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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My cat had radical mastectomy last Jan and did 5 rounds of doxoburicin but a month ago it reoccur on her left front leg armpit and spreading thru her arms and upper paw. The vet told me it's either pallative care or amputation. My cat is 13 years old turning 14 this August. I just want to ask can my cat still have a happy life if I decided to amputated her front leg? What is your advice?
Hi Clowdy, I have approved this post and deleted the duplicates. Your future posts will not need to wait for approval.
Yes, cats can do very well on three legs. I only have first hand experience with a tripawd dog. I'm sure some of our members with cats will chime in with their advice and experience soon.
Your kitty sou ds like quite the fighter to jave already overcome so many challenges.
And absolutely we have had cats here seventeen and older do very well with three legs. Also, should you proceed with amputation here's a link written mostly by kitty members who have gone through every aspect of thos journey.
https://downloa.....-cat-tips/
If you can, ,maybe get a consult with an Oncologist who can better advise you on your cat's specific situation, prognosis, how much it has spread further (if st all) path forward, etc. I'm sure lots of diagnostics, blood work, etc will be done to ensure sho's in good health to proceed.
Oh, and what's your cat's name?
Okay, you have a starting point, so let us know as questions arise and how we support you further.
Hugs
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
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!
Thanks mischief and benny for the replies. I lived in the Philippines and there is no oncologist here. My vet also admitted it's hard to cure cancer of the pets in my country. But she's been on the vet regularly since Jan. Her appetite is still good and the cbc, kiodney and liver bloodtest is normal despite all the chemo. Thanks for the link and I am also reading here things to get and do for my cat like orthopedic bed , elevated bowl and yoga mat. Her name is Shasha by the way and she is turning 14 this August. My vet says all the lumps are in the armpit spreading thru the arms of the left front leg
My heart says to just go with the surgery but I will let her recover a bit from chemo then after 10 days I will ask another vet's opinion first and then if there is no other choice I will proceed with the surgery.
I just want to ask can she still be able to use a litterbox if the left front leg will be gone? Thanks for the book recommendation I will buy it for sure because it will be a major adjustment for me and my cat and I need any info I can to get my cat through this another challenge
Welcome from the Phillipines! Sounds like to you do have a Vet on top of things. And it's great that her kidney and liver values are good!👍
A little chuckle avout the litter box question. That does seem to require a bit of trial and error as far as getting a tripawd kitty to adjust to a normal potty. Yes, ,they certainly can use a litter box....it's just that they seem to get extra persnickety about the type of the litter, the height of the sides, etc. . Lower sides seem to be the preference and, of I recall, the "newspaper type. litter" seems to work best. As they are learning their balance and "perfect tripawd position ", should they have a little tumble this type of lotter doesn't " stick" to their butt. Anyway, the link I gave uou there are a lot of tips on litter box, pottying, etc.
You have a good path forward and it looks like uou are getting good guidance from your Vet. We are here to support you whatecer "treatment" you pursue. Give Sasha some extra treats for us. .
Hugs
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too
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!
Thanks Benny for the reply and for the support.
Is my cat going to have a hard time walking since the front leg will be amputated?
I just purchased the book and I am reading it now
Once Sasha completes her recovery she should regain her ability to walk, win. Etc just fine.
,eep in mind, ot is MAJOR sirfery and she'll be on food pain meds (hopefully) so she won't be winning marathon quite yet. The first several days especially she may not br walking well at first.... a hop or two here and there, some stumbles.etc. Many cats even have a weird thing where they kinda' walk "backwards" a few steps as they try and figure out their new gait. Sasha will figure things out in her own way and at her own pace. They always do!
She'll just need to rest so set up an area she's comfortable and confined (a large X-penfor example) . Drinking water and staying hydrated are important, as well as peeing. Pooping may day a few days because of the meds and she may be picky with her food at firs. So just give her any yummy food she'll eat
We're here for you to help you navigate through the recovery and onto celebrating all her victories.
Hugs
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
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!
Did your vet repeat chest xrays? Mammary tumors in cats are often quite malignant and usually spread to the lungs so make sure that xrays of the chest have been taken. If the lungs are clear and labwork is normal then I would say that your cat should do well with amputation.
Pam
Thanks for your input Dr. Pam! Your expertise is priceless.
If Sasha does have good labs and scans, yeah, why wouldn't she do well? Here's an article about amputation for senior cats:
Amputation on a Very Old Cat
Thanks Dr Pam, Jerry and Benny for the replies and the advice given to me. I am just so scared if I am doing the right decision but I am halfway thru the book and it gives me courage by just reading it.
Her last xray was May 9 I will ask the vet again to get another xray before proceeding with surgery
I am glad joining this community and there is also a vet like Dr Pam replying to my post and other members who gives me encouragement. There is no oncologist in my country and I want to do everything for my cat but there is only limited options where I from
We all do the best we can with the resources and information we have available to us. You are doing great, and we will support you all the way! Keep us posted.
Is amputation the right decision? Will it still give her quality of life? I don't want her to suffer because she's been through a lot with all the chemo. but I want to do the best for her.
Hello!
Tripawd cat owner here. Tuxedo, lost a rear leg and partial pelvis over six years ago. He was almost 10 and now is a bit over 16. I know a rear leg loss is not the same as a front leg in terms of mobility, in that things are different (front leg difficulty going down steps, rear leg difficulty going up, etc). But I was amazed at how well my cat adapted to three legs. He runs, climbs, jumps, cuddles and loves. My baby definitely has great quality of life. So do most of the other cats who have shared their stories on here that I have read. I am sure Sasha could adapt too if you elect to go that way.
However, I do not have experience with cancer in a pet. So I am sure that greatly adds to your worries.
Not sure if this will help you with your decision, but ... The first couple of weeks are a bit rough as it involves recovering from major surgery. Usually the first couple of days hospital/vet meds are heavy in their system. Around day 3 those start clearing. If you do go ahead with the amputation, make sure you get adequate pain meds for home use, to ensure she stays comfortable. Tuxedo could walk the same day of his surgery, despite being heavily medicated. About a week to 10 days most seem to be getting around pretty good and are well in their way to getting their own sparkle back.
No matter what choice you make, I am sure it will be the best one for you and Sasha. Because no choice made out of love and concern for another can ever be wrong.
Hugs and best wishes
-Dawna, Tuxedo, Lilly, and Angel Dazzle
Thank you Jerry and Mommatux for sharing your inspiring story. Honestly I was really sad yesterday because my cat was vomiting and nauseous because of chemo side effects and I wondered if I am still doing the right decision then this morning my cat started eating a lot again and feeling happy and I realized that the book I've purchased here is correct that cats don't reminisce about the past or think about the future. What important to them is to live in the present. I will visit the vet after 2 days then I will tell them to proceed with the surgery
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