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
Hi,
We are 2 weeks post-amputation with our 5-year-old Leonberger, Reena. She was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in the left front leg on August 13th. Her surgery went smoothly and she is off all meds except Rimadyl. Overall, she has perked up and is showing interest in everyday life and her favorite activities like sitting on the porch. In general, she is not showing signs of being in pain as she was before the surgery. However, what I have noticed is some really irregular breathing (which was occurring before amputation as well), even when is completely at rest. She somewhat of a shudder or quiver in her lower abdomen when she exhales and her breath doesn't always keep a regular rhythm. Has anyone else experienced this? Her lung x-rays were clear at diagnosis and we have an oncologist appointment on Monday. I am just wondering if this could be part of the cancer or unrelated. Thanks in advance for any advice or experiences you can share.
Hello and welcome, your future posts will not have to wait for approval.
My Pug Maggie had a different kind of cancer- I think some have reported heavy breathing post amputation but I can't think of anyone reporting this pre-surgery right now. Hopefully someone with experience will chime in soon.
In the meantime the one thing that pops into my mind since you said it happened before her surgery is that it could be a pain response, although you said you don't think she is in pain. Was she doing this breathing while she was on the heavy pain meds right after surgery?
Obviously a discussion to have with your vet- sorry I couldn't be more help!
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
Can't wait to see pictures of your sweet Leonberger. Such great dogs!
Yeah, just following up on some of Karen's feedback. Pain issues would be where I would focus first. Rapid breathing and some "shuddering " can be pain signals .
Two weeks is still early in recovery for this major surgery.
How long has she been off pain meds? At two weeks being off pain meds is a bit early, especially for a big dog. If you have any tramadol ot gabapentin left over, ask your Vet about starting them up again a consistent basis for a bit and see if that helps.
Also, do some gentle massage up and down her spine and all around her shoulders and next area. I'm sure her muscles are tight and sore as she's learning her new gait. That could account for some of the "quivering". Also, have the Vet double check to make sure no rogue stitch ot dtaple is hiding somewhere. It happens.
Keep us updated. And again, we would love to see pictures of Reena!
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!
Thank you so much for the responses- we will try these out! She is still taking Rimadyl but I will check back with the vet as you mentioned to see if maybe it was too early to get off of the other meds post-surgery and the breathing may be due to pain or discomfort. She is a pretty stoic dog so it has not always been super clear to us how much pain she is in through this whole ordeal.
Thank you again- it's so helpful to hear from people who have been through this!
Hi Reena and family, welcome!
I can't say I recall anyone with this specific symptom but that doesn't mean you should worry. Try not to, I'm guessing it's probably a pain response and not anything to do with cancer.
I would definitely have a convo with your vet about this. How long before the amputation did her breathing irregularities start? And does it happen during or after certain activities? During certain times of the day? The more you can pinpoint the occurrences, the better your vet will be able to help you.
We love Leonbergers, they are such beautiful dogs! Be sure to share some photos of Reena, here's a post about adding images to the forums.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thank you- the waiting and the uncertainty have been a real challenge for me. I am going to call the vet tomorrow morning and ask if they can restart some of those meds over the weekend and see if that helps. We are in the hot and humid Northeast so she is usually a very heavy breather anytime the temperature goes over 65F. However, she is doing this even when we have the AC on and sometimes when she's at rest so it's definitely out of the ordinary.
Here are some photos of her- first from before the surgery and then two from one-week post-amputation. Thanks again for the advice!
I hope the pain meds help.
She is beautiful!
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
THAT FACE!!! THAT SMOOCHABLE SWEET FACE!!!! I'M IN LOVE!!!!!❤❤❤
And yes, heat and humidity are definitely hard on new tripawdd (even in a/c). It's also a big cause of allergies, even if a dog hasn't had allergies before.
Quick thought, are you able to take his temperature? Just making sure he doesn't have a fever and possible respiratory issue.
Thanks for the great photos of your beautiful gal!
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!
Hi Reena and family 🐾🌸
I haven’t commented before because I have nothing constructive to add to what those marvellous tripawdians suggested so far.
But hey, let me just say you’ve got a seriously beautiful babe there 💓
Just like Sally I am seriously in love with her 💘
I can’t hide I have a (very) soft spot for giant breeds, it’s so much easier to cuddle them fully and one doesn’t need to bend down to do it either 😂
Reena is a real poster girl, so she is, she has sweet girl stamped all over her forehead 🎀
Please let us know how she is doing after you top up the meds, fingers crossed the weather will improve so she feels comfy in her lovely fur coat soon.
Hugs and cuddles 😘🐮💫✨🌟🌹
Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-)
Thank you so much, everybody! I'm biased but she is a very sweet dog and we completely adore her 🙂
We had a good oncologist appointment and she actually started chemo yesterday. The doctor felt that the breathing is probably not from pain given that she is increasingly active and interested in all of the normal things she likes to do including eating (not eating was a big sign for her of being in pain before her diagnosis). They thought it might be from either general discomfort or even some anxiety with adjusting to a new reality. We are continuing to watch her closely but overall, she is doing really well. We found out that her particular cancer is unfortunately extremely aggressive but we are hoping for the best.
Thank you again for all the great guidance and encouragement!
Glad you got some reassurance from the Vet. Sounds like Reena is doing well! YAY!!!
And remember, Reena could care less what any kind of report says! She didn't read it and she didn't hear it! Reena is her own dog and is not a statistic!! Time and time again we see dogs given a "statistic ", or "prognosis schmognosis", and they got far more extended quality time than any "report" predicted!!
THE most important lesson you can learn from Reena is to Be More Dog ! LIVE IN THE NOW, IN THE PRESENT! Continue to make every day be REENA DAY! Amd we can't wait to see the pictures of Reena being spoiled like crazy! She is so darn cute!
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!
Hi everyone,
Just wanted to say a sincere thanks for getting us through this difficult journey. Reena had a bad reaction to the chemotherapy in October and then continued to decline very quickly. We had to let her go at the very end of October. We are heartbroken, miss her every day but we know she is not suffering anymore.
Thank you again to all of you for your amazing work in this community and for your support. Wishing you and your pets many happy days.
Best,
Mary Helen
Oh nooooo. Mary Helen I am so very sorry. You all tried so hard to fight the cancer, my heart goes out to you and your family. She was just a kid.
If you'd like to share more about her so we can honor her life and legacy in a proper way, please hop over to "Coping with Loss" if you're up to it. If not, that's OK too. Just know that we all keep a candle lit in our hearts for your beautiful Reena.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Our hearts break with yours. Such a shock to read this. So unexpected . This is such a rare occurrence but, sadly it does happen. And I'm just so sorry it happened to the beautiful Reena. I'm so very, very, very sorry.
You did absolutely everything you could to give sweet Reena a chance. And she would have expected nothing less of you.
Reena will ALWAYS be a beloved, cuddly member of our Tripawd family. Her time with us was short, but the impact she had on us touched our hearts in a way as though we had known her all her life. Yeah, only very special enlightened Souls can so that! I'm sure Reena taught you many life lessons, and will continue to so so.
I join with Jerry hoping you will sjare more adventures with Reena and with poctures of the beautiful girl too. And let us know what signs she has sent you to let you know she is still present with you.
LOTS of love and 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!
Darling Mary Helen 🌹
I am so, so sorry to hear Reena earned her XL wings ...
These are devastating news for you and us, Reena was such a beautiful sweet girl, we all loved her here.
It is unbelievably difficult for us to come to terms with loosing our babies but we have to try and take comfort from the fact they live in the fluffiest clouds in the sky, happy and pain free.
Your Reena only changed form, she is still with you and will never be too far, sweetie.
My heart is with yours and I am sure my Angel Eurydice is showing Angel Reena how happy life can be in the sky.
Sending you a big, big hug 😘🐮💫✨🌟🌹
Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-)
1 Guest(s)
