Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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My husband and I are reeling from a recent sarcoma diagnosis in our 3 yrs old lab Elwood. He has a lump in his paw that started on the underside of his paw between the pads and wrist and quickly grew up between his toes. The lumps were "encapsulated" and Xrays showed nothing had spread so full leg amputation was the recommended course of action. The vet asked how we felt about prosthetics but I had no opinion as I was only just learning about amputation. He said it "was a process" and that was about it.
We got that news on Friday 12/17. I suspected that would be the case and did some research ahead of time so I would be prepared. That's when I found Tripawds. I knew front leg amputations were a little tougher than rear leg because animals carry more weight (about 60%) in their front lets but I also knew that tripawds get around really well...they don't have all the mental hang ups that we humans do.
I never even considered a prosthetic until I went home and told my husband the news. He almost immediately went to prosthetic even joking he'd be a bionic dog. I wasn't so sure but I agreed to do the research. Back to Tripawds and the podcasts with OrthoPets (Denver area) and another with Dr Sherman Canapp who uses Bionic Pets (Virginia area). I even watched episodes of Wizard of Paws which is Derick Campana of Bionic Pets. I was starting to reluctantly come around to the partial amputation and prosthetic but still worried it would be a much harder recovery without the perceived benefit. I reached out to OrthoPets who sent me information to share with the vet.
When I told our vet he said we should call a board certified surgeon because he didn't feel qualified to do a partial. He reached out to a surgeon friend of his, I made a bunch of phone calls and we learned that no one in our area even did partial amputation because of all the complications (wound healing being the biggest issue). I was ready to agree to full amputation but my husband was addiment. I made more phone calls and went back to Tripawds to do more research. If found the Tripawds Tuesday story about Bridget's partial amputation and prosthetic which I found very helpful and encouraging. Now, as I write this, I am sitting in a coffee shop in Pittsburgh, PA (we live in Cleveland) waiting to pick Elwood up from PVSEC after his CT Scan, Xrays, etc. My husband and I agreed that we would do all the diagnostics to definitively know whether the cancer is contained and how much of the leg they would have to take for clear margins. Once we have that information we'll make the final decision but at least we found a place that will do partial amputation.
I'm still not 100% sure partial is the right choice and even once we get all the results back, I probably won't be 100% with either decision. Its emotional, its scary and it breaks my heart. More to come on Thursday the 29th when the vet calls with all the test results.
Hello and welcome, your future posts will not have to wait for approval.
You are an amazing advocate for your boy Elwood! I don't have any direct input for you- I've never been in a position to consider prosthetics for my Tripawds.
But just yesterday Jerry posted a link to a recent study:
2022 Study: Prosthetics and Orthotics Complications in Dogs
I hope you get the best possible news from all the staging tests, keep us posted.
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls and Boy
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
It's so nice to see you here! I'm glad we got to chat last week and you found more information on which to base your decision. Remember, there are no right or wrong choices either way, because only you know Elwood best.
Please keep us posted on how the vet visit goes on Thursday.
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls and Boy,
Thank you for the encouragement and sharing the post. I'm still figuring my way around the site and how to see the most up to day posts and information. I actually came across the study that Jerry posted on my own. I think it was when I was researching OrthoPets . It is about the only information I could find that studied the efficacy of prosthetics and although it has really limited participation, I was encouraged by the fact that a very large number of participants said they would consider the prosthetic route again even with complications.
Jerry,
I feel like Tripawds is my new virtual home. I am on here daily and I can't express how grateful I am for the wealth of information you have pulled together over the years. The little chat we had last week was also much appreciated and helped my mental state tremendously!
I spent the two hour drive home from Pittsburgh yesterday listening to your podcasts on CBD oil and another about Orthopedic Issues. Next up is pet insurance which I admit I never even considered. Thank you again for all the support and education!
Yes, welcome e to your new virtual family. As you can see from Karen and Jerry, you have come to the right place for support and I information.
You are doing an excellent job of checking out options and doing research overall.
A little off topic as far as a prosthetic specifcally , but to bring some more balance into your husband's perspective of amputation with and without prosthetic. What concerns does he have (or you) about amputation? Obviously there are concerns about any surgery, mobility questions and recovery process on three etc.
We have a lot of videos on here of dogs doing all sorts of things full out on three.agility, dock diving, swimming, etc..
We'll look for an update when you can. In the meantime, give sweet Elwood some extra smooches for us.
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!
benny55 said
A little off topic as far as a prosthetic specifcally , but to bring some more balance into your husband's perspective of amputation with and without prosthetic. What concerns does he have (or you) about amputation? Obviously there are concerns about any surgery, mobility questions and recovery process on three etc.
Hi Benny55,
I think we both realize amputation is the only option. We even asked the surgeon for his opinion (versus relying entirely on what our vet said) and he was in agreement. My husband has remained addiment about prosthetic. His comment was why should they take 100% of his leg if only 25 or 30% is the problem. And over time arthritis and other joint issues will surface. Elwood also has some compression in his lumbar spine which he feels could also create some complications as he ages. These are all good and valid points that I agree with. I'm considering the additional complications with a partial amputation and possibility of rejecting a prosthetic. It's a commitment of both time and money and I worry that the benefit won't be commensurate or that we're doing this more for ourselves than for him. And truth be told, I'm scared of all the "what ifs " of post amp recovery. I have no illusions that it's going to be easy. I guess preparedness and having an awesome community of support will help.
Having to make this decision sucks, but at least you and your husband are able to talk about it enough to reach a decision together. You'd be surprised how many people are stuck in a situation where one person is all for amputation and the other isn't. So now, it comes down to partial or full, and your comfort level with the wound healing process.
Honestly, we usually see wound healing problems on partials when the end goal is not a prosthetic. Wound problems on partial amputations tend to happen when quick, low cost amputations are done (oftentimes, on rescue dogs). Not always, but generally speaking that's what we see here if a wound issue happens. When I asked the vets at Colorado State if they ever had wound problems with partials, they looked at me kind of surprised and said "No, we hardly ever see that happen here." This is because they know how to close the incision with all the care and expert technique needed to prevent pressure sores at the point of contact with the floor, and eventually, the prosthetic. So as long as your surgeons have done this before, and they have seen dogs through the prosthetic process (a good idea to ask them how many they do on an annual basis), you can rest easier. IF some issue does happen, they will know how to handle it.
I'll tell you, if we could have had a say in Wyatt Ray 's amputation (he only needed his back paw removed), we would have gone the partial amp and prosthetic route in a heartbeat. His quality of life would have lasted longer, and he would have experienced better mobility and stamina as he got older. We used to be skeptical about prosthetics but not after watching our dog age as a Tripawd. As long as a prosthesis is expertly done and the pet parent is willing to invest the time and money into making sure it gets used and not left in a closet, they are worth it to us.
Hey everyone, Happy New Year!
Lots of updates since my last post. We found out that Elwood's tumor is (was) growing up the leg and not just below his wrist. Given his leg length, length needed for good prosthetic fit and need for solid margins, we chose to do the full amputation which was yesterday. We brough him home a while ago and he was a champ hopping up our front walk and into the house! He promptly drank down a half bowl of water and then took a short rest. He was back up and trying to get on the couch...one of his favorite spots. I felt bad not letting him up but I know its the best thing for him right now.
I had an incredible sense of relief once we made the decision about full amputation. We were making the decision based on solid data (CT scan, aspirate of lymph node, chest Xrays, etc) and not gut feeling or emotion but also because it allowed us to move forward and for so many weeks it felt like all we were doing is waiting...to see how a treatment went, results from biopsy, get a consult, more test results, etc. When we picked him up today it was another level of relief knowing the worst is behind us and now we have recovery. I know the next couple weeks won't be easy for him or us but I know it will be better than what the last few weeks have been.
Thank you for letting me vent, for offering advice, support and input. Your website has been absolutely invaluable in this journey and helped me have half a clue about where to start, what to think about and what to ask. It also lead me to Elwood's new bed, the Big Barker
! And, I'm using it to figure out what harness to get for him. Not a lot of excellent options for front leg amputees but I've got my eye on on the Ruffwear Flagline harness
. 
Welcome home Elwood! I'm sorry that you needed the full amp, but better to be safe and get those good margins.
You guys are so on your game with him. What kind of meds did he come home with? Remember to stay ahead of the pain, don't fluctuate from the schedule and if the meds seem to wear off sooner than they should, let your vet know so you can tweak the pain relief to his physiology.
Of course you can vent that's why we are here! Anytime, day or night, just bark at us 🙂 Recovery isn't always hard but there will likely be challenges. Most of them will be your emotional ability to cope (it's always harder on the humans!) but we totally get that so fear not, you are in good company!
Glad he's snoozing in the Big Barker , it's an awesome bed! And the Flagline is pretty sweet for front-leg amputees, the best on the market.
I can "hear" the relief in your post! Yes, you made the RIGHT decision for Elwood and for all the RIGHT reasons!
One surgery, one recovery and done! Being stuck in indecision wears ya'll out emotionally and physically. Now you can move forward and celebrate with Elwood as his sparkle starts to come back and he is pain free.
After h9s hospital meds fully wear off he maynhave a bit of a crash. As Jerry said, monitor his pain and tweak the meds if needed (and with Vet advice).
Stay connected and let us know how we can continue to support you as uou navigate through recovery. And Mr, Elwood, no couch for you yet! Dogs hate being denied their spot-on the sofa!
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!
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