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.
Join The Tripawds Community
Learn how to help three legged dogs and cats in the forums below. Browse and search as a guest or register for free and get full member benefits:
Instant post approval.
Private messages to members.
Subscribe to favorite topics.
Live Chat and much more!
Register
Log In
Members
Add Topic
Offline
Athena is my sweet girl who is a 4 year old husky mix. She is a survivor of animal abuse… her and I gratefully escaped domestic violence together but her leg was injured during the time. She has undergone 5 surgeries to help try and repair the leg. All ranged from fixing the fractured femur before she was one. To her body rejecting a rod and then her needing a tplo and then her body rejecting more metal causing a wound from the inside out. So we got the tplo removed then the femur and she unfortunately did not have a strong enough leg and during the recovery she re broke her femur and now our last option is amputation after all of our vets though we could save her leg and her being so young they recommend it. Now we are at our final option. We are both scared (me more than her) and we would love some advice on after care and what to expect. I just want her to be okay.
Thanks for reading and replies.
sincerely, Jazz and Theeny
Hello to Athena and her hoomans
Your post is been approved and we are here to support you in any way we can. My goodness, what a journey you and Athena have been on with that leg. Unfortunately, we see this a lot around here where trying to save the leg just hasn't worked out. I guess the Silver Lining with amputation is that it's one surgery and done! Yes, you have about a two-week recovery. But after that things should finally start getting back to normal for Athena.
I just want her to be okay.
She will be okay and even better than before! Recovery is no picnic for about 2 weeks, sometimes it takes tweaking of the pain meds and helping to support her as she becomes more and more mobile. Being part husky though, I'm pretty sure she'll have a lot more spunk then some do during recovery.
I'm going to give you a couple of blanks to check out so you can be more reassured.
When is her surgery? Will she be staying at an overnight clinic?
If you haven't already done so, you'll want to get some non-slip scatter rugs for traction if you have hardwood floors.
We know facing amputation sounds scary, but it really is the best solution based on everything you have described. It's hard to say, but I really think you will find her recovery is easier from this surgery then all of the other things she's had to endure.
Apologies for the quick response but just wanted to get you started in the community and to let you know we are all here to cheer Athena on!
Take some deep breaths..... stay connected.... you are not alone, okay?
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!
Jazz and Athena, I'm sooo sorry you two have been through such rough times. But you know what? You two are SURVIVORS and you WILL get through this, far better than you realize right now.
I know this is scary. I was scared too! Anyone who has gone through it says the same thing. We humans tend to make a lot of to-do out of this situation (and who can blame us, it's a major surgery nobody ever expects!). And dogs? Well, they just want to feel better and get on with life. You will see that Athena is no different. Being part Husky, she is exceptionally resilient and strong. She will show you that together you two are stronger than you ever imagined.
Sally gave you some great links so check them out, and I have the same questions for you. Looking forward to your reply.
Hello and welcome to you and Athena.
I never want to hear about your situation but you survived and moved on and that experience will help you with the next phase of your journey with Athena. Not to mention all the surgeries....you guys are inspirational survivors!
You have an advantage too having been through all those big surgeries and recoveries with Athena. You know how she deals with pain meds, with confinement and how she heals. For most of us amputation was the biggest, scariest surgery we had dealt with.
I can also tell you that a few years after my first Pug Maggie lost a leg to cancer another of my Pugs needed knee surgery on one leg then the second leg 2 years later and those recoveries were waaaaaay longer and harder than Maggie's amp recovery! We often see here that when a dog loses a leg that has been painful for a long time they immediately feel better. Two to three weeks seems to be the minimum recovery time for amputation but Athena is her own dog and will recover on her own schedule.
Life on three will be a bit different but that doesn't mean it won't be great. For now, focus on getting though surgery and recovery then you can start looking at getting Athena strong and fit and providing Tripawd safe activities for her. Sally gave you some great links for information on what to expect with surgery and recovery.
My current Tripawd Elly lost her rear leg to a car accident when she was 7 months old. Elly is a little Pug mix who is getting close to 10 years old, in fact today is her 9 year 'gotcha' day, I adopted her when she was 10 months old. She has lived a great life so far, if I do say so myself
Do you have a surgery date yet? 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
1 Guest(s)
