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
My 13 1/2 year old chocolate lab, Boats, was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in his rear left leg about a month ago. Initially I was told he wasn't a candidate for amputation due to his age and some arthritis in his upper spine but I took him to an integrative vet who thought otherwise. He is on a bunch of pain meds and supplements to support his immune system and is scheduled for amputation on Monday Dec 23rd. X-rays yesterday confirmed no spread of this menace disease that they can see.
I have ordered a Walkin' Wheels wheel chair for him, so we can continue to hike after he heals - 3 months ago we were hiking 3 miles a day and he was swimming in Yellowstone Lake.
My questions are:
Chemo - I am looking for arguments for and against. The stats and papers I have read say that without chemo he will be gone in months without it, others say keep up with the the supplements and hope for the best. I am looking for success stories from both camps.
Follow up physical therapy: Did your pet need a physical therapist or did you cope with helping them adjust on your own?
Food: He is a picky eater at the best of times (he is 77lbs) and I have recently switched him to Badlands Ranch beef food, which he initially loved but now I mix the supplements in with warm water and bone broth. How do I get him to eat so he can still get the supplements?
Stimulation: what do you recommend to get him engaged and help him keep his goofiness?
Exercise and pooping: Boats is a poop walker - he walks when he poops. How do I support him (physically) with that? I think that will be easier than helping him keep his balance when peeing.
Physical support: I live and travel full time in a fifth-wheel RV, five steep steps to the outside. How do I keep him safe going up and down those stairs? Is there a particular sling that works? I've seen some that have a pocket for the stump, does anyone have any experience with those?
Thanks in anticipation of your advice.
Hi Boats and family, welcome! Your future posts won't need to wait for approval so post away!
I'm sorry you are dealing with this diagnosis. We went through the same emotions and concerns when our Jerry got diagnosed with osteosarcoma. I'm so glad you got another opinion. Over the years since we have seen many, many older do just great on three legs. The best vets tell us that neither size nor age should automatically disqualify a dog if they are otherwise healthy. See these posts for some inspiration, as well as our Size and Age Matters forum.
Like all of us you have a ton of questions I see and that's totally fine. I'll give you some thoughts on each but I do encourage you to continue asking additional topical questions in other forums so that answers are easier to find, and for others to find when they are researching too. For instance Exercise is discussed in Hopping Around, Food in Eating Healthy, etc. But I know you're under a lot of stress so if this is easier here that is fine to ask them here too.
Meanwhile here goes:
Chemo - I am looking for arguments for and against.
There are no right or wrong choices here, every situation is different. Some dogs will out live those statistics with chemo, some will out live them without (our Jerry made it 2 amazing years without chemo). Some will not make it to the lowest end of the prognosis even with chemo, and vice versa. It's really all over the map. What we do see here is that many dogs are now living longer with the immunotherapy cancer vaccines so that's something to discuss with your oncologist now before amputation, if at all possible to do it ASAP since one vaccine does require staging before surgery.
Follow up physical therapy: Did your pet need a physical therapist or did you cope with helping them adjust on your own?
Absolutely YES! We find that dogs do much better with rehab guidance and it's so valuable the Tripawds Foundation can pay for your first rehab visit too. Old school thinking was that dogs figure it out but that has changed. No human would ever go home from amputation surgery without a rehab program and dogs shouldn't either, especially older dogs. Here are some stories to check out that explain more.
https://tripawd.....tag/rehab/
https://tripawd...../tag/rehab
I do want to add about that wheelchair . Please please please do not put him in the wheels until you meet with a therapist. A poorly fitting chair can do more harm than good and the wrong introduction can too. Most dogs don't even need them right away, if ever. Since Boats is older he may likely need one at some point but you want him to get stronger before you ever put him in wheels. A rehab therapist is the best person to direct you on how to do that.
Food: He is a picky eater at the best of times (he is 77lbs) and I have recently switched him to Badlands Ranch beef food, which he initially loved but now I mix the supplements in with warm water and bone broth. How do I get him to eat so he can still get the supplements?
See:
https://nutriti.....g/appetite
Stimulation: what do you recommend to get him engaged and help him keep his goofiness?
interactive brain games are so much fun! See:
https://tripawd.....your-nose/
https://gear.tr.....rain-games
Exercise and pooping: Boats is a poop walker - he walks when he poops. How do I support him (physically) with that? I think that will be easier than helping him keep his balance when peeing.
You will be surprised at how well he figures it out. We do recommend a Ruffwear Flagline harness , it's a real lifesaver on stairs and for assisting. You may also want to consider a Ruffwear Webmaster Plus harness, which has more underbelly support.
These harnesses are especially helpful for assisting in and out of the fifth wheel. I know because we are also full-time RVers who have traveled in a 5th wheel for 17 years, and now in a travel trailer going on our 8th. If you're down south this winter let me know! We are presently in Southern California.
I hope this helps! Please ask any questions you'd like, we are here for you and Boats!
