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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To sum up: Bella was supposed to have surgery Monday. After doing a chest x-ray before surgery, our vet did a full blood panel and had us come get her while awaiting results. So another day of anxiety. However, late today we received news her bloodwork is good and he can do surgery tomorrow. As of today, it's been one week since actual diagnosis - why wasn't the x-ray and bloodwork done last Thursday BEFORE surgery was scheduled? I feel we have lost yet another day. I trust our vet to do the operation - he is a "bone" guy - but I don't think he is very forward thinking about holistic diet, supps, et cetera. So I am basically doing this on my own and with your help as far as diet and care.
He will refer us to a chemo vet if we want to after surgery. I don't know what we can afford and also how she will handle it. So I am mentally preparing to fight with supplements and medication. Perhaps an oral cancer pill? While waiting for the blood results, I had come to terms with the worst news and was ready to deal with just pain management and diet. Now I'm not so sure that I shouldn't just stick with that route. Apparently, amputation is basically pain relief and if the cancer is going to grow, do we want to lose any time to recuperation? It seems chemo generally doubles life expectancy but I don't think we can do it. But I also read about dogs not making it very long after surgery or while going through chemo. Without surgery I can put her in the car this weekend and go to a place on the river in a good yard, no stairs. With surgery, I will have to wait and what if she doesn't make it long enough to get there? (We live in a second floor condo with little grass, just a doggy "poop area." Not by choice.)
I was actually relieved when I picked her up Monday after the surgery was canceled and she came out on all fours. I was happy with the news today her bloodwork was good, but my heart also sank when he said he could go ahead with the surgery. People tell me go with what's in my heart but it's too mixed up ... I don't know that I want her to go through this. And her legs aren't the best anyway ... I THOUGHT THE AMPUTATION WAS TO STOP THE SPREAD OF THE CANCER - CUT IT OFF AT THE SOURCE, BUT THE MORE I LEARN, I GUESS THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
I'm sorry you find yourself in this situation. I'm not sure what type of cancer you are dealing with? If it is osteosarcoma then depending on how much pain your dog is in now you don't have much time left before the pain gets too bad (ie. weeks, maybe a month, maybe a bit more).
Does your vet think your dog will be OK on 3 legs? If you have concerns you should talk to them. If you are talking about osteosarcoma then yes, in most cases (but not all) the cancer has already metastasised even though it can't be detected. But what we don't know is how quickly the cancer will spread and therefore how much extra time our dogs will get.
There are no easy answers when it comes to cancer and it must be doubly hard for you if you are unsure. For me, deciding on amputation was easy because Magnum was still so full of life and with the pain she was in by the time it was finally diagnosed we had very little time left (days, maybe a couple of weeks). And the average 10 to 12 month prognosis I was given represented 10% of her life span and I figured that was worth fighting for. The first 3 to 4 weeks were a bit rough but even then she still had quality time. After the initial month we got another 5 months of the most amazing extra time together. She lived so large in that time. And then for the final 2 months as the cancer mets began to show themselves she still had a reasonable quality of life.
It is an a difficult time for you. There are no easy answers and no right or wrong decisions, just the best decisions for you and your dog in your situation. I hope we can help make it a little easier for you.
Karen and Spirit Magnum
Magnum: 30th May 2002 to 5th May 2012. Lost her back left leg to osteosarcoma on 5th Sep 2011. Lung mets found on 20th Mar 2012 but it was bone mets in the hip that ended her brave battle. Magnum's motto - "Dream as if you'll live for ever, live as if you'll die today" (James Dean). Loyal, loving, courageous and spirited to the end. My beloved heart dog, see her memoirs from Rainbow Bridge ...... http://princess.....pawds.com/
Did I miss it or did you say that she's dealing with osteosarcoma? If that is the case, then amputation will get rid of the awful pain, but sadly, it won't keep it from coming back. However, most dogs will have an excellent quality of life on three legs up until then. Some may make it for a few months, others will make it a few years. It's a toss up really. But what matters is that the time they have left is spent pain-free and feeling good.
Chemo isn't mandatory; if you can't afford it, you shouldn't feel guilty about it. Many dogs here have had chemo and not lived up to the expected prognosis, while others like me, didn't have chemo and lived for a few years! Chemo can increase the odds of a longer life expectancy but it's not a guarantee that cancer will play by the rules. However, we encourage everyone to at least have a consultation with an oncologist so that you know what your options are. The more info you have, the better decision you can make..
If you haven't already read our ebook, "Three Legs & a Spare," I highly recommend it. It can help you gather your thoughts and decide what route you want to pursue. Also, Dr. Dressler's Dog Cancer Survival Guide is a great toolkit for approaching canine cancer using a combination of both traditional and proven, affordable holistic treatments.
Amputation isn't right for every dog. We will be honest; many giant breed dogs will have a slower recovery time, just because they're already couch potatoes as it is. Sometimes it can be hard to motivate them to get up and around, and it's hard for both pawrent and dog. You'll need to ask yourself: Does Bella have the spunk to conquer this recovery and get back on three paws?
First, make the decision as to whether or not you want to proceed with surgery, then decide on how you want to treat the cancer, if at all. Remember there are no right or wrong decisions here. The only ones that matter are the ones you make with her best interest in mind.
Good luck. Keep us posted.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
The decision is so hard, isn't it? We went back and forth and also had some surgery delays due to Rumbles' non-cancer health issues. I must have said "I'm not so sure about this" a thousand times before AND for the 1st two weeks post op. But through it all, I knew we were doing what we felt was best for Rumbles comfort and survival.
The best advice I can give is to follow your heart. Do whatever you believe, deep down, is best for your pup.
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