Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hi everyone,
This is a long post, so please bear with me...I wanted to get the full story out
so you have the proper context for my question.
Our senior greyhound (14) broke her leg about six weeks ago. She broke her right
femur, which was her hip with severe arthritis, so it put us behind the eight
ball right away because A) the bone was already weak with severe osteoporosis
and B) she was basically walking with no weight on the leg and thus the muscles
there had atrophied (we were just starting physical therapy to help strengthen
the muscles when she broke it).
She's been through a lot in the past six weeks. Because of her muscle atrophy
and osteoporosis, the muscle/bone combination wasn't strong enough to hold her
internal support rod in place and an x-ray showed that that it would inevitably
collapse. One week ago, the internal rod was removed and an external rod was
attached with three pins. Our vet said his biggest fear is that the severe loss
of bone density would prevent the pins from sticking for the three weeks or so
necessary to finish recovery.
Well, it's been one week since then and there's good and bad news. The good news
is that a new x-ray shows signs of healing in the necessary parts (bone
callouses are forming in the right areas). The bad news is that even with the
external support rod, the x-ray shows that the leg is bowing slightly and that
the lower rods are starting to lose their grip in the bone.
Our vet sent her x-ray to an ortho specialist. I'll spare you guys the medical
speak, but the specialist said he saw this situation as an inevitable amputation
(I have a copy of his report and it involves a lot of big words, but the
diagnosis is basically bad).
Our vet sees this as a race against time. If we have luck on our side and the
pins hold up another two weeks or so AND the healing bone manages to
self-correct the slight bowing, our girl just might be in the clear. However, if
the pins fail, he agrees with the specialist's recommendation about amputation.
Our vet said that if it gets to that, we will have to consider a few things.
First off, as a 14-year-old greyhound (greyhound lifespan is 10-12 years), she's
obviously very, very old and he worried about her ability to survive the blood
loss and anesthesia involved with that sort of major surgery. He said that dogs
are generally very adaptable to amputation but her age might be working against
her on that -- BUT she's basically been walking around on three legs for the
past year due to arthritis, so she might be able to adapt quickly.
He said the ultimate decision will have to be based on whether or not the amount
of pain she will be in will be worth the extra unknown time we have with her
(remember, she's already in "bonus" time in terms of greyhound life span, so we
may only have a month to a year left in terms of natural life).
What we need to know is what are people's experiences with their pet's
amputation? I've read countless stories of cancer survivors that do great, but
those are usually adult dogs and not geriatric dogs. Specifically, I'd like to
know:
-At what point does the body recover to a point where its not in everyday pain
-- or does it do that at all?
-How long does it take a dog to adapt? I've read stories where it's only a
matter of days, but again, these don't sound like senior dogs.
-Our greyhound is super lazy. Her favorite hobbies are sleeping with her stuffed
animals and eating, along with the occasional short walk. Functionally, if she
can adapt to the balance challenges, will she be comfortable enough over the
next year where she can enjoy those simple things?
We don't want to put her in a situation where she's basically doped up and
monitored the whole time. She's had a long, good life after she left her life as
a racer, and she's lived longer than most greyhounds. If it's time, than it's
time, and that's something I can accept. However, if the recovery from
amputation is only short-term pain, then that option makes sense.
Please, please, please provide as much info as you can. It's very much
appreciated.
Thanks,
Mike
Mike and family,
Very sorry to hear of your greyhound's diagnosis. Years ago, I trained my two Standard Poodles in a class with a number of greyhounds and they were very good girls. To the problem at hand (since I have to leave for a dog show in minutes), my Cherry was also on this borrowed time when she recieved her diagnosis of Osteosarcoma. Cherry turned eleven the day before her amputation and was the last remaining (to our knowledge) of the litter. She has adapted to the amputation very well. The chemotherapy treatments were far worse than the amputation. You will be amazed at their ability to adapt. We have to totaly agree that it is about nothing but the quality of life. Tomorrow we will be celebrating our eleven month ampuversary and she is doing extremely well. I have a page of 21 thumbnail photos of Cherry's journey including some taken a few weeks ago with her playing in the side yard. You can see for yourself using this link.
We are sure that your decision will be the best for your companion since no one knows your greyhound better than you.
Paws Crossed and Nothing But Pawsitive Thoughts From California,
Bob & Cherry
Hi Mike
It is definitely good to weigh things over the way you are doing. Most dogs do very well following amp, from what I have seen the last three months since joining this 'alternative world'. But some have trouble so you cannot take a quick recovery for granted.
People on this site will usually give you a two week window for the time when things are really bad, in terms of pain or listlessness. Your dog will probably be on tramadol for part of all of that time (a bit dopey, panting). Pain from surgery and bruising seems worst at about 3-~8 days. Depending on the dog, he or she may not move much during the first two or more weeks. After about two plus weeks, there really should not be the kind of pain or listlessness you seem to be worried about (as far as we humans can infer). If I had a crystal ball and could envision my dog living in good health for at least a few months post-amp, it probably would be worthwhile those 2-3 weeks of poor quality time. But none of us have that crystal ball.
Many young dogs like super Cap'n Jack keep running throughout the early period, and even some older (10-12 yr) dogs seem relatively active. Some of the giant dogs (e.g., Cemil) have a much slower recovery and I believe built up the standing and walking over 4-6 weeks. My dog is mid-sized for our tripawd group (80 lbs pre-amp) and lay around like rather unhappy cement for two weeks. After that he started to get his spark back. He was visibly building more strength and endurance from 5 to 8 weeks post-amp, but then he is pretty young. Since his amp, we found he has some hip issues, so that might have delayed his early recovery. You say your dog has arthritis and osteoporosis which does not sound good. But if she is already hopping on three legs, there should not be much change other than getting rid of the bone pain. I have been told the adjustment is quick when a dog has already been functioning as a 3-legged.
A few of our cancer dogs in the last two months did not get back into good form following surgery including a 13 yr dog with cancer that had bad kidney and liver values prior to amp and a very aggressive form of cancer (recently deceased Mac). I think Hori, a Dane, had heart trouble and I'm not sure what happened to Boinks, a lovable Saint Bernard, although she also developed some issue (I think it was related to kidneys) following surgery. These were all wonderful pups that captured all of our hearts.
The impression I have obtained is that you definitely want to check over the condition of vital organs as best as you can from bloodwork or other tests (kidneys and liver, heart) and the ability of the remaining legs to handle the load.
Best wishes in making this difficult decision,
Susan & Tazzie 2
Hi Mike
Susan is right about Cemil--he took a longer time to adjust than some of the smaller ones, but once that part of the process was over, he got back to enjoying a pain-free life. He's young and didn't have any other health issues, which made it easier. So, addressing your specific questions, in our experience, the remaining pain is only from the surgery. Once it's healed, the pain is gone. For Cemil, it took about 2 weeks. He had a fentanyl patch and was on tramadol for most of the 2 weeks, but that was all. His problems were more about courage and adapting to new situations, not pain. So the adapting part depends on the dog. Now, after 8 months, he does just about everything he did before except stairs and his dog door. Stairs because I won't let him, and the dog door because he figured out that barking at the slider works just as well and it's easier. I think he was pretty much back to normal after 2 to 3 months.
My guess is that if your greyhound can get through the surgery, her remaining life would be very much like what she's doing right now, minus the pain. But you know her best. You could also try asking her what she thinks.
Good luck with it all, and keep us posted.
Mary
Cemil and mom Mary, Mujde and Radzi….appreciating and enjoying Today
Hey Mike,
What a hard decision it is to amputate! To us humans, it sounds impossible, but for the dogs in our lives, it's usually surprisingly easy to adapt. I have an 8 year old Golden Retriever who has osteosarcoma and had his front left leg amputated over 2 months ago. First, let me answer your questions,
-At what point does the body recover to a point where its not in everyday pain– or does it do that at all? Most say about 2 weeks. I found it to be a little less than that, maybe 10 days and even at its worst, it really wasn't unmanageable. Then again, Mac is 8, albeit a grumpy 8.
-How long does it take a dog to adapt? I've read stories where it's only a matter of days, but again, these don't sound like senior dogs. For McGwire, it was a matter of days. I read a lot of stories online about how dogs did after the surgery, but I just kept coming back to "Yeah, but this is McGwire. He's not like those dogs." Well, I was wrong. He does everything that he used to do, just a little slower or more awkwardly, but it doesn't slow him down at all!
-Our greyhound is super lazy. Her favorite hobbies are sleeping with her stuffed animals and eating, along with the occasional short walk. Functionally, if she can adapt to the balance challenges, will she be comfortable enough over the next year where she can enjoy those simple things? More than likely she's already adapted to the balance challenges you fear.
Like your dog, McGwire's favorite thing to do is to lay around. Usually Cheri is good about posting other tips when dealing with amputees about how we should treat the spirit, find something the dog was really interested in doing, yada, yada, yada (her version is way better than mine so I'll let her speak to it exactly 
) so I was really worried-McGwire's favorite thing to do is to lay around. Inside, he's usually sleeping near us, outside, he has his 'post' in the driveway so that he can watch and monitor his world and get petted by everyone who walks by. I was worried that because he didn't have a real passion for anything that I was going to be doing him a disservice. Well guess what?! His favorite thing to do now is to lay around, and you better believe that he gets everyone in the neighborhood to stop and pet him now-who wouldn't pet a three legged dog?! Being a dog with cancer, we have our own concerns (everytime he pants excessively, I'm panicked!) and that means realistically, if he lives another year, we'll be lucky, so it's not really that different than your dog being old-does that make sense? There are no guarantees.
Have you done any blood work? I'd do that right away because it'll give you an idea of any underlying issues (kidney, liver) that may complicate the surgery. When you speak with the ortho specialist, ask if her other legs could handle the additional weight. The specialist I saw was able to manipulate Mac's legs and between that and the x-rays determined that yes, he could handle the additional stress.
Good luck with your decision! We are here to support you regardless of what you decide so let us know how it goes!
Welcome, and thank you for joining. Sorry to hear about your pup. Be sure to download the post-op bleeding Geyhound study we just posted to the Tripawds Downloads blog . Just something else to consider when preparing for the worst and hoping for the best — my recommendation for everyone who comes here seeking advice about amputation or cancer.
Best wishes to you and ... um, I'm sorry. I clearly got the quention's context, but seem to have missed your dog's name!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Welcome to tripawds. I'm sorry to hear about your dog's troubles. I am assuming that your vet has done a thorough exam. Emily is only five and she recovered very quickly but has since developed hip dysplasia and arthritis so those are concerns as well. I think that you and your vet are best equipped to decide if your dog can handle it well. Good luck and keep us informed.
Debra & 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.
Hi there. I'm sorry to hear about your girl's situation. Tazzie and the others have written good advice and put out information that I may not be able to add to but I thought I'd put in my two cents since my dog was the recently deceased older Mac that was mentioned. First off, you know what you have going for you--she's basically been walking around on the three legs already, she's pretty lazy and mostly lies down, and doesn't have any major health problems. She is 14 which as you know is so great for a greyhound but who's to say she couldn't live for another year or two. Ya just don't know. Most dogs on here seem to recover (off of pain medication and walking around to go to the bathroom and such) in 1-3 weeks. My dog was 13 and it took him at least a month to be able to stand and walk around the house and go out to the bathroom, but there were complications besides his age so who knows how much if any of that was because of it. It's hard to give advice...even doctors can be wrong. When Mac's bone tumor (he had hemangiosarcoma) triggered kidney problems, he was told that he'd take a really long time to heal from surgery because of his low albumin and age. The surgeon said there was a chance he wouldn't even make it through the surgery, but the wound healed expectionally well, some said even better than younger dogs without the kidney problems.
If you have the money, I would tell you to try the amputation. Just be prepared that it may not be long before your girl passes from something else (I would get some blood and other diagnostic tests done like Tazzie and Amy mentioned), and also be prepared that she might get depressed because of it. Mac was only a tripawd for 8 weeks before we put him to sleep 2 weeks ago, and he never recovered fully. He was depressed, he wouldn't sleep, he wouldn't play, etc. But I wouldn't say a lot of that had to do with age.....the cancer was spreading through his system like wildfire and putting toxins in his bloodstream making him feel like crap, the cancer had started kidney problems which can make dogs feel bad, and either of those things or the stress made him have colitis those 8 weeks so all in all he was miserable but your dog doesn't have any of those things.
I know how hard the decision is when you have an older dog especially. Mac had been perfectly healthy for 13 years when all of this went down, but the tumor made his back leg bone shatter and the choice had to be made then and there to put him to sleep or take the chance with amputation. If the pins in her leg fail then you will have to make that decision. It sucks, but if you don't amputate you will wonder how long she would have lived, but if you do amputate and she passes soon after you may regret it. You'll hear this on the forum said a lot---there are no wrong choices if they are informed and made out of love.
Just reviewed the post-op greyhound paper. Our greyhound (her name is Indy, by the way) has had a few surgeries in her life, the last major one being the broken femur. Her wound hardly bled and healed quicker than expected. The change from internal rod (pulled out under sedation) to external rod went really smoothly, too. The incision that removed the internal rod hardly bled, and we clean the external pin connections every day. After the first 2-3 days, they hardly bled at all and are remarkably easy to clean.
Our vet said one of the things we have going for us is that it does seem, based on these past procedures, that her skin and tissue still heal very well.
I think what's making this difficult is that her spirit is still strong. We know our girl and we know that even with her external pin in her, she's still very happy. You can just see it in her eyes and demeanor. And when she wants something (like when we're eating dinner), she still whines and begs with all the, um, passion that she used to. It just doesn't make sense to us to put her to sleep if she's still enjoying life so much.
Today, my wife said that if she had to go, she'd prefer Indy to go during surgery than being put down based on speculation. At least then we knew we did everything for her. On the other hand, if it's successful but she's in pain/emotional depression after it, I would feel awful about putting her in that position.
I am very impressed with the amount of support out there for this sort of thing. I've had a lot of people, both here and on other forums, offer to answer questions and concerns. All of this helps and I really, really appreciate it.
By the way, I just updated my avatar so you can see Indy pursuing her favorite hobby -- napping with her stuffed animals.
If her spirits are good, and she is otherwise healthy, she should recuperate from surgery quickly and adapt well to life on three legs. But I am no vet, just hopeful that all goes well with your beautiful old girl. We look forward to following her progress.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Indy is a beautiful girl. Reading through the posts it sounds as if you've made your decision. I wish you and and Indy a speedy recovery. Remember, there is always someone here to nurse the human soul should you need it.
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.
Just to let everyone know, we've decided to go forward with the amp. We've consulted our vet, a greyhound specialist via email, and our vet has consulted a local orthopedic specialist. Everyone agrees amp is the only way to go.
We got the blood results back today and everything looks good. We are tentatively scheduled for this Thursday but our vet says we can wait till next week if we want to take more time.
Our vet did a balance test and he believes she will adapt very, very well. Currently, when she stands, her bad leg's toe barely touches the ground. He showed us that you can lift it completely off the ground and she doesn't flinch -- she puts no weight on it at all, and sometimes when she turns, it just gets in the way. He is also confident that she will be the most pain-free in years as her severe arthritis hip will no longer have the femur grinding against it.
Are there any exercises we can do to help her get ready? Our vet just suggested holding her bad leg off the ground from time to time when she's standing. She's learned to get up and lay down without putting any weight on it. We just want to give her as much as a head start as possible.
Indy is a cutie!
I think you made the right decision for her. Yes, she is older, but she is healthy and happy. She can do this! By getting various professional opinions, and by listening to both your heart and to Indy's - you have done everything you can to assure you are giving her the best chance at a good life. If you do nothing, you might always wonder "what if".
Good luck on Thursday!
Michelle
Mike and Indy,
First, now that you have made you decision and knowing that the amputation will remove the source of this constant pain, I would not put it off any longer than necessary. Cherry's initial diagnosis was on Friday, she saw the specialist for oncology and surgery on Monday, and the amputation was on Wednesday. This gave us a quick start to recovery.
A few things that may help you prepare for Indy's return from surgery. Stealing from a recent Jerry posting, I would suggest:
What to Expect Part 1:
http://tinyurl......tToExpect1
What to Expect Part 2:
http://tinyurl......tToExpect2
Also, there are my usual suggestions: 1) Remain as positive as possible around Indy. She will pick up on your feelings and if you are down , it will only make it harder. I have often left Cherry, left the house, and then totally lost it before regaining composure and returning with a smile. 2) Remember to treat the spirit as well as the body. Find something that Indy loves and can still do during her recovery. Then exploit that love to give her purpose. For Cherry, it was/is her trips in the truck/car. It was the first and for a long time, the only place that she would willingly take food when offered. To this day, as the time when she thinks that she is going for a ride approaches, you can see the excitement grow. Jake's mom would probably tell you that for Jake it was the swimming pool. Once Jake saw the pool and was allowed back in, the improvement appears to have been remarkable. Help Indy find a purpose to fight. 3) Consider keeping a journal. I kept a journal and posted it on-line. It allowed me to go back days/weeks/months and make a good comparison. This 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. I have a page of thumbnail photos (with links to larger versions) covering from just after the diagnosis, first days home, chemotherapy treatment, through recient days. These can be viewed via this LINK.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, Cherry celebrated her eleventh birthday just the day before the amputation and that for Standard Poodles is very senior. We are just weeks away from our one year post amputation celebration (ampuversary) and life is extremely great. She moves extremely great in spite of being a very senior Standard Poodle, and the old sparkle in the eye, mischievous spirit, and loving girl has totally returned. We are already planning for our month long trip to Yellowstone next June, which is an experience that she absolutely loves (as does the entire family.)
We will be thinking of you Thursday. Paws Crossed and Sending Pawsitive Thoughts,
Bob & Cherry
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