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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Tank is our wonderful 7 year old chocolate lab! Last week we learned that he had an osteosarcoma in his front left leg. As many of you know it was a horrible surprise and luckily my oldest daughter found your website. Watching the videos and reading others' stories helped us come to grips with what was ahead of us and helped us with our decision.
Friday, Tank went in for surgery to have his leg amputated. He is doing great! He came home today and much to my surprise is doing most everything for himself! Hopefully, all will keep going well as we are only on day one of this long journey!
We are very thankful of all of you and hope that as we go along this journey Tank's story will help others! He was our free puppy and has become a huge part of our family! We have 4 kids and Tank. Having to tell our kiddos that their beloved pet was very sick has been one of the hardest things I have had to do as a mom! We hope that going through with the surgery and going ahead with the chemo treatment will help us keep Tank around for awhile longer! He is strong and sweet and very tenacious we hope all of these qualities help him with this journey! My hubby is hoping he will heal from the surgery and gain some strength so Tank can be in his most favorite spot this fall....the duck blind! Tank is known to many as the "Best Hunting Dog Ever"
Tank's story is just beginning hoping many posts are in his future!! 
Hello Tank and family, welcome! Your future posts won't need approval so post away.
I'm so sorry to hear about the diagnosis but very glad you're here. Please thank your daughter from us for sending you and the pack here.
You bet his story will help others! We know your inspawrational journey will be a comfort to those who are just starting out. A hunting dawg? Wow! We can't wait to hear more. For some fun stories to read about Tripawd hunting dogs, check these out:
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I saw your video on facebook, it looks like Tank is getting along really well!
The next couple of weeks will be the hardest, mostly because the medications really mess them up. Sometimes they just don't seem like themselves and you'll really question whether you did the right thing or not, but you did! Murphy came home on 3 different medications so we made a schedule sheet to make sure we kept track of when everything was given. Plus when we started weaning them down it made it easier.
When he didn't feel like eating, I cooked up some rice and poured chicken broth over it then added some chunks of chicken, or scrambled some eggs.
You're off to a good start though!
Donna
Donna, Glenn & Murphy
Murphy had his right front leg amputated due to histiocytic sarcoma at 7 years old. He survived 4 years, 2 months & 1 week, only to be taken by hemangiosarcoma at 11 1/2 years 6/12/17
Read about Murphy's Life on Three Legs
Welcome to the family Tank! Sorry you have to be here but, under the circumstances, there is no better place to be!
We are here by your side every step of the way and look forward to celebrating many victories with Tank!
This is major surgerynand recovery can be fullmof ups and downs for a couple of weeks. In fact, a lot of time they come home from the vet's full of pain meds that last for a couple of days and they seem to be sailing through the recovery...until the hospital pain meds wear off. So don t be surprised if he doesn't "crash" at some point for a few days.
Right now, he needs to just rest, eat, drink and go out just for potty. Once recovery takes place and Tank has adjusted to his new normal, you will be amazed at what he can do!
Tank's tenacious attitude will jndeed help him! And clearly he has a loving family who are great advocates for him and a real zest for life!
You'll really be inspired by Bart. A Lab named Hunter will impress you also as he would go "hunting" with his dad. Tank and your husband can still enjoy their Fall outings. Tank may tire more easily and need more rest jntervals, but he will still be playing full out, just on three legs.
Look forward to seeing more pictures. His avatar photo is very cute...very handsome.
Sending hugs to Tank and all his humans!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle 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!
Welcome and I am sorry to hear of Tanks diagnosis. Everyone has offered you great advice. Another survivor of OSA is Charley. I don't believe Charley did any hunting but he was a chocolate lab 🙂 Check out his blog Chocolate Kisses.
xoxoxox
Michelle & Angel Sassy
Sassy is a proud member of the Winter Warriors. Live long, & strong Winter Warriors.
sassysugarbear.tripawds.com
07/26/2006 - Sassy earned her wings 08/20/2013
05/04/2006 - Bosch, Sassy's pal, earned his wings 03/29/19 fought cancer for 4 months.
"You aren't doing it TO her, you are doing it FOR her. Give her a chance at life."
Thank you all very much for the kind words and advice! It has been a very up and down week....I gave him too much sedative last Saturday and he was out for the count for a good 24 hours but he did bounce back. The past couple days as he has become more active he seems to be having some issues with his incision/ stiches. We see the vet in the morning and hopefully she can get him back on track! It is truly amazing how well he is doing already! 
Thank you all!
Sue, family and Tank!
Well that sou ds like a good update, especially this early in recovery...even if you did overdose him just a touch! It can happen!!
Trouble with the incision? Is it leaking fluid? Are stitches coming out? Is Tank trying to mess with them? Sounds like whatever it is, it will be handled at the vet's tomorrow so that's good!
Take it easy Tank! No horsing around yet!
Look forward to your update!
Hugs to all!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle 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!
Tank's trip to the vet this morning was good. Some of his staples have pulled away a bit and he is still having that fluid oozing but no infection!! She said he most likely has been too active. We really didn't think he was being too active, but know we know and are doing our best to keep him quieter. It is so hard to know what is too much activity. He loves to swim and we were hoping for the stitches to heal quickly so that he can get him in the water before the end of summer. We are trying a stronger sedative and hopefully it will work and keep him resting so he can heal properly. I guess we have learned that this is going to be a long process and we have just started it and we (the humans) need to be more patient. After hearing such horrible news we just want Tank to be himself again for as long as that might be! Thanks for listening!!
Sue
Glad everything is looking good with the incision and no infection! Good news!
Yeah, this hourney is about patience. "Give me patience! Hurry up! I need it now!!" It sounds like he is having a good recovery and you will be able to let Tank be Tank very soon! He will definitely be swimming soon! Right now though, rest and just short potty breaks.
Any chance of keeping him in a more confined space sonyou can avoid the sedative, or would that silly boy tear the walls down? 
Maybe you could get him some of those Kong Toys and fill with peanut butter to help keep him occupied.
Hang in there! You're doing great!!
Hugs and love!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle 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!
Welcome Tank and family!! I'm so glad that Tank's recovery has been going alright thus far. Regarding activity Tank really should be only going outside for leashed potty breaks. It should continue like this for the first couple of weeks till the staples/stitches come out. You are so right in that we just want our fur kids back to their old selves and sometimes the fur kid just wants to get on with living and not rest like they should. It's so tough to limit their activity but it's necessary so they can heal properly and try to avert any complications.
And I have no doubt Tank will get some fun in the water before the end of summer. You just want to make sure that incision is healed good. Other than that I think you all are doing great!! Hang in there...the recovery period will end eventually and Tank can get back to living life on his terms!
Oh and we'd love to see some pictures of Tank...his avatar pic is just adorable!
Sahana and her Angel Leland and Lucian too
November 17, 2009 - June 30, 2014
May you finally be healthy and running free at the Rainbow Bridge. Until we meet again my sweet boy!
Just catching up on handsome Tank's story, and so glad you found us here at Tripawds......sorry for this scary diagnosis, but so far, everything sounds positive, and really happy Tank is doing well after his amp. My Lab angel Tripawd Polly had a different type of cancer, but she did amazing after her amp, and never missed a beat. Sounds like Tank is the same way, Polly even pulled a few of her staples out as well!
Sally and everyone else has given great advice, so I will just welcome you, and hope to hear more about Tank soon, including some pics!
Keeping you and Tank in my thoughts,
Bonnie, Angel Polly, and new pups
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