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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Suzanne,
Good to hear Inca is improving. It is so rewarding and affirming to see our 'old dog' come out in our 'new dog'.
And you are awesome for adopting another animal that someone else was willing to give up on! I hope the repair works, or your neighbors probably won't let their pets anywhere near you! 
Karen and the pug girls
inca said:
Inca is our 9 year old dobergirl.
5 weeks ago we noticed a small swelling on her shoulder blade.
Following extensive research, CT scans and on our vets recommendation we decided to have her left foreleg and shoulder amputated.
A biopsy had shown evidence of a chondrosarcoma, but the eventual diagnosis will be made from tissue from the amputated leg.
Because we made this decision before the cancer pain hit, it has been a massive shock to our bouncy and athletic dog.
The night before the amputation we took her for a run and she flew around the place.The amputation was performed last Thursday and we went to collect her on Monday night.
The vets took a 5cm margin around the swelling to ensure they left none of it behind.
This meant she lost quite a bit of soft tiisue and has extensive bruising.
We've found the tripawds web site a great resource and we would appreciate some help with a few questions we have.When she was being discharged we were given anti-biotics, anti-inflammatories and pain killers.
Since we brought her home she hasn't been the bouncy, mischevious , "100 mile an hour" dog.
We were advised that she may not need to the pinakiller any more but we've continued to adminster it.
The painkiller is zydol(tramadol). We're wondering if she no longer needs it and if its effecting her mood?
How long after amputation did others continue to administer pain killers?
How long before others found that their pre-amputation dog was returning?
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Hello Luanne, it looks as though your reply didn't include any comments. Be sure to use the Post Reply button, unless you want to quote someting another member said. Please feel free to start a new topic if you have questions about your own pup. If you register, your posts will appear immediately without requiring moderation.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi
My 11 yr old dog Hannah , a retriever/husky mix just had the same surgery as Inca on January 11. The whole situation seems exactly the same . Appeared suddenly , rt rear leg, chondrosarcoma and alot of soft tissue removed, very radical. My Hannah is acting the same way and am wondering if Inca has improved since your post. She is getting along walking ok as a matter of fact she went upstairs when we took our eyes of her for a few moments. She is also on tramadol . She wags her tail when we come close to her and she is eating ok but otherwise she just lays there looking all depressed. We also unfortunately had to put down our other dog, a 13 year old dalmation the same day as Hannah's surgery. It has been a really rough week. I 'm sure hannah knows shes not here and it breaks my heart. Libby's back end started collapsing the day before the surgery and she couldn't stand and was in pain and couldn't control her bowels anymore. We knew she was slowing down but for all of this to happen at once was overwhelming. But now we have to concentrate on Hannah. So I'm anxious to hear how Inca is doing and how long you gave her the meds. Also was chemo recommended? Our vet just suggests xrays every 3 months. Please respond if you can.
Luanne
Hi Luanne, I am very sorry that you lost Libby so suddenly the same day when Hannah was in surgery. It must be very hard for you and Hannah.
The first two weeks after amputation are the most challenging. There are lots of support you can find in the forums. She is only one week post-op, and she probably is still doped with pain killers. Every dog's healing process is different. Let her heal in her own pace. It will only get better and better.
Please start a new topic to share Hannah's story and her recovery journey. Please also consider registering as a member so your posts would not need to wait for moderation.
Wish Hannah a speedy recovery. Hugs!
Genie said:
Please start a new topic to share Hannah's story and her recovery journey. Please also consider registering as a member so your posts would not need to wait for moderation.
Thanks Genie, our thoughts exactly!
Luanne, we are so sorry, and can't even imagine what a ruff time you've been going through. I don't know why life throws so much at us all at once. In time Hannah will recover, and provide you with the strength to continue forward.
Good luck, and remember we are here for you.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thank you. I am new to this blogging stuff so try to have patience . I will try to set a blog about Hannah. I want all the information I can get. Thanks for your support 🙂
Hey Suzanne, you didn't tell us Inca was a star! 
Either you're keeping a secret or this is one incredible coincidence... Another Tripawds member just sent us this link to Ireland's Animal A&E episode featuring Inca's amputation consult. You and Inca are featured in the first segment which has some great information for new members facing amputation with their dogs.
If you'd like to send us your thoughts and feelings about being in the spotlight during Inca's cancer diagnosis, we would love to share the episode with everyone in the Tripawds Downoads blog. Simply send us your thoughts and a photo. We can totally relate since the PBS crew filmed us for the Nature program Why We Love Cats and Dogs when we discovered Jerry's lung mets.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Not sure why I missed the original postings either...I guess Christmas time.
Wow! Look at Inca from Ireland! Gotta go checkout the A&E special.
Comet - 1999 to 2011
She departed us unexpectedly January 23, 2011 at the age of 12 1/2.
She was born with a deformed front leg and a tripawd all of her life.
Hi to all,
Yes Inca is a star!! We're not sure who sent you the details of the show she was on but I promise we would have done so soon! I have been stopped in the street by people who have recognised her which is lovely, and as she comes to work with me (I am a dog groomer) a lot of my clients have sent her treats and good wishes. It's all very touching, and Inca is milking it for all she can, she's no fool.
Hi to Luanne, I am sure we have gone through a very similar set of circumstances, but how devastating to have your other dog PTS on the same day, that is incredibly tough. I understand completely how hard it is to watch Hannah and not be able to explain to her why it has all happened.Although the incredible people on the tripawds website told me Inca would improve and come through the difficult times, I secretly had my doubts. I'm not sure why I thought Inca was different but I went through a stage of thinking the worst and expecting each day for her to go downhill and for her last few weeks with us to be misery.
But that was definitely the worst time; she would lie in her bed in very awkward uncomfortable positions, cry out intermittently and there were no wagging tails or following us from room to room looking for walks. Inca has always been food mad and eating became a chore.She would get stuck in her bed until she learned to use her head to get up if she was on the wrong side, and I felt horribly guilty.She also became a very different dog, doing little things that she never did before. Even though I was being as upbeat as I could around her,it was like living with someone else's dog for a while. that whole time lasted about 10 days and I got worried enough to go back to the vets. They put her back on tramadol(she had previously been off all drugs)and gave her a full physical exam. They thought she might be experiencing some "phantom " pain. Physically she was fine they said.
The improvement in the last 2 weeks (albeit on painkillers) has been HUGE. Her personality has returned 95% and she is just astounding the way she gets around.I can be a very negative person but this last 6 weeks has taught me to look at the positive. Inca has come through a tough time but I can't tell you how good it is to have her back. She always was special but she is the centre of my world now. Last weekend in the woods she caught the scent of deer and was off, barking and charging through the heather. I have to be careful as she's reached the point where she thinks she's invincible once again and that right foreleg is very precious now! She and I always walked to work (2 miles) and at the moment I'm driving 2/3 of the way. I would love to think we'll be able to walk again as she can manage 2o-25 mins of exercise on grass. Just have to work up slowly I guess.
So, I'm no expert but if you hang in there I am sure Hannah will improve. It's just hard to see past this stage, but I do understand what it's like.Inca was very low but has made massive improvements and her surgery was only 5 weeks ago.
Regards, Suzanne and Inca
Good luck with the building up slowly, Suzanne! I don't know what got into Yoda after his amputation, but once he was feeling himself again, he became quite stubborn about wanting to take longer walks than ever before. Waaaay longer! He'd always gotten good exercise, got to go to the park 1-2 times a week in addition to lots of walks, so it felt to me like he was saying to me, "I am going to see the world while I can - don't hold me back!" But even on our normal walks, I needed to bring water for him and take rests (at least for the first couple months or so). I probably could have been a stronger "pack leader" and not have given into those long walks as soon as I did, but instead I brought like two bottles of water along and I insisted on stopping for rests and he seemed to learn that that was a good idea and started to initiate taking breaks himself and/or asking for water. Of course, it was summer then for us, so laying down in the shade for a water break probably wouldn't be so pleasant for you two.
Careful she doesn't take down a deer! Haha! But no, kinda seriously actually, Yoda caught a rabbit in the yard (despite my best efforts) and by then his lungs were already pretty full of mets. Oh, he was sooo proud. Did a few victory laps with it around the yard (poor thing). And he had been losing his appetite off and on by then. It was one of the harder things I've done in my life to not let him eat that rabbit, but we sure couldn't afford to risk it. So, I bought him a stuffed one the next day that almost made up for it.
It was very cool to get to see Inca on the TV show! (Great to be passed that traumatic stage though, isn't it?) Her demeanor looked just like Yoda's. I was told he was a doberman mix by his vet, but I haven't known any dobermans up close, so I had to take her word for it. His coloring always made people think chocolate lab first, but he was definitely not a lab in personality.
Are all Irish vets are awesome? They can't all be, right? (Maybe you already mentioned a bad experience and I missed it? Whoops. Hope not). But I had to ask that because Yoda's oncologist was Irish and she was fantastic. And more recently my new tripawd, Gerry, had his amputation done pro bono by an orthopedic surgeon from Ireland. Apparently she was here on vacation, was friends with the shelter's vet (I was fostering Gerry at the time), and was talked into doing it for free – a monumental favor for the shelter, for Gerry, and for me! And I never even met her. Anyway, I have been made biased by those two.
Yoda&Mom united: 9/5/06 …….… Yoda&Leg separated: 6/5/09……… Yoda&Leg reunited: 10/14/09 ……… ……………….………….………….……. Yoda&Mom NEVER separated! …………………….….……....….…… Though Spirit Yoda currently free-lances as a rabbit hunting instructor for tripawds nationwide
Can you tell me how long you gave the meds for. Hannah has been on tramadol for 2 weeks. I started to decrease to one every 12 hrs but she didn't seem to improve so I thought maybe she still had pain. She had her sutures removed Fri and was happy to go in the car. We got her up on the bed last night and she seemed happy to sleep with us. She went upstairs on her own also yesterday so she is showing little improvement it is just her sleeping so much that concerns me. she just seems so down and showa very small signs of happiness. I'm hoping by next week it will improve.
I think we started to ween Jerry off his Tramadol at about ten days and he was totally off the meds after three weeks. Keep in mind that the signs you say in Hannah may not be pain, but lethargy and disorientation because of the pain meds. A rehab vet recently recommended if in doubt, eliminate the pain meds for two days and watch her reaction. You may be surprised at how she bounces back soon. Just be extra careful with her jumping on and off the bed!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Bob (Cherry's Dad) always suggest people keep a journal of their experience so they can give accurate information to new people. I, unfortunately, did not follow that advice so I can't tell you exactly but I think Emily was on tramdol for about 1 1/2 weeks. She did not do well on it so we took her off and she did fine. That is an estimate but I know it was before her stitches were out. Good luck.
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.
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