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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Hi Tammy! I've also struggled with anticipatory grief, especially when Griffin was first diagnosed with lung mets in July. The passage of time and deliberate refocusing of my thoughts helped me through that stage. I bought a Zox bracelet that has flowers on one side and when flipped reads "I choose joy". Whenever I find myself starting to dwell on negative thoughts, I flip the bracelet for a tangible reminder to stay present. You are correct - the statistics are brutal and my heart has broken for my Tripawd family whose pups were lost so soon after surgery. I can't control the statistics but I can control how I show up each day for Griffin. I know for Louie's sake that you'll find a way to enjoy the time that you have with him now. Sending lots of hugs your way! ~ Stacy
Griffin lived an amazing life for 11 years! Diagnosed with osteosarcoma on March 17, 2020, Griffin's right forelimb was amputated on April 2, 2020. Ten days later he was running and playing fetch! Lung metastasis discovered in July 2020 did not slow down Griffin and he lived joyfully for the next 7 months, passing peacefully at home on February 11, 2021. https://griffin.tripawds.com
Well done Stacy❤ Love that bracelet. 👍 You and Griffen both are clearly choosing joy😎
Tammy, in the meantime time if you don't have a bracle like that yet, use a rubber band as an "empowering bracelet" Wear the rubber band on your wrist. Everytime a negative thought crosses your mind, zap yourself really hard with that rubber band and immediately replace it with an pawsitive thought that empowers you. Or simply remind yourself to focus on the NOW. You'll be amazed how qui your negative thoughts become non existent......assuming you are zapping yourself realky hard
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!
I just loved seeing Louie on the trail! He looks wonderful 
And oh how that makes me miss Colorado, the Fort Collins area specifically, where we usually hang out during spring and summer. Where is Louie getting his rehab therapy?
Your boy is doing so well. Do your best to focus on that, he's a real champ! Every time you start feeling that anticipatory grief, change the channel with the rubber band trick Sally mentioned, or that neat bracelet idea works too. Just know that while cancer sucks, it truly is filled with lessons that test our ability to Be More Dog , to live in the Here and Now. If we can do that on a regular basis, we can be better humans as a result.
You might want to check out this awesome book from many years ago. Its message is still as relevant as ever, and the author is from Denver, so you'll appreciate the setting when he talks about taking his dogs to places like Chatsworth Reservoir:
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi again tripawd warriors. I'm here, and Louie is on his bed behind me wondering why I'm not paying attention to him right now.
HE SWAM!!!! A bunch of times. I don't know if he cares, but I was so happy.
Today is not a good day to update because I'm waiting for follow up from his last appt last Friday. Was his third dose of chemo, comes with an x-ray, and the doc thought she saw 2 small mets in his lungs. Only in one image of the three she took. Sent them to the radiologist, and I expect to hear back tomorrow. Simplest explanation is usually the right one. If I'm honest, I don't have much hope that they'll come back and say they were wrong. But Louie doesn't seem to have noticed them. She'll also have a recommended course for any future treatment. But he did get his third dose last week.
In the meantime, he's on gaba and NSAIDS for back pain. The asymmetry was too much for his bad back to handle, despite acupuncture and PT. (the PT appt at CRGC in Broomfield kinda stunk, I wasn't impressed and won't be going back for that, but have been going regularly for acupuncture & massage). But on those medications he seems really good. I don't make him walk too far, but he'll play fetch for a short time, and do short walks.
I'll decide which of my many doggie torture photos I should share and get them on here: belly-up Louie lap dog? Louie asked to balance treats on his face? acupuncture? on the couch BY HIMSELF? pretty soon I can add snow booties to that. He's got a tough life.
Hi Tammy! I'm really sorry to hear about the results of the x-rays. I remember so clearly the day in July when Griffin's lung mets were first discovered - it felt like a punch in the gut. We have tried several different types of chemo after it was determined that the Carboplatin wasn't working effectively, so there are definitely options. And as you saw in Griffin's last post and as Louie demonstrated with his swimming feats, we humans take the news hard and our pups keep living their lives. Sending you a big hug from NYC - hang in there! 
Stacy
Griffin lived an amazing life for 11 years! Diagnosed with osteosarcoma on March 17, 2020, Griffin's right forelimb was amputated on April 2, 2020. Ten days later he was running and playing fetch! Lung metastasis discovered in July 2020 did not slow down Griffin and he lived joyfully for the next 7 months, passing peacefully at home on February 11, 2021. https://griffin.tripawds.com
Hi Tammy,
Louie is adorable! I have already been through this Journey, and so many times I wanted to jump off this roller coaster. Brownie was 10 days before his 12th birthday when he had amputation. Brownie lived an an additional one year and eight days which I will always be grateful. Brownie did not have chemo, and I do not know why he beat the odds. But he did. Was it the home cooking? Was it all the supplements? I don't know. But what I do know is he was happy! Brownie taught me to just embrace each day. None of us knows how much time we have with or without cancer, so try not to dwell on the Mets. Brownie had two x-rays of the lungs, one per week. They kept coming back clear, but my gut knew something was not right. On the third x-ray one week later, there it was. That being said, Brownie most likely had lung Mets for quite awhile.
What I am trying to say is don't dwell on what possibly may be Mets. Maybe they saw something else. Just enjoy each day, and embrace it! Louie does not care about the mets, he just wants to play, and be loved by mom!
My Beautiful Beloved Brownie was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma on February 26, 2019. With all odds against him he lived an additional one year and eight days with amputation, love, and prayer. I was honored to be his mom, and I have never been so proud! He will live forever in my Heart!
04/01/2007 - 03/05/2020
"March Saint"
Just to add, Brownie used the doggie door as soon as his stiches came out, as Karen said. He was a front leg amp. He would put his one front leg through the door, hop forward, and they wiggle his hips, and one back leg out, and then wiggle, and the other back leg out. lol. It was a sight, but he was so proud of himself, as I was of him.
My Beautiful Beloved Brownie was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma on February 26, 2019. With all odds against him he lived an additional one year and eight days with amputation, love, and prayer. I was honored to be his mom, and I have never been so proud! He will live forever in my Heart!
04/01/2007 - 03/05/2020
"March Saint"
Thank you Stacy and Brownie's staff. Griffin sprinting after balls 4 months after the mets showed up is just the encouragement I need. Like y'all said, Louie is non-the-wiser, and would just like more fun for pibbles.
And yes, doc came back, they agree it's mets. We will try Palladia (+ Losartan) and hope that it doesn't hurt Louie's tummy like it did Griffin's. Stacy, I don't know if you did the added Losartan. Apparently that's the latest and greatest from a CSU trial that hasn't been published yet. It's traditionally used for blood pressure? I haven't done my research yet. They saw a 50% response rate from the dual meds. Half the poochies showed no growth, with even 30% showing decreased size. Fingers crossed. In the meantime, MORE TREATS PLEASE!
On a funnier note, Louie's hearing is getting really bad, but he CAN hear the noise a smoke detector makes when the batteries are going dead. He sprinted SO fast, out of the house into the snow, at 2AM and didn't look back. I had to move his bed to another part of the room to get him back in it after I cajoled him back into the warm house. The "Pit bull saves family from fire" headline he is NOT.
Tammy
Well Tammy, I have to say, in spite of the met news, the visual of Louie hauling butt when he heard the smoke detector made me laugh! And then to know uou jad to move the bed to another place in the room before he would get back on it....hillarious!
You have a food treatm plan moving forward. I don't have any input on the combination, but it certainly sounds promising. As you already noted, the important thing is Louie feels great! You are do a great job of Being More Dog and living in the moment....just like Louie.
Extra 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!
OH my dog what is it about smoke detector sounds? Our Wyatt Ray did the same thing once! Scared the living daylight out of us when the chirping started and he went bananas (even more than usual).
I'm so sorry about the mets. It hurts us more than them when we get the news. But does Louie care? Heck no! You see it, all he wants is to keep having fun being the world's greatest belly-up lap dog! Please DO torture us with photos! Remember how adding images works? Let me know if you want help.
I forgot to say that there is a video we did at CSU, with onco vet Dr. Seguin who talks about about Losartin:
https://tripawd.....-tripawds/
Paws crossed for much success with it! Keep us posted.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi Tammy! Sorry for the delayed response! Griffin's oncology team had discussed adding Losartan to Palladia but then we discontinued Palladia due to the appetite issues. I just emailed Griffin's oncology team to ask about adding Losartan to his current metronomic protocol of Cyclophosphamide and Piroxicam that Griffin seems to be tolerating well. Thanks for the reminder and good luck with Palladia! ~ Stacy
Griffin lived an amazing life for 11 years! Diagnosed with osteosarcoma on March 17, 2020, Griffin's right forelimb was amputated on April 2, 2020. Ten days later he was running and playing fetch! Lung metastasis discovered in July 2020 did not slow down Griffin and he lived joyfully for the next 7 months, passing peacefully at home on February 11, 2021. https://griffin.tripawds.com
In the meantime, we finally took a vacation and Louie enjoyed the sun and warm temps of Sedona and a swim down stream of a vortex. We traveled with rugs for the inside of the rental house, cause that's what you do.
Removing a front leg did nothing to stop his tug-o-war game.
https://www.ins....._copy_link
Wish his belly luck next week with the new treatment!
And happy Thanksgiving to everyone. I've got a happy pooch begging for my attention that I need to go be thankful for!
That is a beautiful pic. And Yes, you and Louie have a lot to be thankful for. You have each other.
That is such a good attitude to
have while going through this journey. Your good thoughts will go a long way.
Nancy and Angel Brownie
My Beautiful Beloved Brownie was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma on February 26, 2019. With all odds against him he lived an additional one year and eight days with amputation, love, and prayer. I was honored to be his mom, and I have never been so proud! He will live forever in my Heart!
04/01/2007 - 03/05/2020
"March Saint"
That picture is absolutely beautiful. The colors, the sun, the light beams, the rocks and of course LOUIE!! It almost has the look of an antique oil painting.
So glad Louie had a great time at Sedona. Love that you brought your rugs because "that's what we do!
And yes. Louie did indeed kick butt playing tub of war. So wonderful seeing how happy he is just being himself.
Thanks for the update. So happy for Louie, and you too!
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!
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