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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Ruger, our large breed german mix was diagnosed yesterday with osteosarcoma in his left front wrist joint. Took him to the vet due to a limp and found out that the bone is about 80% degraded in the joint region. No spread to chest or lungs at this time.
Absolutely devastated and looking for hope and some answers. One of the possible treatments suggested by the vet was amputation, which has led me here. I wasn't able to go into depth about the treatment with the doctor yet but wanted to reach out and see if anyone has similar experiences.
My only concern with amputation is his quality of life post-surgery. He'll be 11 years old next month and weighs in at about 155 lbs. He has decent overall health but with his age and size, has gotten slower and less steady on his feet the the last few years. While I know many dogs recover and respond well to amputation, I am wondering if the struggle of 3 limbs will be too much for him.
I know I won't get a definitive answer about what I should do, but just looking for your experiences, specifically for older and larger breeds, to help us make the best decision for our boy. Thank you.
Hi Ruger and family, welcome. Your future posts won't need to wait for approval so post away.
I'm so sorry for the diagnosis. Osteosarcoma is a tough one, and making the amputation decision is even more difficult when it happens to an older, larger dog. If it's any comfort, a very well known orthopedic vet once told us that neither size nor age should exclude a dog from being a candidate for amputation surgery. How does your vet feel about Ruger being able to cope on three? You can always get another opinion from an orthopedic specialist if that will help you decide. A canine rehabilitation therapist can also assess him.
Amputation is the fastest and easiest way to get rid of the pain and give him his quality of life back. If he is already a slower, older guy, then not much will change for him, only that he will be without the horrible pain of that bad leg. However, recovery may have challenges. Not always, but sometimes larger dogs need extra help getting around during the first few weeks of being a Tripawd. Do you have someone who can help you if you need to lift him? How is your house set up, does he have stairs to contend with? Slippery floors? The less obstacles for him, the better.
Older and larger dogs also need more time to recover. Sometimes a week or two, sometimes a month or two, it really depends on the dog. It's hard not to feel like you made the wrong decision if you think your Tripawd isn't recovering as fast as you had hoped. So there is always that mindset you need to prepare for if you go forward.
Many big, old dogs have done great on three legs. Few don't bounce back to a good quality of life. But if amputation is too daunting, there is also the option of stereotactic radiation therapy in some areas of the country. Did your vet mention that? Also, a new limb salvage procedure by Theravet is a great option for dogs like yours. I would definitely ask about it.
Meanwhile, check out these posts for some insight on larger dogs:
https://tripawd.....iant-breed
https://tripawd.....ag/seniors
And the Tripawds Size and Age Matters Forum is also helpful.
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