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 have a beauceron (French shepherd), he just turned 5. He is a big boy weighing 114 lbs. I was playing fetch in the backyard and he skinned his hock. There were minor cuts, and I expected it to heal quickly. However my dog kept licking it, so I thought it was causing the area not to heal. I started putting Neosporin and wrapping the wound. It swelled. So I would ice it between wraps.
One day it had circular holes, I took him to the vet, she thought he had developed an abscess that exploded. There was a lot of puss as well. We treated it as such, antibiotics and special soap. After 2 weeks it started looking better, but at week 4 it started regressing. We did a culture on the wound, and switched his antibiotic at week 6. Put him on two different types of antibiotics to amp up the effect and kept washing the area.
One day he stopped eating, but the antibiotics needed to be taken with food. Our vet had us take him to emergency care and the vet told us, it was likely cancer. That the hock felt firm and not fluid filled. To confirm the suspicion, I took him to my vet for a biopsy. Unfortunately it came back as cancer. His bones looked good so we were able to rule out bone cancer.
The biopsy result came back as squamous cell carcinoma. This is usually very easy to treat. However his is located in his hock and is extremely aggressive. The typical cell division rate (under a microscope) is about 20 for cancer cells, his is 50. The cancer is usually surface layer of skin, however his runs pretty deep given the type of cancer.
The oncologist believes he has sarcoma underneath this cancer as well. Our only plan currently is to amputate his leg, as chemo and radiation aren’t very affective in this type of cancer. If we did those treatment options he would only have a yr to yr and a half to live. Hopefully with the amputation he can be closer to his original expected life span.
I have been grieving, in a sense, and I don’t fully understand it. I get to keep my dog, hopefully give him a long life after, so why am I so sad? So scared? So emotional? I know dogs adjust well to the amputations and 3 legged lifestyle, but I feel like I have an emotional or mental block. He goes in for a surgery consult in two days, and surgery either end of this week or next week.
Does anyone have any tips of gear, therapy, beds, tricks, or anything to help ease that recovery time? I’m going to buy a bed with bolster sides, and one of those easy up carrying things that are on this site. But is there anything else you feel made an impact on you or your dog?
Thanks in advance for any advice or wisdom you have to pass on.
Hello and welcome, your future posts will not have to wait for approval.
I'm sorry cancer has brought you here, but glad you found us. What is your boy's name?
I have been grieving, in a sense, and I don’t fully understand it. I get to keep my dog, hopefully give him a long life after, so why am I so sad? So scared? So emotional?
Because you are human! This is a big decision and a big surgery. Things will be different. It's a good thing to acknowledge your feelings so that way you can work through them and be ready to be a good pack leader when your boy needs you. When my Pug Maggie lost her leg I spent lots of time missing and mourning the things she couldn't do anymore...it's a human thing. Meanwhile Maggie was figuring out how to do what she wanted to do and just getting on with her life.
Traction is really important for Tripawds, especially new ones so if you have any slippery floors either add some type of traction like rugs or yoga mats or block them off so he can't get on them. Raised food and water bowls help with balance when eating or drinking....if he will use them. Maggie refused to use her raised dish. Since he is losing a back leg you can invest in a harness if you want to use one long term. My current little rear amp Tri uses the RuffWear Webmaster, the Ruffwear Flagline is popular here too.
Here is a chart on harnesses for Tripawds.
You can also make a sling out of a cloth shopping bag if he needs help getting around the first couple of days.
After surgery a visit with a Rehab Vet would be beneficial. Many vets don't think rehab is of any value but I personally have used rehab after my girl hurt her only hip. Not only did she get laser treatment but we also got an at home exercise program as well as recommendations on supplements to help her gain strength. Tripawds has a program that may reimburse you for your first visit! Details Here.
Keep us posted on the surgery consult and schedule.
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
Kirsten, welcome to you and your boy. What's his name? I was unfamiliar with the beauceron breed. Thanks for the introduction! What a handsome kind of doggie.
Karen gave you such great information. I'll add the Tripawds What to Expect articles, the Tripawds Recovery Shopping List , and Jerry's Recommended Reading List too if you have time.
Also, grieving is so normal! Even when the cancer is taken care of with an amputation, we grieve as humans because we know we are losing some of our daily routines with our dogs. And although things do change because of some physical limitations that need to take place to keep a Tripawd injury-free, it's so important to remember that your dog is still the same guy. Once recovery is over, he will get on with life and enjoy things just the same as before. He doesn't look back. Only we do! With your guidance to ensure that he doesn't do too much of those things (that's where rehab comes in handy, so you can learn how to help him stay safe), he will continue having a great quality of life on three.
Once you get acclimated to the new normal with him, you will be so impressed at how well he handles a major change like this. Tripawds really are inspawrational!
By the way, if the cancer is low enough on the leg, it's worth discussing the possibility of a prosthetic for him. They greatly improve quality of life if a pet parent has the financial and time resources to pursue one. See our interviews with OrthoPets and Boris the Tripawd.
We hope this helps you feel better. Ask any questions you'd like and keep us posted!
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