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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Just wanted to welcome you and Rocky to the group. We are all here to share, and we've been there. We know how you feel. This is the best support group you will find. Lots of caring folks with love to share. Keep us posted on Rocky's progress. Here's wishing you have many ampuversaries ahead.
Shanna & Spirit Trouble ~ Trouble gained her wings 3/16/2011, a 27 1/2 month cancer survivor, tail wagging. RIP sweetheart, you are my heart and soul. Run free at Rainbow Bridge.
The November Five - Spirits Max, Cherry, Tika, Trouble & Nova. 11/2008 - 3/2013 An era ends as Queen Nova crossed the Bridge.
Thanks to all of you for the welcome. It's really nice to have others to talk to who actually understand. I had family members who thought I should just put him down because of the expense involved. I can't tell you how glad I am that we made the choice to amputate.
I love the photos of everyone's dogs! They're all so beautiful.
I just wrote a rather lengthy post re: Rocky's meds and his sores, but it disappeared. I'm not sure if it's in cyberspace somewhere or if I just did something wrong. It's never the short posts that go missing is it?
Michelle
Hi Michele and Rocky
I also wrote a long post in response to your previous post, but lost it somehow - that does not usually happen. (But to avoid letting it happen, make a copy just before you 'do math to save', just in case). Glad you find the site. I'm sure we'd all feel very lonely if we went through the amputation alone - I could never even bring myself to say that word earlier. It was always "surgery".
My pup's surgery was one month before yours. Tazzie is also 8.5 yrs old.
I am certain Rocky will be happy for the second chance at life. Seeing Tazzie this happy makes me glad things are not winding down not as they might have been otherwise, phew. It sounds as though you caught the cancer quite early - many of our dogs limp for months before we and the vets realize something this serious is going on.
Susan & Tazzie 2
Bob & Michelle,
I'm not really to much of a football fan but I live in Columbus so I fake it! I am, however, a big fan of the Ohio State University Vet. Hospital! How are Rocky's sores doing?
Debra
Debra & Emily, a five year old doberman mix, who was diagnosed with an osteosaecoma. She had a right rear leg amputation on May 19, 2009. On November 10, 2009 she earned her wings and regained her fourth leg.
Emilysmom said:
How are Rocky's sores doing?
Debra
Debra, the majority of his sores are going away, with the exception of the large one on the side of the elbow on his front leg and a smaller one beneath that on his wrist. Those ones just won't heal.
As I wrote in an earlier post that disappeared, the vet took Rocky off all of his meds (Cephalexin, Ciprofloxacin, Rimadyl and Tramadol) because along with not knowing the cause of his sores, he was just laying around, not eating and generally looking miserable. The vet then put Rocky on Augmentin (a human antibiotic). Once off all the other meds, Rocky almost immediately perked up, began eating again and became more active. And no additional sores appeared (previously he'd get new sores daily).
At one point he had sores on all three legs which I had to keep bandaged and wrapped. That was a challenge, because If I got it too tight around his legs, they would swell up, and if the wraps weren't tight enough, they would slide down his legs every time he got up to move around. The solution? Tube socks! They kept the dressings in place (and I think he secretly likes to wear them). So yes, for about a week Rocky was wearing t-shirts (so he wouldn't lick the incision) and tube socks - hey, whatever works right?
Have a good day,
Michelle
Hi Michelle, I would love to see him in his outfit. You don't happen to have pictures, do you?
Good to hear that the troubles seemed to be "drug-induced", and that Rocky is doing fine.
Next year we can pawty on both hemisferes, as Hori and Rocky will have ampuversary at around the same time!
Think about getting us some videos or pictures!
Cecilia
Spirit Horacia, Castaño, Olympia + human family Cecilia, Georg and Julia - - - Hori first diagnosed 8/6/09, ampu 8/12/09, run over the bridge 9/10/09 – We miss you every day dear girl!
Michelle,
I'm glad to hear that after Rocky was taken off the meds that he didn't get any new sores. I can just picture him in a T-shirt and tube socks!
Debra
Debra & Emily, a five year old doberman mix, who was diagnosed with an osteosaecoma. She had a right rear leg amputation on May 19, 2009. On November 10, 2009 she earned her wings and regained her fourth leg.
Rocky and Michelle,
Very glad to hear that Rocky is doing better now that he is off so many medications. It is very common to have reactions to the chemicals and I know from Cherry's experience that she did much better once all the chemicals were gone from her system. This is not to say that the chemicals (pain killers, chemotherapy, anti-nausea, appetite stimulants, etc.) did not help during her recovery, it is just that she seemed to do much better once the chemicals were gone.
T-shirts is another common used way of helping but I have to admit that tube socks is a new one to me. When my first two standard poodles suffered torsion and we had the stomach tacked to their rib cage, the surgeon used a sock like those used on broken legs as they apply the cast to help. It worked very well and I have often wondered where I could get this commercially.
Paws Crossed and Nothing But Pawsitive Thoughts Headed Your Way,
Bob & Cherry
[Image Can Not Be Found]
I hope I did this right. 
Nope, too small - I'll try again
rockyandme said:
I hope I did this right.
Not quite, but I fixed that for you. It looked like you included the entire bbcode image embed tag instead of just the image url.
If webshots gives you the option, just select the image direct link to image and paste it in the image url field using the insert/edit image button when posting a reply. Or, simply right click on the desired image itself and copy image location, then post that in the image url. Hope this helps. If you have any further questions, please review the technical support topic for embedding images and ask them there.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Not quite, but I fixed that for you. It looked like you included the entire bbcode image embed tag instead of just the image url.
If webshots gives you the option, just select the image direct link to image and paste it in the image url field using the insert/edit image button when posting a reply. Or, simply right click on the desired image itself and copy image location, then post that in the image url. Hope this helps. If you have any further questions, please review the technical support topic for embedding images and ask them there.
Thanks!
Hi Rocky and Michelle,
Hoping that Rocky heals from his surgery and sores quickly... He looks like a beautiful dog!!!
Jake's Mom
Jake, 10yr old golden retriever (fractured his front right leg on 9/1, bone biopsy revealed osteosarcoma on 9/10, amputation on 9/17) and his family Marguerite, Jacques and Wolfie, 5yr old german shepherd and the newest addition to the family, Nala, a 7mth old Bengal mix kittie. Jake lost his battle on 11/9/2009, almost 8 weeks after his surgery. We will never forget our sweet golden angel… http://jakesjou.....ipawds.com ….. CANCER SUCKS!
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