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 Ashley,
We went through this more than a month ago now due to an osteosarcoma. I totally understand your feeling about this being unfair. This describe well how I felt. Even though there will be some difficult moment, you have focus on the positive side: you are giving your dog a better chance. I think it really help me once the decision to amputate was done to focus on the recovery.
Now (we are about 5 weeks post op), Arktik is running, digging, playing ball and all of this pain free. This group has been a life saver, people are so supportive and knowledgeable it really helps to go through it to have this to rely on.
We will think about you tomorrow.
Patricia and Arktik
Hi Ashley! One of the important lessons that I learned on this site and from personal experience is that your pup will pick up on your energy, so try to stay positive with Kinzi tonight and while she is in the capable vet's hands tomorrow, mourn all you want. Get it out of your system because when you go to pick up your girl, she is going to need you in positive mindset from that point forward. Will some days be hard? Yes. Might it take some time to get her pain management
just right? Yep. Will you feel frustrated with the roller coaster of progress forward and then steps back? Undoubtedly. But, Kinzi will still be exactly the same pup who looks to you to lead the way and who will not care a whit about being on 3 legs. She will care about the love of her family, her favorite toys, and fun things she enjoyed doing previously. It will take her some time to get all the way back there, but she will get back. And you will smile wryly when you remember how you doubted and mourned your 3-legged wonder. Griffin and I are sending lots of hugs to you and Kinzi tonight. We'll be thinking about her tomorrow! 
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
Online
Nothing to add to all the great support other than Kinzi is ADORABLE!! I love that picture of her😎
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!
Ashley, I hold you and Kinzi in my prayers! You'll get through this and realize it's what you HAD to do to take care of beautiful Kinzi. She's counting on you to take the best care of her that you can. Sometimes the things we have to do are so tough!! But if we know we're doing the right thing it makes it a bit easier. Like I said, the only thing that got me through this was this communities HUGE support network!!
We are here for you in any way possible and look forward to some updates.
Jake continues to do better every day. Now I'm looking into a dog stroller
so I can continue with out long walks and he can come but just not walk all the way! 
We're home! Kinzi did really well. She is shaky, but she already peed in the yard (with us helping her steady with a towel)! She is tired and dopey, but has moments where she sits right up and looks at us to check-in.
This is hard but I'm grateful for small wins.
Welcome home Kinzi!
This is hard but I’m grateful for small wins.
Keep track of each small win over the next couple of weeks. If you have some rough times during recovery remember that this is a short part of your journey together and things will get better. You did the right thing for Kinzi!
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
YAY FOR KINZI!! She's home and, as already noted, has had some victories!!
Sloooow and easy. This is MAJOR surgery and she needs her recovery time, all while adapting to three!
Keep is posted and know that we are here by your side to help in anyway we can,okay?
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 Ashley,
I'm a little late to the party, but welcome to Tripawds and welcome home Kinzi! My husky also lost her leg to MCT less than a month ago. To echo what everyone else has already covered, your feelings are normal and you made a very difficult decision for Kinzi's benefit.
Aspen and I wish her an easy and speedy recovery!
- Shane
Lots of snuggles today. She's mostly sleeping but she did poop outside today! 
Day 2 on being home, Day 3 on 3 legs. She is hopping just a little but no longer needs the towel support to go outside and take care of bathroom business.
She has a great dog dad though! He's more than happy to nap together for hours. Yesterday was our 4 year wedding anniversary... not exactly how we thought we'd spend it but we were just happy to have Kinzi home.
She does have a weird red patch on her chest, but I sent over a picture to her vet and she said it looks like clipper burn, should heal on its own.
Still worried about how she'll adjust and tired (last night she was restless), but today she's eating, sleeping, and figuring it out.
That is THE sweetest photo! OMD! Soooo much love shared between these two💕
Kinzi is having a normal" recovery this early on. Exactly what you would expect..... aybe even a little above the curve. Sometimes restlessness can I dictate pain. Jist make a note if it happens consistently before her next does is due. Meds may need to be tweaked. "Tired" is good right now. Rest is exactly what she needs for her body to heal.....that and all the sweet love you two are giving her💝
And HAPPY FOUR YEAR ANNIVERSARY !!🥂 No better way to celebrate than having Kinzi home!
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 Ashley! It sounds like Kinzi is doing amazingly well at this point, so keep your positive mindset about small victories! Sally is usually the one to celebrate this particular milestone, but I guess it will be up to me this time - YAY for her first outside!!! That is definitely worth celebrating and an indicator that her recovery is on track. Please keep posting photos of the adorable Miss Kinzi - she is the cutest! And, happy anniversary to you! ~ 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
Whaaaat?????? I missed a celebration of! Thanks for covering the celebration Stacy!! 😎 We love to celebrate arpund here!!😉
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!
Welcome home Kinzi!! I am so happy she's home with you guys for Memorial Day weekend. Rest and cuddle and just enjoy, go slow and Kinzi will get used to walking. Ashley, you'll see how quickly she gets better. Yay! For me, once surgery was over it seemed to get much better. Keep us posted.
Something miraculous happened after I posted!
We were getting her dinner ready in the kitchen, planned to bring it to her in the living room where she was snoozing. I looked away for a minute... and THERE SHE WAS. She hopped (pretty) quickly toward us. She crossed two whole rooms like it was nothing!
And then she ate her dinner in two minutes and proceeded to sleep for several hours haha.
I was and still am shocked. This is a lady who knows what she wants.
YAAAAAY KINZI! KEEP THESE MIRACLES COMING SWEET GIRL!!👏👏👏
Talk about some sparkle coming back, this is like sparkles the size of Sun!!!💥💥 So happy to read this. Thanks for sharing the joy!
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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