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.
Join The Tripawds Community
Learn how to help three legged dogs and cats in the forums below. Browse and search as a guest or register for free and get full member benefits:
Instant post approval.
Private messages to members.
Subscribe to favorite topics.
Live Chat and much more!
Register
Log In
Members
Add Topic
Offline
Well the big day is finally here, and this site has made the process barable to us humans.
Our dog Sandi (shephard mix, 60pds, 12 years old) was diagnosed with nerve sheath cancer in 2003. We had the tumer removed, and she underwent 6 weeks of radiation thearapy at the University Of Illinois Vet School. Unfortunatly the tumer came back, in the exact same spot, about 6 months ago. Now the tumer has gotten so large that it has actually burst through her skin. It is on her left hind leg, just about at the hip level. Additional surgery has always been out of the question due to scar tissue from the first surgury. So putting her down, or amputation have been the ONLY options for us. Tommorow is the amputation.
We have been terrified at this option, Sandi loves to run, fetch, and play frisbee, although at her age the games have become shorter and shorter!!
We'll keep you posted as to how she does......My biggest stupid concern is how the heck is she going to go to the bathroom with only 1 back leg???
Thanks for all the forum topics!!!!
BK
Best of luck for tomorrow Sandi (and Sandi's humans). I have no doubt that Sandi will surprise you with her recovery and next week, you'll be wondering why you were at all worried about how she would cope.
Darcy – tripawd since 16th October 2007.
***Darcy would love to be your friend on Facebook - just search for Darcy Deerhound***
Oh Sandi, good luck tomorrow! We will be thinking of you. Tell your pawrents to try not to worry too much, especially about going to the bathroom. After all, at least you're not a boy dog doing the leg lift! Going potty will be second nature, and I'm sure your pawrents will be cheering you on as you go the first time. Silly humans!
I love to play frisbee and ball too, and yes, my playtime is much shorter than it used to be, but that doesn't meant that they aren't as much fun as they were before I became a Tripawd. It's all about quality, not quantity.
We know you'll do just fine. It's your pawrents you'll have to train not to worry about you too much. There are lots of things they can do to help, like slip-proofing floors, not letting you do stairs alone at first, and taking it very very easy on your play sessions for a while. Check out our Health Tips page for more things they can do to help you out.
Good luck, and keep us posted. We're thinking of you.
Love,
Jerry
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
bkroeplin said:
Well the big day is finally here, and this site has made the process barable to us humans.
Our dog Sandi (shephard mix, 60pds, 12 years old) was diagnosed with nerve sheath cancer in 2003. We had the tumer removed, and she underwent 6 weeks of radiation thearapy at the University Of Illinois Vet School. Unfortunatly the tumer came back, in the exact same spot, about 6 months ago. Now the tumer has gotten so large that it has actually burst through her skin. It is on her left hind leg, just about at the hip level. Additional surgery has always been out of the question due to scar tissue from the first surgury. So putting her down, or amputation have been the ONLY options for us. Tommorow is the amputation.
We have been terrified at this option, Sandi loves to run, fetch, and play frisbee, although at her age the games have become shorter and shorter!!
We’ll keep you posted as to how she does……My biggest stupid concern is how the heck is she going to go to the bathroom with only 1 back leg???
Thanks for all the forum topics!!!!
BK
Best wishes for tomorrow! Sandi wiill do great! I'll keep checking back to see how great she's recovering 🙂
She's sound like a very strong pup!
Best wishes Sandi. We know you'll come home and show your pawrents how resilient you are.
Best wishes!
I myself, just became a new amputee & my human was also worried how it would go. I don't think I've changed at all. I still chase after my 1/2 sister & do my patented, flying leaps onto the furniture, although that horrifies my mum ha ha.
Hope everything went well!
Allira
There are no stupid concerns, but I have been amazed a how resilient my Nellie has been since having her right rear leg amputated in March!! She had a little trouble going the the bathroom at first b/c she was used to lifting the opposite leg to pee and when she was finally feeling good enough to try it she fell b/c there was no support limb left! She learned pretty quickly to tripod and squat and they just go "faster" than previous. The vet recommended using a sling to assist at first but Nellie hated that and had more difficulty using it that going by herself.
Good Luck! She and I will be thinking of you!!
Allira said:
I still chase after my 1/2 sister & do my patented, flying leaps onto the furniture...
Mum has reason to be horrified. Please be careful with those leaps. Especially jumping down. The last thing you need now is a sprain, break or bone spur from landing on a weak remaining leg.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
1 Guest(s)
