Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Zeus has been home for a week now after his surgery. Unlike many others on the forums, Zeus had a scapulectomy as opposed to a full amputation. It has been a hard week, especially with my constant second thoughts on whether I made the right decision in surgery. The day of his surgery I think I lost my mind, but ffinally Christmas  Eve he came home
As I mentioned in a previous topic, my local vet recommended palliative radiation therapy only due to Zeus age and previous ortho issues. i have gone around and around with doing what is best for him. After seeing two oncologist in the Boston area I decided to have the surgery.
my biggest concern has been the difficulty he is getting around. I know that it will take time for him to learn to walk again with the missing shoulder. I was wondering if anyone else has gone through this surgery and how long of recovery they experienced.
The only dog I can think of who had a shoulder removed is Liam.
Here is the Forum Thread on Liam and Here is a Blog Post About Liam.
Sadly 10 months after his surgery Liam was diagnosed with lymphoma and he passed a month after that. If you read through the links you will see that Liam was able to do some light duty mushing again. You might PM his mom, she posts as calpurnia, I'm sure she would share her experiences.
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
Thank you for your reply. I did read Liam's blog and to be honest 10 months would be a godsend to me right now.
all I can think about is the statistics and I want more than anything to believe that my little boy is going to buck the odds.Â
Sorry you find yourself here, but under the circumstance there is no better place to be for information, support a d understanding! But you already know that!
We know getting to the point of finally make a decision (a FORCED CHOICE decision) is stressful beyond words!
The second guessing along with the recovery..especially the cirst couple of weeks! I may have mentioned earlier, it took me three weeks before I could finally say I did this FOR my Happy Hannah and not TO her!!
For a senior with a scapulectomy, adjusting to three legs, one week isSTILL very early in recovery!
How is Zeus's pain being managed? What is Zeus tar and how often? Eating, drinking? Able to walk at all het? Zeus should still be resting and only getting up for a short potty break and then back to bed.
I know that Daisy Duke had a scapulectomy and had a helluva first week recovery! She stayed st rhe hospital two days a d it seemed as though her recovery was goi g downhill from there for awhile. It IS major surgery, and to take the shoulder is even more invasive.
And remember, statistics don't mean squat to Zeus!!! Every dog is different and Zeus is not a statistic!! Don't waste o e second of your time worrying about your tomorrows! You have TODAY and nothing is going to rob you of your todays!
A d btw, Daisy Duke had a great QUALITY life for over a YEAR before she transitioned!
We're here with you and we certainly are cheering for spunky Zeus!!!
Love and 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!
OOOOOMM. MDDDDD!!!!! ADORABLE!!!!
I want to pick him up and hug him!!! He's the most precious thing ever!!! And he looks like a PUPPY!!!! I don't see a grey hair in sight anywhere!!
MOOOORE!! We want more pictures of this cutie! 🙂 🙂 🙂
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!
What a cutie patootie! That little bear is just so sweet.
here is a link to Daisy Duke's story. Great memory Sally!
And when it comes to those statistics, remember one thing: with or without cancer or other conditions, living creatures' bodies are not identical. Just as the longevity of our own lives cannot be determined actuarial tables and average life expectancy, neither can our animals'.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Zeus is currently on tramodyl and rimadyl. Â Medication he has been on a lot in the past due to his blown acl.
i think overall his pain is under control, so I don't think that is the reason he's hobbling. I spoke to his surgeon today and he felt that if he wasn't starting to use it by his recheck then we may need to look into physical therapy. He feels that it may simply be an issue of him relearning to use his leg.
we did get his biopsy results back today. Unfortunately it is osteosarcoma. I was hoping for a less aggressive cancer but this is what we expected. We are going to have another X-ray done this week,  to see where we are in reference to his lungs. There was one inconclusive nodules in his lung before surgery, but the oncologist was sure that it was an indication that his cancer has metastasized.Â
Hopefully he will be a candidate for chemo.
ZEUS!!! You have lovely sisters!! Now Zeus, they appear ro have a touch of the beautiful color Inlike to call "wisdom grey"! And you, Miss Zeus, don't seem to jave even the slightest grey!! Are they even older than you???? That woukd make them very much SUPER SENIORS!!!
Hoping Zeus is resting at least somewhat comfortably. TRY not to worry about mobility right now. That will come slowly but surely. Right now it's all about rest and healing o. "Zeus time"!
Great phots!! Keep em coming!
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!
Oh...Just saw the rest of your post and Zeus's additional photo!! Still cute as a button !!!
What do you mean by "hobbling "? Do you have a video?? And this IS more of a MAJOR surgery than the "usual major" surgery!!
We have a 15 yr young senior on here who is just now doing a bit of walking after almost two weeks' And as the Vet told her human, senior dogs take a little longer and go at their own pace.
At Zeus's age it will take a it longer to figure things out! She's been "wired" for dour legged mobiliw for a looooong time. Now, as a senior she has to "relearn" and rewire her whole system...At an elderly pace!!
Keep things chunked down, okay? The osteo "diagnosis" means nothing to Zeus and those xrays don't mean anything either!! Not a thing!
Just continue to spoil,spoil, spoil and give Zeus anything he wants to eat!! A scoop of ice cram, a slice of cheese pizza,, macaroni and cheese...anything that sweet Zeus wants! Although I'm sure not everyone here would agree, but good nutrition can start a bit later!
STAY CONNECTED!!! You're doing great! We're here for you and with you!
Hugs and love!!
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!
The girls are both 12. Mynx, the lab aka "Her Royal Highness Princess Good Girl Puppy" turned 12 Â on Christmas Day. Grace aka "The Spotted Catahoula" are my youngsters in the house, surprisingly.
Zeus is my cranky old man at 14. i worry so much about the statistics and especially his age.Â
The hobbling comes from the fact that he won't put the leg down that had the tumor. The surgeon told me that he expected that Zeus would start to use it a little within a couple of days. Â Of course he hasn't used that leg in awhile since he first started limping back in late august. I didn't realize how long he was showing symptoms until I was going through pictures. I kick myself over an over for not having the X-ray done sooner, but the vet thought he had just wrenched his shoulder like he has done in the past. No one expected cancer especially since it is uncommmon in small dogs and especially in the shoulder like his.Â
Anyway I am scared that we waited too long and the things that may have made a difference are too late. Especially if the cancer has metastasized.Â
Okay, deep breaths. Really. DEEP BREATHS! Inhale s l o w l y...exhale s l o w l y... B R E A T H E!! We're wathing and we done see you doing it!! Let's try this again!! DEEP BREATHS! B R E A T H E!!
YAY!!! Much better!!!
Now, next "lesson" we all learn on this crazy journey: Noooo beating yourself up ANYTHING, especially for listening to the professional Vets!! It's a waste of your energy and keeps you from staying in the present with Zeus! That kind of worthless "guilt" does NOTHING to keep your energy strong and confident for Zeus!! He KNOWS you love him and are doing EVERYTHING possible for him!!
Almost every single ine of js here dealt with a "misdiagnosis first. Arthritis, pulled muscles, sprain, etc. A treatment of Rimadyl or something would maybe lessen the symptoms" and then they woukd reappear again, or never go away in the first place! Any my Happy Hannah was a big Bull Mastiff and the Vet still treated her for a pulled muscle or arthritis at first. So pretty much par for the course!
We ALL understand these emotions you are feeling. Most of us have felt them! As we move through them and discard them, we learn to just take one day at a time. NOT to wsste one second focusing on regret because the bottom line is, we ALL make decisions out of love and hope and based on the information we have at the time. To not do that would be "regrettable"
A d to continue to beat up on our new friend and family member (YOU) would be regrettable!! We care and we won't let that happen anymore, okay??
If you want to focus on statistics, be sure and include these: Pig Maggie was given about six months...FOUR YEARS LATER she crossed from an unelated cancer. Rottie Sassy lived almost eight months AFTER very noticeable mets were found! My Happy Hannah got glorious extended time after a met the "size of a baseball" was found!!
I dide realize Zeus hasn't really used that leg for four months! WOW!!. Of course It's going to take awhile to reprogram his brain that he can use it now! And after full recovery from the surgery itself, Rehab Consult is an EXCELLENT idea! Many people have had HUGE turn arounds as a result!!
We have a REHABILITATION REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM here in the site. Check out the link to the Foundation for more info.
This recovery stuff is soooo scary, and soooo exhausting and sooooo stressful a d soooo intense! You probably haven't had a good night's sleep in weeks!! Sometimes a good cry, then a nice hot.bubble bath, and then a good snuggw with all your dogs helps tremendously!! Of course, CHOCOLATE helps for some. Wine helps for others. Whatever works for you, do it! 🙂 🙂
We are all cheering for preciius Zeus! We've all fallen in love with him...And all your pack!!
Lots and lots of 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!
Please don't beat yourself up. Zeus sure isn't! Many of us have been in the same situation, got a diagnosis far later than we wished we would have. The important thing is to move forward and get Zeus feeling better again, which you are definitely doing. Be proud of yourself for advocating for your sweetheart and know that better days are ahead.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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