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.
Join The Tripawds Community
Learn how to help three legged dogs and cats in the forums below. Browse and search as a guest or register for free and get full member benefits:
Instant post approval.
Private messages to members.
Subscribe to favorite topics.
Live Chat and much more!
Register
Log In
Members
Add Topic
Offline
My 11 year old yellow lab had his front right leg amputated 2 days ago and we brought him home today. I noticed there was bruising (really bad black and blue-deep red) on his groin right by his penis. They said this was normal when I asked but I almost felt like they just said that. Why would he have bruising all the way down there when it was his front leg that was amputated??? I'm concerned.
Hello and welcome, your future posts will not have to wait for approval.
What's your boy's name? Was the amp due to cancer?
It would be helpful if you could post a picture for others to look at, here is how to post photos.
Is there bruising around his incision or his chest? How is he doing otherwise?
You can look through our gallery and see if there are any pictures that look like your boy's bruising. Here is the Gallery, scroll down to the Surgery and Treatment Pics. My pug Maggie lost her back leg to mast cell cancer, her skin was so dark that I couldn't really see bruising so I don't have personal experience to share.
Whenever you are concerned keep talking to your vet, if you really think he needs to be seen then insist on a visit. You can also post in our Ask a Vet forum- a picture would be helpful there as well.
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
Hmmm...the bruising is in his groin area and he had his FRONT leg amputated? It would make more sense if his back leg had been amputated.
Yeah, I would want them to at the very least see a picture and then INSIST they explain why it is "normal; to have bruising around his penis area when it was a front leg. surgery!! And I would also INSIST you speak with the Surgeon and NOT a Tech. You are paying big bucks and you are his advoc,his voice!
Maybe others will chime in who experienced that. I just hadn't heard of it though.
And yeah, how is he doing otherwise?
Sorry you're dealing withthis additional stress. Recovery is no picnic. Stay connected and let us know how he's doing and what the Vet/Surgeon says.
Lots of hugs to you!
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!
Bruising is bleeding under the skin and tends to go to the lowest point ...so depending on how he was laying, the bruising would go down. That does sound like it's further down than what we usually see, but it's always possible that during surgery they hit a blood vessel that bled like that. Keep an eye on it to make sure that it doesn't get any worse. You can take a picture of it every day, or you can outline it in pen (that's what we do at the hospital when we want to mark redness or outline something we want to keep track of).
Donna
Donna, Glenn & Murphy
Murphy had his right front leg amputated due to histiocytic sarcoma at 7 years old. He survived 4 years, 2 months & 1 week, only to be taken by hemangiosarcoma at 11 1/2 years 6/12/17
Read about Murphy's Life on Three Legs
Donna, have we told ya' lately how much we appreciate you??
A drea, Don a is a human Nurse and helps us out so much with "stuff" like this!
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!
I tried to send a long reply from my phone and it didn't work :/ I am going to make a new subject post for how he is doing because I am really upset right now and I need all the replies, please check for it and respond 
Thank you everyone for the responses. His name is Conan and I will take a picture tomorrow because we are all attempting to sleep right now, of course I can't thought because I am so worried about Conan and can hear him panting in my room right now. I will call the surgery center tomorrow about the bruising. One of the surgeons at the facility (not the one that did the surgery but the on call vert) just said it was from the surgery and it just didn't seem right to me. ok about to make another post....anyone who is on please respond if you can.
Panting is "normal" and can either be sign of some pain, or even a reaction to the Tramadol.
Is he on Tramadol, Gabapentin, Rimadyl and an antibiotic?
How much does he weigh? When was his last dose and when is his next due??
We are not vets and not givw Vet advice, just sharing our own experiences with you.
My Happy Hannah was restless and whiny for three nights straiw!
Please excuse my awful typos...it's always bad, but really bad when Im trying to type fast to reply to you!!
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!
he is not on gabapentin but i had read a lot that that was a common medication I wonder why they didn't put him on that. he is 75 lbs and we are doing 3 50mg tabs of tramadol 3 times a day. he is on an antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory as well but i do not know the names right now.
I just posted more to your other thread.
Not all Vets do Gabapentin, so that's not unheard of. The ones who seem most up to date on pain meds usually include it, but no always. I'm sure they'll do a prescription for you if you ask....or insist!!!
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!
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
ok it looks like the bruising is going all the way down from his amputation site down to his groin so basicially the entire right side is BADLY bruised. 🙁
Check out seroma on here. That's when the fluid that used ro go to the leg now has nowhere to go so it settle into a "saggy fluid pocket" at a lower point on the body. The body eventually absorbs it back into the system.
My Happy Hannah had the seroma as well as colorful bruising. Both seemed to get worse before they vot better.
Regardless, can you send a picture to your Vet for reassurance?? If it's all in his penis area a d all up and down his side, you should go ahead and get it checked out at least with a photo to the Vet. Also, if you can take a licture, go to photobucket a d put it in there, you can cooy the "link" (I think its "htlm" or something like that) and post it here.
How did your night go?
Hugs!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
PS. I'm going to try and find a recent blog that had a picture of their dog's ...er..."colorful" bruising as a reference. I'll lpst the link in a few minutes if I can find it.
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!
I also think that if Conan is a pink nosed yellow, he probably has very fair skin, which will make bruising look much more obvious.
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
Yeah he is pink nosed--he just has sensitive skin in general--his paws are always getting blisters if he runs too much on the concrete when he goes to the pool.
Thank you all for the responses. This website has been so helpful with all of your support 🙂
I sent pics to the vet and they said to draw around the bruising and to see if it grows. Or I can just bring him in so they can take a look. I think that I will probably just bring him in. I don't even feel comfortable moving him that much to draw on him.
Our night was ok, he was up panting a lot but he was in his bed just awake. He didn't get off his bed after that one time. Morning was goo--he ate and peed and pooped!
Once my husband realized that he is supposed to pull up on the harness to lift some of his weight--conan had an easier time walking. my husband went to work now--I'm nervous to take him out but I think he will be home early and soon enough that I may not have to worry about it.
So I guess we will go back to the surgery center--and the vet said they will give him gabapentin too. I don't know how we will get Conan to go back in there though! I feel like he is going to be like "there is no way in HELL I am going back there!" I'll take some chicken.
Here's a picture from the blog of Daphne, a rear legger
Really glad you're taking him in because I think reassurance is a really good thing!! If it is an "issue",'then they can deal with treating it.
The Vet may, or may not, suggest cold compresses.
Glad you're getting the Gabapentin and, hopefully, more Tramadol!!
YAAAAAAAAAY FOR
AND YAAAAAAAAAY FOR PEE!!!
YAAAAAAAAAY FOR EATING!!
Yeah, your night sounds pretty typical this early.
Continue ro stay a strong and cconfident pack leader! Conan will pick up on your confidence! You're doing a GREAT job!!!!!! 🙂 🙂
Let us know what the Vet says...And how the chicken worked,
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!
2 Guest(s)
