Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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My dog (Stella) is 10 years old and was diagnosed on Saturday. She broke her leg 2 years ago, and we never could figure out how. In any event, our vet treated the break and she had been doing fine. At her annual checkup the following year, we weren't able to see our regular vet, but I pointed out a bump on her leg to the vet we did see. She said that since that leg had been broken, it was more than likely just cartilage buildup. I took her for this year's checkup on Saturday (with my regular vet), and he suggested an x-ray, which ended up showing the cancer all throughout her leg. Thankfully, her chest x-ray looked clear, but I'm so afraid that this could have been going on for 2 years, starting with the broken bone. I know the chest x-ray looked clear, but what if it's not? Amputation is scheduled for Friday, and I'm so afraid she won't be able to walk at all afterwards. She always seems "shaky" and not very strong but I think that's just how she is (it's hard to explain). My vet is wonderful and tells me she'll do fine, and I know he knows more than I do about this, but I'm just so nervous. She doesn't cry out from pain, but she does seem less happy and sleeps more, so I do think she is having pain. I just don't want to be making the wrong decision and make her life worse. This is so hard. 
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Hi Stella and Family,
OK, first, breathe. You sound like really conscientious pet pawrents so please don't blame yourself for not catching this sooner. I guarantee you that all of us were pretty surprised when we got the news too, and while it's normal to have regrets about not being more aware of changes in our dogs, regret doesn't make the situation any better. So do your best to Be More Dog and forget about the past, all you have is Now.
Ok, first, be aware that even if there are no lung mets on x-rays, chances are they are still there, you just can't see them yet. This is normal and it's nothing to be too concerned about. Nearly ever dog with osteo has "micrometastasis" too but that often doesn't prevent them from enjoying a good quality of life, whether it's 6 months or years. The only way to tell for sure if mets are there is with a CT scan, which is quite expensive, but it's there as an option if available in your town.
If your vet thinks she is a good candidate, that's terrific! Chances are she's hiding her pain VERY well right now. But it will only get worse, and amputation is the only way to alleviate it. It won't get rid of the cancer, unfortunately, but it will give her a good quality of life after recovery.
You mention she is wobbly. Could that be because of her weight? If she's at all overweight, then that can affect her stability as a Tripawd. Your job will be to help her stay slim and trim and get excess weight off her joints.
We all have doubts about making this HUGE decision, but just remember there are no "right" answers here. Only you know her best. Remember, if you proceed you MUST be a strong pack leader and project positive energy. If you believe she will recover and be strong, she will believe it too. Your intention means everything here.
If you haven't checked the following info out, we recommend doing so:
Tripawd's Required Reading List
We are always here to help make whatever you decide easier.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi Shelly and Stella. Sorry to hear of Stella's diagnosis. Zeus was 11 at the time of his OSA diagnosis and was already slowing down quite a bit. We were very concerned with how he would handle this at his age, but he has done great.
First, please don't beat yourself up because you didn't know about the tumor. I am most certainly not a vet, but based on everything I've ready about Osteosarcoma (and I have researched this disease A LOT) and the progression of the cancer, I would be stunned to know that the OSA has existed for two years. This cancer is known to be very aggressive and I can't imagine that it was growing nearly that long without symptoms. I have, however, seen numerous research reports that list prior injuries/broken bones as a risk factor for where the OSA eventually develops. Most likely the break was just a break and the OSA formed later.
Second, almost all of the research/statistics used to determine prognosis are based on whether mets show on x-ray. CT scan is much more sensitive and may pick up on mets that were too small to show on x-ray. If you decide to have a CT, please click on Zeus' blog link below and scroll down to the very first blog entry regarding our experience with CT scan. Because of a suspicious spot on his lung in the CT scan, we almost decided to let him go rather than amputate. Thankfully we realized (and the vet confirmed) that the spot was way too small to have shown on x-ray. We decided that put us right back in the stats of 'clear x-rays' and we decided to fight. Five months later we are very grateful for that realization.
Last, be confident that you know what is best for your family. Whatever decision you make, I wish you the very best of 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/
Hello to you and Stella, sorry you find yourselves here. It is overwhelming to get the Dx and face amp, but we've seen many dogs here older than Stella do very well, post-amp.
Not gonna lie - the two weeks or so after surgery can be tough, and if you decide to go ahead with the amp you might have some doubts during that period, but most dogs start to act more like themselves once they are off the pain meds and for the most part, everyone I've seen come here has no regrets later.
Hang in there and keep us posted.
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!
Welcome Stella and Shelly,
What if we told you that life will be so much better afterwards.........because.......IT WILL!
Of course, hearing the DX at first is super duper scary but once you get that leg off, everything will be so much better. First off, she'll be out of pain. Once you get thru the surgery pain, it gets back to good. Secondly, you can start living again! Once that leg is gone, you find relief in knowing the nasty cancer leg is gone!
Like your vet said, she'll be fine on 3 legs. We all know because we all had/have three-legged dogs!
Keep us posted on how the surgery goes! We'll be rooting for Stella!
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.
Thank you so much for the replies. The decision to go ahead and amputate was pretty much made for me last night, by Stella. She was extremely frisky, walking around, wagging her tail, eating the other dogs' food instead of her own, eating the cat food, going potty on a throw rug...She obviously wanted it made clear that she has a lot more trouble to cause and life to live!! After seeing all this, my husband and I decided it is definitely the right decision, and she'll get through it and be fine.
As far as her being wobbly--she isn't overweight at all. In fact, the vet said the fact that she isn't heavy is going to be helpful.
Now for some questions: Do you think we will need a harness to help her walk?? Also, she loves loves loves to sleep on her pillow, and I'm looking for a new one to buy for her so she'll have it when she gets home after surgery. Should I look in to buying an orthopedic bed , or do you think it'd be better to just get her the soft, cushy pet bed she's used to?
Your help and advice and words of encouragement are *so* appreciated.
Hello Stella and family! We ordered a Ruff Wear harness for Max, and used it after his amp site healed (he was a front left amp). We loved it! It was very helpful for getting him in and out of our SUVs, and just any other time he needed a little extra help. We felt it was a great investment, and Max never minded wearing it.
We'll be thinking of you on Friday!
We did not use a harness for Zeus b/c he's only 45 lbs and we were able to carry him up/down stairs and lift him into the car. However, I would definitely suggest a harness for any bigger dog that you cannot easily lift. Others on this site have often recommended cutting a reuseable shopping bag in half and using the straps as the handle. Seems like that would work if you want to try that before investing in a harness.
As to the bed, Zeus did not like his normal stuffing-filled bed after the surgery. He is a front amp and I think it was hard b/c his foot sunk into the bed and he had to hop his front leg higher to walk on it. We bought one of the orthopedic/egg crate style beds and he did much better b/c it was firmer.
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/
Hi Stella and pack.
How big is Stella? What kind of pup? Will she be a front amp?
My tripawd was a rear amp pug named Maggie. She had always slept in a snuggle bed (at night she slept with me) and she practically lived in that bed for the first four weeks after her amp. She slept in that kind of bed for the almost 4 years she was a Tri-Pug. But I have read here that many tripawds prefer a firmer bed. You may want to hold off buying something until you see what Stella prefers.
The shopping bag temporary sling is a good idea. If you do invest in a harness, and Stella is a front amp, be sure you ask your vet when you can use it. Some straps may rub the incision.
You might also think about raising her food and water bowls- it makes it easier for a new tripawd to balance. This was another thing I tried with Maggie- but she did not like it at all.
Also you will need to cover slippery surfaces for Stella- I used a mix of throw rugs. Maggie could not walk on laminate floors without falling, but she could navigate tile and linoleum OK. She usually went from rug to rug.
The first couple of weeks after surgery can be full of ups and downs, in our case I was convinced I had made the wrong decision by choosing amputation (Maggie's amp pre-dated Tripawds). Some lucky pups sail through recovery- hopefully Stella is one of those. But don't get discouraged if she is not herself for awhile. Come here to ask questions and get support. You tend to get sleep deprived and pretty emotional- but it gets better! Maggie's personality finally emerged after about 4 weeks (she was an obstinate pug!) and she hopped happily through life for almost 4 years.
Good luck on Friday, and keep us posted on Stella's progress.
Karen and the pugapalooza
It's great to hear you sounding so pawsitive! And that's she's lean. That's terrific!
The Ruff Wear Harness is great for helping Tripawds get up and over obstacles, into and out of high vehicles, etc. but keep in mind it's more of a tool to help you help Stella. The harness itself won't actually support her in walking but it will help you make it easier for her to maneuver in tricky spots.
As for the bed, rehab vets recommend a firm mattress is best especially for arthritic dogs (we talk about that in our e-book), but as long as her current bed isn't too thick or unstable and she can easily stand up and turn herself around on, she should be fine.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Right after Abby's amp, we just used a folded towel that I sewed some handles onto (made out of an old leash she'd chewed up....). That worked fine until she recovered. We didn't really need a harness for her until she got worse toward the end, but she was young and very energetic. For a bigger, older dog or one who's not super agile, a harness could be a big help once the amp site heals.
When we did finally need it for her, Abby's Ruff Wear Harness was a big help.
Agreed with what Jerry says re: the bed. We just had happened to buy a new, firm bed for Abby (an Orvis Deep Dish Deluxe) before we found out she had cancer. It was a big help during her recovery and she loved the bed.
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!
This site is seriously saving my sanity right now! Thank you all so much for the advice.
I've uploaded a picture of Stella and added it here. We're not exactly sure what kind of dog she is--she is built a lot like a greyhound. She weighs 37 pounds. It is her front left leg being amputated.
I'm going to wait before buying a harness and see how things go. I'm going to go ahead and get her an orthopedic bed , then we'll also have her other bed too, in case she prefers that one at first. I didn't even think about raising her food and water bowls. So much to think of--again, this site is amazing. We have laminate and tile flooring, so I'll be putting some throw rugs down for her for sure.
I'm starting to worry that the other dogs will knock her down when they're doing their usual thing. They won't know to "be careful." I'll definitely be supervising them when they're together and keeping them separated when someone can't be there. We have 3 other dogs, all about the same size as Stella, except for our pug, who's just a little bit smaller. I hope they will sense that something is different with her and be careful.
You will definitely be seeing more of me here, and I hope once Friday gets here that I won't be inundating this place with questions! I just want to fast-forward a couple of weeks!
Again, thank you so much! 
Welcome! Our greyhound Boo, broke her leg...and then re-broke it years later, when she was 10! (Crazy eh')! When she broke it the second time, that's when the vet discovered the osteo. Every dog is different, but when we removed the leg - we had a month of hell (lots of post-op bleeding complications) - but after that it was like having a brand new dog! So full of life and energy and appetite! Dogs hide pain, and some of them hide it VERY well. It's a scary decision, but you won't regret it! And we also bought a new nice pet bed for recovery, but no harness. Boo hated having anything tight around her chest! We had almost 3 years post amp with our sweet Boo before we had to say goodbye. Wishing you the same - many years of life after amp!
Boo became a Tripawd Warrior Princess on Sept 8, 2009. She crossed over the Rainbow Bridge 2.7 years later on April 29, 2012. Run free Angel Boo!
Hello Shelly and Stella - I feel like you cut and pasted my first blog post on this site. I remember the panic and questions like it was yesterday (and it was more than two years ago). The good news is it sounds like you have lots of positive information and are heading in the right direction.
I think the harness option is one to be decided dog by dog. Lincoln has one now, in fact we just got it, and he's fighting it every three-legged step of the way. The fact that Stella is lean is great. It's surprising, but they walk quickly. Lincoln walked out of the vet just two days post amputation.
Remember to breathe. The first two weeks can be scary and sleepless, but you'll make it!
Good luck and keep us posted.
Rhonda and Lincoln
Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall – Confucius
http://credocan.....pawds.com/
Does Stella swim at all? Or do you have a place to swim? Water therapy after she has healed and the vet okays it is very helpful. I have a float coat that will fit her if you decide you want it. My Comet was exactly her weight so I'm sure it'll fit.
Plus, you can use it as a harness since it has a handle. If you want it, I'll send it to you. (Comet was born with deformed front leg and she lived a a full life of 12 years). If you want it, just click the "PM" button on my post and send me your address. Here's a pic of it.
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.
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