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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Yesterday, our beautiful, loving, tennis-ball addicted flat coated retriever Ursa was diagnosed with bone cancer. She's have her front left leg amputated next week.
Everything hurts.
This is so overwhelmingly hard and scary and I am just so grateful that this community exists.
I write a personal blog where I'll be sharing our journey with her, but I'll use this space to connect as well. Thank you all for supporting one another. And welcoming our family and our Ursa girl into the Tripawd community.
My first blog post about the diagnosis here: http://blogalac.....12/05/risk
It’s not fair. She was supposed to live forever. She turns seven years old next month. I thought I’d have her for at least another seven. Our time together was supposed to be only half over. It’s not supposed to be the end.
We're fighting so that it is not the end. 
Welcome! Your future forum posts will not require moderation.
This is not the end by any means, it is just the beginning! Enjoy every moment you have with beautiful Ursa and please keep us posted. Best wishes for her speedy recovery.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
welcome!! ursa is beautiful!! we have a rescue which is half flat coated...felony melanie. also, there was a flat coated named tate that was on the boards - i'm sure jan will jump in soon and touch base, as she is a great resource for dealing with cancer in your breed. tate was only five, i think.... scary stuff, but you will get through it, and ursa will teach you so very much. please let us know how the surgery goes, we're sending our best wishes to you guys!!
charon & spirit gayle
Life is good, so very, very good!!! Gayle enjoyed each and every moment of each and every wonderful day (naps included). She left this world December 12, 2011 – off on a new adventure.
Love Never Ends
So very sorry you find yourself here with us! Yes, it does hurt and it's so utterly scary but honestly it's not the end. It's just a different path you are taking with Ursa.......A different path that will make your bond so much stronger with your girl. I promise.
And you just get it out of your head that your tennis-ball addicted girl isn't going to be able to do all that stuff! She is! Oh my, I had a tennis-ball addicted girl who was 3-legged from birth! She was the best ball player in the whole wide world! She'd like 'em low and fast and sometimes the catch would knock her on her behind but she loved it!
Whatever Ursa can do now....she can do on three legs. Again....I promise.
Please let us know how surgery goes. A lot of good thoughts coming your way.
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.
Thank you, all. It means so much to have people that really understand what we are now facing. My daughter just turned three years old this week, and we were talking to her about how her Ursa was going to have a leg removed and have only three legs and she replied:
It's okay, Mommy. I am three. And Ursa will have three legs. Three is a really good number.
Kids, their perspective is unbelievable.
cometdog said
.......A different path that will make your bond so much stronger with your girl. I promise.
I could not agree more! We are approaching six months post-amp and it seems like so much more. Cancer stinks and it is so unfair, but this journey really teaches you to seize the moment and enjoy every single day. I am sorry that you find yourself here, but welcome nonetheless. The members of this community really do "get it" and will be here with you every step of the way. Please let us know any way that we can help!
Lisa
Zeus was a Husky mix diagnosed with Osteosarcoma at age 11. A visible lung met and suspicious spot on his liver meant a poor prognosis-six weeks was our vet's best guess. We decided to fight for our boy and his right front leg was amputated on 12/1/11. We did six rounds of chemo, changed his diet and spoiled him completely rotten. We were blessed with 10 great months after diagnosis. Against the odds, the lung met remained a single met and grew very little over those months. A wonderful furbaby with the most gentle spirit, he fought with a strength that we never imagined he possessed. We have no regrets...
http://zeuspod......pawds.com/
Welcome! I'm so sorry you ended up here this way, but this community is amazing and all the support and understanding is invaluable. We're right with you, as far as the being new and scared and hard.
You'll get through this and so will Ursa. She'll still be a tennis ball addict that you know and love. 🙂 She is such a beautiful girl and your time together will be better than you ever thought possible.
Jack - adopted with a crooked leg at 4 months old, managed for six years, and now much-happier Tripawd as of 5/24/2012!
Welcome to you and Ursa.I know this is all very overwhelming right now, but once she recovers from the surgery, there can (and will!) still be good times ahead. Amazing times in fact. It is an awesome thing to be a Tripawd pawrent. You'll soon see.
Welcome to the club,
Jackie, Angel Abby's mom
(p.s. Your girl is beautiful!)
Abby: Aug 1, 2009 – Jan 10, 2012. Our beautiful rescue pup lived LARGE with osteosarcoma for 15 months – half her way-too-short life. I think our "halflistic" approach (mixing traditional meds + supplements) helped her thrive. (PM me for details. I'm happy to help.) She had lung mets for over a year. They took her from us in the end, but they cannot take her spirit! She will live forever in our hearts. She loved the beach and giving kisses and going to In-N-Out for a Flying Dutchman. Tripawds blog, and a more detailed blog here. Please also check out my novel, What the Dog Ate. Now also in paperback! Purchase it at Amazon via Tripawds and help support Tripawds!
Welcome to Tripawds.
I'm sorry cancer has brought you here, but as you have already seen you have found a knowledgable, supportive community.
My pug Maggie had mast cell cancer, not OSA, but I will never forget the day the vet told me the leg needed to go. Mag had her amp before Tripawds was here so we went it alone. Mag took her time recovering and I was sure I had done the WRONG thing for her by choosing amputation. But she came around and came back to the obstinate pug she had always been.
You have probably read here that the first couple weeks after surgery can be full of ups and downs- so don't get discouraged. Ursa will be amazing you in no time!
And don't start counting days- don't listen to the prognosis. Every dog is differnet. It's true some don't have much time after the amp- but that time is pain free quality time, and that is all the pups care about. Maggie's prognosis after her amp was 6 to 9 months with chemo because the cancer was in her lymph system. I was planning on her being gone before her 8th birthday. But she just kept going, defied the odds, and lived almost 4 years post op, it can happen!
Good luck with the surgery next week, let us know how she (and you!) are doing.
Karen and the pugapalooza
Oh Ursa, your human sister is so right...three IS the magic number!
I'm so glad you came over here from Facebook to share your story. I know that amputation is soooo scary and that bone cancer thing is no fun, but we're here to help make this time as easy as pawsible. If you need anything at all, don't hesitate to ask OK?
You're right, a cancer diagnosis is NOT the end. Many dogs go on to beat the odds and live terrific lives, so always remember to stay pawsitive throughout the journey, it makes all the difference in the world. Welcome!
(Just tried going over to your blog but it said "account suspended")
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Chico, my 7 year old black Lab had his front right leg amuptated (histolytic cell sarcoma) about 3.5 weeks ago. He's now on chemo due to it having spread to his lymph node.
Know that you are not alone. It really does hurt. And it hurts to know that we might lose him at any time.
Take it easy. Give him lots and lots of love and hugs.
Chico is now almost back to normal. He wants to fetch, but doctor's orders say no for a few more weeks. We do throw the ball for him a little, but no more than a few feet. He has gone back to his habit of raiding the toy box and spreading his toys all over the house--so I know he's on the mend.
Take care and welcome to the forum. You'll learn a lot here.
Ursa is a beautiful girl. It is so hard to wrap your head around everything that happens as you face this awful disease. You will learn so much as Ursa and you go through this together. Ursa's sister has already taught you that three is a good number. Just know the tripawd community is awesome. So glad you found us.
Heather & Spirit Shadow
Ursa is gorgeous and will be break-your-heart beautiful as a Tripawd. After the initial shock of seeing her without her front leg, you will quickly realize it was only a leg ... she will be the same lovable dog, with the same fin-loving personality.
Our Sammy (a golden retriever) was also addicted to tennis balls. He was amazingly fast and continued to steal other dogs' balls at the dog park even after his surgery. He also continued to retrieve balls chucked into the water, although one lab out-swam him and hurt his feelings. He just couldn't believe it!
The next few weeks will challenge and scare you a little, but in a month or so things will sort themselves out and you will be so proud of Ursa. Best wishes to your family.
Beth, Spirit Smilin' Sammy and MB Wiggly Wrigley
Smilin' Sammy, March 16, 2004 – Dec. 5, 2011
Golden retriever, diagnosed with osteosarcoma in September 2010 — right front leg amputated November 2010. He fought valiantly to stay with us; but a second diagnosis of osteosarcoma, this time in his left front leg, was more than our golden warrior could overcome. He loved his pack — and everyone else he met.
We loved him even more.
Thanks for the pennies, Sammy. They helped.
Sorry you had to find this site but so glad you did. I'm sure you will find the wealth of experience of people in this community very helpful.
When my beloved Magnum was diagnosed I went into it determined to do better than the odds but at the same time I treasured each day as if it could be our last. That was the advice of our oncologist - "take one day at a time". We didn't beat the odds but the 8 extra months we were given was a miracle that we lived to the full.
Take care and sending you lots of hugs for your upcoming surgery.
Magnum: 30th May 2002 to 5th May 2012. Lost her back left leg to osteosarcoma on 5th Sep 2011. Lung mets found on 20th Mar 2012 but it was bone mets in the hip that ended her brave battle. Magnum's motto - "Dream as if you'll live for ever, live as if you'll die today" (James Dean). Loyal, loving, courageous and spirited to the end. My beloved heart dog, see her memoirs from Rainbow Bridge ...... http://princess.....pawds.com/
Thank you all so much. We've spent this gorgeous holiday weekend lounging in the grass, playing with tennis balls and being spoiled rotten with snuggles and kisses and butt rubs from our human sisters. My husband and I have been doing lots of mental and emotional preparation thanks to all the great resources on this site. I'm sure to not cry in front of Ursa and only shower her with positivity and optimism. While I'm nervous for Thursday to arrive, I'll be so grateful to relieve her pain.
Thank you all. And the blog should be working (issue with my host, now resolved) - http://blogalacart.com
I've refocused my photography that is so often on my daughters to my furry, black daughters. Hanna, our 2 year old super mutt, has been very sweet and loving toward her big sister.
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