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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Hello, I am fostering an adorable 1 year old chihuahua that has a broken hip. It is broken way up in the hip joint and cannot be pinned. The vet recommends an amputation and has her scheduled for tomorrow. I hate to see her go through all that pain. They are going to spay her at the same time. The dog does not attempt to step on the leg, but does not seem to be in any pain either and is very playful and loving. In other words, the broken leg doesn't seem to be much of a problem for her. What is the reasoning here? Are there benefits to having the leg amputated? I don't want to even take her there. 🙁
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Welcome to Tripawds. I'm sorry you find yourself here. I'm very sorry about your foster pup.
To answer your question in one short word… Yes. Amputation is necessary.
If your pup isn't using the leg then it is painful. Dogs hide pain. If it wasn't painful she'd be using the leg. Broken bones are painful. The recovery pain of an amputation will minor compared to what this little one is/has gone through.
I hope you follow your vet's advice.
Wishing you lots of warm wishes.
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.
So sorry you have found yourself in this situation, but as cometdog said - yes it is necessary.
Our puppy shattered her front leg at 3 months old and we were faced with the same choice, we were told it could possiblably be fixed at a huge cost but there were no gaurantees so our only real option was amputation. We spent a long time regretting that we couldn't 'fix' her and worried endlessly about what losing a leg would do to her - could she be normal, whats couldn't she do etc. there were a few very sleepless nights but the day after the surgery when we brought her home and put her on the lounge floor she chased the cat through the house and harrassed the kids, running around the house like a maniac (we had to try and calm her down and restrict what she was doing) 4 days later we found her digging a hole in the vege garden. Kayla hasn't looked back since the amp and except for a few problems with muscle developement which were really minor she is a normal, naughty 6 month old puppy. I really wish I hadv'e known how easy this was going to be for her to adapt to when we had to make the decision as it would have saved us from so much guilt and worry.
Kayla also didn't show any pain but she couldn't use the leg and it was never going to have a hope of healing with out expensive surgury and a very long recovery.
Please follow your vets advise it is for the best.
Sarah and Kayla
Thank you for your quick response. I feel a lot better about it after reading that, and after reading all the other information and recent posts. I found it all so very helpful. I need to get a few things ready for her when I pick her up. She is young and healthy and already getting around on three legs pretty well. I just need to go get some of those thin rugs to put in a few slippery places, as she does tend to slip and fall when she gets excited. I also need to get prepared to advocate for her needs if necessary, because I have noticed that the vet doesn't seem to treat the rescue dogs quite the same as the regular price customers. I'm hoping they are as careful and as considerate with pain meds. Thanks again for being there, Jo
Hi there, and welcome! You know, a lot of folks have mixed feelings about amputation, but it's a human thing. You have all kinds of fears about how the dog will do after surgery, if it will hurt, if she will be angry because you took her somewhere and she woke up without her leg. Right?
The dog is only thinking "I want to eat, I want to be loved, I need to go potty, I want that frickin pain to stop, if I'm loved then why do I hurt?" Because with an injury that severe, the loving thing to do is to stop the pain. She's in tremendous pain. Broken hips hurt like hell. Amputation is no cake walk, but it's nothing compared to what she's enduring right now. And make no mistake--she is enduring. She isn't happy about it. She's doing the doggie equivalent of gritting her teeth.
The vet will send you home with pain medication that will help her through the post-surgery time. There are lots of things here to read so you will know what to expect. She may have a rough few days or a rough couple of weeks. But most dogs whose amputation is to relieve pain are so incredibly grateful to be pain-free, and they do well and bounce back quickly. They're delighted to "only" have amputation pain to deal with now.
Little dogs do really well on 3 legs. Rear amputees often seem to do better than front amputees. (By "better," I only mean some things seem easier.) And without cancer in the picture, there is no reason this dog can't live her normal lifespan, which is a long one. Take the pain away so she can blossom into what her potential holds.
Shari (and tell us her name and show us some pictures! 
)
From abandoned puppy to Tripawd Warrior Dude, Dakota became one of the 2011 February Furballs due to STS. Our incredibly sweet friend lived with grace and dignity till he impulsively raced over the Bridge on 12-15-12.
Dakota's thoughtful and erudite blog is at http://shari.tr.....pawds.com/
Her name is Lovely. Her picture is my Avatar. I'll try to put a few more up when I figure it out...
hi and welcome to you and Lovely. I don't have much to add to what others have written, but it does indeed sound like she'll do well on 3 legs, since she is already not using the leg. If she's young and healthy, she should recovery well. It can be a rough ~2 week period, but then once she is done with the pain meds and has the staples out, she should be her old self.
We've had a few people post recently that their young pups were sent home with no pain meds. Hopefully the vet will send you home with some - the norm is at minimum some Tramadol. The dogs can seem fine when you first bring them home, but then crash after a day or two, so you'll want to have something on hand.
Good luck with the surgery. Keep us posted!
Jackie, Angel Abby's mom
Abby: Aug 1, 2009 – Jan 10, 2012. Our beautiful rescue pup lived LARGE with osteosarcoma for 15 months – half her way-too-short life. I think our "halflistic" approach (mixing traditional meds + supplements) helped her thrive. (PM me for details. I'm happy to help.) She had lung mets for over a year. They took her from us in the end, but they cannot take her spirit! She will live forever in our hearts. She loved the beach and giving kisses and going to In-N-Out for a Flying Dutchman. Tripawds blog, and a more detailed blog here. Please also check out my novel, What the Dog Ate. Now also in paperback! Purchase it at Amazon via Tripawds and help support Tripawds!
jorescue said:
Her picture is my Avatar. I'll try to put a few more up when I figure it out...
Thanks for registering! Here are instructions for adding pictures to forum posts. If you don't already share photos somewhere online, the easiest way may be to start a blog so you can upload them to your media library.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Lovely did great! You guys were right, and very helpful to me. I didn't stress out about it after I read what you all had to say. They amputated her leg bone, but left the side of her thigh muscles intact, so that the scar is kind-of under her flank. It will not be noticeable when the hair grows back. I picked her up yesterday, and she was galloping around the house as if nothing happened to her. She was so very happy to be back home. I am able to take her outside for short walks, and she does not seem to be in any discomfort at all. She is on pain meds for awhile anyway, just in case. Now she just needs to grow that hair back! When my three daughters saw her they were very scared of it, but I told them not to let her see them scared because it would make her sad. It worked, and maybe worked a little too well. a couple hours later, they came to me and said they all voted and they want to adopt Lovely and not foster rescue dogs anymore. (I had given them the choice, every time we get a new dog, they get attached to it, but they always choose to let it go to a new home, so we can foster another one.) Now I have a dilemma...keep her or rescue more. We already have another dog and cat and its a small home. Thank you all for your advice and support, it made a huge difference. And thank you for being here, I learned so much so quickly with all your information. Jo and Lovely
Welcome! Glad the surgery went well and she is doing so well. But, be prepared that she might regress a little after a couple of days. I don't know if it's the soreness hitting (kinda like when you go to the gym and it takes a couple of days for that muscle pain to really hit) or just the adrenaline drops off some, but we experienced it and so have many others that posted.
I have to say that Lovely is the cutest little thing! Those ears!!!
Good luck,
Lisa and Zeus
Zeus was a Husky mix diagnosed with Osteosarcoma at age 11. A visible lung met and suspicious spot on his liver meant a poor prognosis-six weeks was our vet's best guess. We decided to fight for our boy and his right front leg was amputated on 12/1/11. We did six rounds of chemo, changed his diet and spoiled him completely rotten. We were blessed with 10 great months after diagnosis. Against the odds, the lung met remained a single met and grew very little over those months. A wonderful furbaby with the most gentle spirit, he fought with a strength that we never imagined he possessed. We have no regrets...
http://zeuspod......pawds.com/
Yes, I will echo what Zeus's mom said. Many dogs bonk a little on day 3 or 4 or somewhere in there. I've always wondered if it's because the body has metabolized all the anesthesia and surgery meds and now they're having to adjust to that. Also, it takes time to figure out things like balance. Even though she seems great, do be sure to keep her calm and out of trouble. Some folks here have had to crate their dogs to keep them from hurting themselves. Tell the girls it's so Lovely doesn't make the sutures pull out.
We are all delighted that Lovely is adjusting so well. Did you know we celebrate silly things like the first pee and poop after surgery? So...please share all the details and give us a reason for a party!
Nobody here can help you decide about keeping Lovely because we would all vote for keeping her! We're just suckers that way. On the other hand, if someone comes along who is drawn to the adorable tiny tripawd with satellite dish ears (I had one with ears like that), and if they are great people, then maybe your girls would be willing to let her have that home so you can keep doing rescue. But lots of us here firmly believe that we don't pick the dog; the dog picks us. And others believe that dogs are just waiting for the right family and then it's a done deal, whether or not we say we want a dog. So it may be out of your hands. You gave the kids the choice long ago and this is the one they picked, so maybe it's meant to be. What do you think? Either way, enjoy her in the moment and you can't go wrong.
Shari
From abandoned puppy to Tripawd Warrior Dude, Dakota became one of the 2011 February Furballs due to STS. Our incredibly sweet friend lived with grace and dignity till he impulsively raced over the Bridge on 12-15-12.
Dakota's thoughtful and erudite blog is at http://shari.tr.....pawds.com/
Glad to hear the surgery went well!
Being a tripawd pawrent is pretty pawesome. You might find that you can't resist keeping her... 🙂 Keep us posted.
And, yes, we really do like to do the little happy dance for first pees and poos, so let us know how she's doing!
Jackie, Angel Abby's mom
Abby: Aug 1, 2009 – Jan 10, 2012. Our beautiful rescue pup lived LARGE with osteosarcoma for 15 months – half her way-too-short life. I think our "halflistic" approach (mixing traditional meds + supplements) helped her thrive. (PM me for details. I'm happy to help.) She had lung mets for over a year. They took her from us in the end, but they cannot take her spirit! She will live forever in our hearts. She loved the beach and giving kisses and going to In-N-Out for a Flying Dutchman. Tripawds blog, and a more detailed blog here. Please also check out my novel, What the Dog Ate. Now also in paperback! Purchase it at Amazon via Tripawds and help support Tripawds!
Yay Lovely! Glad your surgery went so well. Keep everyone updated on her progress.
Marla and Daisy
My Two Tripawds...Biscuit 
and Spirit Daisy 
Pawesome news! Lovely, I know you've gotta be the most adorable little Tripawd! I'm so glad your surgery went well. Your small size is such a BIG advantage when it comes to being a Tripawd, it's going to be no big deal for you. Get out there and conquer the world little one!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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