Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hi Guys,
Just wanted to give you an update on our beautiful girl Bella.
About a month ago I posted on this forum for the first time after receiving the devastating news that our beautiful 5yo bull mastiff Bella had osteosarcoma. My husband and I didn't know what to do and we were very unsure about amputation in a large dog. The information, support and advice we got from everyone here gave us the strength to make the decision to go ahead with the surgery and we haven't looked back.
Today is Bella's 3 week ampuversiary and every day she is continuing to amaze us with her strength, determination and love of life . Bella spent 5 days at a wonderful specialist vet hospital here in Australia and while she was away we frantically carpeted hallways, built ramps, bought dog socks and harnesses, fenced off our verandah & put down marine carpet, bought her a low firm bed and generally went overboard! She has since chosen to run up the stairs instead of the ramp (she does go down the ramp!), walks on the wooden floor instead of the carpet, lays on her old bed and won't even hear of being locked up on the super safe verandah. My husband and I took turns at staying home with her everyday for the first two weeks and I am sure she kept wondering what all the fuss was about and why we kept cuddling her every 5 minutes.
Bella had her first round of chemo last week and despite being tired on the day of the treatment has shown no signs of side effects which we are hoping continues.
Yesterday she made us all smile by running (and Bella never runs.. even with 4 legs) to greet us at the gate when we got home from a short outing.
Thanks again to everyone for your support in helping us through a difficult time. It's great to be able to share some good news for a change. Every day with Bella is a blessing, she continues to inspire us to live life to the fullest and celebrate what you have instead of dwelling on what you don't.
All the best,
Clair
Thanks for the great update! Please do keep us posted on Bella's progress, or consider starting a blog. We'd love to see some photos of your big girl. Success stories are especially helpful for those with large breeds facing amputation.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I'm so happy to hear how well Bella is doing! They sure are amazing aren't they? Please keep us posted on what I'm sure will be more success stories.
Sadie is my 9yr old Rott/Shepherd mix. Diagnosed with osteosarcoma in her right scapula 1/28/10. Our brave girl had her amputation 2/13/10 and her last chemotherapy on 6/6/10. Unfortunately, a tumor appeared in her back right leg and on 10/7/2010 Sadie's earthly journey came to an end. On 10/24/2010 we adopted Ranger, a handsome Rott/Lab mix tripawd (got hit by a car) I think Sadie sent him to us.
http://ranger.t.....pawds.com/
I love your update. I sat and laughed at the picture in my mind of you doing all those things to make her comfortable, and her staying with her old routine. That is so funny, and so wonderful!
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 for sharing a great update. One of the things we try to tell people when they first come here is take a breath, its us humans that have all the anxiety, its just a bump in the road for these guys and your story proves it. Not saying its easy but your finding out how well these guys adjust. Love that picture, big dogs rule, Paws up, Spirit Gus and Dan
My buddy Gus had a left front amputation on April 7, 2010 and lived a great life until July 26,2010
Ahhhh....so glad to hear Bellla is doing so well....Just wondering if she is sleeping through the night...We are on week 2 of Rileys amputation and she has yet to sleep more than an hour at a time without having to get up and adjust herself.....
Awww Clair, that is wonderful! What a lucky girl she is to have such pawesome pawrents, and what lucky humans you are to have a brave, courageous girl like Bella.
Thank you for this great news! We loooove hearing about all success stories, and especially about giant breed dogs since so many doubt that they can make good Tripawds. You and Bella are changing minds all over the globe. Thank you!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thanks everyone for your lovely comments.
Miss Riley - Sleeping is something that Bella is very good at! For the first week or so we had her sleeping inside in the lounge room which is just outside our bedroom, she would wake up a few times a night and change sides to get comfortable. We were really surprised she was sleeping on her amputation side and a few times we thought she looked stuck but she wasn't.
Bella is used to sleeping outside in her kennel on our front verandah so its hard to know what's normal, she may have always got up a few times during the night before the operation we just normally don't hear her. After a week we decided to let her sleep outside and get back in her normal routine, we had fenced in an area of our verandah about 10m long x 2m wide so we knew she was safe. Its summer here and the nights have been really warm and she seems to enjoy having that freedom and being out with her little brother.
It's so hard not to read into every little noise they make and every time they move we wonder what is wrong. I think we over analyse everything when they just really want to get back into their normal routine.
Clair,
Sol happy to hear Belle is doing so well! They sure are resilient aren't they! Looking forward to hearing Belle stories.
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.
Clair,
Nice update, glad to hear Bella is doing so well.
Maggie wouldn't go for many of the accommodations I made for her either. She refused to eat out of a raised bowl, wouldn't go anywhere near the ramps. I built stairs so she could get up on the bed by herself- but she would never use them.
She was a little pug, and very obstinate- did not like changes at all. She slept and sat on her amp side all the time- after the stitches came out.
Keep up the good healing, and I hope she continues to do well with her chemo.
Karen and the pugapalooza
So glad to hear Bella is doing so well!! We hope she continues to thrive!!!
-Chloe's mom
Chloe became a rear amp tripawd on 7-29-10. Another tumor was removed on front leg 2-20-14. Found 3rd tumor on neck 2-2015, but she's still kicking cancer's butt at age 14. Chloe's blog
Great update Bella! Nice to hear you are doing so well!
Comet - 1999 to 2011
She departed us unexpectedly January 23, 2011 at the age of 12 1/2.
She was born with a deformed front leg and a tripawd all of her life.
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