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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Hello. Wanted to share our story. We adopted Buddy, a yellow lab, through the Humane Society. We'd been looking for a 2nd dog, as our dog Max, is 14 (he has since been diagnosed with liver cancer), and he fits into our home just right!
Buddy'd come into rescue with his front right paw the size of a pancake, we were told. He had a puncture wound on the bottom of his paw and was missing part of the pad. The wound site was almost closed, and we only needed to wrap it to keep dirt and such out. When I took him to our local vet for the first check-up home, they suggested surgery to remove all the scar tissue. He ended up needing two surgeries. The after-care was overwhwelming at times, but he was a trooper, as were my kids (10 and 11), who helped soak his foot, change the dressings, take him out on a leash, and keep him quiet (he wasn't supposed to move much, so he could heal.)
The wound has never healed, and we recently went to a specialist for a 2nd opinion. She, too, said this wasn't looking good. It's a fistula -- a drainage tract with a foreign object somewhere in Buddy's foot or leg. She can inject dye into the tract to see if she can find the object (she said this has worked 2 out of 20 times in her 16 years of experience), then operate to remove it. If the dye does not identify the object, she can do an exploratory surgery to find the object, but the fistula often returns. Or a new one forms. The next step is amputation.
We are currently waiting for our vet to get back from vacation and make his recommendation. As I type, Buddy is asleep on the bed. He is on an antibiotic, as the site is infected. He is also on a pain med PRN. He wears a cute little boot when we go out, but overall he is stoic and doesn't let it bother him -- he's a typical lab and great family dog.
So thankful for this forum. So if we do need to amputate, I know Buddy will be alright!
Thanks--
bless your hearts for adopting buddy - what a scary way to begin though! paws crossed the vet is able to find answers for the infection, but if amputation is in the cards it's not the end of the world...it is the end of the pain. we'd love to see some pictures of buddy!!
charon & 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
Welcome! I hope you get answers soon, so that Buddy can be on the mend. Please keep us posted, and would love to see a picture of Buddy. We have our paws crossed for you, too. Sending you lots of golden hugs...
Cathy
Oh Buddy! I'm so sorry, that has to hurt. I had a fistula once and the doc had to really dig into my foot, it was awful!
I hope you don't lose your leg over it, but if you do we are definitely here to help. Your family will take great care of you no matter what, they sound really neat.
Thanks for joining us. And yes, pictures! Pictures!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Talked to the vet today, and he suggested amputation. He said partial -- not all the way to his scapula. Do you all have links to pics of dogs with this type of amputation?
Also, I'd be happy to share pictures of Buddy. But I don't know how to change my profile pic. Please advise. Thanks!
our amputation included the scapula. the vets at the med school explained that it wasn't a 'bone' connection there, and it would be less trama. it definitely left a smooth line down gayle's side and the hair has grown out perfectly. somewhere i remember a blog with a german shepherd who had a partial amp....hopefully someone can remember the name of that pup...oh, it's marmaduke. here's a link to his blog:
http://marmaduk.....pawds.com/
maybe that will give you an idea of a non-scapula amputation. as for pictures, we find having a blog to 'store' them in is handy, then you can post them in your forum posts using the little 'tree' above. i think you can do that with facebook pics as well. good luck!
charon & 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
buddyzito said:
Do you all have links to pics of dogs with this type of amputation?
Check the "Procedure Pics" and "Tripawd Pals" galleries on the Tripawds Gallery page.
How "partial" is partial? Some members have reported issues with remaining limb segments caused by partial amputations. Marmaduke is one example of a dog who had to go back for a second "complete" amputation. If the vet is suggesting to keep just the scapula, fine. But if they're recommending leaving more of the limb you might seek a second opinion.
I don't know how to change my profile pic.
Click your Forums Profile button at top right and follow the link to your User Profile for uploading your avatar. The "tree" Charon refers to is the Embed Image button with the small tree on it in your post editor.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Welcome and bless you for adopting! I'm also sorry to hear of your dog Max. I'm sure Buddy will live up to his name and give Max some comfort.
You'll find lots of info on scapula vs. non scapula here if you search around. I haven't been through an amputation to know but others will help!
Lots of luck!
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.
Thanks for the help, all. As you can see, I did figure out how to change my avatar with your assistance.
Howdy and welcome, Buddy! And what about Max? How is he doing?
How long have you had Buddy? I'm just curious how long he's had to deal with this. One amazing thing a lot of folks here have found is that their dogs turned into new and improved models once the pain source was gone. Even if the dog didn't act like it was a big deal, many of them show by their post-op behavior that they indeed were hurting an awful lot. Buddy may be that way, since he is a stoic dog. And he's young, so that should help a lot.
We do have the ask-a-vet forum here, if you want to post a question about alternatives to amputation or the dye trace procedure, if you're still considering that route or are unsure of how to proceed. In the meantime, why don't you show Buddy the computer and let him start a blog? You'll be amazed at what he can write when you aren't looking!
Shari
From abandoned puppy to Tripawd Warrior Dude, Dakota became one of the 2011 February Furballs due to STS. Our incredibly sweet friend lived with grace and dignity till he impulsively raced over the Bridge on 12-15-12.
Dakota's thoughtful and erudite blog is at http://shari.tr.....pawds.com/
Hi! We've had Buddy since January, and he's been healing from surgeries or infections pretty much all the time. But he is the best dog ever! Sweet, quiet, calm, loves to cuddle, great with the kids, great with Max. He loves tennis balls and all stuffed and squeaky toys. And my family took him swimming while I worked one weekend, and he loved that. I can't wait to see it! (I really wanted a swimming dog -- Max hates the water.)
Max is doing great. His prognosis was grim -- it sounded like days or weeks, but he is doing well after more than a month and a half after diagnosis. We switched him to canned food, which he ADORES. He pants a lot more and sleeps a bit more but otherwise doesn't seem any different than his lazy self (he is 14!) Max came to live with us from a shelter when he was around 1. He was horrible! And I loved him the more for it. We went through lots of obedience training, and he is the best dog ever. (Wait. I said that about Buddy. 
) He's been with me through it all -- marriage, adopting my (human) kids, moving cross-country, Buddy, etc.
Buddy and I have Round 2 of Obedience School tonight. We completed Round 1, and he did well, but he needs more socialization, and I need more practice with him. It's a fun activity for me, and he seems to enjoy it.
Thanks for all the kind welcomes!!
Erica
Welcome Buddy! It sounds like you found a loving home. Cant wait to read about your progress'
Spirit Samson was Spirit Tripawd Daisys four legged "brother" and ruled as the self proclaimed head of the Monkeybutt Federations East Coast Division. Lady Chunky Monkey stayed from Oct 2011 and left for the bridge in Apr 2012. Miss Perdy is left and has some big pawprints to fill.
Do you have what it takes to be a Monkeybutt? Find out more at the Monkeybutt Federation
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