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 Labby Girl was just diagnosed a few days ago with osteosarcoma.
X-rays show not in lungs yet.
I can have her front-quarter amputated in one week at one vet.
But I prefer another vet but that will take two weeks to amputate.
She's not in that much pain yet but but she's been limping for almost 2 months.
Will waiting one week make a difference in the cancer spreading? or make a difference in any way?
The one vet said one week wouldn't make a difference. It seems it would since this cancer is aggressive.
Thank you soooo much
Brian
I'm not a vet, but several here have waited for a week or more for various reasons. I don't think there is any way to tell one way or the other whether one week matters, but you'd be having it done really pretty soon after diagnosis even if you waited another week. My guy was amputated one week after I first took him in - and the reason I did it so quickly was that I knew I was still going to be off work on leave for another two weeks after his surgery so I could be home with him. If I had waited, I would have had to go back to work during those first two weeks and I didn't want to do that. For what its worth, my vet also said waiting more than a week wouldn't make a difference.
Hi, Brian:
No one can answer that definitively, unfortunately, but you seem to have a reason for preferring one vet to another. Are there particular reasons - better after care or just more experience and more confidence in that vet?
Best thoughts for your girl!
Lisa, Minneapolis
On October 27, 2016, nearly 6 months after amputation, and 18 months since his cancer likely started, we lost Pofi to a recurrence of Soft Tissue Sarcoma in his spine quite suddenly. His canine sister also succumbed to cancer on March 1, 2019 - we lavished her with our love in the interim, but life was never quite the same without her only real canine friend. Cliff kitty had to leave us, too, suddenly, in August 2019. Lucia kitty grieved all these losses, but helped us welcome two new Lurchers into our home and our lives, Shae and Barley.
Hi Brian,
Sorry to hear about your pup, it's a tough situation but we're here to help however we can.
Having a quality relationship with your preferred vet is worth its weight (and wait) in gold. If you are more comfortable with that vet, and as long as you have her pain managed as best as it can be (remember that limp=pain, so she is definitely hurting), one week would likely be OK. Keep her from doing too much activity as you don't want to risk a pathological fracture. Spend the next week getting your home ready and yourself and you'll be happier you waited for the vet you know and trust the most.
Keep us posted OK?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Sorry you find yourself here, but it's a great place for support and information. Look forward to hearing more about you Labbu girl when you have a chance!
Of course, I'm not a vet and not giving vet advice. In my case, my Happy Hannah,like many other dogs here, were treated initially for several months for "arthritis" or a "sprain". And some surgeries were "delayed" further because some dogs had biopsies.
Of course, one of the "risks" in delaying amputation is fracture. The vet generally, not always, can ddetermine the degree of risk by looking at the xray. So you just want to be careful and not let her do any jumping or hard physical activity in that leg.
If your vet feels comfortable waiting another week, then it shouldn't be a problem. As Pofi said, there are NO guarantees about this stupid piece of crap anyway as far as spreading quickly or slowly or not at all! And btw great news about clear xrays!
You might ask the vet about Tramadol to help curb the pain until surgery. If she's limping, it hurts!
And spoil, spoil, spoil!!
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!
Sorry to hear about your Labby Girl. It's good to hear the Xrays were clear.
There's a lot of amazing pets with good people here that have all done what we are going through right now. The history, input, and recorces available here are awesome.
We had waited about two weeks from first diagnosis to get the surgury , she had been limping about 5 weeks by that time. today is six days post OP, and she is doing very well. A little extrea swelling from a quick scratch, we didnt catch in time, but iced it and its better now. She was able to stand up the first day and is now able to get around easly now. Have to keep one eye open all the time now.
As most will say, only you and your vet know whats best for your situation, the best thing is to keep your girl pain free, as best as you can. We have used Tramadol (100mg.3xdaily)and it made a big diffrence as well as Metacam (liquid 5cc.1xdaily). before surgury and upped the tramadol to (200mg.3xdaily) after surgury ,Metacam (same). A mix up caused us to stop giving the Metacam for about a week before we diagnosed and it made a dig change in her pain, which caused us to get a second broader Xray that spotted the sarcoma in her sholder. She was able to mask the pain untill it got to be too much... As Jerry said above, " limp=pain ", so keep her as comfortable as you can.
Keep us posted or your progress, we are all pulling for ya...
Hi, and welcome.....our time frame from first noticing a limp and the actual surgery was a couple months. Nitro's surgery was postponed by a couple weeks; at first I stressed about this, because after finally making the agonizing decision, I wanted it done yesterday. If we'd done it the first time, he'd have been alone overnight, and by waiting, he was able to have it at a 24 hour clinic. If you have strong feelings for the one vet, you might just have to follow your instincts. Whatever it takes for you to have peace of mind in whatever way is important. Good luck and keep in touch.
Paula and Nitro
Nitro 11 1/2 yr old Doberman; right front amp June 2014. Had 6 doses carboplatin, followed by metronomic therapy. Rocked it on 3 legs for over 3 years! My Warrior beat cancer, but couldn't beat old age. He crossed the Bridge peacefully on July 25, 2017, with dignity and on his terms. Follow his blog entitled "Doberman's journey"
"Be good, mama loves you".....run free my beautiful Warrior
Hi Brian,
We were misdiagnosed and wasted one month until a vet found out what my girl suffered from.
We got the operation scheduled for as soon as possible when we were told she had bone cancer but personally I would have waited one week if I was more comfortable with a particular surgeon.
Sending you lots of pawsitive energy, please keep us updated and do not hesitate to ask any questions!
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 :-)
Our Mr. Gibbs was diagnosed with the same on his right front leg. They are suggesting Amputation and I am at a lose at what to do.
I want him to be around forever, although I know that can not happen. I want him to have a good quality of life, but not sure 3 legs is a good quality of life at this point. We are stressing with what to do. We lost two Golden's 5 years ago within two weeks of each other. We did all humanly possible to save our beloved dogs yet all we did was not good enough.
I need some advice here and would appriciate all input to try to make our decision. We love our dogs and not sure which way to go.
Thanks
Dave
Welcome Dave and Mr. Gibbs, your future posts will not have to wait for approval.
How old is Mr. Gibbs? Does the vet think he is a good candidate for amputation?
Please consider starting your own topic in this forum so you get answers just for you and Mr. Gibbs and it doesn't get mixed up with this post.
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
Hi, Dave and Mr. Gibbs - life without that 4th leg may not be quite the same, but for the significant majority of our Tripawds it has still been very high quality life as there is suddenly less pain again.
Do share more as Karen suggested above. And we can share some videos that show our dogs, even older and bigger dogs, getting back to life with real gusto post amputation.
Lisa, Minneapolis
On October 27, 2016, nearly 6 months after amputation, and 18 months since his cancer likely started, we lost Pofi to a recurrence of Soft Tissue Sarcoma in his spine quite suddenly. His canine sister also succumbed to cancer on March 1, 2019 - we lavished her with our love in the interim, but life was never quite the same without her only real canine friend. Cliff kitty had to leave us, too, suddenly, in August 2019. Lucia kitty grieved all these losses, but helped us welcome two new Lurchers into our home and our lives, Shae and Barley.
mrgibbs said
Our Mr. Gibbs was diagnosed with the same on his right front leg. They are suggesting Amputation and I am at a lose at what to do.I want him to be around forever, although I know that can not happen. I want him to have a good quality of life, but not sure 3 legs is a good quality of life at this point. We are stressing with what to do. We lost two Golden's 5 years ago within two weeks of each other. We did all humanly possible to save our beloved dogs yet all we did was not good enough.
I need some advice here and would appriciate all input to try to make our decision. We love our dogs and not sure which way to go.
Thanks
Dave
Hello Dave,
I am not a vet. Just a dog lover.
My 13-year old pup, Kaya, went through with the amputation 2 weeks ago even though she has a slipped disc and wasn't a good candidate for amputation. She can walk around pretty good but has a lot of trouble with stairs but she's getting better and better.
With the mast in his leg Mr. Gibbs will be in pain. Without his leg the pain will be gone. Dogs do pretty well on 3 legs. Only you know what's best for you and your pup.
If Mr. Gibbs has it in his lungs I don't think I would get an amputation as he would have just a couple months at most.
My mother says you can't put a price on peace of mind so do what you can afford.
Hi Dave, we're glad you're here, even though you don't want to be. We totally understand that.
Do start a new topic so we can get more of a picture about your dog's situation, and hopefully offer some insight that might help you decide. Amputation isn't right for every dog and it's not an easy decision no matter what, but the entire community is here to help you through it OK?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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