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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Hi! My doodle Kate just had a front leg amputation three days ago after they found bone cancer. She was in so much pain before the surgery that I felt like this was the right decision to take the pain away and still give her a quality life for whatever she has left. We spoke to three different vets who are all incredible.
I brought her home last night, and it’s so much harder than anyone prepared me for. Reading these threads is the only thing that helped me sleep.
First of all, she’s probably around 70 lbs, and has never been very active anyway, but all she has done since I got her home last night is lay in the same spot. She did eat (hand fed) and went to potty (#1) but it was a STRUGGLE to get her up and out to the grass. We are trying the towel sling but honestly not sure we are doing a great job helping.
The vet made it sound like she was doing so well, but not being able to get up and walk doesn’t seem well. If she’s supposed to just lay around and rest, we’re doing ok.
I can’t help but wonder if she’ll ever get up again, but reading some of the threads here have helped. She’s big and she’s older. The only positive I can say right now is she doesn’t seem to be hurting and she’s resting well.
I just hope I made the right decision for her, because I feel like I’m putting her through it. Thank you for this group. It’s truly a godsend and so comforting.
Hi Whitney and Kate, welcome. Your future posts won't need to wait for approval so post away!
I'm sorry you had to join our club. We are glad you found us though, so that the stories here can bring you comfort and hope. And it sounds like you've already gotten some which is great. FWIW I'll share my thoughts about your experience so far:
she’s probably around 70 lbs, and has never been very active anyway
Ok, so what you are seeing now is a real slowdown because of the medications and the surgery itself. Amputation is a wallop on the body, and it needs time to heal and rest. Rest is medicinal! Rest is a good thing, and it's what she needs most right now. It's really good you don't have the opposite problem some people do, which is keeping their dog calm enough to rest. So try to shift your perspective if you can. Kate is the perfect patient!
She did eat (hand fed) and went to potty (#1) but it was a STRUGGLE to get her up and out to the grass.
WOW that's awesome! She has appetite through the pain meds? Not a lot of dogs do! And don't worry about 
, it'll happen in a few days if not sooner. A struggle is to be expected. She's exhausted and doped up! The last thing she wants to do is be bothered to poo. Getting her to urinate is important though, so try to stick to her schedule. Just don't ask her to do more than that right now. Some people get too overzealous with getting their dog up and around right after surgery. There's no need for that. Couch time is the right prescription at this point!
The vet made it sound like she was doing so well,
I agree 100%! Based on what we've seen here this is all very normal for any larger, older dog. What pain medications is she on? Name/dosage/frequency? Sometimes when a dog is TOO out of it, pain meds need adjusting. It would be good to check in with your vet if she is too wonky to stand up. But otherwise if she is able to go outside for potty breaks, it all sounds pretty normal.
The only positive I can say right now is she doesn’t seem to be hurting and she’s resting well.
OK try to think of more...that bad leg is gone! she ate something! She peed! She is resting! These are more positives. All of the things we once took for granted are huge milestones right now. Reframe your experience with her so that you can see more of the progress she's making. Each day will bring more.
I just hope I made the right decision for her, because I feel like I’m putting her through it.
Everyone doubts their decision, you are not alone. It will be a few days, maybe a couple of weeks, until you feel otherwise. Allow and accept your feelings but do your best to see the gains she's already making. You can do this!
Keep us posted!
Wow- that was so encouraging. I really needed that!!! She is on 300mg Gabapentin every 8-12 hours, 150 mg Rovera once a day, 1-2 100mg tablets of trazodone every 8-12 hours. I think she was pretty anxious in the hospital, but she seems to be very content and comfortable at home, so I can probably lessen that and save for when I know I’m going to be gone. She might be more anxious when I’m not here, but so far someone has been at home with her the whole time. And she’s on 75mg Clopidogrel for two more days because her blood was clotting too well after surgery.
I guess a major surgery, hospital stay, and all those meds can make a dog who likes to nap anyway want to do nothing but nap!
She hasn’t eaten today, but she did last night so I’m hopeful. Thank you for seeing all the positives! She really was in so much pain prior to the surgery, so I felt like this is what we had to do. I’m sure every day will bring a new set of questions and challenges so finding this group is a real blessing. Thank you!
Aww I'm glad it helped!
Her medication sounds ideal. When it comes to the Trazadone, that has a LOT to do with any dog's wonkiness. Traz is not a painkiller, it is just a sedative. If she is comfy at home she may not need it. So, if you change anything first talk to your vet, but in our experience here, when a member gets rid of Traz they see a little sparkle come back.
Can only say DITTO to Jerry's replies. And goodness knows, we understand the concerns when you bring your dog home and he's not resembling the dog uoh k ow at all.not yet anyway.
Yeah, Surgeons celebrate a successful surgery (as they should), see them hyped up on strong hospital pain meds and mobile, send them home ......and BAM! You see a dog with no sparkle, no energy, not engaged and just overall blah.
I joined this community on day six becaise I thought I had made a HORRIBLE mistake proceeding with amp aurgery. I was gutted that I had done this TO my dog! The members here threw me a lifeline of spupport and knowlege and carried me through the rough part of early recovery. Like you, and like many. I had no real direction of what to expect once I got my Happy Hannah home.
Just to repeat some of Jerry's comments again couldn't agree more about eliminating the Trazedone as soon as you can for all the reasons she said (of course, we are not Vets and not giving Vet advice)
You still have some wiggle room with the Gabapentin if need to increase or keep the doses closer to every eight hours if need be. All the hospital meds should ve out of her system now and that's when sometimes you need to tweak the pain meds. Once the Trazedone gets out of her system you'll be able to guage better what her pain level is.
My Happy Hannah would just freeze up of I tried to help the with a sling. Mobility will come and she'll be hopping on her own at her own pace soon. She'll figure things out. She's dealing with recovering from MAJOR surgery all while adapting to three and all while on pain meds.
Again, celebrate the eating (even if it's 's just a little) and the pee! Drinking and peeing are important. Pooping and eating better will take a bit longer some. For now, feed her anything yummy she'll eat....rotisserie chicken, cheeseburgers, scrambled eggs and bacon...whatever it takes for now.
My Happy Hannah was a "fluffy" big cuddle bug at 125-130 lbs. She also enjoyed being a couch potato so not running marathons was fine with her!
For me, it was probably about three weeks before I could finally say I did this FOR my dog. You'll be saying it before long.....promise.
Keep us posted, stay connected. YOU ARE NOT ALONE- And try and get some rest yourself, 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!
You all are so encouraging. Finding this group has been such a blessing. Kate stood up all by herself for the first time this evening and went #2! We are celebrating every milestone. I think you guys were exactly right about the anxiety meds. Less of that has certainly helped her be more alert today. I’m hopeful, especially after reading your stories, for better days ahead. I really worried about her size, so I’m encouraged hearing about your big girl! Thank you all so much.
Hello and welcome.
I'm sorry you had to find us but glad you did, there is lots of information here to help you through all parts of this journey.
I can't help you with the size...both my rear amp Tripawds together would weigh just over 30 pounds!
I can empathize with the doubt- I was sure for weeks that I had made a bad decision for my Pug Maggie. Mag had mast cell cancer and lost a back leg. In hindsight she had always been stubborn and she hated change so it made sense that she took her time getting used to her new normal.
I don't care for Traz or Ace or any of those types of drugs. My dogs have had several surgeries and the vets always send home something like that but I don't use them. I suppose I would if I have to but with my new dog's recent spay surgery I found that gabapentin was fine for pain as well as some sedation.
My Pug Maggie had her surgery before Tripawds was here, I didn't find the site until a few years after her surgery. Through this site I met up with several local Tripawd parents. The first Tri I met in person was a 150 pound Anatolian Shephard who lost his front leg to OSA. Cemil was not going to run a mile but he got around just fine and lived large for years!
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
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