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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I am at a total loss here, Dessa is an 11 year old lab. I posted 2 days post op that she wasn't even attempting to use her remaining rear leg, and she still isn't. 5 days post op, we took her back to the vet because she had a bunch of fluid in her side. It turned out that she was still bleeding. The oncologist thought it was because of the cancer. Got that controlled and had to take her to the vet again 1.1 week post op, 1/2 of her staples had popped. Got them fixed. Went back on 12.23 to get them removed, but half had popped again. The vet sent us back to the vet who performed her amputation. He said it is fine and re-stitched her up. Now 6 days later it is opened back up again. I have no idea what is going on. She wont even attempt to walk, she just drags herself around with her front legs. Her pads on her remaining hind leg are all torn up and bleeding now. I feel like we are truly getting the run around from vets, between the 4 vets that we have seen in the past 4 weeks. Seems like each one has something different to say.
Hi Kerry,
First- please remember to log in- otherwise you show up as a guest and your post has to wait for moderation. I found your first post from early December and you showed as a member.
I'm not a vet but in my 2 years here I have not heard of an incision that had not mostly healed in 4 weeks. There must be something else going on. I remember that Valentina the Great Dane had a rough recovery, and issues with the incision opening late in recovery, but just a little spot. HERE is a link to one post where some of the problems are discussed. HERE is a link to all of the posts they started. If something sounds familiar you might PM them, they post as angel.
What type of cancer does Dessa have? You said in your first post that she broke her leg so I assumed osteosarcoma.
How did the pads on her remaining back leg get torn up? Is that what is causing her not to put weight on her back leg, or did that come after from her dragging her leg?
You might also post in the Ask A Vet forum to get Dr. Pam's opinion.
The lack of walking is troubling at this point too. You need to find out what is going on, even if that means starting over with new vets. There are lots of ideas here for strengthening and rehab here, but you really need to find out is there is an underlying cause to the lameness in the back leg.
Karen and the pugapalooza
Offline
Thanks for your response. I din't realize I hadn't logged in. Dessa has Multiple Myeloma, she also had a tumor of some sort removed from her backside that we didn't send to pathology. The incision isn't fully opened, it is about a 1-2" section. Our oncologist said that it could be the vet who performed the surgery didn't vcut off enough bone and that is where it is rubbing on the incision. The torn up pads are the result of her dragging her other leg. She was hoping around on that leg fine the day that she broke her other leg, she had no problems getting around on just the 3. But she hasn't attempted to even stand since then on just the 3 legs. If you try to get her to stand she just colapses.
Oh I'm so sorry Dessa is having such a hard time. That's awful that you are getting the run around. Hopefully some posters on here have experience with the incisions not healing up. I'm knew at this stuff, too.
Keep you and Dessa in my thoughts.
Marla and Daisy
My Two Tripawds...Biscuit 
and Spirit Daisy 
I'm so sorry to hear of Dessa's trouble with recovering. Valentina also came to my mind, as she had problems with her site needing to be restitched up. I haven't seen her mom "Angel" on here in a while, so as Karen said you might want to send her a PM and see if she has any words of advice.
I will keep a good thought for Dessa and hope that she starts to feel better! You must be very worried about her. Wish I had some words of wisdom, but am at least sending support. Hang in there.
Jackie, 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!
Kerry, so sorry you're having such a hard time with the recovery. I am a newbie here also (Zeus had his front leg amp on 12/1/11) so I will not pretend to know all about three legged dogs. However, I can offer this:
Zeus' brother, Merlin, had TPLO knee surgery several years ago and one part of the incision (about 1/2 inch) would not fully close. He had the surgery at a fancy specialist hosp in Philadelphia, but we were doing follow-ups with our local vet. She found that one of the internal stitches was rubbing and not allowing the incision to close. Apparently the little "ears" that stick up from the knot where they tied one of the stitches was poking/rubbing and ripping the incision open over and over. They had to cut the stitch pieces back. So, it sounds like it very could be a stitch and/or a bone rubbing as someone else suggested.
As for the refusal to walk, if you can afford it, I would most certainly demand x-rays of that remaining leg. Based on everything I've read on this site and on the net, that does not sound typical at all.
Good luck to you and please keep us posted!
Zeus was a Husky mix diagnosed with Osteosarcoma at age 11. A visible lung met and suspicious spot on his liver meant a poor prognosis-six weeks was our vet's best guess. We decided to fight for our boy and his right front leg was amputated on 12/1/11. We did six rounds of chemo, changed his diet and spoiled him completely rotten. We were blessed with 10 great months after diagnosis. Against the odds, the lung met remained a single met and grew very little over those months. A wonderful furbaby with the most gentle spirit, he fought with a strength that we never imagined he possessed. We have no regrets...
http://zeuspod......pawds.com/
Sorry your having such a rough recovery.I also find it unusual to hear about Dessa not using that remaining leg. I'll throw a couple ideas that come to mind. Is there any way she possibly could have pulled a muscle, can you tell if she has feeling in the leg, it almost sounds like a muscle or nerve issue, but keep in mind these are just things I am thinking of as I think here. I know of a dog that would get up about half way and bunny hop after surgery, it took her quite a while to walk normal. Do you have any idea if there is some arhtritis in that leg. Does she seem to have any pain in that leg if you put pressure anywhere on it. I think I would agree, an x-ray might shed some light on something wrong. I wonder if she is just plain refusing to try and use it. Good luck, I hope you can find a vet that will gice you some answers, Paws Up, Spirit Gus and Dan
My buddy Gus had a left front amputation on April 7, 2010 and lived a great life until July 26,2010
My heart aches for you and your girl!
Not all dogs are up and hopping around at 2 weeks but I agree that the remaining leg should be checked out.
Are you using a sling to help her get up and walking? Restricting her space to avoid injury?
Hope you both get the medical help you are seeking!
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