things, but that is the impression. Her legs are longer than a corgi's but MUCH shorter than you'd expect for a dog of her size. She looks as though she's been cut off at the knees. I've dug around for a photo that best demonstrates this. (She always tries to position herself to make her legs look longer than they are, diva that she is...). Anyway, this should give you an idea:

I was told amputation was not an option for her, not primarily because of her shape (though it was mentioned) but because of problems with her remaining front leg. I got a second, and third, opinion, and nineteen months post amp she is doing RIDICLOUSLY well. In fact, while I'm at it, here is a video of Miss Meg at the beach recently. As you can see, mobility is not too much of an issue.

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I would certainly second suggestions above about going to see a rehab vet. Building core strength is absolutely crucial to take the strain off that lovely long back. We still see one every month or so, and Meg has acupuncture and laser, to iron out niggles in her spine and prevent them developing into a problem. We also do physio exercises at home, using a wobble board etc. at least every other day. And ditto the others on preparing the home (you must ensure he cannot jump down off beds/sofas etc. onto that precious remaining front leg). Slimming down will certainly help him but half rations sounds a bit drastic (!). You don't want him losing muscle mass and he needs his strength up to help him recover. Could you get some advice? For Meg, a specific satiety food has been incredibly helpful. It means she could eat plenty and still lose weight. When I tried just cutting the quantity, she would go and bark at the fridge.

I'm so pleased you have decided to proceed and get rid of that painful leg. I'm sure Angus will do great on three. And yes, even from the avatar pic I can see that he does look quite REMARKABLY like Richard Gere. Be still my beating heart ❤️

Meg, Clare and Elsie Pie xxx