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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I can't help too much with preparation for your dog since I had a cat with a front leg amputation and I was totally unprepared. It is great to be around the house as much as possible at least until the stitches are out. Nap times are good times to run errands. Could a friend or family member help out if you can't be there?
I'm sorry that your family has suffered from cancer. They say that it will touch everyone's life. For me it was first with my cat and now it's with my sister with stage 4 cancer that has metastasized. I now look at it like a chronic disease, like arthritis. Perhaps Rosie will die from the cancer, perhaps not. She may be living with cancer but she will be living life to the fullest. There have been a number of dogs here who have had amputations due to osteosarcoma and continue to live and enjoy life for many more years. When I find their stories I'll let you know (Sally? Jerry?) Meanwhile, I know your focus will be preparing for the surgery.
All the best for surgery day,
Kerren and Tripawd Kitty Mona
Hi Rosie and family 💗🐶
Recovery may be challenging and Rosie may have a bit if a crash between days 3-5 after surgery, that is normal.
She may loose appetite and stop drinking, I had both with Eurydice but not all dogs do.
Others kept eating like Happy Hannah who never missed a meal 🍴
In my girl's case, I had the best results with grilled chicken breasts and boiled chicken with a bit of olive oil added to the water for extra taste.
She wore t-shirts to protect the incision and a soft harness over it until stitches came out.
After that, I got her a ruff wear harness which is great as it has a handle which allows us to hold our babies and help them whenever they need.
Keep to schedule with her medication, this is major surgery, crucial to keep our babies pain free.
You can do this and so can Rosie, you've got so many adventures ahead of you 💞
Recovery may be hard but it doesn't last forever, Rosie will surprise you at how well she will do on 3
Sending you a big hug and cuddles to your cutie ❤️❤️❤️🐾😘
Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-)
Hi Rosie and pack.
I'm sorry cancer has brought you here, but as you have seen this is the best place to be when dealing with cancer and amputation.
I know how devastating the diagnosis is and how radical amputation sounds. After my vet told me that my pug Maggie would need an amputation because of the mast cell tumor in her knee I don't think I heard another word she said.
I've been through two knee surgeries with my quad-pug Obie and I can tell you that each of his recoveries were way longer than Maggie's recovery from her rear leg amputation. Maggie was a stubborn pug who hated any change in her routine. She was physically healed from the surgery after two weeks but she didn't get her sparkle back for about 6 weeks. Most dogs here are back to themselves in 2 or 3 weeks- they really seem to perk up after the stitches or staples come out. In hindsight it made sense that Mag took her time getting used to her new normal- but at the time I was convinced I had made a terrible mistake by choosing surgery.
All dogs heal and deal with their new normal on their own timeline. Stay positive and strong for Rosie and don't get discouraged if she isn't herself for awhile.
Lots of experience and support here, I'm glad you found us.
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Hey there Rosie and family 💕🐶💞
Today is surgery day for your beautiful girl so just wanted to send you both an avalanche 🌬🌬🌬🌬 of pawsitive energy and say we are thinking about you ☺️
Please update us when you can, we are all waiting to hear your good news 😊
Lots of love flying your way 💕💕💕😘🐶
Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-)
Thinking of you and Rosie today
Ruby, Staffy, born June 2022, became a Tripawd, 23 November 2023, adopted 12 January 2024.
Also Angel Tripawd Meg (aka The Megastar), who died in April 2023, aged 14, after seven glorious years on three, and Angel Staffies Pie and Bille. In the pawprints of giants...
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