Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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So...Butchie is ~8 & was 110 lbs @ the time of his diagnosis with OS. He's BIG, & had his front right leg removed 2 days ago.
He had 3 pre-surgery chemo-treatments, each 2 weeks apart. He received his 1st dose of chemo 6 weeks ago, the day after we saw the bump & got the diagnosis. The oncologist gave him a splint at my request (went thru 3 before surgery). I asked for the splint because I was afraid the pain meds might encourage him to take too-many liberties with the leg (& possibly break the weakened bone). He got around really well on the splint. At the vet's office he would jump up to grab the counter & often in the yard would scare me by jumping or pushing his luck, but it has been a good year since he's really "run", & he gets winded fast last couple years. However, he did very well with the wrapped leg & that was what had me thinking at one point he may be one of the rare dogs that would benefit from a prosthesis. I had read the pros & cons. The vets discouraged the prosthetic so we did a full amputation
They kept him 2 days after surgery & kept saying he was doing great...he'd eaten a little & been up & around.I've been feeding the dogs mostly protein so they've all lost weight last month. Got Butchie down to 104 which should help.
Been sleeping on the couch next to him every night since he was diagnosed in-case he needed to go out (did not want him climbing the stairs to alert us or trying to "hold it"). I notice he often pants a lot after the dose of night-time meds. I bring him water & ice-cubes & he eventually settles down.
Here's the problem: As long as I can remember this dog has ALWAYS wanted to walk FAR before he'd make a bm. Man, we used to have a condo & he would drag us all-over in the rain or snow & ice just to "go"...even with his occasional bouts of diarrhea (has some food sensitivities we had to learn to work-around)we'd have to walk him pretty far before he'd go. Never understood it. Could not alter this behavior. We bought a house with a fenced-in acre so he & our pits could "roam"...Butchie always went all the way to the back to "go"...now he wants to do this on 3 legs but I think it's just too-far.
This is night #3: Around 3am he yelped in pain & urgently jumped up so I got him out. He went peeps. Then he laid down on the grass...he's doing that a lot. Would not care except it's friggin' COLD out there now! He's always loved the cold (he's a mutt but we've always suspected he's a lab & St. Bernard mix).
I watched him 10 mins, then went out to get him (I have that sling made out of wetsuit material...the one that velcro-wraps around him...sort of like putting a handle on your dog). He gets up & heads for the back-fence. I keep trying to get him to "go" right where he is. Down to the grass again...it's FREEZING out there but he appears to have to go so I keep trying to get him to poop & get back inside! We're not progressing so eventually I grab the wheel-barrow & put a comforter in it...he yelps when I lift him into it, freaks then jumps out of it, walks 6 ft & drops down again. I let him rest a little more.
Finally he gets up again & this time he starts going really fast (to nowhere in-particular) but he sustains this "dash" long-enough for me to steer him back inside. He pants a good 10 mins, then he hops up to head for the stairs (which I prevent) & now he's laying in the computer-rm (which he never does unless my wife is in there).
Lots of strange behavior & restlessness which sounds normal according to some of these posts. Now I'm doing what many people do & apparently mis interpreting all movement to mean "take me out" & inadvertently tiring him out. I think deep inside I had doubts of him doing well on 3 legs since he was slow on 4. Vets were encouraging so we made the leap. If he can just build-up enough stamina to be able to go out, make a bm & get back I'll be relived. I even considered the pros & cons of one of those indoor pet-mats they sell, but don't really wanna go there..
I know...this is only day 3, so I'm not looking for miracles...just a poo... Hey sorry for the book here...just didn't feel like maintaining a blog...
I know you feel like the only one out there, but hey guess what, you aren't! We had the EXACT same behavior from Trouble. It is extremely frustrating the first few days when you want to keep them protected from themselves, and they want to do all the things they always did. Of course, the main issue for you is the weather.
You have already learned the lesson here. Butchie will do what he can do a little at a time and rest in between. He will gain strength daily, and one day he will make it to the back of the lot and back without resting. He will, trust me. Trouble was a parameter checker dog. Her duty each day was to make a full trip around our property line which is about 3/4 acre. Her poop place was the far corner of the lot and she wasn't happy until she made it out there the first time. She sometimes would hop as far as she could go and rest for 30 minutes. It didn't always fit my schedule, and there were days I lost all patience with myself because of it.
The other thing Trouble did that drove me crazy was lay on her incision on the bare ground. I was paranoid about it getting dirty. I went out and bought her a todder t-shirt and stopped worrying.
Today, a year later, Trouble still has days where she is sore and she stumbles some because of it, but she makes that parameter check daily. And on the days where she needs to rest, we rest. They learn what their limitations are and will restrict themselves. They also know what they can do and will sometimes amaze you. Hang in there. Butchie is making great progress. He will have an established routine in no time.
Shanna & Spirit Trouble ~ Trouble gained her wings 3/16/2011, a 27 1/2 month cancer survivor, tail wagging. RIP sweetheart, you are my heart and soul. Run free at Rainbow Bridge.
The November Five - Spirits Max, Cherry, Tika, Trouble & Nova. 11/2008 - 3/2013 An era ends as Queen Nova crossed the Bridge.
Hi, welcome to the website, I think we have all been where you are now, a little panicky, thinking did I do the right thing? Please keep in mind, Butchie is recovering from major surgery and on pain meds, it is normal for him to do weird things. Also, constipation seems to be common concern, it took 7 days after surgery for Zoe, so don't panic about that yet. The first few days at home for Zoe it was a major chore just to get her to the door to go out and pee. So the fact that he is getting up and going a little bit at this point sounds encouraging to me. Zoe is almost 4 months post amp now and she is gradually going longer periods of time without having to take breaks of laying in the grass to take a breather. Its a big adjustment and if he is one those dogs that love cold weather it may feel good, I have heard some say that their dogs like the cold on their amp sites. Also, I have noticed Zoe post amp kinda does what she wants and is hard to redirect, I guess I slacked off on being a good pack leader, but she kinda goes to the beat of her own drum now. So basically, I hope these words reassure, I'm sure there will be others that may be more helpful, but I wouldn't worry at this point, it seems it takes about 2 weeks to get back to some degree of normalcy.
Good luck and hang in there, it will get better.
Hi Butchie's dad!
Welcome to the Tripawds family!
Sorry to hear about all the 'poopy' problems he's having... but it sure is normal for alot of dogs here... though it's frustrating for us owners. So, he's been through a big surgery... on lots of pain meds... that's enough to constipate him, for sure... He's getting used to balancing on 3 legs while being doped up on meds... My Jake was able to poop the next day... and boy did we ever celebrate! 
It took him a while though... cause he wasn't sure how to balance and poop (he was also a front leg amp), so we had to help him using the sling... That was weird for him.
But he eventually did it... but it would really tire him out. I added fish oil and other omega fatty acids to his food, and that helped keep his poop on the soft side... Some people also add canned pumpkin and that seems to help too. Anyways... that went on for the first week or two... You probably won't get much sleep during that time... and you may be pulling muscles you never knew you had, with all the supporting of his weight. I know that my back has still not recovered.
So, what kind of chemo did Butchie have? Got any pictures to share of your giant pooch? We'd love to see!
Angel Jake's Mom
Jake, 10yr old golden retriever (fractured his front right leg on 9/1, bone biopsy revealed osteosarcoma on 9/10, amputation on 9/17) and his family Marguerite, Jacques and Wolfie, 5yr old german shepherd and the newest addition to the family, Nala, a 7mth old Bengal mix kittie. Jake lost his battle on 11/9/2009, almost 8 weeks after his surgery. We will never forget our sweet golden angel… http://jakesjou.....ipawds.com ….. CANCER SUCKS!
Welcome Butchie & family,
I know it sounds cliche but hang in there....this too shall pass....live one day at a time....they all apply. My guess is that the BM problem will resolve itself. Remember that he had surgery and medication and has been on chemo and his body has to adjust to it all.
Glad you found Tripawds, the support, education and friendship here is what helps you get through it all.
Take good care and I too would love to see a photo of Butchie!
Gineej & Paris
Grateful for every moment we had with Paris…..no regrets!
Honoring her life by opening our hearts & home to Addy!
At exactly day 3, my dog, Captain Jack, started in with the phantom pains. He would scream, then stay in one spot and pant and wouldn't move. Could it be that maybe Butchie could be having some uncomfortable phantom pains? A quick trip to the dr. for some gabapentin fixed this problem 🙂
<3 Laura and fussy Jack
Welcome to you and Butchie… from me, Peanut (my tripawd), and Bubba.
Everyone's right. The abnormal behavior is actually quite normal at this stage. I think it takes more time for the humans to adjust to this than it does for the dogs.
You'll find that having a large or giant breed is a bit of a different experience than others. My tripawd, Peanut, is a Saint Bernard. She's 160lbs. There are other large/giant breeds on this site, too, to share their experiences and help you get through yours.
Peanut actually peed the very next morning after surgery. But it did take her 3 days (I think, maybe it was 4) before she pooped. That's not uncommon for any dog recovering from such a major surgery. She, too, used to be VERY particular about her poo spots. Before surgery, she'd tell me she had to go potty only to then sniff and fake-squat several times before going… many blocks later. She did the whole sniffy/fake-squatty thing for a while after surgery, too. But now when she has to go, she'll just go wherever.
You might notice, after Butchie gets through the recovery period, that he tires out quickly, maybe pants more during activity. Peanut certainly tires out more quickly than she used to on 4 legs. She still runs and plays quite a bit. But it's not like before. However, she recovers very well.
I've heard the same thing from other giant breed tripawd owners.
Well, not to go on and on…. I guess my main point is:
You will face many of the same feelings in yourself, and changes/behaviors in your dog, that many of us faced. Please use this site to your advantage. Also, there are unique challenges with a large/giant breed. Feel free to reach out to us if you need to.
In the meantime, hang in there.
-Melanie
~*~*~ Peanut is strength, love, and happiness. ~*~*~ 11/30/03 – 12/26/09
Never has a BM been so celebrated as the first time our tripawd dogs let one go! Don't worry about it yet. As everyone else said Butchie just had major surgery is is taking some heavy duty pain medication, It may take awhile. It sounds to me like Butchie is doing well. Depending on his build you are probably right in trying to get him to take off a little weight though.
Did Butchie like to lay on the cold groud before? If he has that thick lab coat it probably cools him off. His pain and the meds may make him feel over heated.
Good luck to you. Keep us posted. I will add Butchie to my prayers.
Debra & Angel Emily
Debra & Emily, a five year old doberman mix, who was diagnosed with an osteosaecoma. She had a right rear leg amputation on May 19, 2009. On November 10, 2009 she earned her wings and regained her fourth leg.
Thanks for joining and sharing Butchie's story with the Tripawds community! FYI: You can start a new blog anytime. If anything, it provides and easy way to upload and share photos.
It sounds like butch is progressing as well as can be expected. Some dogs don't do their doody for days. But as jerry's vet told us, when they need to go, they'll go.
If you have concerns about phantom pain , don't miss this tips to help relieve phantom limb pain in dogs in the Tripawds Downloads blog .
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Butchie and family,
Let me first say how sorry we are at Butchie's diagnosis and welcome you to a community of great people with a vast diverse experience base who are willing to help and provide support during your journey. Cherry's amputation preceded Trouble's by approximately a week and as Shanna stated, what you are now seeing is extremely common. Cherry's reaction to the Tramadol that was given after the surgery was so bad that we had to stop giving it and I believe that Emily also had a very bad reaction. The restlessness that you are seeing is very common to the cauldron of chemicals that are being adminstered. The first two weeks are nearly always the hardest during any recovery process. Hang in there and things will probably improve. There probably will be more ups and downs during this roller coaster ride, but the progress will be generally up. I often suggest keeping a very detailed journal. I kept a journal and posted much of it on-line. It allowed me to go back days/weeks/months and make a good comparison. The detail that you keep in this journal is more than I would ever put into a blog which is also a great idea. This very detailed journal really helped to make honest assessments of Cherry's progress during the ups and downs of recovery. Our oncologist actually used these journal postings to keep up to speed on Cherry's condition.
Cherry started her chemotherapy treatments just hours after the surgery and Butchie is the first that I have heard of where the chemotherapy started prior to surgery. I also understand that this is becomming treatment option for human breast cancer and from my understanding of the process, it makes sense. Attach the cancer as quickly as you can before it has a chance to settle elsewhere. From my experience with Cherry and the other postings, I do not think that anything you described is associated with this aggressive chemotherapy treatment. Again, your issues really do sound very common for this stage of the recovery. I know that such words may not ease your mind much because Butchie is your companion, but we do try to help. Take your activity level cue from Butchie but being careful not to allow too much before the staples/stitches are removed. Look forward to hearing how you both progress.
Paws Crossed and Sending Pawsitive Thoughts,
Bob & Cherry
PS: Cherry and Trouble along with Nova and Max are four that are beating this cancer since November of 2008. You are off to a good start!
Hi Butchie's Dad, and welcome.
My Cemil is a giant too (Anatolian Shepherd), 148# at last weighing. He's a left-front amputee, 10 months out.
I remember being concerned that he liked to go out and lie on the cold concrete right after his surgery. A human doctor explained to me that that was like a cold compress, slowing down the blood supply to the site, and probably very soothing. So I quit worrying about it. He wore a t-shirt because of the drainage and that also kept the incision site a little cleaner.
Front-leg tripawds seem to expend much more energy getting around--resting is good. In fact, some dogs here got into trouble because they didn't rest enough. Not Cemil. He worried me because he rested so much, but I had to finally accept that he was just taking care of himself. They all heal at different rates.
Hope you can post pictures soon so we can see Butchie.
Mary and Cemil
Cemil and mom Mary, Mujde and Radzi….appreciating and enjoying Today
Hi Butchie's dad,
I have one of the smallest tripawds- Maggie is a 17 lb pug with a back leg amp.
Maggie didn't have a spot she needed to get to, she had a process. Ever since I first got her at 10 weeks old she has had to spin clockwise, with her nose sniffing the ground before she would have a BM, every time! Right after the surgery she would try and spin but couldn't keep her balance, she would fall and just sit there. I don't think she pooped until about day 4 or 5, she actually had figured out the spin again!!
The first two weeks were bumpy for us, and Mag took longer than a lot of dogs to bounce back, but she did on her own time. She eventually got back up to walking a mile or more, up and down hills (remember how small she is).
Once you get the sutures or staples out, and him off of most of the meds you will feel more confident, and Butchie will make faster progress.
Karen and the pug girls.
Sounds like you have gotten really good responses from everyone here... I am sorry to hear that your Butchie's journey has brought you here under these circumstances. It is always so tough that first week when you bring them home. For Shilo (my fur baby) it was closer to 2 weeks. What you are experiencing is so hard, I totally freaked out. If you ever check out Shilo's blog you will see my initial entry was that of complete fear. Every movement and breath is under complete scutiny. but it does get better. Before long that Potty will finally come, you will celebrate, and they will look at you like you have totally lost it.
This is the best place to be to get support for you, and the strength to be strong for your baby... I do hope it gets to feeling better lightning fast.. Don't ever apologize for writing a book.... 
That is what we are all here for...
Alisa & Spirit Shilo
Shilo diagnosed with osteosarcoma 9/4/2009, amputation 9/9/2009. ShiloAnne lost her battle 11/23/2009 where she regained her fourth leg and is patiently waiting for her parents to join her. We will always love you baby girl.
Man I can't thank ALL of you enough. It's very cool that everyone supports one-another's observations while also managing to inject personal experiences. This is a great forum! Everyone who replied to my post, you provided a LOT of much-needed reassurance. You guys all write extremely well, too...speaks to the caliber of people who go to these lengths for their pets!
Today Butchie woke-up & yelped again! I'd read about this online by now but it was still alarming. He came over to me looking scared & confused as if he wanted me to protect him from something. I just made happy talk & "good-boy" speeches 'till he stopped trembling. Then he wanted to go out. Guess where we ended-up again?
It was sunny & much warmer so I let him have little breaks as we walked to the back fence.I let him lay out there on the leaves awhile (wearing a t-shirt under his carry-sling). After 10 mins I called him in & he made it 1/2way without stopping...if he would stop walking diagonally he'd have made it closer
Gave him 10 mins to rest, called him again & he closed the gap Laugh
The no-brainer here is my late realization this morning that we actually HAVE a pen right off the porch! The former owners had a pot-bellied pig & they built a pen that we never use. So, future night-time trips will be directed to the 20 by 40 pen to the side...duh...the obvious evades me sometimes.
Anyway I have to get my wife to read all this now & find a pic of big boy to use on our posts! Thanks again, everyone!
Hi... Butchie's Mom here. I just read all the replies to my husband Jim's (Butchie's dad) post. I'm in awe of all your support and I am in tears reading your words. Thank you all. I am so sorry for all of you who have lost your friends. I know they are in a better place and you tried your best when they were here. I think it's awesome that you maintain support in this group. Butchie is now in his 3rd T-shirt and resting on the floor in the living room after his jaunt outside today. I will try to put on a brave face for him and go back in there soon to hang out with him. Also, I will check out your site and do my best to post a photo from pre-surgery. Thank you all for you support and advice. I'm sure Jim and I will be checking back and keeping you all posted on his progress. Hugs, Patrice
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