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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Welcome to the family. Gus will have his 4 week ampuversity tomorrow and is 99% back to being his old self. Gus is a lab-rott mix and he used the stairs the first night he was back home, and never had any problem using them . Actually, he did better AFTER the surgery that he did the week before. Your first 2 weeks will not be the most fun you'll ever have, you probably won't get much sleep, but trust us when we say it will be worth it, you won't believe how fast they come back. One thing we had to deal with was phantom pain , the first few times they have it, and some never do, it will tear your heart out. But don't regret the surgery, once the rough part is over and your buddy has that happy look in her eyes, you'll know you did the right thing. We opted to not do chemo, so I can't tell you what to expect. Good luck, hold on for the ride, but you found the best place to come for help and support, believe me, I felt just like you and found this site to be a gift from God.
My buddy Gus had a left front amputation on April 7, 2010 and lived a great life until July 26,2010
Welcome to Tripawds community!!! Sorry of course you have come but you'll be darn happy you found this place so you can get thru the up's and down's of your soon-to-be Tripawd girl! I found this wonderful place 2 months after my dog's diagnosis/amputation. Boys, did I ever feel alone. But not now!!!! 🙂
If your pup says she still wants to be on this green earth with you and put up a good fight, then it's the RIGHT choice!
Tracy, Maggie's Mom
Maggie was amputated for soft tissue sarcoma 10-20-09
Maggie lost her battle with kidney disease on 8-24-13
Hi Sierra and Mom,
Welcome to our Tripawds family! I'm so sorry that Sierry was diagnosed with cancer... but you have definitely come to the right place for information and support!
I joined Tripawds shortly after my Jake broke his leg and was diagnosed with bone cancer. I was so lost... till I found all these wonderful Tripawds folks! They all helped me get through Jake's diagnosis, his amputation, and then his passing. I don't think I would have made it without them! I also had all the same concerns as you did... but after going through everything... I don't regret going ahead with the amputation for one minute. Jake had almost 2 more pain-free and happy months. He got to swim, cuddle and play... He was happy until the very end. I only wish he had more time. But I have wonderful memories of him... and will be there for you and anyone else that needs support!!!
So many other dogs do so well after their amputation, and live many, many more months... some even a year or so. So, I think it is all worth it!!! We love our furbabies so much... we only want them to be happy and enjoy their lives for as long as they can.
Please keep us posted and show us some pictures of your cutie when you get a chance!!
Angel 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!
I don't have a lot to add to all the great posts and advice that you got....I can only chime in to let you know that I, too, HAVE NO REGRETS.
Instead of having only a few weeks left with my hero, my soulmate and best friend after the diagnosis, we had 17 more WONDERFUL, AMAZING months together. We amputated and did chemo too. Zeus had just turned 10 when this happened - he was SUPER dog...seriously - he did soooooo well on three legs. Everyone that met him thought he was a puppy!!!
Zeus taught me lessons that will stay with me for the rest of my life. The cancer journey I took with him altered my life forever....in a profound, meaningful and priceless way. I am not the same person I was when we started this on April 9th 2008. I may have lost him physically back in September 2009, but his spirit lives on in so many ways in my daily life. There is not one single day that goes by that I don't think of him or feel his presence in some way. The loss is still there and at times the grief is still heavy, but I wouldn't have traded one minute with him to have less pain or grief now.
You will be amazed at the lessons you will learn and the inspawration you will receive from this journey. It's an emotional one, but one well worth it.
Good luck, much love and of course....please keep us all posted. You will never be alone.
Much love,
Heather and Spirit Zeus
Heather and Spirit Zeus - Our life changing journey…from the earth to the heavens…one day at a time…always together
Sierra's mom-
However unfortunate the circumstances that brought you to Tripawds, you can see by all the posts that you have found one of the most amazing communities you will ever be a part of.
The only thing I would add at this point is don't get caught up in the stats and survival times. They are based on the average, and we know that none of our tripawds are average!! Some live well past the prognosis, some fall short. There really is no way to know how much time you will have together.
I made the mistake of worrying about how much time I had left with Maggie right after her amp when she was given 6 to 9 months with chemo treatments. Maggie, like Sierra, knows only today, and if today is good then life is good. While I worried about what I would do when she was gone, she was right there in front of me, living her life and being a pug.
As many have said- there are so many lessons to be learned on this journey. Some you have to discover for yourself, but everyone here has stories and advice they are willing to share when you need it.
Good luck with the amputation and recovery.
Karen and the pug girls
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