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 everyone.
We learned yesterday that our beloved boy and best friend, Artie the 8-year old pug, may be eligible for an amputation (half the front paw or whole leg depending) if he doesn't have mast internally. I'm still trying to come to grips with this, and have already been desensitizing myself to post-op pictures because this is our best case scenario and it's scary as heck. I'm just a bit concerned that due to the pug physic, amputating his front leg will cause him major mobility problems, and that he might not be able to transition to three-legged life. Can anyone out there offer any experience?
Thanks,
Emily
Welcome Emily and Artie, your future posts will not have to wait for approval.
Are you dealing with cancer? Mast cell cancer?
My pug Maggie lost her left rear leg to a MCT, you can read her story and about her amp and chemo if you are interested, the links are in my signature below.
I know of a couple front amp pugs though this site but they don't post here. We do have lots of front amp dogs here, all shapes and sizes and they pretty much all do well.
My biggest problem with Maggie was her stubbornness! She was very set in her ways and not at all good with changes to her routine. It took 6 weeks before she started playing with me again...but once she was used to her new normal she hopped happily though life for almost 6 years. She was 7.5 years old at the time of surgery.
Most pups here bounce back in 2 to 3 weeks.
I'm curious about the surgery options- a partial amp on the front leg is usually only done when a prosthetic will be used. Here is a post on partial vs full amputation.
Please let me know if I can help in any way.
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
Hi Emily and Artie!! Sorry you fi d yourself here, but under the circumstances there is no better place to be for suppprt, information and understanding. We know how scary this all sounds. It's a kick in the gut a d you feel uncertain and fearful.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE!! WE ARE ALL RIGHT HERE FOR YOU!
AND, you have the "Mother of all Mothers" when it comes to anything PUG!!!! And that's Stubborn Pug Maggie's Mom, Karen, you posted above.
You are doing a good job of gathering information and moving forard.
Remember, Artie isn't worried about a thing! He could care less about any ole diagnosis and he certainly doesn't have a timeframe stamped anywhere on his cute little Pug butt! And Pug butts are sooo cute!!
Recovery is rough for a couple of weeks. And, if Artie is as stubborn as Pug Maggie, it may take a bit longer to get his MoJo back...but he will!!
As far as the incision, the fact that they shave so much fur is more disturbing than the surgery site itself! They just go crazy with their clippers!
Stay connected a d let us know how we can help. We would looooove to see pictures of Artie!!
(((((((((((((((((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!
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