Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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hi henryparsons, sorry to learn that your tag is having challenges after his rear amp - there do seem to be some similarities to tia, but as we've all learned all dogs are different. swimming is great therapy, and maybe this will help strengthen his remaining leg. you might want to start a new topic to introduce tag to us, and maybe share some pictures. welcome to the community, please let us know how you guys progress with these challenges.
charon & spirit gayle
Life is good, so very, very good!!! Gayle enjoyed each and every moment of each and every wonderful day (naps included). She left this world December 12, 2011 – off on a new adventure.
Love Never Ends
henryparsons said
Hi, I was browsing the forums looking for a similar story as mine and I saw Tia's Journey.
Hi Henry and Tag, thanks for joining us, we're here to help. Please consider starting a new topic in Treatment and Recovery so that your story doesn't get lost in this discussion.
Four weeks post op is not a long time and many dogs take longer to recuperate. I would have to say that your vet is probably correct, it does sound like muscle weakness, especially if Tag is a heavier Lab (I know they're out there!). We suggested to Tia to see a veterinary rehab specialist, you may want to do the same.
You'll find information about recovery and choosing a rehab specialist here. I hope this helps. Please keep us posted.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
well we heard the worse news we could today, the vet confirmed the results of the CT scan that the osteosarcoma has spread to her spine, a little bit on her lungs, ribs and other scapula. We knew 11 months ago that her day would come, but we hoped that after the amputation she would keep hopping for a while (not only 6 weeks). The vet has said that she is in a lot of pain and that she is only eating and drinking to stay alive. She looks quite content and not in a lot of pain, she still loves to eat, and would probably eat all day.
But we know that we have to make a decision, we just can't do it. When we look into her eyes she is still her lovely self. How do you know when it is time.....
I have been reading a bit about it today on this website, and coping with it after....I am not sure how we are going to cope, Tia is our whole life, everything revolves around her, she makes our house a home...
But for her sake it is probably better sooner than later...
Oh Julie, my heart goes out to you, I am so very sorry. This is the news we all dread, and it's even more tragic that the cancer has become so aggressive. It seems like to some degree we're prepared for the "typical" lung mets news but not something like this. I'm so sorry.
I think if you read through our Coping with Loss Forum that you'll see how other people have handled this decision. I agree, that sooner is better than later, because nobody wants to remember their dog's last days as being filled with pain. As hard as it is to make that judgement call, there is nobody else who can give dogs the gift of leaving this earth without trauma or pain. And isn't that something we all want, whether human or canine?
Here are some posts I hope will help at this difficult time.
How do you know when it's time?
A Summary of Hospice Discussions in the Tripawds News Blog (scroll past the first entry)
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I'm so sorry for you and your family and Tia 
Gawd, I just don't know what to say...just so heart breaking..
Tracy, Maggie's Mom
Maggie was amputated for soft tissue sarcoma 10-20-09
Maggie lost her battle with kidney disease on 8-24-13
Oh, I'm just so very, very sorry! This is very heartbreaking. I'm so sorry.
I know it is unbelievably hard to make that final decision. But you are giving her a selfless gift by letting her go since she can't do it herself. Going peacefully to sleep is so much better than suffering in pain.
Our hearts go out to you.
Comet - 1999 to 2011
She departed us unexpectedly January 23, 2011 at the age of 12 1/2.
She was born with a deformed front leg and a tripawd all of her life.
we know how hard it is to let them go on, to their next adventure. our thoughts are with you. love never ends.
charon & spirit gayle
Life is good, so very, very good!!! Gayle enjoyed each and every moment of each and every wonderful day (naps included). She left this world December 12, 2011 – off on a new adventure.
Love Never Ends
I'm so sorry to hear the OSA has spread. We had to make the call a little while ago on our Jack. It is so hard to make the call, the hardest thing I have ever done. My thoughts are with you and Tia. It will be hard when the times comes, but Jerry told us about a good game to play. We try to think of all the funny, endearing, happy stories with we can. It helps us when we are sad. Redbud told me that I was trading my dogs pain for my own. Truer words were never spoken. You'll know when it is time to make the trade.
I'm so sorry you find yourself at this point in the journey. I know how hard it is since we were just there in January. Everyone said we'd know and she would give us The Look. The last day, I really was going back and forth all day, not knowing, not sure. Her breathing was bad, but otherwise she seemed happy and her appetite was good and her tail was wagging. But then, that afternoon, she gave me The Look and I knew it was time. I hope you get The Look because it really helps you know it's time.
If not, you are right - for her sake it is better sooner than later. I hope you get a little more time to spoil her rotten. Hang in there.
Thinking of you at this difficult time!
Jackie, Angel Abby's mom
Abby: Aug 1, 2009 – Jan 10, 2012. Our beautiful rescue pup lived LARGE with osteosarcoma for 15 months – half her way-too-short life. I think our "halflistic" approach (mixing traditional meds + supplements) helped her thrive. (PM me for details. I'm happy to help.) She had lung mets for over a year. They took her from us in the end, but they cannot take her spirit! She will live forever in our hearts. She loved the beach and giving kisses and going to In-N-Out for a Flying Dutchman. Tripawds blog, and a more detailed blog here. Please also check out my novel, What the Dog Ate. Now also in paperback! Purchase it at Amazon via Tripawds and help support Tripawds!
I'm sorry you have reached this point with Tia. Something that helped me when I neared the end with Maggie was defining what her minimum quality of life was. Once we passed that point I new we were at the end. Besides that Maggie gave me a look the last night that was so clear. I don't remember that look as a sad or bad thing, it was a gift from Maggie to me.
I know it seems like you can't make this decision- but you can, and you will because Tia is dependng on you. Look in her eyes, listen to your heart, you will know when the time is right.
Sending strong, peaceful thoughts your way tonight.
Karen and Spirit Maggie
I'm so sorry and my thoughts are with you - no matter how long you have with them its never long enough. Stay strong and hold tight to all your precious memories. Something many have said is that its better to be a day too early than a day too late. This is the last gift you can give to Tia - to let her go with a minimum of suffering.
My thoughts are with you, as this is always so hard.
Hugs
Sarah
Julie, I just wanted to add my concern to the others'. It is the saddest, most difficult, time to experience because the life and death responsibility weighs heavy on us. I guess that is part of our unwritten contract with our furkids. We have to be their advocate because they cannot tell us in words what they need or want. It would be so much easier ...
When Sammy's last day came it was at the end of two weeks of worrying if we would recognize when it was time to let go. We did. That last night Sammy cried softly and just stared at us. In a way, that look — as hard as it is to see — is yet another kindness from our babies because it eliminates the uncertainty.
Of course, every case is different. I hope that you have peace as you come to this very difficult decision. Tia is a very lucky dog to have people who love her so completely.
Lots of sympathy —
Beth and Spirit Smilin' Sammy
Smilin' Sammy, March 16, 2004 – Dec. 5, 2011
Golden retriever, diagnosed with osteosarcoma in September 2010 — right front leg amputated November 2010. He fought valiantly to stay with us; but a second diagnosis of osteosarcoma, this time in his left front leg, was more than our golden warrior could overcome. He loved his pack — and everyone else he met.
We loved him even more.
Thanks for the pennies, Sammy. They helped.
This is heartbreaking news about Tia. It hasn't been too long since I had to make this same decision for my Great Dane Valentina. She became unable to walk. Her back legs just stopped working. (she was a front amp) We tried the pred and pain meds and it didn't work. All she could do was lay on her bed. I had to feed her and give her water while she was laying on her bed. She could lift her head though. But she had an incredibly hard time changing positions while laying down. She stayed in the same position for so long and then needed to move but she struggled alot while trying. The hardest part was getting her up and out to go potty. She was 150 lbs and my husband and I had to carry her out to the grass and she would still fall over while trying to pee. She then started pooping and peeing on her bed while she was asleep. She hadn't pooped outside for 3 days and I knew that this was no quality of life for her. She was still very happy for me to pet her and love on her and she still loved to eat and she seemed in good spirits but I knew that she couldn't live this way. The vet said that her condition was very fragile and that even if we did get it better it could still go back the other way very easily. So I had to make the decision to let her go. She didn't have OS in her spine but she had severe spinal arthritis that was causing her nerves to be compressed and she couldn't work her back legs. Her reflexes and pain response were gone too. I still don't know how I was able to make the decision but I had an intense need to do what I thought was best for Valentina at the time and my own needs were put aside. My logical mind took over instead of my emotional mind. I am so sorry that you have to go through this. It is so terribly awful but you have to do what is best for Tia. Sincere sympathy going out to you and prayers of strength and comfort as you go through this extremely difficult time. (((Hugs))) to you and Tia!! I just love her name.
Angel and Valentina Angel Dane
So very sorry that Tia's news is bad. It is the most heart wrenching time of our lives when the decision we dread the most must be made. I have learned from my furbabies that they do have a way of letting us know it is time. Tia's love will never end. I hope you find some comfort here in the Tripawd family as I have.
Heather & Spirit Shadow
Thank you all for the support and helpful words of wisdom. Tia's condition is the same, she is excited to eat, and loves belly rubs and laying in the sunshine. She still doesn't seem to be in any pain, and was super excited when my husband came home from being out for a couple of hours.
Right now weare leaving it up to Tia, and I hope that she will give us the look, but if she starts to be in pain before then then we will make the call.
I am very grateful for all of the support we have received from everyone on this site, I find that not everyone is as understanding of the situation as all of you. Tia is on every page of our lives, and I know that it is going to be very hard to see her go, but we know that we have done everything we could for her. She has made it 11 months from when she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma and I wouldn't change it for the world, the last 11 months have been superb. It is better to feel so sad and lonely when she is gone then to not have experienced the 10 years of fun, love and companionship she has given us.
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