Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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My name is Mike and I have a 13 year-old chocolate lab named Nellie. She's been through a lot in her life, and the dreaded cancer word has come back to hit us again. In 2011, she was diagnosed with a malignant tumor in a pad on her front right paw. The vet removed her toe and she has shown no signs of ill health since.......weight stays normal at 62 lbs, blood tests/urine tests fine, she is in great shape for her age, but has arthritis from tearing an ACL reconstruction also when she was 11....chasing a rabbit of course 
A tumor showed up on the same leg as the toe cancer just two days ago. It was a hard tumor and I got her to the vet right away (same vet her whole life). He x-rayed her and verified it was a some sort of carcinoma....and was aggressive. The tumor is about the size of a walnut now. For the immediate time being, he put her on tramadol, rimadyl, and antirobe for pain and joint comfort. The good news is he also x-rayed her lungs, heart, and chest and they were clear. Like I said, for a 13 year old dog, she does well.....walks everyday and still likes to swim. What are your thoughts/experiences with amputation (again, front right leg) or chemo treatment? I want to give my buddy the best possible treatment. Thank you in advance!
Hi Mike, thanks for joining us, sorry you had to. Your future posts won't require approval.
Dogs of all ages have lost a leg to cancer and done really well afterward. If you know that she is strong and still has a lot of spunk left in her, then you've answered your own question really. Of course amputation isn't right for every dog and there are exceptions. What does your vet think of her being a good candidate for amputation? Another thing: a second opinion from a board-certified oncologist or orthopedic doc is invaluable when you're trying to decide something.
Be sure to read Jerry's Required Reading List and our ebook, Three Legs And A Spare to get a lot of your basic questions answered. You can also check our our "Size and Age Matters" Discussion Forum topic to read about other senior Tripawds who have lost a leg. And of course I know others will chime in here too, we have such a great community and they're ready to help you decide.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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Geeez, sorry to hear about Nellie! Nellie already has made a place in mh heart! What a sweet face! AND, I just adopted a "part lab/chow senoir last hear and Inamed her Nellie! Great minds........
Sorry you had to join us but you have defiitely found a second ho e here with to s of information. I'm sure you've checked out "size and Age Matters". You'll find a lot of senior dogs who did very well with amputation. Shooter is on dog who had his lege amputated aat an "older" age and did ver well and also took chemo. Chuck is a St Bernard who did NOT do amp. and has been succesfuly trated now for al ost four months.
This is not an easy situation to be in with seniors and there are no right answers. The fact that Nellie still is vibrant and has a great attitude is a very implrtant factor. It's about relieving pain and getting as much quality ti e as possible so you can love and spoil and love and spoil some more!
Others will chime in but I just wanted to quicklh welcome you. You are NOT alone! We all understand the emotions you are going through and how much you love ellie! You will make the right decision from a place of love. Yoj are a wo derful advocate for Nellie!
Remember, Nellie doesn't know she's "sick" and is erfectly happy living in the bliss of the present! Give her a hug for allof us and watch her tail wag! Makes you smile, doesn't it!
Please post ore pictures when you can" We love pics!
Surroundingnyou with clarity and calm,
Sally and Haph 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 Mike. I am truly sorry that you find yourself here, but you are in good company with a whole bunch of people who have been in your shoes. We get it - the worry, the fear, the uncertainty.
Our Zeus was an 11 year old Husky diagnosed with Osteosarcoma. Unfortunately, a CT scan showed a small met in his lungs and a suspicious spot on his liver. With those mets showing at the time of diagnosis, his prognosis was grim (6 weeks was our vet's best guess based on his experience with similar circumstances). In our minds, it came down to quality of life. We took a good hard look at Zeus. He was still happy, still had a sparkle in his eyes, and he seemed so full of life. We couldn't bring ourselves to give up on him without at least trying. So, we amputated and did six rounds of carboplatin. Zeus lived ten months - WAY longer than anticipated! I know ten months may not seem like a lot, but in our new world of cancer fighting that we were thrown into, it really did seem like so much longer. It is hard to explain, but something about this journey makes you savor every single minute and the concept of time just seems... well... different.
This is a very personal decision for each individual family based on your ability to care for and assist a dog after major surgery (they are usually up and around quite well after a couple of weeks, which really isn't that long if you consider how long it would take us humans to recover - but it can be a hard couple of weeks), your finances, etc. You know your dog and your family, and will make the best decision for everyone.
Good luck and please let us know if you have any specific questions.
Lisa
Zeus was a Husky mix diagnosed with Osteosarcoma at age 11. A visible lung met and suspicious spot on his liver meant a poor prognosis-six weeks was our vet's best guess. We decided to fight for our boy and his right front leg was amputated on 12/1/11. We did six rounds of chemo, changed his diet and spoiled him completely rotten. We were blessed with 10 great months after diagnosis. Against the odds, the lung met remained a single met and grew very little over those months. A wonderful furbaby with the most gentle spirit, he fought with a strength that we never imagined he possessed. We have no regrets...
http://zeuspod......pawds.com/
Well, grain of salt and all that, as folks here probably skew one way a bit... But our experience was this: Sam was 13 years of curmudgeonly old man. He was arthritic, and had dysplasia. He was also bald from an autoimmune disorder and as stubborn as all get out. But he also still had that somethin'-somethin' that told us he was still enjoying life and not ready to say goodbye. We did amp (front), but not chemo.
We got six very good months, and I do not regret one second of it. As Lisa said, it may not sound like much...but it was worth it, 100%. As an akita cross, we were already at the pointy end of the scale in terms of lifespan, even without the cancer. To get another half year...and a wonderful half year, at that, well...I am grateful. Was every day easy? No. For sure not. But everyu day wasn't easy beforehand 
feel free to read our blog if you want the whole story.
ETA: FWIW, Sam was chasing...and snacking on...rabbits until they day he died. So yeah, it was a good six months. (Well, unless you were a rabbit...)
"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
Welcome Mike-
Sorry to hear about Nellie's diagnosis. Shooter was 13-1/2 at the time of his amp and adapted so quickly. Were there second thoughts? Absolutely, but we got extra time and he carried on with his life like the trooper he was. In the end, the decision is yours, but we can at least provide you with the good and the bad to help you .
Keep us updated.
Luanne and Spirit Shooter
Spirit Shooter was a Miniature Australian Shepherd who was diagnosed with a MCT and had a LF amp 1/28/13 at 13-1/2 years old.
Shooter crossed the Bridge on 8/28/13, his 7 month ampuversary and two weeks from his 14th birthday.
Thank you very much for the stories and advice. This is new territory for me as a lab owner and have scheduled an appointment with our vet next week to further discuss options and see how she's doing. Nellie is handling the meds well (only been 2 days).....his diagnosis or a carcinoma came from an x-ray. He did not do an aspirate.....should I have one done next week to confirm it's a tumor? Thanks again!
mpeters12 said
...should I have one done next week to confirm it's a tumor?
Consult with your vet and oncologist about this. If everyone has a firm belief that it is cancer, it usually is, and we don't recommend putting the dog through another procedure. But we're not vets! We've just interviewed a lot of them and this is the general consensus. Aspirates, samples and biopsies are just one of the topics we discuss in the Tripawds e-books .
Our video interview with Dr. Pam about diagnosing bone cancer in dogs goes into more detail about what to expect.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
A carcinoma cannot be diagnosed from an X-ray. I would recommend a fine needle aspirate, it's a very simple procedure and you should get the results within 24-48 hrs.
Right hind limb amputated 7/3/12 for OSA, started on alternating cycles of Carboplatin and Doxorubicin and oral Palladia. Single lung met 9/1. Met in the neck muscle removed 9/30. Large mass in sublumbar lymph node 10/2. Rescue chemo with ifosfamide 10/6. Mets to the rib and axillary lymph node 10/21. Started Leukeran and Pred 10/25. Wookie left this Earth for a far better place on 12/4/12. I miss you, Boo, you were my heart.
Hey there sweet Nellie.... and Mike!
I would definatley get results from an aspirate. Just to make sure 100%. and I would not even think about her age with the treatments... My Franklin was 14 when we had his leg amputated. Depending ont he treatment plan (because you won'[t know until 100% results come back) if Nellie is still living the life.. then she can handle whatever treatment makes her still happy and pain free!
keep us posted...
and try to keep your sanity. This is worse on us than it is them!!
Christine..... with Franklin in her heart♥
Franklin, he was the Happiest Dog on Three Legs! Diagnosed 09/26/2012 with Osteosarcoma, amputated 12/4/2012. Had a wonderful 5 1/2 months painfree until he ran for the Bridge on 5/15/2013. Always in my heart, and always a guardian angel of my pack... You can follow his Tripawd Adventures, before and after, in my blog, Frank'n'Farter!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi! Welcome! Sorry you found us. But we're here to help! Your girl is so pretty! Post more pics. We're huge fans of photos!
A lot has been said already and I've scanned the posts. An aspirate will not always be accurate. It can help and may be a great first move. Maybe have xrays taken again and remeasure? If it's grown, doesn't that mean its cancer? You certainly want to enlist specialists now: ortho surgeon and onco ASAP to get answers. Answers are power!
I'm glad she's good on her meds! If you go with amp, her drug cocktail now may mimic what she'd be on and that means you'd have 1 less thing to figure out. Knowing side effects and dosage limits are important things and often stress us pawrents out!
In consultation with your vet and her, I think you'll know what to do. If her spirit is up and she wants to fight this thing AND her vet thinks she can handle it, amping may be a great move. It'll take care of the pain. Handle that decision first. After she's healed, you can think about chemo options - whether it be IV at an oncology practice or at home with daily meds (look up metronomic therapy). There are pups here who have skipped IV chemo and went right on metronomic therapy. If she's up for a fight and can handle a ruff 2 week+ recovery, amping may be the best option for your little lady. There are some dark moments during recovery, but the bounce back!!!! The magic and sparkle DO return!
~ Katy & Jackson
ACL tear in right hind leg 12/5/12 and scheduled ACL repair surgery 12/21/12. Pre-op xrays revealed osteosarcoma. Amputation 12/28/12. Chemo (carboplatin) started Jan 10, 2013 and ended on April 5, for a total of 5 doses. He handled carbo like a champ! No side effects. We started metronomic therapy at his third chemo and have been also doing some holistic treatments. He's a lively, playful 10 year old huskie-boarder collie and a very proud member of the Winter Warriors! Our love. Our funny little guy!
Thank you again for all your replies and concern. I took Nellie to the vet on Wednesday (9 days post diagnosis) and basically her vet and I talked over options. I am going to have an aspirate done this week, but he is convinced that it is an osteocarsinoma from the x-ray and how quickly it appeared. She also had previous cancer in a toe on the same leg (toe was removed in 2011). She is doing okay, limps the most in the morning, but gets better as the day goes on. I took her for a walk this evening and she made it the whole way around the neighborhood with little difficulty. She's on a small dosage of Tramodol but we are going to increase it as necessary. I guess the biggest decision I'm wrestling with is her age. Other than the tumor, she is well at 13, (61 pounds, still eats/drinks well and has that smile and wag in her tail). I think the vet is not convinced amputation is the best route because he amputated his own lab's back leg (it had ostoecarsinoma also) and followed up with chemo. He feels that amputation didn't do much to increase his dog's life span/quality of life. My Nellie did have a bad ACL tear and had her back knee reconstructed 3 years ago (just after the toe removal- yes, she's been through a lot). I think he feels that with arthritis in her back knee from the ACL tear and trying to function on only 3 legs would be too much for her as an older dog. Would love to hear any of your thoughts/personal experiences as I inch closer to this decision. Thanks!!
Not an easyposition to bein, thats for sure!It soundslike she has a lotof vitality and certainly enjoys her lifr!
How fdoes she do t the vet's Hate the visit.miserablle? Loves going, likes car ride?
Have you thought about having an orthopedic vet look her over? I k ow yur vet has checked her over and doesn't seem to think she's a good candidate....and it may weel be the case. However, I would get that secondopinion.
Clerly, while longecity is what we all hope for, QUALITY is THE most important focus. Obviously, you are very aware of that and already doing everythingyou can to acomplish this!
I kmow I'm ot offering anything cncrete because, there is no right or wrng nere. I just want you to kow that, whatever your decisin, we are with you all the way! You've heard frm those who have gine this route with seniors and have had favoravle resjlts. That's nt always the case, even with younger dogs. Almost all, however manage wakingon three legs fairly quickly. j
Let's just see how the aspiratiin goes and if that procedure boters her. And, for now, go hug thst preciius girl and give her a good belly rub!!
Keeping paws crossed over here!
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!
Only you can really gauge it, but in our case, Sampson had arthritis in his back and legs, was mildly dysplastic, and (not that it mattered, but...) had an autoimmune condition that made him, we'll, bald and prone to skin issues. But he was still enjoying life, although the pain in his leg was robbing him of that, day by day.
Honestly, the difference was night and day after the amp. Sam was brighter, happier, and more engaged than he had been in a year. Yes, he was still a 13-year-old, arthritic, large breed dog. The amp wasn't a miracle cure for all that ailed him...but it did make living his final months actually living, as opposed to marking time--which is what he had been doing, I think.
"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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