Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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I have a 65 lb 9 year old English bully named Farley. He is stubborn and uber sensitive and holds massive grudges. He wouldn’t let me pet him for 6 months after our first child was born! Anyway he has a tumor in his back right leg and it looks like it’s either amputation or make him as comfortable as possible till he can’t anymore.
My worry is this... both of his back hips are not great so will removing the one put too much strain on the remaining left leg? This was the vets main concern as well. She said she thinks he would do ok but there is no way to know for sure how long his left hip would last.
I’m concerned that if we do the surgery and amputate that it’s really me being selfish and just wanting to keep him with me longer.
We have so many stairs in our house which are already a bit of a challenge for him as he slides around all crazy on the wood! So I’m worried that doing the amputation would just end up putting him back in more pain again because of his remaining bad hip.
Plus he gets his feelings hurt over everything so I’m worried he will never forgive me if we do this! Any thoughts? Advice? Anything????
He is in great health otherwise and has never had any breathing issues or really any concerns for his whole life until this. Thanks everyone.
Hi Farley's people, welcome! Your future posts won't need to wait for approval so post away. I'm so sorry you are facing amputation but we are here to help make the situation easier, no matter what you decide.
Yes, some dogs are sensitive souls who need extra TLC at a time like this. Sounds like you and Farley know each other pretty well! Will he forgive you? Well, I can't get into his head, but I can tell you that when a dog gets rid of the beastly leg that was hurting so badly, they're generally pretty happy afterward, almost seeming grateful that we helped them feel better. That's me anthropomorphizing of course, but nobody here has ever reported that their dog didn't forgive them. Remember, dogs are way better at being forgiving than any human!
If Farley's got some hip issues, that may or may not impact his ability to have a good quality of life. If your vet isn't an orthopedic specialist, then I highly encourage a second opinion from one. They can give you a really good idea of what his odds are at thriving after amputation surgery.
Many of us felt selfish for even considering amputation. That's a common perception by anyone who hasn't been through this experience. But when you think about it, if amputation can alleviate the pain and allow a dog to have a good quality of life afterward, then why not allow them to have it? You are giving them the gift of pain-free bonus time with you, hopefully to live out the rest of their natural life. Our Tripawds Quality of Life Survey can shed some light on that topic.
The main thing that concerns me in your post is that he's already slipping on your floors. If there is any way at all that you can put carpet runners and stair treads down, that would be a huge help for him. Most dogs will gravitate to traction placed throughout the home. For more tips see our Tripawds Recovery Shopping List.
I hope this helps. Again, get another opinion, maybe even one from a canine rehab therapist too, so that you can feel better about making this decision. Stay tuned for feedback from others and keep us posted!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
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