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 think I'm going to be glad to get rid of this left front leg that hurts from synovial cell cancer - the tumor was taken off 3 weeks ago but my pawrents think it's already coming back. My doctor said it was stage 3. I can walk on it but it hurts. At first my mom and dad were really sad - and so were my 'brothers' - but now after my mom found this site I can tell they all feel a lot better about the whole thing. Almost like it will be a relief. Because that tumor growing so fast is pretty scary.
I'm just not very athletic - never have been able to get up on the sofa, even when I was 2, and especially not now that I'm 10! So I hope I'll be able to go up the stairs ok to my bedroom. My doctor says I shouldn't do that for 2 weeks, but I'm not sure how I'm going to stand it. I guess my mom or dad will sleep downstairs on the sofa with me.
Thank you Jerry and your wonderful family for this site! What a blessing it is for so many dogs and their people!
Sandy, thank you so much for registering and joining the Tripawds community. We're glad to have you here and hope we can help in some way.
We are so glad that this website has cheered up your family and given you some hope about life on three legs. As you can see, for us dogs, even older ones, we adapt so well to a challenge like this. Even non-athletic ones!
Tomorrow, your surgery will be done before you know it. Yes, the recovery can have its ups and downs, and it's a bummer having to take it easy for a while, but it will be so worth it, just you wait and see.
Good luck, we will be thinking of you. Keep us posted and let us know how everything goes OK?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi Sandy,
Welcome to our family. You will be amazed at how much better you will feel after the amputation. Pain really drags you down. There will be challanges at first but it will be worth it. Please keep us posted on the surgery.
Hugs
Connie & Radar
Hi Sandy,
Thank you for sharing your story; I know it's depressing that the first surgery on her paw didn't work, but I think you will find that the decision to do the amputation will be the right one. Some dogs bounce back very quickly, while others (you say Sandy is not very athletic) will need some help with a harness like the one Jerry sells right here on this site. Until then, you can put the towel under the abdomen & chest trick to help her with balance.
Good luck to you and we're keeping our paws crossed in prayer.
Love, Blazer, Kimber & Mom
My doctor said my surgery went fine today, completely as expected. She did find a lymph node nearby and she's sending that out for a biopsy. Meanwhile I have a morphine drip and injections every so often for pain relief. I don't have a bandage but I do have a T-shirt, she said.
My mom told my doctor she found great information on this site, and my doctor had heard of it. Next time they talk mom is going to suggest that the dr mention it to all her tripawd patients.
A question for Jerry: which harness do you like the best? The Ruffwear that's in a lot of your pictures or the Pet Support Suit ? Seems like the Ruffwear might rub on the incision area more and maybe slip around me. But the Pet Support Suit looks complicated. Should my mom get one now or wait and see what I need?
Mom did say she was going out tonight to get some non-skid rugs. I would've liked that better even before my surgery!
One thing mom asked my doctor about was a fentanyl patch, since so many others on this site seemed to have gotten that, but my dr said they use it a lot on smaller animals but it doesn't seem to work as well on big ones like me (85 lbs). She thinks the oral tramadol will be good. And I have to say, that tramadol has been a wonder drug for me in other surgeries.
BTW, are any other tripawd families here in the Atlanta area? Maybe after I get all better we can have a play date
.
From Sandy's mom - boy the house sure does seem empty without Sandy around! We are very anxious to have her home again but partly afraid, too. Thanks for your support, and I will keep you posted.
Sandy W said:
A question for Jerry: which harness do you like the best? The Ruffwear that’s in a lot of your pictures or the Pet Support Suit ?
Thanks for asking, and congratulations on the successful surgery!
I love my Ruff Wear harness. We recommend that in most situations. It is comfortable, easy to use and provides ample support for your people to help you get up, go up/down stairs, in/out of cars, etc. The AST harness is best suited for when large, heavy dogs really begin to lose their mobility.
FYI: The Ruff Wear harness will tend to slip around if your missing the second front leg to hold it in place. This is purely easthetic as it is easily adjusted back in place and still perfectly funtional.
I'd say there is no rush. We definitely do not recommend using any harness until the surgery wound has completely healed and all the stitches are out. Until then, you can have your people use a soft towel slung under the belly for additional support if needed. But after that, the Ruff Wear harness is great! I only take mine off at night.
About those meds ... tell mom not to worry about it. And again, wait and see. Tramadol was and is my pain killer of choice. That's all I got after my amputation (and no bandage either) and I did fine. Read more of the posts about heavy medication and you'll find most dogs can handle the pain better than the trippy side effects.
Thanks for the update!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Sandy
Welcome to the tripawd family. We are so glad the surgery went well. My mom got me a crib mattress since I couldn't use the stairs for a couple of weeks. She slept on the couch next to me. Since I am 118 pounds and a couch hog we couldn't both fit. IAre you doing chemo? I just had my 2nd round Thursday. They gave me some anti nauseous pills for just in case. The oncologist said I am doing great. I have adjusted well not using a harness but my mom is going to get me one to help slow me down. Hope you get back to yourself real soon
Titan and Heidi
Hi Sandy,
About fentanyl: it is not good for post-op pain, at all. It was never intended to be good for post-op pain because the patch releases the medication too slowly to be of any help with acute pain. It is for long-term pain such as severe chronic pain.
For an idea of how well the Ruffwear Harness Jerry uses, there are several videos on YouTube.com under JerryGDawg where he is seen wearing the harness. It is truly a quality product and the handle on top gives great support when you need to help your dog get into or out of a car, or when there are steps. It gives proper leverage so your pup doesn't lose his balance. (Just so you know: I do not work for tripawds.com, I'm just an avid supporter is all). hehe
Your idea of a group for tripawds in the Atlanta area is a good one; you may have to set one up yourself, but it would be a great way to communicate with other pawrents about the highs and lows of owning a tripawd.
Good luck and please keep us posted.
Your friends,
Blazer, Kimber & Vicki T
Sandy - so glad to hear the surgery went well! Smokey's went off without any complications as well... I think I had my cell phone glued to my hand the entire time he was in the hospital and I called to check in when I didn't feel I was getting enough updates from them :).
I had them keep Smokey for a couple of extra days... his surgery was on a Wed, we picked him up on Sat. One of my friends visited him on Thursday so I could get first hand from a trusted friend how he was doing. She had told me he looked great! The first day we picked him up was pretty tough but each day got so much better!
The surgeon put him on cephalexine (spelling? antibiotic) as well as some Metacam and codeine. We tested out some pain meds through our regular vet before the surgery because sometimes some meds would upset Smokey's tummy. It wasn't until we were done with the codeine when Smokey was acting like he was back to normal. And what I've noticed now is that he's even more happier because he's not in any pain from the darn paw that had the tumor on it. Those experts really did know what they were talking about :).
Smokey also didn't wear any bandages - the surgeon didn't want us to cover up any part of it so we left it as it was. I never did end up covering it, but his fur has grown back really quickly. The only downside to everything was when the two weeks came to have the staples removed, the lower part of his incision hadn't completely healed yet and there was a tiny bit of bruising, which I'm accounting to the fact that he would plop down on that side when he would go to lay down, even though we tried to prevent that. But now, he's as good as new! And I love him even more now and I couldn't even imagine that was possible 🙂
Cheers to a continued recovery!!
Smokey's Mom: you always have the kindest words to say to others. I think it's great, especially when you have your worries about Smokey. I think I read in a different forum where they had found a lymph node that was also cancerous? If I am wrong; please forgive my error. I noticed on one of your other posts that you say you have a pillow that says, "Be the person your dog thinks you are". That's a great motto to live by.
I just wanted to say something to you, that I do read a lot of your writings and that I'm always impressed with your sincerity & concern for others.
Your friends, Blazer, Kimber & Vicki T
Good luck Smokey's mom! It sure does help to hear how others went through this so well - I thought I was old for this surgery at 10 but I'm inspired by you and others in this forum who become 'younger' as a tripawd.
My doctor told my pawrents that she wants to keep me another day at the hospital - which I know from this forum is not unusual or a bad thing. I can't really walk yet on the slippery floor in the ICU-
I keep falling down, but outside I did fine. The T-shirt she gave me got too bloody and yucky and they don't have another one my size, so now I have a bandage after all. Maybe the support/pressure of the bandage is also helpful if I'm bleeding some?
Smokey, I know some people who are groggy/not themselves when they have to take codeine, so I guess it's not surprising that you were too. I don't know yet if I'll be taking that or not when I come home. But the dr doesn't have me on any more sedatives right now.
Anyway, I'll be glad to go home when I can!
PS from Sandy's mom - I can't figure out how to make the emoticon appear in the right spot; tips?
My dog Tazzie had her right front leg amputated on Aug 26th and she is doing great! I wouldn't worry about a Fentanyl patch now; it tends to work best if started 1 day prior to surgery. Your vet did a morphine drip which is the best way to combat pain anyway! I think that Tramadol alone is a great option for pain relief and most dogs don't get too wierd on it, although it may decrease appetite. If you have arthritis in other joints, an NSAID like Metacam or Rimadyl may be helpful, but can also cause stomach problems.
I bought the Ruff Wear harness for Tazzie and it worked great when I had to take her for her first chemo treatment. I also bought a GripTrex boot for her remaining front foot because she was developing a pressure sore and that has helped her get around even better! I am going to buy a full set so I can put them on her rear feet, too.
Pam and Tazzie
Sandy, I know what you mean about the emoticons not staying put... guess we'll just have to hear from our spokesdog (the ONE AND ONLY JERRY SUPERDOG!). 
Love, Blazer, Kimber & Mom
Blazer, Kimber and Vicki - thank you so much for your kind words! And you did see that in another post, where the cancer had spread into a lymph node. A sneaky lymph node hiding under his armpit! I'm just thankful the surgeon saw it and ended up removing it. Tuesday we go in to our vet for x-rays to see if they show it spreading any further.
Sandy's mom - Smokey still can't get himself off of slippery floors very well either...I hope that might help Sandy feel a bit better about those darn ICU floors... we're keeping him off those as much as we can, which he's not super happy about because the kitchen is just about his favorite place 🙂
One of my concerns before I made the amputation decision was his age, but when I was reading others on this post who were around the same age, I thought wow-maybe it just might work! And the surgeon connected me with another pawrent who had just gone through this in January and listening to her story completely inspired me... and just hearing her voice was so motivating...
I'm just so glad to be able to chat with others like this... I have one friend (the one who visited Smokey for me in the hospital) that has been the most awesome, supportive friend, but two of my best friends just don't quite know how to be there for me, given they know Smokey and I have such a strong connection and he's my world! And one has two pups of her own, but she doesn't deal well with situations like this. I never thought I would either but when you have to go through something like this, you really don't have much time to sit and dwell since there's so much that has to be done and you take every moment as it comes. Every time Smokey looks up at me I just know we did the right decision... and no matter we learn on Tuesday, we're going to continue to live each day to the fullest and he'll continue to be spoiled rotten :).
Does anyone remember the name of that stuff that you put on the paws of dogs to keep them from slipping? I know it was discussed in one of these forums, but I can't remember where I saw it. There are several different brands, too. Darnit, I just can't think of what it was called.
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