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.
Join The Tripawds Community
Learn how to help three legged dogs and cats in the forums below. Browse and search as a guest or register for free and get full member benefits:
Instant post approval.
Private messages to members.
Subscribe to favorite topics.
Live Chat and much more!
Register
Log In
Members
Add Topic
Offline
It's been almost 4 years since I lost my last Golden Retriever (7 yrs old) to Fibrosarcoma and now my 4 yr old Golden Retriever (Jake) had been diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma in his left rear leg. It took us by surprise as he had just had a complete physical with no concerns, but overnight he developed a huge tumor on his lower leg. We now believe that our young girls may have ruptured the tumor in his leg as they had gotten his rope caught around his leg. This by itself may have been a miracle in disguise as we would never have known out it had it not ruptured.
So, yesterday we spent the day at the oncologist getting chest x-rays and ultrasounds. The good news is that the x-rays were clear and ultrasounds showed two nodes on his spleen and an inflamed lymph node, but oncologist feels strongly that these are benign and consistent with what she would expect to see based upon his leg tumor. The bad news is that his tumor is not operable and she is recommending amputation followed by 5 treatments of chemotherapy (doxycycline).
The oncologist feels Jake is a great candidate for amputation as he is not overweight, otherwise overall healthy with no indications of it having metastasized. It's our decision to move forward with the amputation and chemo treatments. We don't think we'll want to do the frequent monitoring that they are recommending (i.e. quarterly chest x-rays and ultrasounds).
Right now I'm waiting for our local vet to call me back to get his recommendations and to see when we can get his surgery scheduled. The oncologist wants to have his leg amputated within a week. While the financial impact is great, we are willing to give it a shot since the oncologist feels his longer term prognosis is good given that we probably caught this early.
Well - that's my story so far. I hate that Goldens and dogs in general are so susceptible to these cancers. It just doesn't seem fair when they have such big hearts.
Welcome to Tripawds, your future posts will not require moderation.
I am so sorry you are dealing with cancer again, but you have found a very knowledgeable and supportive community here.
Have you read through Jerry's Required Reading list or downloaded the ebook Three Legs and a Spare? Both are compilations of info from this site on what to expect with amputation, recovery and treatment.
If you have looked around here you have seen that most all pups do fine on three legs once past the surgery/recovery period.
Let us know if you have any specific questions or concerns.
Karen and the pugpalooza
Jake is beautiful and so young to be a victim to cancer and you're so right on goldens' bad luck in the health arena. I hope he has a successful surgery and you share many happy stories in future posts. I'll be thinking about you guys.
Harley is an 8 year old Golden Retriever. Amp surgery for an infiltrative lipoma canceled due to two masses in chest. A rescue, he found his forever home on 3/18/07 and left for his eternal home on 1/09/13. His story and medical history are at http://myharley.....pawds.com/
Hi Jake and family,
I'm so sorry you are dealing with cancer again, I know this has to be tough. But yes, you're right, that rope accident was indeed a blessing in disguise, who knows how much longer it would have taken to discover the tumor? The fact that you are putting a pawsitive spin on that incident tells me that you are strong and can handle whatever lies ahead.
With Jake, there's not a doubt in my mind he'll be fine. Was your other pup a Tripawd? Or is this the first time you're going through amputation? If it's the first, we'll be here to help however we can.
Sounds like you have a great medical team on your side, so try not to worry too much. I know it's hard. But we're here for ya, just let us know what we can do to make this easier for your family.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thanks - we are now scheduled for surgery on Friday morning. My vet is recommending only removing half of his leg (halfway between the knee and hip) since the tumor is below his knee. He says he will be able to get clear margins while leaving the hip in place to provide protection. I've got a call into the oncologist to get her opinion on that option.
My other golden was not a tripawd as his cancer was spread all though his belly. He never had a chance, but had a great six months post diagnosis. I guess you become stronger after you've had to deal with cancer in the past. Honestly, I'm not sure how I'm going to do once I get him home, but can only look forward to the good times that will be ahead.
Hi again,
My little pug Maggie had what they call a mid-femoral amputation. It is a bit of a misnomer I think because really not much of her femur was left, just a little stub. The surgeon explained to me that it was an easier and faster surgery than dis-articulating at the hip. For me that was fine because Maggie always had trouble with anesthetic and the faster the surgery the better. She had a mast cell tumor in her knee. The surgeon wrapped the muscle around the stump to protect it and we never had any issues.
You might want to clarify with the vet/surgeon where the amp will take place- we just had another new member who's pup had to have a second surgery to remove more of the femur because it was causing a problem. That dog was a puppy though when the first surgery happened so it might have grown into a problem.
Margins is a whole other subject. Maggie's tumor was in her knee so the surgery she had gave us plenty of margin.
I lost Tri-pug Maggie in June 2010 to mast cell and melanoma. Nine months later her little sis Tani had a recurrence of her own mast cell cancer. So I am there with you on the more than one pup with cancer. Thankfully Tani is still with me and is now 12 years old.
Good luck on Friday- keep us posted on how Jake (and you!) are doing.
Karen and the pugapalooza
Hi Jake and Family,
First off, welcome to Tripawds. Your boy is really handsome and being young is definitely going to be a plus for him in his recovery. Good luck to him on Friday. Please let us know how it goes. Rest up as he will be up some in the middle of the nights those first few days home and good that you have the weekend to be home with him. Sleep when he sleeps so you all stay rested when he is home.
We will be thinking about Jake(and you too of course) on Friday, and please fill us in as soon as you can.....we really care about how all our pups are doing.
All our Best,
Suzie and Rizzo
Jack Russell born in 2001. Mast cell cancer found Dec 2009 and right rear amputation. Five rounds of chemo done before all treatment stopped. Living life to the fullest!! Read my story at http://rizzo.tripawds.com
Sorry you had to find us here. And sorry to read of your circumstances. We were in a similar boat. We had lost our beloved beagle, Bailey, to cancer in Oct '09. We got Abby in late Nov '09, and in Oct, '10 we found out she had bone cancer. We were devastated. But what I didn't know then was how awesome our bond would become during her time as a Tripawd.
Being a Tripawd pawrent is an awesome thing. I know it seems scary and overwhelming at the moment, but there can still be wonderful times ahead for you and Jake. Hang in there.
And I'd second Karen's comment - you might want to discuss pros and cons with your vet of leaving a stump.
We're here if you have questions during the recovery period!
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!
So sorry to hear about Jake. He is so young. I can't add much more but just wanted to "third" Karen's comment about discussing the pros and cons of leaving a stump.
Sending you lots of pawsitive thoughts
Karen and Spirit Magnum
Magnum: 30th May 2002 to 5th May 2012. Lost her back left leg to osteosarcoma on 5th Sep 2011. Lung mets found on 20th Mar 2012 but it was bone mets in the hip that ended her brave battle. Magnum's motto - "Dream as if you'll live for ever, live as if you'll die today" (James Dean). Loyal, loving, courageous and spirited to the end. My beloved heart dog, see her memoirs from Rainbow Bridge ...... http://princess.....pawds.com/
What are some of the pros and cons on leaving a stump? My vet is pretty good and is known for his ortho services. He frequently works on police dogs who have been injured. He feels he'll get great margins with only a partial amputation and leaving the stump offers Jake some additional protection to that area. The oncologist was okay with my vet's recommendations.
As for recovery, I work from home and my wife is also home all day. He should be able to stay in my office with me most of the day so I'll always have an eye on him. As if things aren't already hectic enough, my mother in law whose suffering from early Alzheimers is making her first visit to our house tomorrow. She'll pretty much be here through his recovery time.
rugrat said
"I hate that Goldens and dogs in general are so susceptible to these cancers. It just doesn't seem fair when they have such big hearts"
I couldn't agree more-- we lost our Golden to cancer last year, and we literally searched the globe for a golden with excellent longevity in the lines-- hoping golden puppy Tom will never have to suffer from cancer.
Welcome Jake; you are certainly a handsome boy, I'm so sorry to hear of your diagnosis. From what I've seen, it's quite unusual to leave a stump in a cancer case-- not being a vet, I'm thinking the main reason is ensuring no cancer is left behind in the limb-- our surgeon removed the entire leg as well as the lymph nodes in the shoulder. Other reasons for taking the whole leg would be balance (stump can throw them off) and maybe catching/knocking the stump and injuring the leg. In terms of aesthetics, I think amputating at the shoulder gives the dog a cleaner look-- no useless stump dangling down-- many people didn't realize Scout had three legs until he stood still. I'm sure others can add more pro/cons.
Sounds like you have a good plan for aiding Jake in his recovery-- great that he can hang out (quietly) with you during the day. One hint-- if you have kids and he's used to hanging out with them, don't be afraid to let him continue to do so-- they won't hurt him, and his mental state is just as important as his physical recovery. Our golden loved our kids, and we quickly realized that separating them was detrimental to his healing.
Scout: January 31, 2002 to November 7, 2011
Scout's diagnosis was "poorly differentiated sarcoma"; amputation 1/11/2011. Scout enjoyed 9 fantastic years on 4 legs and 9 glorious months on 3 legs. If love alone could have saved you…
rugrat said
What are some of the pros and cons on leaving a stump?
Well, from what we have learned it all depends on the surgeon's preferences and where the cancer is located. This is something I would ask your vet about since s/he is more familiar with the tumor's location. When it comes to rear-leg amputees it's more common to leave a stump than it is for a front legger, but again it depends on if cancer is involved or not. Our own Wyatt has a stump but it's more like wiggly muscle that the vet left for padding when he sits down. It's not as clean looking to have that wiggly stump but I know that it does give him cushioning when he sits. He didn't have cancer though. So I would say, ask your vet and find out why. If your onco is ok with a mid-femoral amp it then I would feel confident in the recommendation to leave some.
The recovery period can be tough but not always. You do have a lot going on, but hopefully Jake will have an easy recovery. Just keep focusing on the quality of life you are providing to him once he's recovered. We have our paws crossed for smooth sailing ahead. Come here anytime to vent or just post an update!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I think my previous post may have been misinterpreted.
Maggie had a mid-femoral amp and never had any issues with her little stump, I was happy with her surgery. The stump was not long enough to see but you could feel it. Sometimes you could see the skin move a little when she moved it. And again- I was told it was an easier and faster surgery and I was all for that. And she often sat on the amp side and laid on it more often than not so it obviously didn't bother her.
Leaving a stump could be a huge issue for a front leg amp. From what I have seen here on a front amp the whole leg bone is always taken, the question that comes up is wheather or not to take the shoulder blade too.
I would guess that many rear amps are mid-femoral. The whole femur and hip is taken when they are closely associated with the cancer tumor.
Sorry if I cause confusion for Jake's pack- this is a stressful enough time as it is. I probably shouldn't have given the example of the second surgery since it was a puppy and not cancer related, but it was fresh in my mind so I threw it out there. Now that I think about it, it is the only time I can remember a rear amp needing a second surgery to shorten the femur, and I have been here almost 3 years.
Karen and the pugapalooza
Starting to get a little anxious now as the surgery is scheduled for tomorrow morning. I know I'm making the right decision, but right now that's not helping.
Yeah, it's nervewracking for sure. Try to stay busy. Look around your home and tripawd-proof it while you're waiting. Add traction to his favorite walking routes in and around your home, raise his bowls, make sure you have extra clean towels, bandage gauze, and create a quiet place for him to recover. This can help you feel like you're taking action instead of just waiting around.
It's hard not to be nervous, we know!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
1 Guest(s)
