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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Otis was fine alone during the violin lesson😀
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
Woooohoo! I wonder if your daughter plays for him if that will be medicinal? I'll bet it will!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Otis had his surgical follow-up. Incision looks great and staples came out. He is staying on the Rimadyl, but we are going to wean him off the Tramadol. He is getting his first IV carboplatin as we speak - 4 treatments, 3 weeks apart, currently planned. Love this vet hospital. Great technology and in house capabilities and wonderfully supportive of owners in terms of hours, accessibility of Drs., etc.
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
Christine, what veterinary hospital? Is it affiliated with a University?
((((hugs))))xxxx from Nancy & Susie
VCA Arboretum in Downers Grove, Illinois.
Otis just got home from his first chemo. He is looking great and, with the Tramadol coming out of his system he is getting around much better, and doesn't seem to be in pain.
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
My daughter is eating a sandwich in the living room, and Otis just sat up and started begging! I am so glad to see him acting like a dog again.
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
Woohoo!!! Congratulations Otis, please keep us updated about your three legged adventures.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Isn't that the most wonderful feeling--the day they do something that you had started to think they'd never do again??? I remember during the first days of Susie's recovery thinking she'd never play with her big purple ball again, as she always used her right leg to push at it and play with it, and now her right leg was gone. I almost got rid of the ball, because it made me so sad to look at it.
Then today (Susie is five weeks post-op) I threw the ball out in the backyard, and Susie actually ran after it!!! She even pushed at it with her left front paw! This is a sight I thought I'd never see again!!! I nearly had tears rolling down my face. I wished I'd had time to grab my phone to take a video.
Soooo....see what you have to look forward to????!!! 
Congrats to Susie!
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
Hey, does anyone know if a big dog with a front leg amputation will be able to go up and down stairs again some day?
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
otisandtess said
Hey, does anyone know if a big dog with a front leg amputation will be able to go up and down stairs again some day?
I hope so!! I wonder this too.
Anita - mom to two human kids and two dog kids.
Chloe the white boxer - tripawd on 2/16/16 at age 6.
I hope so, three!
My dog is small (also a front leg tripawd), and at five weeks post-op, she still can't make it up the two steps to our back deck. (I think she fell over while trying early in her recovery, and it spooked her.) We have bought doggy stairs, made a ramp, etc., and she won't have anything to do with any of the improvisations.
(((hugs))))xxxxx from Nancy & Susie
CONGRATULATIONS OTIS!! STICHES ARE OUT!
One chemo down, three to go!! My Happy Hannah sailed through her four rounds with no issues. hoping the same for Otis.
Generally, not always, front leggers can go UP stairs with no issues, but going DOWN can be a real challenge. Rear leggers can go DOWN easily, but have real trouble going up.
I had to build a ramp for Happy Hannah as far as for outside use. It broke mynheart she was never able to go up the stairs to my bedroom. Almost all of the ine year and two months of extra bonus time we had together, I slept on a mattress on the floor downstairs so she and I couid sleep together. She was 125 lbs so lifting was not an option.
Now, that said, I jave since adopted tripawd front legger Frankie and he sails UP and DOWN steps like superman! Jerry is another front legger who was able to go up and down stairs. There's a great video of him doing that...maybe "someone" can pull it up for us.
One more observation on the ramp, but railings or side on it somehow. They need that visual to help them feel secure.
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!
Thanks. Going outdoors is not a problem for us - only two steps and enough space that he can stand fully on each before moving to the next. After 6 months on the mattress downstairs during cruciate repair for Tess (just moved back to my bedroom in October), I am hoping that some day Otis will be able to sleep upstairs with me again. I might end up moving a bed downstairs. Not sure my back can take the mattress for another 6 months. And any arrangement where dogs do not sleep by their people wouldn't work in my house.
After i I let him out this morning, I turned around to refill water dishes. When I turned back, he was on his favorite spot on the sofa. I know he is not supposed to be up on furniture yet, but he is so happy there. . .
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
By the way, oncologist mentioned that there is a new treatment for osteo coming soon - some kind of shot, designed to be given after the dog finishes 4 rounds of chemo. She is hopeful that it will be available for Otis.
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
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