Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hi all. I'm reaching out to this group for guidance on how to make this really big decision. Everyday I change my mind on what the right course of action is for my pup. My 8yo, 85 lb labradoodle, Cooper, was diagnosed with a high grade chondrosarcoma on his right front limb. His primary care vet initially diagnosed him via xray after I observed him limping for several days. Her initial recommendation was not to amputate as in her experience the trauma is quite a lot and the cancer is so quick to metastasize.
He has since seen an oncologist, a surgeon, and a holistic veterinarian - all of whom have recommended amputation + chemo (based on confirmed diagnosis through biopsy). He is currently on prednisone, which has hugely improved his lameness. He is weight bearing and still has energy to run and play.
I know from what the vets say he is in quite a bit of pain, but it's so hard for me to see that because he acts totally normal. I also know fracture is a risk if I keep letting him resume his normal activities. Medically speaking all signs point to amputation as the best path forward, but when I read of other's experiences about recovery it just seems so traumatic that I can't bear to put him through it, especially because he is still active/weight bearing.
He is a therapy dog and derives so much positive energy from being around people and giving them love. Any stranger who has met my dog immediately calls him human because he is so emotionally intelligent! I'm afraid after surgery he will fall into depression and become a different dog. He is also extremely active (hiking, swimming) and will he really be able to do all of these things again as a tripawd?
I just have to wonder am I amputating to medically prolong his life for me? Or is it better for him to manage his pain and let him go on his own time, even if that means I get less time with him?
I ultimately just want what is best for Cooper. I appreciate this community sharing your experiences and stories on how you navigated this extremely tough decision! I know it's not one size fits all, but it's helpful to hear what others have gone through. I know I don't have much time to keep debating. Thanks so much, everyone
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Hi and welcome. Your future posts won't need to wait for approval so post away.
It's awesome that you sought other opinions, and they all point to how Cooper is a good candidate for amputation surgery. What was it about seeking those other opinions that led you to do so? Is your gut instinct telling you that he will be fine, but your heart is worried that he won't? As humans we tend to let our fears and worries overshadow the more concrete facts about how he will likely do on three legs. Anyone who's gone through this decision does it. We all worry if we are being selfish.
But what do you think Cooper would say if he could, in our language, about what he wants? And how he can handle recovery?
Recovery is always more traumatic for us than for them. If we set a calm, positive example, our pets pick up on that and reflect it right back at us, even when things don't go as we had hoped. Thankfully most times amputation recovery does go according to plan. Some dogs will take longer than others but most do well in the end.
You may want to check out the Tripawds Quality of Life Survey results to see how others feel about their decisions long after surgery day.
I'll be back later, gotta run, so stay tuned for feedback from others!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
As you can see from Jerry's thoughtful response, you have come to the right place for support and information. We all unders the emotions involved, the fear, the uncertainty, the lack of sleep, the tears, and yes, the back and forth on what to do.
I was so scared that I even cancelled the first surgery appointment oit of wherr panic. I had not found this community yet. In fact did join j til day six after the amputation. Yes, funall proceeded with it and glad I did!
In my Happy Hannah's case, during all my indecision I felt like I was managing her pain just fine...until I wasn't. Either "let her go" or give her a chance at a pain free life. She wanted that chance. She, like Cooper, like all of us, would want our life "prolonged" and pain free so we can have more happiness and joy. And in Cooper'scase, more tummy rubs, butt scratches and treats!
We have so many videos of Tripawds hiking and swimming and dock diving and doi g agility and on and on! Cooper will be ab to do everything he did kn four, just with some smart moderation and some rest stops inbetween, etc.
I'm having a brain freeze, but I think Griffin was a therapy dog, as well as several of others....just can't recall.
One little tripawd here is Elly and Elly nosework and is quite the little tripawd RockStar.
You'll want to get non slip scatter rugs for traction if you jave hardwoods, raised food bowls to prevent straining. Jist short leashed potty breaks and back j for more rest the first two weeks.
We can help you navigate through recovery if that the path forward yoj take. In the meantime, you've spoken with the professionals who all think Cooper is a good candidate. You are so tuned into Cooper and clearly adore him. Now sit quietly with Cooper, need not speak words, put all thought aside. Let Cooper "tell" you what he wants. You'll know. Yoj already do.
(((((((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!
I'm having a brain freeze, but I think Griffin was a therapy dog, as well as several of others....just can't recall.
Yes he was! And many others. Here are some stories:
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thank you both for your words of support and understanding☺️. I have been spending these last few days doing a lot of processing and praying! I still don’t know what to do. @jerry you asked why I sought so many opinions and it was for multiple reasons. The first being that my primary vet was pretty blunt about not recommending amputation, so she was hoping an oncologist would have alternative options. Of course, the oncologist and ortho surgeon (same clinic) recommended amp because it is the best for their quality of life because it removes their pain. With the conflicting opinions, I wanted to get additional input so I went to see a highly recommended holistic vet who plainly said “I avoid cutting at all costs, but not in the case of bone cancer because bone pain is almost impossible to truly manage.”
I felt really good after my consult with the holistic vet and decided to schedule the amputation. But, as the surgery date draws near (1/4) I can’t imagine going through with it. I have never had this much heart ache before in my life. I trust my primary vet very much and my gut is telling me there is a reason she said don’t amputate.
I also have so many friends and family that say Cooper is going to be depressed after amputation and that amputation is going to be a huge burden on me and affect my quality of life. None of the journeys I have read have been easy or straightforward - there seem to be constant ups and downs.
Yes, I see all the dogs wagging tails and getting around great once through recovery (I was so encouraged by Griffin’s videos!). But, I also see continued pain management , secondary ortho issues, ongoing vet appointments for PT, acupuncture, etc and those don’t even include the ups and downs with chemo.
I guess that’s the way it goes with any disease. It’s just so hard to imagine putting Cooper through that journey. I’ve always said I’d do anything for my dog, but now that I’m in this seat I don’t know if “anything” is the right thing. The decision seems impossible! I either keep him on the pred and manage (or try to manage) his pain until it’s time to let him go or I amputate plus chemo and face the numerous challenges (physical and emotional) that are gonna come our way over the next year (hopefully…) or so.
Does anyone have journeys to share where they chose not to amputate? It seems like most people are glad they amputated, but for those that didn’t was there regret of that choice ? I know this was a lot of rambling, but it does help to write out all of the thoughts in my head! Thanks for reading and any thoughts you share!
Hi there!
Reading your first post, it was 10000% my feelings before we went through with a right rear amputation for our Doggo, Zeke. They share so many similarities!
He is a 9yo (almost 10) Goldendoodle who is also a therapy dog and is very emotional and emotionally intuitive. He’s the complete opposite of our second dog. The tumor was found by accident on an X-ray looking at something else. He wasn’t limping, in any obvious pain, was fully weight bearing and still his normal active self. I had the exact same fears as you’re having now and was asking myself the same questions (is this for me or for him?, etc.)
I also reached out to many resources. I looked into every trial currently available in the US and Europe (we are a US military family stationed abroad at time of diagnosis)….everywhere from UC Davis to University of Zurich in order to know all available options. We narrowed things down to SRT and Amputation and ultimately decided amputation based on the fact that this was the way we could keep him as pain free as possible. We felt heavily medicating would take away his quality of life more than the amputation. And honestly, the meds wouldn’t do a great job with managing the pain.
Zeke had his surgery on 12/22 and let me tell you what. He’s great! Day three he was running to us when we picked him up. He never needed help with anything - he ate right away (surgery was at 3pm and his first dinner was offered at midnight and he scarfed it and every meal since). He went to the bathroom himself, etc. by day 6 we could take him on short walks and by day 10 he did a mini 15 min hike with incline and loved every moment. Most of all - he is HAPPY. He is still his normal goofy self. A lot of it is the vibe you set in the house. He will mirror you.
Zeke had a bad hematoma and a seroma and honestly it wasn’t that bad. Looked bad, but he wasn’t even bothered by it. He never once tried to get at his incision and things healed up nicely. He slept through the night since the night we brought him home. No phantom pain , no crying, no whimpering, just a lot of resting for the first few days. Stitches come out today!
This is my long winded way of saying don’t take amputation off the “options” list yet. Doodles especially are so resilient and so smart. They learn to work smarter not harder on three legs. And always remember, there are lots of us lurking here who haven’t posted because our guys are doing GREAT! Usually most posts are because people need help. So that’s probably why you feel everyone has had problems. But I’m here to tell you that’s not always the case 🙂
If you have any more questions or would like to see him in action just PM me and I can happily answer any and all questions for you!
I went to see a highly recommended holistic vet who plainly said “I avoid cutting at all costs, but not in the case of bone cancer because bone pain is almost impossible to truly manage.”
This is 100% true. No pain meds in existence can manage the pain for more than a few weeks. If you are prepared to say goodbye to him within that timeframe, then palliative care with the pain meds that are available may be the way you go. And that's OK, we'll support you no matter what.
I trust my primary vet very much and my gut is telling me there is a reason she said don’t amputate.
Having a good relationship with your vet is golden. I totally respect that, but remember, that vet is not an oncologist or a surgeon who handles bone cancer amputation cases all the time. They don't see how well dogs can do over time. And in an old-school way of thinking, they rule out older dogs just because of their age. That's changed. Now the leading vets tell us that neither size nor age should exclude a dog as a candidate for surgery. A general practice vet sees a handful of bone cancer and amputation cases over the course of a few years. Specialists see that many in a week. They see the success as well as the struggles and know that overall, most dogs will do great on three legs.
I also have so many friends and family that say Cooper is going to be depressed after amputation and that amputation is going to be a huge burden on me and affect my quality of life. None of the journeys I have read have been easy or straightforward - there seem to be constant ups and downs.
Unless they've been in this situation, ignore them. They don't have the experience to comment with credibility. And they would never react with such negativity if a human was in the same situation. Keep their opinions out and go with the vet experts you've talked to.
As for the burden factor. Recovery is only a few weeks at most. Your quality of life? Yes, there are some minor sacrifices. You will need to do things differently with him. Not much, just things like moderating his activity, going on shorter walks, and putting traction down in your home. But these are such minor adjustments in return for a happy dog. If you ask me, and dozens of people who have been through this, it brings you even closer to a dog you love because you witness how resilient dogs really are.
And no, the journeys are not always easy and there are hiccups. But the most important thing is that the dog is out of pain from that tumor eating away at the leg. They are living pain-free in whatever time they have left.
I’ve always said I’d do anything for my dog, but now that I’m in this seat I don’t know if “anything” is the right thing. The decision seems impossible! I either keep him on the pred and manage (or try to manage) his pain until it’s time to let him go or I amputate plus chemo and face the numerous challenges (physical and emotional) that are gonna come our way over the next year (hopefully…) or so.
There are no right or wrong answers and we will support you either way. Amputation isn't right for every situation, we understand that and will support and respect your decision.
Keep in mind that pred is not a pain control drug. I'm not sure why they don't have him on any but he will need true pain management soon. Also remember that chemo is optional, and the challenges are mostly with your ability to be resilient, not his. Dogs take this in stride, but look to the humans for guidance. The more positive you are, the more he will reflect that right back to you.
Does anyone have journeys to share where they chose not to amputate?
You may want to start a new topic here so people see the question right away. Meanwhile check out these search results for examples of people who went the palliative route:
https://tripawd.....;include=3
I hope this helps!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I feel your pain and understand your emotions. It took me almost a month to decide to amputate my 10yr old labs front leg. She is still in the hospital as I type this. The surgery went well and hopefully on the mend. My girl had a large mass on her right paw which started out as broken toe that we happened to notice a lump in 2019 and was just told it was arthritis. Fast forward to 2021 I can't say exactly when we noticed it much larger, but I was against the amputation in the beginning with having the same thoughts as yourself. My main decision to go through with amputation was in the last month or so I could visibly see it was bothering her and started to really develop open sores and I feared infection. Physically she was in great shape all her bloodwork and x-rays were perfect. That all said, I do think if I specifically knew what you know about her diagnosis I don't know if I would come to the same conclusion. I won't know whether mine has an aggressive form of cancer that has spread or not until after her leg is sent to the lab. At this point it doesn't really matter. I tried to listen to my heart and do what was best for her and hope that (kinda selfish) buys her a couple more years of quality of life. It's literally eating me up Inside not knowing . Either way whether It gives her 3 weeks, 3 months or 3 years she's not gonna suffer with that paw anymore. I hope this some how helps you out, just know your not alone. Best of luck with decision.
duckdiggler13 said
I feel your pain and understand your emotions. It took me almost a month to decide to amputate my 10yr old labs front leg. She is still in the hospital as I type this.
Wow, thank you so much for sharing your story and all the difficult emotions you also felt before deciding. Every story means so much to someone else.
Please feel free to start a new topic and let us know how we can support you as well OK? We can't wait to learn all about your girl.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thank you all for your responses and sharing your stories. It has been so helpful. After much research, consulting, deliberation and prayer I finally made my decision and went with amputation. It is so scary, but I know he has only been trying to “work through” his pain. I know his pain is only going to get worse and I couldn’t bear to see him endure that, especially when all other aspects of his quality of life are excellent. He’s a strong, healthy pup and I know he and I will get through this together - like you all have said he will mirror my emotions and he will know “it’s okay.” His surgery was today and he is in recovery overnight at the vet. I will keep this community updated on our recovery journey!
You are so welcome Amanda. We are sending our best wishes and Tripawd Power for a speedy and uneventful recovery. Keep us posted and stay strong. You can do this!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Update us when you can, okay?
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!
Just wanted to give you an update on my girl Coco. First day home they really had her sedated quite a bit and I learned this is the intended result. I had cut back on two of her meds and it turns out she is much stronger than I ever anticipated. My advice is to follow the med schedule as much as possible. We are 4 days since her surgery and she is already trying to follow her normal routine. I actually have to reel her in. As everyday passes by the stronger she becomes it is very reassuring now that I believe I made the right decision and I would have to think you will also come to the same conclusion.
Wonderful update!! Absolutely wonderful!!!
Yes, stick to the pain med schedule. If you need to tweak down the road, more or less, you can discuss that with your Vet. Yes, keep her "reeled" in. For now, just short leashed potty breaks and back in for more resr..
Drinking, important. She may be off food a bit and may not poop for a few days. Peeing is import though.
We know making this decision was excruciating. We also know the reloef you feel in seeingmit was the eight decion! Your girl seems to approve too!
Thanks for the update. And try and fet some rest yourself, okay?
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!
duckdiggler13 said
My advice is to follow the med schedule as much as possible. We are 4 days since her surgery and she is already trying to follow her normal routine. I actually have to reel her in.
This is so common, dogs and cats will go and go and go if we allow them. During recovery and even after it's our job to moderate their responsibility so they don't overdo things. You're doing a great job!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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