Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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I just found out that my baby has bone cancer. He is a mixed breed, little, and very young. He started limping about a week ago. We figured he had just hurt his paw. By this past weekend he was lethargic and we knew there was something more wrong with him. We brought him to the vet and he had blood tests and x-rays. We knew that cancer was a possibility, but we really didn't think it was cancer. I have been crying for days. I just don't know what to do.
I am sure that others can relate to this bad news. There are options, but they all end the same way. There is no good answer. My Toto is the sweetest dog. We found him laying in our yard two years ago and we thought he was dead. By the time we found a home for him, we couldn't let him go. He has been nothing but good to us and I just want to do right by him. At times he is still his old self, he plays with the other dogs and runs around (on three legs) and wags his tail. But other times I see him slipping away. I hold him and look into his eyes and I see the pain.
We talked to the vet and I was really thinking that amputation was the only option. But then we talked to someone who had done this. They totally regreted it. After surgery their dog was never the same and they still feel horrible guilt for putting him through that. It makes me think that the right thing to do is to just take him out of this pain. I realize that if we don't have the surgery, we are going to just have to watch him until the pain is unbearable and then put him down. I don't want to watch him die.
My husband is afraid of putting him through the amputation, and spending a lot of money, and then he is just miserable. I understand what he is saying. I don't know where we would get the money for the amputation... and then there is the question of chemo. I don't even know how much that would be. I hear it is really expensive. I am also really worried about the side effects. Again, I don't want to prolong his life if he is miserable. He really deserves to be happy and I can't give that to him.
I am sorry for babbling on. I am just so confused and so incredibly sad. I am sitting here with Toto because I can't sleep and I just don't know what to do.
Any thoughts?
And Toto, Too – fighting the good fight against hemangiosarcoma http://tootswee.....pawds.com/ Amputation - 9/21/09 Earned his wings - 7/09/10
Hi Tootsweets,
Firstly you are not babbling on. I think my first post on here, letting it all out, was close to Epic and it was so good to let it out in a place that people could comment and let me know what they had experienced themselves.
Maybe if you add a couple of bits of info in another post... do you know what type of cancer it is? How old is Toto??? Is the tumor in his front or back/left or right leg?
This is what we went through, my dog Koda and I. He started limping also and before the Xrays were done the next day I did all the research I could on the Internet the night before. With the Xray it was confirmed that it was a tumor so we had a needle biopsy done(I think that is what it is called - where they syringe fluid up from the tumor). This was to eliminate one type of cancer that amputation would not help. It wasn't that type of cancer and I had decided the night before that amputation was 'my' only answer. I guess I didn't come across anyone in that time that said that they regretted their decision. (Mind you from what I have read, heard and researched I am thinking that this person is in the minority) Just before Koda's amputation I took him to the pet store for a bath and told the girl he was having his leg amputated that week and she said that she has seen several dogs come in and she was amazed at how well they copedl. I guess at this stage these were my signs making me feel it was the right decision. For me amputation was clear as I knew Koda was in pain from his leg. I had read that once the leg/tumor is removed, the cancer pain is gone. I couldn't bare to see him limping anymore and as it was the tumor had eaten away at the bone and had actually fractured the bone. Imagine walking on a broken leg.
After the amputation (front right), I was very lucky with Koda who is an 8 year old labrador (so isn't the most junior of dogs and isn't a small light dog either) he recovered quick and once again it is different for every dog as I know a lot of dogs on this site here have given their owners a nerve racking couple of weeks up and down on a roller coaster ride to recovery after the amputation. Now he is 8 weeks post amp today and he hasn't looked back. He runs around and loves his walks. He is a happy dog that gets around very well!
We decided to go though with amputation but have decided not to do chemo. The vet has told us dogs with Osteosarcoma cancer usually have a lifeexpectancy of 3-6 months but I have decided Koda and I are going to kick some cancer butt and I keep my spirits high. Koda is having chest Xrays in 2 weeks to see if any mets have developed on his lungs and when they raise their ugly heads then we will treat that with Feldene (non steroidal anti inflammatory).
Are you seeing a oncologist/specialist vet??? I ask because after the tumor diagnosis we went to the specialist clinic for further tests and they were going to charge us $2500 for the amputation, but Koda's breeders vet (normal community vet) charged $900. So do your research on that but make sure that you still choose a vet that comes with good recommendations!!!!!
I would recommend trawling though the previous posts on here (which you have probably already done), as most owners don't look back and are happy that they went through with the amputation. It isn't a guarantee but it might prove good odds that Toto just may cope well. You know your dog. WHatever you decide to do, you love Toto and you will have only your love for him in your mind when you make your decision.
Storm and Koda:)
Storm and Koda,
Thanks for the reply! I have been feeling so alone. It really does help to hear from someone who has been there.
Toto is around 3 years old (we don't know exactly because he was a stray). The limping is in his front left leg. The vet said the cancer is in the upper part of his leg. We haven't had a biopsy yet, but from the x-ray it appears to be osteosarcoma. From the x-ray, his lungs look clear.
We love and trust our vet, so that makes things a little easier. We know he has Toto's best interest in mind and it really helped talking to him. After talking to him I really wanted to move forward with the surgery. But then I found that my husband was leaning the opposite way.
I am so glad that Koda is doing well. It made me cry to read about how he is running around... and happy.
Thanks again.
And Toto, Too – fighting the good fight against hemangiosarcoma http://tootswee.....pawds.com/ Amputation - 9/21/09 Earned his wings - 7/09/10
Hi there! Hearing about a cancer diagnosis is so hard, but this is the right place to be for support. When we found out Jack had cancer and then learned about the pros and cons of surgery, we decided that amputation was really our only option. Amputation gets rid of the primary cancer source and eliminates the extreme pain the dog may be in. In some cases (as was our case), limb sparing surgery could be an option, but removing only the tumor leaves behind spindly cancer cells that surround the primary tumor and would eventually grow into another tumor. So we had the surgery a little less than a week after the diagnosis. Although some doggies take a lot of time to heal afterwards, Jack was up and moving the day after surgery and, according to the vet techs taking care of him, he was running in circles and jumping up on counters less than 24 hours later. We took him home the day after his amputation and he was too active and ended up with broken capillaries and abdominal bruising. Around this same time (about 3 days after surgery), he also developed phantom pain and would just scream and scream. That was almost as scary as finding out about the cancer because we had no clue what was going on. He went back to the vet for observed bed rest and gabapentin for the phantom pain and after that he's been good as new. He goes on walks, runs after his ball (even jumps in the air for it), plays with his brother, and can still do his high-five trick. He is exactly the same after amputation as he was before, except he doesn't have a nasty bone tumor. As far as costs, our specialist was charging over 3k for the surgery, but our regular vet recommended a surgeon who did the surgery for around $1,500. We did decide to do chemo and went with Adriamycin. Our oncologist wanted to do 6 treatments, but because of the cost factor, we are having to stop after 4 (around $400 every 3 weeks). We just had our 3 month ampuversary and got clear x-rays about 3-4 weeks ago. There are a lot of things to think about, but in our case and in the thread on here about regrets, NO ONE has regretted their decision to amputate. Let us know what you decide for your dog's treatment!!
<3 Laura and Jackers
Hi toots. Toto is so cute! I'm so sorry he's hurting right now and you are too.
I understand what you are going through and you are at such a difficult place right now, having to decide which direction to go. I have seen a lot of success stories here and a lot of happy dogs. The thing is that making a decision will be a weight off your shoulders, whichever way you go. Right now, research and read and take time to think it over. You will come to the right decision for you and Toto. I feel like I rushed into things and we had Boinka into surgery within a week. I had a lot of questions for the surgeons and the vets that I let go because I didn't give it enough time. Write down your questions and make sure you get some answer or even an "I don't know."
I can tell you only what we've spent for Boinka's care and what we expect, or expected. Her amputation surgery cost approximately $2600. The work prior to that (x-rays, blood work, etc.) cost around $600. The complication surgery is currently at about $1200 with the stay and she's not out of the hospital yet. The chemo plan was carboplatin, 4 treatments at $600 a treatment. The rehab consultation is $150 and I'm not sure how much rehab is. The incidentals, around $400 so far. Like anything complicated or major and with regard to cost, plan for the worst and hope for the best.
Take care and give Toto a hug for me.
Mel
Hi Tootsweets,
although this is a totally black day for me, I want to share our experience with you... Hori got amputated 4 weeks ago, and this morning left over the Rainbow Bridge...
Regrets? None.
Of course, if we had KNOWN, that she wouldn't recover, we woudn't have done it, but there was a chance that she would be happy and painfree again like so many others in this forums. That was all that counted at the moment of decision.
Had we not tried it, we would be asking us forever what would have happened if we had gone through with surgery, maybe she would be playing happily with her pals!... with the pain she was living with, she wouldn't have lasted long and we would have had to put her to sleep.
Talk it over with your husband and always know, that there is no wrong or right decision. You know your pup best, and know what you can put him through and what not.
Hugs and good luck
Cecilia & Spirit Horacia
Spirit Horacia, Castaño, Olympia + human family Cecilia, Georg and Julia - - - Hori first diagnosed 8/6/09, ampu 8/12/09, run over the bridge 9/10/09 – We miss you every day dear girl!
Hi Toto or tootsweets
What great names you have and how much your parents love you!
From what I have seen through this website over the last 8 weeks, small young dogs have no trouble recovering from amputation - is that fair to say everyone? Sometimes us big guys (Hori is a Great Dane, Boinks is a St Bernard, both probably weigh around 150 lbs) are slow to get going, although lots of other big dogs do well (Tazzie #1 the mastiff, Oslo the newfie, and Storm in the mid to large range). An 80 lb dog is relatively small when it comes to our OSA cohorts. If a dog is slow to get moving, it might sometimes reflect an other underlying issue (e.g., heart, joint disease).
My point is that I am not aware, either from this website or in person, of a tiny tot like yourself having any trouble dealing with life on three legs. My vet brought his tiny tot tripawd to the clinic for me to meet. Those legs moved so fast that I could not tell whether she had 2, 3 or 4 of them! I'm sure there must be an exception, for example, if a small dog was elderly and ill, but I haven't heard of it yet.
You can do chemo but you do not have to just because you amputate. If you use carboplatin, used by most dogs here, you should expect minimal (maybe loss of appetite) to no side effects. That don't try to pull all stops to kill the cancer the way they do with humans. I took my dog to the park before and after chemo yesterday, so he just spent the day getting attention from people there rather than sitting at home alone. I mean, perhaps he'd choose the latter, but it was not a big deal.
Sadly, cancer treatment is expensive. Jack, the mid-sized and very lively dog featured above, was very good at shopping around to lighten the burden on his parents.
It is confusing because you have to learn so much so fast.
Susan & Tazzie 2
Hey there Toots! You're not babbling at all, that's what we're here for. To listen. I'm so happy to see so many Tripawds members already responding, and hope it helps you (and your husband) with the difficult decisions you face.
Hey everyone: be sure to check out Toto's new Tripawds Blog too!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thank you soooo much for your replies. I am sure you understand how much it means to me. I have had animals all of my life… but this is the first time that my animal (not my parent's) is sick. This is the first time that I have to make a decision like this by myself (and my husband). It is just horrible. Thank you for sharing your experiences in good times and in bad. Cecilia, I was so sorry to hear your sad news. But I understand what you are saying. You did everything you could.
Toto is just 15 lbs, and already getting around pretty well hopping on 3 legs. I think he would do fine with the amputation. But at the same time he is such a baby! I know he would cry and cry… that is how he has been any time he was under sedation. Then I would just hold him on his back like a baby until he calmed down. I would hold him like that forever if it made him feel better.
I started a blog (And Toto, too) last night when I was losing my mind! I have found it cathartic to write on here and in the blog. I am hoping it helps me to deal with all of these feelings and figure out what to do.
Toto's Mama
And Toto, Too – fighting the good fight against hemangiosarcoma http://tootswee.....pawds.com/ Amputation - 9/21/09 Earned his wings - 7/09/10
tootsweets said:
I know he would cry and cry … Then I would just hold him on his back like a baby until he calmed down.
Not that you aksed, but here's a tip we've learned from a couple animal behaviorists. While we hear of many new tripawd parents coddling and sleeping on the floor with their babies after amputation, such activities only reinforce the behavior of crying and wanting attention. What they need most at times like this is a strong, calm pack leader to show them all is fine.
I know its hard to see them "suffer" but if you remain strong they will be too. If you appear sad and worried, they will pick up on that energy and follow your lead. The recovery from amputation is much more bearable than the cancer pain, which will only continue to get worse.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Yoda has done awesome on three legs! He just had his three month ampuversary. One month after his amputation he was back at the dog park playing chase. He suddenly catches the tennis ball better than he did with four legs (probably the tumor was distracting him) and I finally know why he suddenly stopped wanting to get in the car over a year ago - after the amputation, his hesitation about getting in vanished! It has been totally worth it just for these past three months. He was limping a long time before the vets figured out it was cancer, so I was so glad that he would have the opportunity to run and play pain-free again even if the cancer would ultimately win. Plus with a median survival of 1 year with amputation and chemo, I couldn't convince myself not to go for it so long as I had the money.
I believe Yoda's total costs for amputation and chemo (including some meds Yoda needed for side effects) was going to be close to $5,000. I think amputation was a little under $2,000. The vet school had some studies going on that saved us several hundred total for participating and then they stopped the chemo after 3 of the 4 treatments because he developed lung mets despite the chemo, so I ended up paying closer to $4,000 for everything.
And Yoda is still going strong so far! He has not yet shown any signs of lethargy or loss of appetite. For Yoda it has only been a few weeks since they found the mets, but I've read posts here about dogs who have survived several months after the cancer returned to the lungs, so who knows? We're just enjoying every day of our borrowed time.
Results vary, of course, as do people's ability to pay and the decision you make will be the best one you possibly can for your family. Best wishes and good luck!
Yoda&Mom united: 9/5/06 …….… Yoda&Leg separated: 6/5/09……… Yoda&Leg reunited: 10/14/09 ……… ……………….………….………….……. Yoda&Mom NEVER separated! …………………….….……....….…… Though Spirit Yoda currently free-lances as a rabbit hunting instructor for tripawds nationwide
tootsweets said:
I started a blog (And Toto, too) ... I have found it cathartic to write ...
PS: That's exactly why we started Jerry's blog at the time of his diagnosis and amputation back in 2006. It's heartwarming to see how the Tripawds Community has grown and we're glad you've joined us.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Dear Tootsweet and Family,
Sorry to hear of the diagnosis but you have come to a wonderful site for support. I am a little late to the discussion since I did not log on this morning. Let me address the issue about regrets. It took a while but I found a discussion topic regarding this specifically at this site. As you read the posting from the link above, I think that you will find a nearly unanimous agreement that there are no regrets going down this path. None of us "like" having made the decision to amputate, but given the diagnosis and treatment options, in the end, it was really the only decision. Yes, the journey of amputation and aggressive chemotherapy that I chose for Cherry has been tough. Others have had an easier time but just as many have had a harder time. We will be ten months post amputation at the end of next week and the quality of life that Cherry enjoys is great. Their adaptability will astound you. The journey has been both emotionally and financially draining. Numbers have been posted and can vary significantly based upon the area of the country. Ours reached the $11,000 mark at the end of Cherry's chemotherapy but I cannot put a value on the love and the additional "borrowed" time that I have received.
You are not "babbling" when you are attempting to pull your thoughts together and seeking support. We have all been there and truly do feel for you during this difficult time. I think that it was great to start a "blog". I kept a diary of what was happening to Cherry from nearly the beginning. This diary allowed me to access the progress in a more factual manner. When attempting to determine if things are better today, it is better to look back days, weeks, and months to really see the progress. I disagree about your conclusion about ultimately "winning" this war. This too was a discussion topic. We all knew when we brought home our precious companion for the very first time, that their time with us was limited. We need to enjoy every day we can with them for the wonderful gift of that time. Thus, for those of us already on this journey, "winning" is defined by being able to have even just one more day of quality time together. I know that this is a very subtle distinction but a very useful one well presented by Jerry. Such an attitude helps to keep a positive attitude around Cherry or any other TriPawd.
Good luck to you on your decisions but above all be assured that whatever decision you make regarding treatment, it will be the best possible for all your family. No one knows Tootsweet like you do.
Bob & Cherry
Horacia said:
Hi Tootsweets,
although this is a totally black day for me, I want to share our experience with you… Hori got amputated 4 weeks ago, and this morning left over the Rainbow Bridge…
Regrets? None.
Of course, if we had KNOWN, that she wouldn't recover, we woudn't have done it, but there was a chance that she would be happy and painfree again like so many others in this forums. That was all that counted at the moment of decision.
Had we not tried it, we would be asking us forever what would have happened if we had gone through with surgery, maybe she would be playing happily with her pals!… with the pain she was living with, she wouldn't have lasted long and we would have had to put her to sleep.
Talk it over with your husband and always know, that there is no wrong or right decision. You know your pup best, and know what you can put him through and what not.
Hugs and good luck
Cecilia & Spirit Horacia
Cecilia,
Bless you for having the strength to help someone else while your pain is fresh and your heart heavy. The wonderful folks on this forum never cease to amaze me.
Sorry for the off topic folks, just had to say it!
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.
Welcome to our little family. We of course wish no one ever had to join, but gosh are we glad to have one another!
We've all been where you are. The decisions are so difficult. Take your time, do your research, talk to your baby, and make each and every decision based on what is best for Tootsweet. It isn't uncommon for you and your husband to have different feelings about the decisions to be made. Talk it through, you will come to a conclusion you can both agree on.
For us it was the chemo decision. Bob wanted to do it from the very beginning, I was really afraid it would degrade Trouble's life. Along with the advise of our wonderful vet, I was finally convinced to give it a try once. If there were bad reactions or Trouble did poorly, we wouldn't do any more.
Trouble did wonderfully all things considered. She had some mild nausea and was tired for a day or two, but she's happy and with us 9 1/2 months later. Was it the amputation alone or the combination of the two? We'll never know for sure. What we are sure about is there are no regrets for the decisions we've made.
Good luck and good thoughts coming your way!
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.
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