Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hello,
Our dog is a 64lb shepherd mix recently diagnosed with a grade II soft tissue sarcoma on a front leg (elbow) with a clear chest x-ray. They were not able to remove it as it was burrowed into the muscles. We've been given the option of amputation or 'wait and see' / palliative care. With grade II there is no telling how quick her decline would be, but the prognosis would be eventual ulceration and organ complications as the body tries to keep up with the tumor growth.
We're currently weighing whether to amputate. Our dog, Zoey, is fairly active for her age (daily walks of 1-2 miles with 4-5 mile walks or hikes on weekend days), though she's not the type of dog that is begging to get out the door and is also happy to lounge in the house or the yard. She does already have some age-related arthritis. Her arthritis primarily was affecting her rear legs (sporadic stiffness, difficulty getting up from seated), but her mobility has returned to normal since starting a regimen of carprofen 4 months ago.
Writing to see if anyone has experience with older dogs with arthritis who have gone thru with front leg amputations and whether they felt the amputation gave them good quality of life.
Thanks for any feedback or help in advance.
Riley
Hi Riley,
Welcome! Your future posts won't need approval so post away!
I'm sorry you are facing this decision, it's not an easy one but we are here to help you decide. There are no right or wrong choices here.
Many folks have had dogs that did very well after amputation even when they did have some arthritis. Just look at these search results!
That's awesome hers is under control right now. There is sooo much you can do to keep it that way. Weight management is the #1 thing. Keeping her slim is the best thing you can do for better mobility on a three or four legged dog.
It sounds like your vet believes she is a good candidate for surgery? Have you gotten an opinion from an orthopedic vet? They can give you more input on how she might do.
Stay tuned for feedback from others!
Zoey sounds like quite the athlete who loves long walks. And to balance that with enjoying being a "couch potato " is a perfect balance for a tripawd. Of course, long walks and long hikes will require more "rest stops" to sniff and smell and enjoy laying under a shady tree for a few minites.
As Jerry said, arthritis is not a deal breaker st all when it comes to amputation. And it is a great idea to jave her evaluated by an Orthopedic Surgeon to give you some reassurance.
Should you proceed with amputation, taking Zoey to a Certified Rehabilitation Specialist will give you great insight on how to keep her joints and her cor strong. The Tripawds Foundation will be for the first visit.
Age is also another thing that is not a "deal breaker". We have definitely had dogs more "mature" than Zoey (fifteen, sixteen plus..) and who weigh a lot more too. Some senior dogs (not all) may need a vit more time to recover and a vit more time to master their new three 'legged gait.
Stay connected and let us know how we can best support you.
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!
Hi Riley. I totally get your trepidation about amputation. I almost chose not to for my 9 1/2 year old, 130 lb, Saint Bernard. I was worried that she was too heavy and too old (9 is senior and for the breed) to adjust and enjoy life. But I am SO happy that i did. It was a rough couple of weeks after the surgery, but she has really thrived since. So trust what Jerry and Sally are saying. They’re were tremendously helpful for me when i was making what seemed to be an impossible decision.
We have a large Newf, just turned 8, 145 pounds pre amp.. He had a partial fracture in his front leg and his bone was over 50% destroyed, so for us the threat of a pathological fracture (he's a farm dog) made amputation the only choice. It's been about 9 weeks. Really, it was a relief to see him lope out of the vet's with that cancerous leg gone. He had a few groggy drugged days, and some episodes where he tried to do more than he could manage, but the amputation has gone very easily. Other dogs don't seem to notice. People give him a smile when we walk him off leash. Virginia is so right about the therapist, ours has been such a help. He's very stoic and I feel that she is the only one that can judge his pain level and give me good advice. Re weight loss, she said he was fine for a four legged Newf but as a tripod he needed to lose ten pounds. He's done that just by completely cutting out all treats but frozen broth and watermelon! Same exact meals plus pumpkin and unsalted chicken broth. (He's visible met free so far, but cancer is something else again)
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