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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Good thoughts for a successful surgery today!
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
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        Maggie's Story          Amputation and Chemo
My goodness, Rocky is one of the most handsome dogs I have ever seen. What a darling dog! I love the T-shirt and the lucky collar!
Good luck on surgery today. We will all be waiting anxiously to see how Rocky does. From the story of how you got him and have cared for him, it sounds like he can definitely trust you to take good care of him during this process. 
Thinking about you, and hoping for an uneventful surgery.
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016.  Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016.  Lung mets August 25, 2016.  Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016.  Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma. Â
Wherever they are, they are together.
Thanks everyone for the thoughts, prayers and well wishes. I really appreciate it.Â
Rocky is spending the night at the hospital (as planned). The surgeon called me this afternoon to say everything went well. I just called a few minutes ago to check on him, and the nurse said he's been resting and doing well. It will probably be a bit jarring to see him tomorrow, but I can't wait to have my boy back with me.Â
David and Rocky (and Baxter now too!)
Rocky had his right front leg amputated on Valentine's Day 2017 after being diagnosed with osteosarcoma.
He joined the September Saints on September 3, 2017.
He is the toughest, bravest, sweetest and best friend I'll ever know.Â
YAAAAAAAAAY FOR ROCKY!!! 🙂 SURGERY IS DONE!! Rocky is seeing pink elephants now, so try and get some rest yourself! You may have a few sleepless nights coming up (or not).
Lots of hug
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!
Sounds good so far!
It might help to look at some pictures so you know what to expect. The first look can be quite shocking and you want to be strong for Rocky when you pick him up. Go to our Gallery and scroll down to 'Surgery and Treatment Pics'.
Just look into your boys eyes when you get him tomorrow and be inspired by his resiliency!
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Â
        Maggie's Story          Amputation and Chemo
Rocky's home!
He's obviously not feeling great, but seems to be doing well all things considered. So far, he's actually doing better than he did post-biopsy. I've told him repeatedly what a brave and tough boy he's been.Â
He actually seemed to feel pretty good on the ride home:Â
But it hit him a little bit harder once we got to the house.Â
We'll just take it easy now for the next few days/weeks and get some rest.Â
David and Rocky (and Baxter now too!)
Rocky had his right front leg amputated on Valentine's Day 2017 after being diagnosed with osteosarcoma.
He joined the September Saints on September 3, 2017.
He is the toughest, bravest, sweetest and best friend I'll ever know.Â
YAY for Rocky being home .... rest, rest, rest ... and then rest some more! He does look loopy but also mellow which is great! Happy Healing!!!
Shelby Lynne; Jack Russell/Shiba Inu mix. Proud member of the April Angels of 2014.
October 15, 2000 to April 8, 2014
Our story: Broke rear leg in June 2013 - non-conclusive results for cancer so leg was plated and pinned. Enlarged spleen in September 2013 and had it removed and was diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma and started chemotherapy. Became a Tripawd January 8th, 2014 and definitive Hemangiosarcoma diagnosis. Three major surgeries in 7 months and Shelby took them all like a champ only to lose her battle to cancer in her brain. We had 8 amazing extra months together and no regrets. #shelbystrong #loveofmylife
ROCKY!!! Yeah, agree with Alison, you do look slightly loopy druggy cutie pie!! I think you might still see some pink elephants following you around!!
Slow and easy sweet boy. The hospital drugs will wear off in another daynor two, so he may feel a little worse then than he does now.
STAY CONNECTED! Let us know how things are going! Drinking and eating are important. Pooping and an aappetite may take a day or two plus.
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!
Lookin' good Rocky!!! Welcome home and best wishes. Take it easy for a while and you'll be Loving Life On Three Legs in no time! Please keep us posted...
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
So far, so good. His recovery from the amp has gone much better so far than the one from the biopsy. He actually brought his favorite tennis ball to me last night like he wanted to play. My dad and I built him a little ramp to help him navigate the single step out to the backyard.
The only negative so far is he wasn't thrilled that I made us sleep on the floor last night. He yelped when I got him out of the car, so I'm trying to minimize picking him up, which means he can't sleep on our bed again until he's all healed up.Â
He's still trying to figure out this whole hopping thing. He's able to move around pretty well, although a bit slow. But he'll get there.Â
One thing I noticed: When he lays flat on his belly, his spine feels raised. I'm assuming it's because his body mass is laying differently now without the bad leg. I asked the specialist about it and he said it was nothing to worry about, but said he'd check it when Rocky goes back to have his stitches removed.Â
David and Rocky (and Baxter now too!)
Rocky had his right front leg amputated on Valentine's Day 2017 after being diagnosed with osteosarcoma.
He joined the September Saints on September 3, 2017.
He is the toughest, bravest, sweetest and best friend I'll ever know.Â
Hey there! I am so happy for you that you seem to be having a pretty good recovery!! The yelping when you lift him is understandable. That's a LOT of tissue, skin and especially nerve endings that need to heal. I had to lift Manni in and out of the car because it just couldn't be helped and we got that, too. If the yelping occurs when he is just lying down, sort of out of the blue, you might be dealing with phantom pain but that can be dealt with then.
The spine issue: they do lie differently. They have to start accomodating to the fact that they have one less limb to stabilize them. You will eventually notice how he will angle his remaining leg differently when lying on his belly to have the best balance. Also, he has one big wound on his side and it probably still hurts to lie on it. It actually took Manni about 7 months to comfortably lie on that side. (Nowadays, that's the side he lies on most. As if it's more comfy without the leg and shoulder 🙂 )
However, the additional strain on remaining limbs, muscles AND the spine is pretty big. So you are right to be on the look-out for this kind of stuff. I am a great fan of physical therapy and muscle/balance exercises. So if you get the chance maybe look into that.
Hope you keep on doing this well!!
all the best
tina & Manni
Guardian of Manni the Wonderdog. -Or was it the other way around?
Osteo and amputation in Dec 2015. Second, inoperable, primary osteosarcoma found in June 2017.
The end of our adventures came Dec 10, 2017. 2 years to the day.
Glad he is home and doing so well!
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016.  Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016.  Lung mets August 25, 2016.  Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016.  Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma. Â
Wherever they are, they are together.
Yep, ditto Tina!!
Rocky will get everything figured out. He's recovering from MAJOR sugery, he's druggy and he's adjusting to three legs! Humans would still be in the hospital on a morphine drip!
Rocky will soon be able to take a more relaxed position when laying down. It seems like it took Happy Hannah several weeks before I felt like she was REALLY comfy and relaxed as she settled in for good sleep.
You're doing great and somis Rocky! It takes awhile, but his sparkle will be back before you know it! 🙂
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!
As Tom Petty sang: The waiting is the hardest part!
Waiting for them to come out of the post-surgery stupor...waiting for that old spark to return. It WILL happen! And nobody can say exactly when for any specific dog. Just keep doing what you're doing and Rocky will be back to himself before you know it.Â
We're all pulling for him, and you!
Levi was diagnosed w/likely osteosarcoma at 7.5 years old in 7/2015 and became a Tripawd on 9/11/15. Loved life until he broke one of his front legs on 2/12/17. As x-rays showed clean bone, we decided to repair the leg. He recovered well, but in June of 2017, started to limp on the same leg. X-Rays showed return of OSA in the front leg. Levi crossed the rainbow bridge on 7/20/17, after over 22 months as a happy Tripawd.Â
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