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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What was that Sally? A request for PICTURES???? Hmmm... I wonder what we will need to do to get more PICTURES??? Not that we are hinting or anything... BUT PICTURES WOULD BE NICE!!!!!
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry 
So we are almost 5 months post amputation and Bender is doing great!
He hasn't shown any signs of neuropathic pain since October and mobility is surprisingly good for a bulldog.
We are keeping him on daily doses of metacam and pregablin to help with arthritis, slight knee luxation and prevent any pain episodes.
I wanted to share some pictures of him enjoying the latest snow fall.
Oh Bender! It's GREAT to see you out there having a ball. You have come so far my friend, how wonderful that you're feeling good enough to get out and enjoy the snow. YAAAY! You and your people have done good, you all deserve a big 3-paws up for staying strong and getting to this point.
Totally thought of you when our new member Escher the bulldog joined. I think you'll be instant friends. Hop on over if you get a chance, he just got home from surgery and is recovering nicely.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
HAPPY ALMOST FIVE MONTH AMPUVERSARY ADORABLE BENDER!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂 You are cuter than evvvvver sweet boy!! 🙂 🙂 I love every single kne of those pictures!!! Gonna have a smile plastered across my face all day...And many days afterwards!! 🙂
You are such an inspiration in so many levels, but especially when it comes to showing the world Bulldogs know how to rock three legs and live life to the fullest doing it!!! 🙂
Demand ice cream and cake for your versary!!! DEMAND IT!!! You deserve it!! 🙂
Love and 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!
It has been 14 months since Bender was diagnosed with cancer in his front leg and yesterday we recieved some bad news, Bender has multiple lung mets. We took him to the vet because he was having random coughing episodes and getting lethargic.
As the mets are advanced, the vet believes we should not pursue further treatment.
We are taking it day by day and dreading the inevitable.
My poor baby 🙁
Oh nooo I am so sorry 
I know this is news nobody wants to hear. You have done such a wonderful job with Bender and he came through all of this like a trooper. I hope you have plenty of time left with him to be able to enjoy each other a while longer. I know when the time comes you will help him cross over with dignity as you have with everything else in Bender's life.
It is hard not to cry hearing this news. And in trying to think positively you know you added 14 wonderful quality filled months to Bender's life. I know he was worth every day of that, and I am glad you were given that time. Even though I know the time was extended,it is still breaking my heart. My thoughts are with you, my heart is with you, and I will be wishing upon wishes that you still have some good quality time left in this journey.
Lots of love and hugs,
Jackie and Huck 
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry
I'm so sorry, mets are such a heartbreaker. It's like getting the diagnosis all over again.
As hard as it is, keep in mind that Bender is still that rock star that he always was, even before cancer! Mets can never, ever take that away. Spoil him every second, show him that you have learned all the lessons he's tried to teach you about living in the moment, and embrace all of the good that he's brought into your life. For when he is an angel, all of that magic will still be with you, it never fades.
And in the meantime know that you can lean on us for support OK? We are always here for you. Please let us know how he's doing and we will keep your special guy close in our hearts.
{{{{hugs}}}}
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Sweetheart 🌻
Please ask your vet about cortisone and diuretics (if Bender has liquid in his lungs)
When my Eurydice developed very large lung mets and was given a few days to live (which is not Bender’s case of course) she started that treatment straight away and she went back to being her happy self again overnight!
Cortisine bought her lots and lots of happy painfree time with me.
The other thing I was told was there was no point extracting the liquid from the lungs (using a syringe) as it builds up again very quickly.
The way to go around this is by using diuretics.
Wishing you and Bender all the best, hang in there and spoil your gorgeous boy rotten.
Sending love and cuddles 😘🐮💫✨🌟🌹
Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-)
See, this is the thing, This is WARRIOR BENDER!! This is SUPERSTAR BENDER!! This is ROCKSTAR BENDER!!! This is NEVER GIVE UP BENDER!!!
I'm not using any of these terms lightly. They really do describe this very unique dog who has no intention of going anywhere any time soon!
Thos of us who travelled by his side those early days of recovery know this guy has tremendous grit and determination....as do his hoomams!! He overcame soooo many hurdles early on and never gave up!! This guy is just so darn special on so many levels!!!
Thankfully, being tired isn't painful. I never really felt my Happy Hannah was in pain per se after her mets were found. She tired easily, but she loved being a couch potato. She didn't even have a cough, but there are DEFINITELY some meds that can handle that if you need them for Bender! Prednisone was helpful to her as her breathing pattern changed some.
So there are definitely things that be done for quality. As Teresa pointed out, she got some remarkable extended quality time for Eurydice with "comfort treatment".
Continue to make every moment count. Continue to take more adorable pictures of this dog we all adore!!❤ We look forward to seeing each and every one of them! NOTHING HAS CHANGED IN BENDER'S WORLD!! You have some great quality time ahead. Do NOT let this piece of. 
disease interfere with your time together. Bender sure isn't!
We hereby declare EVERYDAY IS BENDER DAY!!! And that means he gets a scoop,of ice cream everyday, eight after he eats his cheeseburger and fries!!😎
Lots of love
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!
Unfortunately, our hands are tied with treatment.
Switching to steroids would require stopping the metacam for 5-6 days. This could mean a relapse in pain control. We also have concerns with steroids given the met on the liver. He also has a history of gastrointestinal issues. The last thing I want to do is upset his stomach.
At this point we are praying for a miracle.
Thank you everyone for the support and kindness you have shown us.
I don't think we could have made it through the amputation without you.
I hope Bender's story lives on to help other furbabies .
Bender said
Unfortunately, our hands are tied with treatment.Switching to steroids would require stopping the metacam for 5-6 days
At this point we are praying for a miracle.
I hope Bender's story lives on to help other furbabies .
Just want to mention something about the washout period of 5 - 6 days. This is what I thought too.
JERRY recently posted where that apparently changed and that is no longer the case. Someone will come along and find that update. The search system and I have a "failure to communicate "🤔
Also, ask your Vet about a Sulfracate and Pepcid regimen of you ever do find a need for the sterioid.
And if any dog can pull off a miracle, Bender can!! He's already had practice!!
And make no mistake about this:: BENDER HAS ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED LEGENDARY STATUS AROUND HERE!!!! ❤This dog has created a legacey of why we should never give up! He has already had a huge positive impact on so many here when faced with "unexpected " challenges of recovery! His legacy of perseverance and never giving up is already well estavlished here! His hoomams are applauded for that same determination and never give up attitude!!
We're all on the Team Bender amd cheering for him to pull another miracle!
Love and 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 everyone,
As Bender's breathing declines and coughing increases, we have decided to give prednisone a try.
He should start treatment Sunday morning assuming he does okay without meticam and is stable.
The vet has also recommended amantadine for pain, cough suppressant and prepcid. I will continue to give him medical grade curcumin to help combat steroid side effects. New studies suggest curcumin works synergistically with steroids and chemo type drugs.
eurydice - how did she manage with side effects? Also, did it buy you a decent amount of time together?
BENDER!!! YOU MELT MY HEART AND YOU MAKE ME SMILE EVERYTIME I SEE YOUR HANDSOME SELF!!!
Teresa and others will chime in, but it sounds like you have a good plan jn place with some good meds to target specific things.
While Happy Hannah never had a cough , her breathing patterns did vary (sometimes far more noticeable than others), I did learn to recognize that as her "new normal". She did a good job of adapting and I adapted as I "relaxed into the new normal". I do believe the Pred helped.
Keep us updated...especially with pictures!! Bender is just so darn cute!!
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!
Hey sweetie 🌸
Eurydice’s lung mets were found in November and she was her happy self for many months showing zero symptoms.
At the end of April she started slowing down when we went for walks (which we did daily) and was generally tired.
She preferred to lay down which was not what she normally would do and her eyes looked tired and sad at times.
At that point I decided to go for an X-ray and was told she had days to live and I should prepare to release her very, very soon.
I eventually looked at the CD (when she was already an Angel) and was stunned at how many tennis ball size mets she had plus tons of mets everywhere and liquid in the lungs.
I am describing this graphically so you realise the advanced state she was in at that point.
We started cortisone and diuretics (to dry the liquid in her lungs) that day and she took nothing else.
We also started acumpuncture, osteopathy and mesotherapy plus B12 injections (she only had two because administration was too brutal and painful for her so I opted out).
She went back to being her happy, energetic self virtually immediately and we resumed our daily walks and everything as normal.
She never showed any side effects from medication.
She only declined the week before she earned her wings and basically got less and less energy and stayed down more.
She never coughed, it was just her breathing that became more laboured.
I took her to see the vet weekly and she was pleasantly surprised each time.
Our last night was difficult, she breathed with difficulty and we increased the cortisone, our vet was in contact with me all night long.
In the morning her tongue had turned a blueish colour which indicated she did not have enough oxygen circulating in her body so it was time to say goodbye.
We had six weeks after mets were impossible and vets told me she had days to live.
Do not loose hope and do not count days, give your baby memorable days, full of cuddles and treats and adapt to what he can do and you cannot go wrong.
Cortisone can be marvellous and Bender can still have lots of happy time ahead.
I hope I have not spoken too much, I do not want to make you nervous at all, just thought by showing you how desperate the situation was this will make you realise you may still have a long time ahead with your pup.
I have the best thoughts for both of you and ask my Angel to be by his side, making sure he feels good by his adoring family.
He surely looks happy in the picture, the most gorgeous pup ever, too!
Sending you an avalanche of kisses and a trillion cuddles to your cutie 😘🐮💫✨🌟🌹
Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-)
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