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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Just yesterday I got the devastating news that what I thought was a severe sprain of Simon's left front ankle (an otherwise healthy 6 year old 170# St.Bernard) was a tumor. The vet told me he was pretty sure it is osteosarcoma and that he would not recommend treatment for him because of his size. He has been limping on and off for the last month but the pain has not affected his desire to run and play and just be himself. I am at a loss right now and can't stop crying. I do not know what to do at this point. The vet told me that a biopsy of the bone would increase the chance of a fracture and amputation and chemo would only extend his life by another year. I really just need to hear from others out there right now - my grief is so large. I think I should get a second opinion at the vet school at Oregon State University. Maybe get an x-ray of his lungs? Reading this forum makes me think that the amputation may not be such a bad thing for him despite his size, but to only extend his life a year? I don't know. Any advice would be so welcome. I am just so sad. I want him to live exactly how long he wants to, I do not want him to endure one extra day of pain because of my attachment to him. This is so hard.
Simon's mom,
Deborah
It is true that the average life expectancy after amputation and chemo is 1-2 years, but that is actually a lot of time! Many other cancers have a much worse prognosis, and bloat can take a giant breed dog in 1 day. It is a personal choice that you will have to make but our Mastiff Tazzie has done just great as a tripod and she weighs 185#. I am very grateful for every extra day that we have with her. She is 8 months post-op and handled chemo well.
Good luck with your decision! I would definitely go to OSU for a second opinion. Try to get Dr Stuart Helfand if you can.
Pam and Tazzie
I'm so sorry to hear about Simon. When the doctor told me that Cemil probably had osteosarcoma, I didn't think amputation would be a good idea either. He was 156# then, it was expensive and it seemed like it wouldn't buy enough time to be worthwhile. The doctor urged me to take a few days, do some research and not rule out the amputation idea. I had her do a chest x-ray just to have a little more data--his lungs were clear. And I have to say she was right. He had his left front leg and shoulder amputated and is back to his normal self, except he doesn't have as much endurance as he had before. Our dogs teach us many lessons--besides the extra time we have with them, we learn a whole lot. They are awesome and loving teachers.
I don't think anyone here regrets the decision to amputate. Look at some of the videos and read what people have to say--it isn't like you imagine. And size doesn't seem to be an issue--there are lots of big dogs here.
Whatever you decide, this is a place where you can share your worries and no one judges you. Keep us posted.
Hugs and an Anatolian "lean"...
Mary and Cemil
Cemil and mom Mary, Mujde and Radzi….appreciating and enjoying Today
Thanks for the posts. I think a chest x-ray will help in the decision. If it is clear amputation will seem like a far better choice ( I already know chemo is something I will no be able to afford - not sure where I would get the $ for the amputation either, but that seems more doable). I feel like, with his size, the risk of fracture may be more of a concern than the impending lung metastasis, so the amputation may be a really good idea for Simon in particular. What is the ballpark figure for amputation surgery?
I honestly think that the worst thing about having a companion animal is the conversation you have to have with yourself about how much treatment you can afford. I'm so scarred that we won't have the money to extend his life. Thank you for listening to me I am having a really hard time today.
Deborah,
Bonnie and I know how you are feeling and our hearts and prayers go out to you. It is tough! Amputation was my first choice thanks to this forum. The purpose of the amputation is to relieve the pain. Believe me, the pain of the amputation is nothing compared to the pain that he is going through with the bone right now. We really had the odds stacked against us also. Bonnie is a 10 year old chocolate lab who already had diabetes along with the osteosarcoma. She was only limping on and off and our surgeon was afraid to amputate since she was not limping actively. So we went through the biopsy and then she really hurt. So on top of that pain I added the pain of the amputation. In hindsight, I would have just immediately amputated and been done with it. We went through chemo and she is cancer free now for 8 months. I would do it again if it only gave her half that time because I know she has a better quality of life because of it.
Amputation is the hardest for us! Simon will adapt quickly. Bonnie was off her pain meds in a week. My vet immediately did a lung xray so that we would not have to make the decision if it had already spread to her lungs
Trust your instincts and trust Simon. If you read all the forums here you will see that the time span is different for every dog.
I cried for weeks and still cry now, but they are tears of joy for every new step that Bonnie takes. I am trying to be sure that I am not being selfish, but when that tail wags and she hops out to meet me I know that she still wants to be here.
Whatever you decide, Simon know how much you love him.
chris-bonnie
Deborah,
Thank you for joining us here, we are sorry that you found us under these circumstances. We hope we can help.
Ok, take a deep breath and look at the whole picture. We know this is hard, but let's try to think like Simon for a bit. Start with the first issu: Simon is in pain. He isn't showing it, but osteosarcoma is an incredibly painful disease. But you know, Simon doesn't care that he has cancer. Heck, he doesn't even know what it is. He is just going on loving life, playing and enjoying every minute, despite the pain.
About the prognosis: did you know that nine out of ten statistics are wrong?! 
Statistics are just that. They only speak of Averages, not about what is going on with Simon himself. They are an educated guess at that, but many dogs like me go way past their prognosis. Doctors said I had four months at most. I lived almost 2 years past my amputation!
Also, keep in mind that Simon doesn't care if he is given a week or a month or a year for a prognosis. Dogs can't count, they don't mark days off calendars, and even if they could, a year to a dog is an incredibly long, long time. All he wants is to be out of pain, and enjoy every day with you.
Yes, Simon is a big dog. But as you can see here, there are plenty of dogs his size who have done quite well as front leg amputees. Just search for "Finnegan" or "Tazzie" in our blog, or check out our Giant Breeds Gallery. TazzieDog and Cemil know exactly what having a large dog amputee is like, and their advice is spot on. By the way, TazzieDog is our resident vet here, and if anyone knows about cancer and amputation, she does!
Go with your instincts, and get a second opinion at OSU. You're so lucky to be near a great institution like that. Many family vets are unfamiliar with tripawds and cancer, and they are quick to dismiss large dogs as not being good candidates. Please, point your vet to our site so s/he can see what an awesome quality of life they can have!
Remember, there are risks with the surgery. Some dogs will bounce right back, some will take a little longer, some, sadly, will not make it through the surgery. But that is rare. Most dogs do just great. It's not an easy road, but considering that most dogs usually recuperate within a few weeks, it's a small price to pay for getting some quality time with Simon.
The best advice we can give to you is to take this one pawstep at a time. First figure out if you want to proceed with amputation. Like Mary said, we will support you either way. Its a highly personal decision and isn't right for everyone. But after you decide about that, then you can figure out what you want to do about treating the cancer, if anything. It's up to you, only you know Simon well enough to know if this is something you should pursue.
And always remember, we are here if you just want to talk. Good luck, and let us know how things are going.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thank you, thank you, thank you......
This forum is so amazing. Even though I am a scientist that deals with statistics on a daily basis, it's amazing how quickly emotions can cloud what you know. What I need is more data and to remember that statistics are a representation of the mean, not of individual cases (thanks for that Jerry!).
I just spoke to my vet and set up an appointment for Monday to do a chest x-ray. My goal is to give Simon as many quality days as possible, and if amputating his leg will do that, I don't care if it extends his life one extra minute or not (although I do strongly believe that a happy animal can, and wants to, fight for a longer time). I am assuming that amputation without chemo can be worth it - if I am wrong please let me know. I think the chest x-ray will give me at least a little information on how far along it is. Considering I do not have the financial means to do chemo, now I feel like if it doesn't show up in the lungs (which I realize does not mean it is not there) then he may have a while to live, so amputation would reduce the pain in that time and eliminate the risk of fracture. If it is obviously in his lungs, then I feel like he may not have long at all and that the amputation would not be as appropriate. Again, if my logic is incorrect (I do not know a lot about cancer in dogs), please let me know.
I appreciate the ability of the internet to bring people together, thank you for your support it means the world to me right now.
simonsmom said:
I am assuming that amputation without chemo can be worth it...
Most definitely! We didn't start Jerry on his metronomic oral chemo until we discovered the cancer had metastasized over a year after his amputation. Regarding your logic, I would only suggest that you try to focus on quality of life. Not quantity.
And thank you for your kind comments, but these forums wouldn't be what they are without the support of members like you, sharing all the the different stories, treatment plans and results.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
So after all of the information on this site and additional research I have a plan:
On Monday Simon will have a chest xray. I have also contacted Dr. Helfand at OSU (thanks Pam and Tazzie!) seeking his advice on how to proceed and set up a consultation. My vet is a good doctor, but I need to get an opinion from someone who has had some experience in an xtra large breed front leg amputation. From what I have read here, someone like Simon, who has no other apparent health problems, could be fine with three legs despite his size. At this point I am ready for amputation unless I get a strong reason not to from the oncologist at OSU. After that, well, it depends. We may have to start a fundraiser for chemo!
I am trying not to get my hopes up about length of survival and concentrate only on qulaity of life (thanks for the reminder!). I know I will come out a stronger, wiser person in the meantime.
Thanks again for this forum (it has definitely earned my monitary support). I'm not sure how I would have gotten through the day, or made decisions on how to progress, without this site and your supportive words. I will start a new thread on Monday to report on his ongoing treatment. Writing about it really helps.
Much love and thanks to all of you two, three and four-legged friends out there!
Deborah and Simon (or "Slimon" as he is known by the drool averse!)
Hey, we think that plan sounds great! It's good to hear you sounding so much better, you are definitely breathing again and thinking more like good ol' Slimon. Atta boy!
Let us know how Monday goes. In the meantime, just keep up the pawsitive energy, Simon needs you to be a strong pack leader now. And we're here to help you through it too. Good luck, we look forward to hearing the latest.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi- carmen and Lira here. We know exactly how you are feeling. Lira is a 110# Cane Corso who had her right front leg amputated on Wednesday. Her chest x-ray was clear. We will not be pursuing the chemotherapy as the veterinary teaching hospital nearest us has one oncologist and she is on maternity leave - the next closest place is 9 hours away- I'd rather spend the time with our girl at home rather than driving back and forth - and as all have said here it is a personal choice. The first night was the roughest for us - I had lots of great advice from all of the people on this site. They have helped us immensely. Lira is on Tramadol for another 10 days and a drug called Gavapentin to help with "phantom " pain. Her Fentanyl patch fell off in our prairie wind today - but after reading some info here I will not be replacing it. Each day has gotten better - although today we found her out on a stroll in the neighborhood!! ( with many people looking strangely at her multi-colored body bandage - but she doesn't care !! She's here with us - and after this initial surgery pain is gone I expect she'll be out chasing gophers! She is panting and vocalizing ( which is not normal for her ) but , again, because of info gained through these great folks I know it is just a side-effect of her pain meds, and like many other little issues " this too, shall pass". Good luck with your decision and your appointment. Hope to hear how everything went when you get a chance!
Hi Deborah..you've come a long way in a short time.
I can't do chemo with Cemil either, but there are lots of alternative therapies. Hoxsey with supplements is what I chose for him, then we just appreciate every day we have, and he gets as much love and attention as he can stand.
Good luck Monday.
Cemil and mom Mary, Mujde and Radzi….appreciating and enjoying Today
So I feel MUCH better tonight than I did yesterday but I am a little disappointed by the skepticism (about exploring the amputation route) that my friends are exhibiting. Has anyone had that experience?
Oh yes. Those are the ones who don't understand the human-dog bond. I think everyone here will agree that following your heart and not listening to them is the thing to do. They don't know Simon and the part he plays in your life. I would say that the only one you should seriously listen to besides yourself is Simon. Nobody else understands the whole picture.
Not that they don't mean well. They just don't understand how it is.
Cemil and mom Mary, Mujde and Radzi….appreciating and enjoying Today
Hi Deborah,
I just recently went through the same thing you are. The idea of amputation put me into an emotional swirl of tears and frustration. When I went home and did all of my research online, I felt stronger with the knowledge of what to expect. I'm an accountant for my profession, so I have an analytical brain that needs facts and research.
My 5-1/2 year old 80# golden retriever had his leg amputated 4/1/09 and he is doing great. He was happier the day we brought him home. I had told my family and friends that we were going forward with amputation and they told me that it was a bad idea... and I know why they felt that way, because I had felt that same way the day the vet told me it could be an option. My friends and family lacked the research I had done. So, don't let them influence you too much until they too have all the knowledge you do.
You were asking about what prices to expect. I called about a dozen vets and asked for quotes. I was very surprised at the differences in prices! My local vet would charge me $300 but could not keep my dog overnight and would send him home with me to be his nurse the first 2 days. Other vets would charge $900, $1100 and up to $3500 for a specialist to do the amputation. I ended up paying a vet $1500 for limb amputation, 2 nights stay, and extra lump taken off his back side, diagnosis of the limb after amputation to confirm 100% it was osteosarcoma and all the meds. I also liked the vet and his office, smart young guy - 3rd generation of vets.
I also can not do chemotherapy. It's not easy for us as we live on an island only accessible by a ferry or plane. Only one vet on our island and he does not offer chemo. But my view has always been that the amputation was to relieve his pain 100%, not to save his life. If my dog lives another 6 months of pain free quality life this summer with me spoiling him every chance I get.... isn't that as good as 1 year with chemo? Its all about quality, not quantity. Espessially with us knowing that limb amputation and chemo does not save the life... but prolong it just a bit longer.
You will have to find what plan suits you and your baby the best. I wish you all the best, and you are in my prayers!
Watch my youtube videos if you want to see how Samwise did in the first 2 weeks. I include pictures of how the scar will heal and how he gets around-- I hope it helps. http://www.yout.....r/sbcake28
Keep your head up! And always.... "WAG MORE, and bark less"
Shireen & Samwise "I Love my Dog!"
Front right leg amputated 4/1/09 (Canine Osteosarcoma)
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