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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I found out yesterday that my 11 year old rat terrier has cancer in his leg and they are recommending amputation. I am shocked and devestated. I just don't know what to do. I don't want to see him struggle with the cancer (right now he is acting perfecting normal) and I don't want him to struggle with an amputation. He is already a little firecracker and grumpy at times and I don't want an amputation to make that worse but I am not ready to give him up, either. I am so confused. He is 25lbs and it is his left front leg. Will he be able to run? jump up on furniture? play fetch? These are the things he loves and I don't want to take that away from him. My husband took him to the specialist yesterday and I am waiting for them to call to answer some of my questions. Any info will be so helpful. I'm at a loss and I don't want to be the one to make this decision for him. I wish he could talk and tell me what to do.
Hi there, thank you for joining and registering, your future posts won't require approval.
I'm really sorry to hear about your pup. I know it's a very scary time for you but rest assured that life on 3 legs is easier for dogs and cats than most people think. Especially smaller dogs, they do really well! Even at 11 years old, you'll find your pup will be OK after recovery and go on like nothing ever happened. Recovery is typically about two weeks and while there can be ups and downs, in general it's not as bad as you might imagine.
What kind of cancer do the docs think he has? What did they say about his candidacy as an amputee? And of course, what's his name? Do tell!
I highly recommend checking out Jerry's Required Reading List and our ebooks library where you can get many of your questions answered. In addition I know that lots of folks will chime in here to help ease your worries. Poke around our community too, it will put your fears to rest.
I'm at work now but will stop by later. Hang in there and be sure to pop into our Chat room, we have lots of folks there throughout the day ready to help!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thank you! His name is Sonny. I was out of town on work so my husband took him and he didn't mention the type of cancer. The doctor should be calling me today and that was the first question on my list. My husband did say that the vet said that he would probably do very well if we amputed his leg. Hopefully I can make the right decision for him. Thanks again for your recommendations and help!
Hi! Yes, ALL those things Jerry said!
I'm sorry you had to join us here, but you've come to the right place.
I know it seems so shocking and scary at first, but you'll see here, animals do AMAZING on three legs! The little ones really take a fast time to recover, check out JJ's blog, that might be helpful for you, I believe JJ is around the same size:
http://jjwonder.....pawds.com/
And my Jill, she is a kitty, but she weighs 10-11 pounds (depending on the day!) and she does great on three legs!
Please pop on by the chat room ! Theres a bunch of us in there usually!
xoxo,
Erica & 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
Ohhhhhhh we can all, so relate!!
You are. of all e and no group of people u derstand better than we! It's scary spooky, overwhelming king and it just plain sucks!
Take a deep breath...-.and I'm serious....b r e a t h e ..... b r e a t h e.... Good job
MOST dogs, especially small ones and ones with such spunk li,e your Son y do really, really well!!
As you do your research, you will see that walking on three legs is something most dogs adjust to within 24 hours! It truly is amazing!
Bone cancer can be very, very paid full and it only gets worse. Dogs are very stoic and mask pain as well as they can. I f he's of limp I g ow, he will be and you will have to put him on pain meds.
What made you take hi. to the vet in the first place?
A dog's attitude is a huge determing factor in now to proceed and clearly Son y is fpfully enjoying his life and would want to co tiue on as lo g as he can....without pain! Recovering from major surgery is o picnic but once recovery takes place you will be thrilled at o well Sonny will do!!
Check out the links others have given you and check out the videos----think you'll find them very helpful.
Now go give that sweet fiesty, fun loving g Sonny a hug from all of us! Now....a big hug to you from all of us((((((((HuGS))))))))
Really look forward to hearing back from you AND photos!! We love photos!
Sending you supportive energy and serenity......... it's coming to you right. ow............ZAP.....BOOM.....it's installed:-)
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!
I am so sorry to hear about your dog. I just found out yesterday about my dogs cancer which broke his right hind leg. He is a big dog - 100 lbs, and probably about 9 or 10 years old (we got him six years ago as a Lab resuce dog). He is a beautiful labrador retriever, but the Dr. said that he only has about six months to live. We don't know what to do. As a big dog, will he recover fairly quickly? Is it worth it to put him through the surgery with the limit the Dr is giving on his life. When the pain pills are working, he seems like himself, and too well to put down. We go back and forth, and right now are thinking of going ahead with the surgery. Any comments from those with older, large dogs?
Hi Sonny's mom. Sorry you have received such scary news, but please be assured that the amputation isn't nearly as bad as you are imagining right now. The first couple of weeks are hard because everything is 'unknown' to you - is that brusing normal?/Is he too active?/Is he too lethargic?, etc etc. After a few weeks you will feel such awe and inspiration from Sonny that I cannot explain it with words.
Our Zeus was 11.5 years old when he was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma (bone cancer). We worried about how a 'mature' dog would do on three legs, but he was just so full of life other than that limp. He actually did wonderful on three legs!
Can he still run? YES. Fetch? YEP. Jump on furniture? Yes, but be careful with that if it is a significant distance. If you proceed with amputation you will need to be careful with the remaining three legs, so many of us put ramps or steps up to any high furniture to avoid the stress on the legs. There are many videos on this site of dogs with three legs - please watch them because you will be stunned at how well they do! We even have Maggie the agility dog, Bart the hunting dog that has even been featured on the cover of a hunting magazine, to name a couple.
Good luck!
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/
barrett1 said
I am so sorry to hear about your dog. I just found out yesterday about my dogs cancer which broke his right hind leg. He is a big dog - 100 lbs, and probably about 9 or 10 years old (we got him six years ago as a Lab resuce dog). He is a beautiful labrador retriever, but the Dr. said that he only has about six months to live. We don't know what to do. As a big dog, will he recover fairly quickly? Is it worth it to put him through the surgery with the limit the Dr is giving on his life. When the pain pills are working, he seems like himself, and too well to put down. We go back and forth, and right now are thinking of going ahead with the surgery. Any comments from those with older, large dogs?
Hi there! I'm really sorry to hear about your pup. Please consider starting a new topic here so we can get to know you better. Your future posts won't require approval so feel free to dive in!
When it comes to statistics, always remember that numbers are just averages, every dog is different. Try not to focus on the quantity but rather the quality of your dog's life.
Oh and check out our Size & Age matters forum to read about other big dog people's stories. We've had many dogs here that are over 100 pounds do great on 3 legs so be sure to read their stories too OK?
I'm at work but will talk with you soon. Hang in there!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hello!
In short (and in general): Yes, yes, and yes!
Most dogs do quite well on three legs--and the small ones are even better at it, since they're well...small 
Even us old and crotchety fogeys manage to get around pretty good, too!
My sam climbs on furniture, runs, plays...fetch (er, what passes for it), all of that. (He also digs holes, steals things off the counter, busts into the cat boxes, chases (and eats) rabbits, rolls in deer poop, and all engages in all sorts of BAD habits he had before his front amp 13 weeks ago...so if you're hoping as a side effect to fix some of the naughty behaviors...think again :p)
"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
THANK YOU ALL!! I just spoke with the oncologist and they said it was soft tissue cancer. Apparently it is not painful right now but will become painful if we leave it alone because it will break the skin and cause abcesses. That is better than I thought but still not good. I am going to talk to his general vet as well and get his opinion. It is so hard to consider doing this to him when he isn't hurting now, but I know he will in the future. Thank you for all of your kind words and encouragement. I really means a lot. I thought I was a strong person before this but it sure doesn't feel that way right now. Thank you!!
kstanl1 said
I thought I was a strong person before this but it sure doesn't feel that way right now. Thank you!!
It's easier to be strong when bad things happen to us...it is so much harder when they happen to those we love. Don't beat yourself up--you ARE strong, and being able to deal with this shows it.
"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
kstanl1 said
I just spoke with the oncologist and they said it was soft tissue cancer.
I can relate you with you oh-so-well. My dog Barret (side note: barrett1 - is your dog's name Barrett too?) was diagnosed with hemangiopericytoma, a soft tissue sarcoma. He is in no pain right now at all, but he is scheduled for amputation on Tuesday.
It is a devastating decision to make, right? I am still struggling with my decision, but I know that it is what is best for him in the long run and that dogs are super adaptable (more so than humans) and he will adjust in no time. All these words sometimes don't make a dent in the anxiety and fear that we have regarding this decision though.
You have to look at the bright side: it could be a much worse diagnosis. This surgery (if it is the same type of cancer Barret has) should be a CURE for his cancer. He will never have the painful abscesses, and no more surgeries to remove additional lumps.
I was exactly in your shoes a few weeks ago when we got our diagnosis. The best advice I can give you is to read the ebook Three Legs and a Spare and Dr. Dressler's book "The Dog Cancer Survival Guide ". Having all that knowledge in my brain really made the decision a no-brainer, even though I still feel anxiety prior to the procedure.
Best of luck,
Heather and Barret
Barret was diagnosed with Hemangiopericytoma May 16, 2013. Front left leg/scapula/pectoral muscle was amputated on June 11, 2013 and we've never looked back. Follow our story on http://barret.t.....pawds.com/ and read my column on That Pet Blog
Thank you everyone. I think I am most worried about Sonny's independent streak. He doesn't like anyone to help him with anything. He hates to be picked up and would rather do his own thing. He also has terrible anxiety sometimes. I wonder if being in a situation where he can't be so independent would make him miserable. I am so trying to do the best thing for him and one second I have made a decision one way and the next second I have made the decision the other way.
Sonny will have to be tempered some during the recovery to avoid pulling stitches and to allow him to become accustomed to the new walk, etc. Truthfully, they come home on so much medicine that they really don't do much but sleep and eat anyway. But, please don't be worried about his independence after the recovery because he will really not need your help. I admit that we did exactly what everyone on this site said not to do - we babied Zeus. We carried him in and out even though there were only a couple of steps. Then, about three weeks in he did his business (as we protectively hovered over him) and my husband said "Oh, gooood boy, let's go get you a treat" and before we knew it Zeus took off and outran both of us to the door almost an acre away. He looked so smug when we caught up. After that they only thing we limited was jumping in/out of the SUV and on/off our very tall king-size bed. Zeus was a front amp and we just felt like the landing from such a tall jump would be too much on that one front leg.
These dogs really do adapt so well to this "loss". They just go on. We always talk on this site about how resilient they are and it is true. They just accept it and keep going.
I'm not trying to talk you into amputating. That is a very personal decision for each family based on the overall health of your dog, your financial ability, etc. But, I do want you to make an informed decision. We all understand your feelings and we all fretted over what was the right decision for our dogs. Please let us know if you have any specific questions or concerns!
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/
kstanl1 said
Thank you everyone. I think I am most worried about Sonny's independent streak.
Believe it or not this is GREAT! His independence is a huge advantage. He will need a lot less assistance than you think. Be sure to check out this interview with California Animal Rehab which talks about why "normalizing" your life and routine together will help him tremendously in his recovery. He's going to be a lot more mobile than you think and probably won't need a whole lot of help as long as you can be the strong pack leader and show the kind of tough love that the California Animal Rehab folks describe in the video.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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