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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Paws crossed and a couple of toes too!!!!
Get that rest! Otherwise we will make fun of you when you come on here delirious from sleep deprivation! ....Oh, and don't think we won't! 
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.
I really hope Holly is doing ok. I have been thinking about her alot. Praying for her.
THANK YOU for keeping my Hollybeans in your thoughts!
Today is her one week ampuversary! The first couple of days were very rough...she really wasn't getting that she needed to move her remaining front leg more to the middle for balance, and we had a few face plants. She is really starting to get the hang of things, though, and can now motor around pretty well. She is even able to go to the bathroom without any assistance! WOOHOO!!!!
We had one scary incident - the other day, we noticed that she was getting very swollen in the neck and chin area - it looked like there was a lot of fluid buildup (it looked like she had at least 3 chins). We ended up taking her in for an emergency appointment and they decided that her bandage was restricting her circulation too much, so they took it off and we have been using just an e-collar and/or a t-shirt to keep her from licking her incision ever since. It took about 36 hours or so before the swelling really went down, but eventually it did, much to our relief.
We haven't quite had the courage to try stairs yet, so I have been sleeping downstairs on the couch with her...this is where that overwhelming exhaustion comes in! Except for the first night, she has slept really well and hasn't needed to get up much, but as many of you warned, I wake right up every time I hear any movement at all.
Tomorrow her stitches are supposed to come out and we are still waiting on the pathology report. It really seems like having this big amputation surgery is enough to deal with...I wish that it was a cure rather than just the beginning of things. 🙁 Her spirits are great, though, and she is on fewer pain meds than before the surgery, so life is looking up for her - I'll just have to follow her lead!
Sounds like Holly is doing pretty well! Once the staples are out and the pain meds are done, she should start to really be more like her old self.
It is definitely hard to not worry and wonder about the future, but like you said - just follow her lead! She'll show you how to deal with all this crazy rollercoaster stuff with grace and good spirits!
All the best and keep us posted,
Jackie, Ange Abby's mom
Abby: Aug 1, 2009 – Jan 10, 2012. Our beautiful rescue pup lived LARGE with osteosarcoma for 15 months – half her way-too-short life. I think our "halflistic" approach (mixing traditional meds + supplements) helped her thrive. (PM me for details. I'm happy to help.) She had lung mets for over a year. They took her from us in the end, but they cannot take her spirit! She will live forever in our hearts. She loved the beach and giving kisses and going to In-N-Out for a Flying Dutchman. Tripawds blog, and a more detailed blog here. Please also check out my novel, What the Dog Ate. Now also in paperback! Purchase it at Amazon via Tripawds and help support Tripawds!
Thanks for the good update on Holly, she sounds like she is getting the hang of things.
I hope you get good news with the path report. But what ever happens know that Holly is a happy, hoppy girl who is oblivious to all the stuff you get to stress about.
Karen and the pugapalooza
paws crossed for good news tomorrow, getting the sutures out is always a great day. try not to let the fear of the future overwhelm you. all we have is 'now'. so for now, give hollybeans an extra treat from the monkeybutts in east tennessee, and know we're sending our best ET juju your way!!
charon & spirit gayle
Life is good, so very, very good!!! Gayle enjoyed each and every moment of each and every wonderful day (naps included). She left this world December 12, 2011 – off on a new adventure.
Love Never Ends
This is super duper news!!! (except for strangling scare) YAY! Hollybeans! Tomorrow is a big day indeed!
P.S.
A wise choice to stay off the forums while sleep deprived! 
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.
We are officially suture-less! The vet was very pleased with how well her incision is healing. Unfortunately, the pathology report did confirm osteosarcoma - we pretty much knew that was the case, but I was still holding out hope that somehow it would be something else. Fortunately, it wasn't in the lymph node that they took out, so that is some good news.
We are planning to start chemo next week and I am trying to make sense of all of the alternative treatment options so that we can get started on some of those...my questions for all of you are just beginning! 
Congratulations on this big step in your recovery Hollybeans!
I'm sorry it's osteo. Keep the faith though that you WILL beat those stinky odds, I know we are.
Sending you lots of love and hoppy thoughts for a nice weekend 🙂
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Sutures out is a big milestone!
Good news about the clean lymph node too. I think most of us hold out the hope that the path report would come back as something else...
There is a lot of info out there! One thing to keep in mind- when you start chemo you may not want to make any diet or supplement changes- be sure you check with your vet. If you change things during chemo, and Holly is not feeling well, you won't know if it is the chemo or diet changes. You can take this time to do your research and decide what you want to change.
Good luck with the chemo!
Karen and the pugapalooza
Hello Alex/Holly,
My sweet 3 year old lab was just diagnosed with the same type of cancer in his right rear leg two weeks ago. We had a bone biopsy done 2 days later to confirm that he had cancer. Obviously, we were in shock. The bone biopsy is expensive but before any drastic decision could be made, I had to get 100% confirmation that he had it and what options, if any, I had available to me. I felt I owed it to him and for my own peace of mind as what to do next. It didn't take long. Because Ren is such a young, vibrant dog, I felt passionately that he deserved a fighting chance at life even if it costs me a great deal of money, and it did to be quite honest. There is no way around that unfortunately. He had his amputation 4 days ago. He is now in the recovery process. It has been difficult to be honest. Everyday is tough on both him and my family but we're fighting through it and it has made us stronger. I can tell that as each day passes, he is getting stronger, more like himself. The honest truth is I do not regret it even if the recovery period is difficult on him as well as on us but the reality is, again, I felt he deserved a chance to fight through this. I know it is not an easy decision, trust me on that...but they are strong and they can and will rebound depending of course on the spirit of your dog, age considerations, severity of the disease (is it a low level form or aggressive, and only a bone biopsy will tell you this definitively). I certainly wish both you, your family and your loved one the best. Whatever decision you make, just make it and have no regrets. If you do whats best for him, you will be fine and so will she.
Hooray for stitches being out!
Karen is right - usually folks try to not change too much during IV chemo, so you can isolate the chemo effects.
Hope she does well with it!
Jackie, Angel Abby's mom
Abby: Aug 1, 2009 – Jan 10, 2012. Our beautiful rescue pup lived LARGE with osteosarcoma for 15 months – half her way-too-short life. I think our "halflistic" approach (mixing traditional meds + supplements) helped her thrive. (PM me for details. I'm happy to help.) She had lung mets for over a year. They took her from us in the end, but they cannot take her spirit! She will live forever in our hearts. She loved the beach and giving kisses and going to In-N-Out for a Flying Dutchman. Tripawds blog, and a more detailed blog here. Please also check out my novel, What the Dog Ate. Now also in paperback! Purchase it at Amazon via Tripawds and help support Tripawds!
Hi, Everybody,
this is my first day on here. Goldie was diagnosed with the same thing in april. My heart goes out to all of you. Tough decisions for the wonderful pets we love.
Yay for Holly!! I am so happy to hear that she is doing so good after her amputation and she has her stitches out already. Sorry that the Os was confirmed. It is so unfair that so many Dogs are getting diagnosed with it these days. The good thing though is now she is out of pain and she can get back to being happy and enjoying her Tripawdhood. However long Holly has left will be a blessing to you and will be filled with memories that you will cherish forever.
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