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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Oh hang in there girl! I know, I know...easier said than done!!!! We've all been there....some easier than others(my dog wasn't one of the easier one's!) Talk to your vet - be a pain the butt if you have to! They really have NO idea (unless they have gone through it themselves) how darn hard this is on us pawrents!!!
How is Roxy's appetite? Is she drinking well?
Tracy, Maggie's Mom
Maggie was amputated for soft tissue sarcoma 10-20-09
Maggie lost her battle with kidney disease on 8-24-13
Gus is almost 9 weeks and I can say I have never regretted the surgery one second. He was in alot of pain before we did it, and he wouldn't be here today if we hadn't, and he is so much happier. Yep, those first couple week such, but it is so worth it once they get past that time, look ahead to know once Boris "does his 2 weeks" that he will feel SO much better. Just a note, not trying to throw cold water on anything, btu just because you have the surgery doesn't mean you've gotten rid of the cancer. Gus had a clear chest when we did the first x-ray and we found spots last week, but alot have dogs have had great recoveries and been free for a long time. Good luck, Gus and Dan
My buddy Gus had a left front amputation on April 7, 2010 and lived a great life until July 26,2010
It's a hard thing, for sure. Part of it comes from having to be the ones to make the decision for surgery. Also, Roxy's likely not quite herself yet - she's been through major surgery and I'm sure she's on plenty of pain meds as well.
As for regret - funny thing is, for all the gut wrenching anxiety before the surgery - since the moment our Catie came home (and, wow, it's been almost 5 months now) and she greeted me at the door with her usual joyful tail wagging, I haven't felt an iota of regret for our decision. I've felt sad that she has cancer and has had to go through this, for sure. The recovery period wasn't as bad as I anticipated either; she was at times very lethargic, but like I said already, she'd just undergone major surgery and the medications, while relieving post-surgery discomfort, did make her very dopey.
No regrets here at all. For sure she has some physical limitations (she tires easily, but then to be honest, she's always been a bit on the lazy side), but she's still here, still thriving and crunching cookies, and still loving.
Hang in there.
Catie -
Birthday – November 4 2003
Amputation – January 13 2010
Crossed the Bridge – June 2 2011
I got her high protein no carb food yesterday and she pooped! and ate he whole bowl last and today 
Your replies really made me feel better, and realize that I have to be strong for her. She is drinking a lot of water and peeing when I take her outside. Mostly, she whines at night and seems restless but she seems to sleep a lot during the day, so she is getting her rest. I am sleep deprived since the diagnosis last week so maybe my sadness is mized n with tiredness... She has her vet appointment on Monday, and hope all goes well. Her x rays came out clear before surgery and I hope they stay that way!
Yay for pooping!
Sounds like the two of you are doing great. It's hard to feel good when you're really tired - at least, for me, being tired leaves me extremely vulnerable emotionally. Do the best you can to get as much rest as you possible. Staying strong for Roxy means looking after yourself too.
Hope everything goes well on Monday at the vet. I'm sending many pawsitive thoughts Roxy's way.
Carmen
Catie -
Birthday – November 4 2003
Amputation – January 13 2010
Crossed the Bridge – June 2 2011
Oh that's a relief! Literally! Hah! Hah! Joke, get it?
Glad to hear things are moving along. (oh gosh I'm on a roll tonight! Hah!)
I think a lot of the anxiety pawrents have after amputation is due to sleep deprivation. Take good care of yourself so that Roxy can recuperate strong and well OK?
Yeay!!!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Best of luck Roxy!
Jerry's right - being sleep deprived can amplify everything wrong! Try to rest yourself. Vet's need to make up a pamphlet on what to do and what to expect so pawrents don't start thinking the worst!
Comet - 1999 to 2011
She departed us unexpectedly January 23, 2011 at the age of 12 1/2.
She was born with a deformed front leg and a tripawd all of her life.
roxylove said:
... Roxy is doing SOOO much better!
Wonderful news! Thanks for the update. Please consider starting a new topic or a Tripawds Blog to keep the community up to date on Roxy's three legged advetures. We'd really like to keep this topic as a specific resource for those with regrets about amputation.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
WooHoo Roxy. You go girl!
Shanna & Spirit Trouble ~ Trouble gained her wings 3/16/2011, a 27 1/2 month cancer survivor, tail wagging. RIP sweetheart, you are my heart and soul. Run free at Rainbow Bridge.
The November Five - Spirits Max, Cherry, Tika, Trouble & Nova. 11/2008 - 3/2013 An era ends as Queen Nova crossed the Bridge.
Back to the "regrets" topic - is there anyone out there who was in a situation that was not OS (ours is chondrosarcoma) and made the decision to amputate even though the dog was not in pain?
There were! I remember this topic coming up recently in another post too. I'll try to find it because it's not coming back to me which members they were or else I'd just mention their names so you could send them PM.
What I do remember from that discussion was that everyone struggled with it, due to the lack of pain, worried the dog would be more upset perhaps, because they weren't going to come out of it with that relief of pain. But I'm pretty sure that all who went through it advised that their pups adjusted just as well as the average tripawd who lost a painful leg. No grudges were held.
Gerry has been a tripawd since 12/16/2009.
He was a shelter dog with a mysterious past and an irrepairable knee injury.
Videos and pics of Gerry's pawesomeness can be found at: http://gerry.tripawds.com
I think the one I was thinking about was that one started by abbydog that you already saw and posted too. Still, there was a lot of other issues being discussed in that thread, so those who went through similar, non-painful causes might have more to say if/when they find your question here. You might want to try starting a new thread with a topic to catch their attention about your specific concern.
You love your pup lots, or you wouldn't be here asking. You'll make the right decisions 
Gerry has been a tripawd since 12/16/2009.
He was a shelter dog with a mysterious past and an irrepairable knee injury.
Videos and pics of Gerry's pawesomeness can be found at: http://gerry.tripawds.com
Skyler had a mast cell tumor, and was in no pain. We decided to ampuatate her right rear leg, in order to hopefully stop the cancer from spreading. We have no regrets. Although she only lived 3 months, she had a good quality of life. If we hadn't amputated and doen chemo, who knows how long she actually would have lived, and what the quality would have been like.
All decisions were based on love, and I know that is true for everyone else on this site.
Good luck to you, and paws are crossed for you!
Kazy55,
Our girl was diagnosed with Grade III Mast Cell Tumor. It was a tumor in her skin, so it wasn't painful for her, just a little irritating. But the irritation alone certainly was not enough to call for amputation. I decided to go through with the amputation purely in hopes of giving her more time. (Probably completely selfish on my part) I don't know about the cancer that you're facing, but there was only one study done on MCT a few years back and the information really wasn't great. All it really said was within 2 months 90% of Grade III MCT dogs were dead, and 6% were alive 18 months later. It didn't say 2 months from when, or anything about where the tumors were placed, or even treatments. So I just took that information, along with the knowledge that if the tumors were in the extremities the animal had a better chance, and decided I was going to fight for Roxy and pray every chance I got that she was in the 6%.
it's been almost six months since her diagnosis (about ten since the tumor became visible) and she's still with us (knock on wood). I don't regret doing the amputation. She's here and very happy! 
Leslie, Roxy's Mom
Hi gerrysmom, lesliec and cathy - thank you for the input. I am really struggling since we're in a gray area in terms of the recommendations and so many of the comments were based on "your're not removing a leg, you're removing pain" which I completely understand but doesn't apply to us ....
as you all note, the benefit of the "unecessary" amputation is of course the cancer-free result.
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