Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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I need some advice. I have a 9 year old Doberman and she was just diagnosed with bone cancer. The vet feels we could do a limb amputation (front arm) and she would be fine and that chemo may be an option (once we find out more from the amputation). I was all for the amputation (not the chemo) and actually scheduled it for next week, but now having second thoughts to put her through that and to just let nature take its course because of her age. She is a very sensitive girl so I am worried about her mentally if we amputate. I am a single fur-parent and have to work, so I am worried about being gone all day with her new added stress. Any thoughts with your experiences would be greatly appreciated.
Hello! We're so glad you hopped on over from Facebook, you'll find tons of support here.
First let me say how sorry I am that you're facing this. Amputation for any reason is scary, throw in cancer and it really gets frightening. But by reading about your options and knowing what you can expect with most recoveries, you'll feel that much more confident with whatever decision you make. Either way we're here to support you.
Some folks do not amputate because their dog isn't a good candidate, but it sounds like your dog is? What does your vet say? I'm not a vet but I really think that nine is not old for a Dobie; we've had dogs here as old as 13 bounce back after surgery. Don't let her age be a deciding factor; if there are no other pre-existing conditions then it really comes down to what you think she can handle. The surgery and recovery can be rough but it only lasts about 2 weeks (in general). Dobies are a tough breed and even though she's sensitive, chances are she will get through it much better than you ever expected. If you schedule the surgery for the day before a weekend, you can have three whole days to be with her during recovery, and those are typically the hardest days. Most dogs will just sleep all day while recovering; if you can have a neighbor look in in on her, or go home for lunch, that would be ideal. But she likely won't need the kind of non-stop 24/7 care you think she'll need.
When it comes to chemo, that's entirely optional; many people dont' do it and their dogs go on to defy the odds for years. Others do chemo and their dog doesn't make the survival odds; it's a crap shoot either way. So don't feel badly if you don't do it; it sounds like with her sensitive nature, multiple visits to the vet for treatment isn't something that would improve her quality of life but again, you have to decide that.
I hope this helps. Be sure to check out Jerry's Required Reading List to get your questions answered and stay tuned for more support from other members. Thanks again for joining!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thanks for the welcome Jerry!!
The vet seems to think she would be fine. 9 years old is in the 'window' for a Doberman. It is not unheard of for them to last longer, but 9-10 is average for the breed. Her chest xrays are clear (saying that, the vet did say she saw crystallization on the outside of her lungs but does not believe it is a cancer mass). she has lost over 10 pounds already and has lost an additional 2 pounds in the last week. That worries me a bit.
One thing I'd say is treat the dog, not the age.
Our dog was an akita cross and 13. So WAY past "average" for a lifespan. But he was having fun and enjoying life, and aside from the cancer...he was old, sure, but not ready to not be here anymore. Honestly, when we did the amp, the change in him was remarkable. He was more alert following surgery than he was in the 6-12 months beforehand (not suprising, I guess, looking back and realizing that he probably lived with that painful tumor for months before we realized it).
Obviously we hoped for as much time as we could get with him...but sure, we also realized that at 13, chances are we weren't looking at 4 or 5 years left even if he were hale and hearty. But we wanted his remaining time--whether it was a month, a year, three years, to be happy and pain free and as normal as possible.
"Let us think the unthinkable, let us do the undoable, let us prepare to grapple with the ineffable itself, and see if we may not eff it after all."
-Douglas Adams, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency
"May I recommend serenity to you? A life that is burdened with expectations is a heavy life. Its fruit is sorrow and disappointment. Learn to be one with the joy of the moment."
-Douglas Adams, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul
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Hi Dichess's Mo !
Jerry has passed on excellent info. like she always does!
First, WHATEVER you decide, it will be the right decision and it will be made outof love. Do your research first though! This is such an overwhelming and scarey time. Please kow that you re NOT ALONE! You have thr whole tripawd community walking byyour side! And that's a whole lot of support!
I can only share my experience and why I made the choices I did. EVERY dog is diffent!
My then eight and a half year "young", rather chunky (or as someone here said...WELL MUSCLED) Bull Mastiff had her leg amputate over eight months ago and still moving forwsrd (knocking on wood)! I am by myself with just my dogs and inmy sixties. At the time of the operation, she's 123 lbs...weighig about eighteen punds less than me.
I crumbled to the floor when I first got her diagnosis and didn't stop crying for days...for weeks as I agoized over what to do. The pain meds worked at first...and then rather quickly her pain increased. I k ew I needed to "do so ething" or else her time with me woud be very, very short. I even scheduled the surger and cancelled once prior to this! I was stuck in a nightmare! And, at the time, jad not fou d this site.
At first, I ut a lot of focus on quantity. I wasn't going to do this TO my dog for what may just be mnths.
I researched, read The Dog Cancer Survival Guide , saw videos of dogs on tnree legs.
I went forward eith the amp. and chemo......and nere's why:
After tuning into Hapoy Hannah's wishes (yes, I did...and it works for me) a d studying her attitude, I KNEW I needed to give her the best chance possible as she wasn't anywhere near giving up on life!! Sne loves life!
I went from ABSOLUTELY NOT EVEN CO SIDERING AMPUTATIO...AND CERTAINL NOT CHEMO....to doing BOTH!
In a dog's life, six mnths is three years!! A d, of course, one year is seven!!
As Jerry said, some dogs do well with amp. and chemo, some dn't.....itis indeed a crap shoot. For me, I KNEW I had reached the point where I would second guess mself if I didn't try! As her pain increased, I had to take away her vne pain and amutation pretty much guaranteed that!
My whole focus ow became quality and living every singke seco d of every day spoiling and loving her and giving her the hapiest life possible! And I can say now we re doing just that!!
Recovery was ough...some dogs recovery slower than others and my Hapoy Hannah did just that! At this poi t I had fou d this site and I stayed stuck to it like glue...still do! Go to "Tratment, Diagnosis, etc.....search bach to around March 2013 and look for....."Six days past rear leg amputation ad afraid I madeworst decisin ever"!.....Actualy....I think t's now cha ged to ..."best decisionever"! Anyway, you'll see how fearful I was and how the kind souls on tis site ulled me from tne edge dozens f times!
Once recovery started taking place and her sparkke came back even brighter than before.....YES.....brighter than before....all that pain she had been masking was go e.......I realized I did this FOR m dog...not TO her!
She's had four rou ds of carbopatin chemo....I think many onco. go with five...but hers just practices five. I decided, once I did the amutation, then I would make a decisin on chemo. I researched that side effects, IF any, are very minimal. Perhaps a little nauseau and they give you pills for that...perhaps a little tired a da or two. Hapoy Hannah sailed through the chemo smoothly!! I also k ew that, if she did have challenges, I could stop any ti e.
For NOW, just chunk it down. Focus on the amp. decision, then you have ti e to decide on chemo.
Oh, yes, itis hard with just one person, especialy if the first two weeks are rougher than s e. HOWEVER, I wasn't prepared...I hadn't fou d this site at first. I ow knkw to tell you have so eone ride withyou to pick her up...As Jerry said, try and schedule it on a week-end.. and, if possible, you can have so eone check on her whe you do have to go to work. You will be AMAZED at how quickky she adapts to three legs!
I can only tell you that, for me, THIS WAS THE BEST DECISION EVER!! We have had the best ti e laughing and loving and gifgling and snuggling and loving and loving and loving!! You will learn to live in the moment just like your dog! You will be ore dog! Your girl is not worried aout any ole' stupid diagnisis or statistics! She is living in the moent and savoring every seco d you are together!
Napoy Hannah is locing her life and licing it to the fullest.....it's all avout love, tail wags,treats, hugs, rolling on ner back in tne grass, tumm rubs, ear scratches, eating deer poop and then kissng me!
I apologize for my typing and I apologize for being so long. I just want yo to kow you are ot alone! Whatever decision you make will be the right one. For me, as her pain i creased but she still had that zest for life, I made what was the right decision for her.
Now, go buy a load of chocolate, do your research, ask your dog what she wants, hug her and watch her smile.....and then eat ore chocolate!
Surrou dingyou with love, calm and clarity,
Sally and Happy Hannah
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!
Hi and welcome.
I agree with what everyone has said so far.
Unfortunately with bone cancer letting nature take its course is very painful. No matter how much time you get after the amp, whether you do chemo or not, your time together will be quality, pain free time. Only you can decide what is best for your girl, we will support you no matter what you decide.
I wanted to comment on your concern about her being sensitive too. My little pug Maggie was not at all good with change. One of my biggest concerns was how she would cope with losing a rear leg to mast cell cancer. And I was right, she was not happy at all at first. We didn't have any medical complications but she didn't really come around for about 6 weeks. That is way longer than most experience here- a few pups bounce right back, most take two weeks or so. Mag had me questioning my decision to amputate. But she did come around, and she was back to her normal (and still very stubborn) self and hopped happily through life for almost 4 years. I think if Maggie could cope just about any dog can!
Good luck with your decision, let us know what you decide.
Karen and Spirit Maggie
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Our dog Cassie, a lab/shepherd/rottie/husky/wedon'tknow mix was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in Jan of this year, just about her 10th birthday. She was healthy in every other way, so we went for amputation, chemo, and metronomics . The first week or so afte surgery was rough. Since then her recovery was incredible, and it's amazing what a dog can do on 3 legs. It was definitely the right choice for her. At just about 9 months from surgery, lung mets were barely visible on her last chest x-ray. So far, still doing well... At 9, and assuming it's financially viable, my concern would be general health other than cancer. She'll adapt much faster than you think.
Hi AC, thanks for your support, it's always great to hear how well a pup can do!
Please consider registering to take full advantage of this site. You can share more about your Tripawd Warrior and get valuable support for you and Cassie.
Karen and Spirit Maggie
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Hi there,
Welcome to our little family. I'm so sorry to hear about your pups diagnosis...I know how scary the initial diagnosis and the thought of amputation can be! You've come to the right place for support and success stories though! My Jill (she is a cat) is now 11 months post amputation (for bone cancer) and doing wonderful. I never thought she would do this well to be honest. I heard all the stories, saw tons of videos, but until I saw it for myself, I really didn't believe it.
Come by the chat room if you get a chance, there's usually one or two of us in there, particularly in the evenings and we can answer any questions you may have!
All the best,
Erica & Tripawd Kitty Jill
Jill is a 9-year-old tuxedo kitty. She was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in June 2012 on her toe in her right hind leg. Her leg was amputated on 12/12/12 and she completed four rounds of chemo (2 of Carbo, 2 of Doxy) in April 2013. "Like" Jill's facebook page: https://www.fac.....tty?ref=hl Proud member of the WINTER WARRIORS!!!! Her blog can be read at http://jillsjou.....ipawds.com. xoxo
No matter what OSA is just a really hard cancer to fight. We do have some great survivor stories here and everyone is so encouraging, but there really are just no right or wrong answers when it come to bone cancer. To amputate or not? In retrospect I wish we had amputated with our Misty girl. She had limb sparing surgery, radiation and chemo which gave us five months with her. Amputation may have given her more time and I really don't know how much pain she was in. She was very medicated. Digest all the opinions and do what you feel is right for your pup.
Misty's blog: http://misty.tripawds.com
Sister to Millie, 9 yr old choc. lab
Sister to Lola, 6 yr old choc. lab
Sister to Toby, 7 yr old rottie mix (officially my sons dog, but I'm still his mama!)
Sweetness to Fiona and Bill
I appreciate all the help.I have decided to amputate. She goes in Wednesday morning and released that day (if all is well). She is healthy otherwise and chest xrays are clear at the moment. I was questioning my decision yesterday but when I got home, she was running in circles, throwing her squeakers at me to play catch, chewed on her bone for a couple hours and finished the evening with cuddles on the couch. I see so much life in her that it would be horrible to not even give her a chance to have a happy last few months. I was also thinking if I did let nature takes it course and not take the arm, that when it does shatter and I have to put her down then, it would be happening with so much stress/pain/etc that it would be even worse than to take the arm, keep her comfortable, and then make the decision when the time comes. That is really what made me decide to amputate. I have already purchased a new bed for her, and a harness. I am ordering the ebooks today. I have also started looking at the pictures on the site to prepare me for what she will look like.
Some of my friends are questioning my decision already, so I will need tons of support! I appreciate all that have responded and shared their stories. I will be on this site daily reading everything i can to prepare as much as possible. Saying that...Ugh....
My dog was diagnosed last Saturday. We had the surgery (front leg) done Tuesday. I am happy to say she is recovering great. She is 118 pounds. I know all people don't understand why we do this for our animals, but they aren't truly animal lovers. They are part of our family. I can't imagine not doing everything in my power to help them. I am happy to read you are going forward with the surgery. This is a great site with very knowledgeable people. I can't tell you how much it has helped me. Keep us posted!
OK, well now that the decision is made, we're here to support you! I know Wednesday must seem far away - I had TWO WEEKS to prepare for Jill's amputation and I spent the time preparing and a LOT of time on this site. Come to the chat room if you get a chance for sure!
Jill is a 9-year-old tuxedo kitty. She was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in June 2012 on her toe in her right hind leg. Her leg was amputated on 12/12/12 and she completed four rounds of chemo (2 of Carbo, 2 of Doxy) in April 2013. "Like" Jill's facebook page: https://www.fac.....tty?ref=hl Proud member of the WINTER WARRIORS!!!! Her blog can be read at http://jillsjou.....ipawds.com. xoxo
CONGRATULATIONS! I kow that seems an odd thing to say, vut CO GRATULATIONS!
You have done an EXCELLENT job in assessing Duchess, "listening" to her...AND..."listening" to your own nternal dialogue! You've made a decision and you are goi g forward with a plan! You ave a great handle n the situatin...as best anyone cann this journey!
And yes, stay with us! This site has been...and will co tinue to be...my lfelli e! Could NOT have gotten this far on every level of my being without staying connected!
Does your vet have the staff to keep Duchess overnight? Most...NOT ALL...stay overnight if possible. Just throwing that out there. If the surgeon isn't a 24 hr. facility, perhaps a vet tech could stay with her, or she could transfer to an overnight place. It's ot a biggie...just mentining it since it's just yourself.
As far as mentining your decisin to vriends...don't!
I learned very quicky that they couldn't possibly understand!! We've done the research, we have the knowledge. They see it as doing something TO Duchess rather than FOR Duchess. They are well intenede...but NOT well-i formed! I just learned to say I'm going forward with treatment and she's doing great! Really, other than this site filled with people who realy understand....there are probably about five or six people who kow Hapy Hannah's "treatment" is chopping her leg off!! Sorry! Alittle tripawd phraseology here!
The life lessns learned on tnis journey will blow your socks off! The bond you two will develp....OMD! Nothing could prepare you for the depth of love and insight and inspiratiin you are avout to jump i to!!
I may have mentioned this, but when you pick her up, don'y even look at her incisuon! Just look into those happy...albeit rugged eyes and shower her with love and applause for a job well done!
WE ARE HERE! WE UNDERSTAND!!
Go get your chocolate and a syringe for infusion!
Surrounding you with hugs and a "knowing" that all is well!
Sallyand Happy Hannah
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!
Well welcome to the club! And you're right; a pathological fracture is a terrible, horrific thing for everyone. By avoiding it you are saving yourself and your girl a lot of trauma. By the way, what is her name? Did I miss that?
You listened to your instincts and whatever happens next know that only you know your dog better than anyone else. As for critics, here's a great blog post about comebacks and what to say:
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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