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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Aloha Everyone
So i got the hard news yesterday that my dog Iñego (a very spunky JRT) will need his front left leg amputated due to a soft tissue sarcoma that is growing rapidly. My vet referred me to this forum for resources. I cried practically all day and this morning because my dog is 15 1/2, arthritic and has IVDD (in the upper/neck vertebrae---managed excellently with his wiggleless back brace) and I worry about his quality of life.
They ran several test and she told me his neurofunction was excellent (they checked due to his IVDD), and he saw the cardiologist that performed the echogram to clear him for surgery. She told me he is really healthy and a good candidate and that most dogs recover pretty quickly and are able to figure out mobility rather quickly even senior dogs.
My concern is with his IVDD and the hopping he would need to adapt when relearning mobility, I don't want him to further aggravate IVDD because it does cause him a great deal of pain when aggravated. He is currently on Gabapentin 3x a day to manage nerve pain from his slipped disc in his neck, as well as for his arthritis (The vet mentioned starting him on NSAIDS for his arthritis) sometimes when he walks his back legs give out (only inside because my floors are slick--investing in carpert runners this weekend) and sometimes when he lays on his side he has a hard time getting himself back up using his four legs. I already invested in a 3 in 1 stroller (with a detachable dog carrier) because I have another dog (kokopelli) who enjoys longer sunset beach walks with his brother and I don't want to compromise his quality of life, so I have been getting Iñego use to the stroller by letting him walk half way and then pushing him for the last half of the walk and he seems to take to the stroller well.
Anyway, I am trying to stay "paw"sitive and the vet (who is a specialty vet) has been really good about reassuring me that he would recover ok and that she would not recommend him for amputation if she didn't think he was a good candidate. My personal vet wanted to just do a debulking surgery on him but when I brought Iñego to the specialists they all said that the only way they would recommend debulking is if I followed up with radiation, this is not a practical option because I live in Hawai'i and there are no dog radiation facilities on island, I would have to fly to Seattle for that--and with COVID/travel restrictions, the fact that radiation could still leave viable tumor cell and/or cause damage to surrounding healthy tissue and bone it just doesn't make sense which is why I made the decision to go forward with the amputation (Scheduled next Friday 10/30/20)
IF anyone has any advice with dogs with IVDD and amputation it would be greatly appreciated. I know I am doing what is best for him, but it is really scary and I am taking this way harder than I could imagine. Iñego and I have been through a lot together and I am sure you can all relate when I say I care for him like I would any member in my family and being a senior, I just want him to have the best quality of life that I can give. My biggest fear is that due to his other comorbidites he will not be able to regain mobility and being a spunky JRT I don't think he would be happy with that outcome.
Mahalo for all of your support and this community, I am so glad my vet referred me here and while extremely nervous I feel comfortable about my dog becoming a member of this ohana. It has been a wealth of information but I am a bit overwhelmed and just trying to navigate through this day by day
Awww I'm so glad you found us too. Thanks for registering to become a member, your future posts won't need to wait for approval.
Please tell your vet we said Thanks! Can I ask who you're working with?
It was so smart of you to get a specialist's opinion. I agree that debulking would not be worth the effort or expense. We've seen lots of people come here after pursuing that same path.
IVDD can be such a tough condition. Scroll through these search results and you'll see that we've had a few Tripawd dog members with IVDD. It sounds like the vet is super confident about Iñego's ability to be hoppy on three and no doubt because of your excellent care. That's great! And although he's not a youngster, when it comes to smaller breeds, even ones around the same age as your dog can do really well.
I guess my big suggestion is, do you have access to a canine rehabilitation therapist? We think rehab is so important for all Tripawds, but especially dogs with a medical condition like IVDD. As a bonus, the Tripawds Foundation can pay for your first rehab visit so I hope there's one near you.
Stay tuned for feedback from others and be sure to check out Jerry's Required Reading List for some great articles about life on three. Our What to Expect articlesand e-books library are also helpful!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Online
First of all, your. love and devotion to Iñego comes shining through, He clearly has made it this long with his "challenges" because of your exquisite care!
Yes, you do have some additional challenges beyond his "maturity ". When addressing age alone we always say "age is just a number". And knowing the spunkiness of JRT, it could be more true. Of course, we always have to be aware of the " natural life span" as a dog ages, but, again, JRTs push that envelope to the limits, that's for sure!
And we do see seniors with arthritis proceed with amputation. It seems like you have tools in place to help along those lines...arthritis meds, the cart, the non slip rugs, etc.
Not familiar with the brace, so is this brace something that he wears all the time to keep his spine straight? Is it something that he can wear in a way that doesn't interfere with the amputation incision?
Obvioisly muscles are used in a different way as Tripawds adjust to their new gait. Even without IVDD, spine and neck muscles can be a bit overused at first as adjustments to being a tripawd get worked out. Wondering if a Rehabilitation Specialist could assess Iñego before the surgery just so you can get even more reassurance.
We are here for you to help in anyway we can, okay? Recovery is no picnic for a couple of weeks and can be a bit of a roller coaster. We've all been there so be sure and lean on us for support and information.
You are making a decision out of love and that is always the right decision!
STAY CONNECTED! YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
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 for the tips and support! It is helping me so much to slow the tears and let my rational brain take over! I was able to find a rehab center on my island, I spoke with them today and they suggested bringing him in after he heals from amputation.
The brace is a hybrid brace/harness with steel boning to keep his spine aligned. It is more preventative--he can move and walk without it, I just put it on so that he doesn't further aggravate his IVDD (he was diagnosed almost 2 years ago, and despite my vet warning of a sure progression to paralysis, he hasn't progressed yet and all his neurofunctions test excellent so it seems to do the trick) I don't know for sure, but looking at it it looks like it shouldn't interfere with the surgical incision site.
I know he is geriatric and that he has already surpassed the lifespan of most dogs which is why I questioned the whole surgery altogether. My only goal with him in his final years is that he be as comfortable and pain free as possible, with a decent quality of life---so I had to really come to terms if doing this was going to help him continue his quality of life or take away from it, I know there are no easy answers but today I think I got a sign. He started to bite at the tumor (which my vet said would happen when it starts to bother them) up until today it has not been causing any discomfort but I knew it was only a matter of time
I wish I found this forum sooner because when the mass first appeared in March I knew it wasn't like his other benign lipoma's and I brought him in three times over the course 6 months to get it checked out (I work in oncology for people so I knew this wasn't behaving like a benign growth but my vet kept assuring me it was nothing---eventually it grew from a size of a pea to a kiwi where I finally forced them to do a biopsy and that is when I learned what it was. From then on I took him to the specialists (Best decision ever!) to take over his care. Had I read through these forums sooner I would have pushed harder earlier for a biopsy knowing the symptoms were identical to what some others have experienced here with their pups and soft tissue sarcoma.
I digress--- I can't dwell on the pass, I will continue to handle the situation now, it is just hard given his age and IVDD. Reading through this forum, and speaking with the specialty vet was reassuring. I also spoke with my dogsitter (he was with her for 10 days a week ago) for an unbiased opinion and she told me he is a happy and spunky dog full of life that would fight and I should too--so that is what i am doing!
I just want to do what is right and best that is all, and i feel like I am. I downloaded the tripawds ebook and there was such a wealth of information--today I went and purchased some things for his "post op kit" orthopedic liner for his crate, adjustable food bowls so i can raise when he is ready to stand, extra large training pads to line the crate for accidents, the assist harness I saw on this site and some of those square foam tiles that click together that they use in playrooms instead of runners (The seemed grippier than carpet and they are pretty thick to give him a bit more cushion to walk on)
Thank you again for the support and encouragement, this is probably one of the hardest things I have been through and I felt so lost before discovering this community.
Aww I'm so happy we could make you feel better. A great attitude is key to a great recovery, you're on the way! Anytime you feel down, we are here to lean on and lift you back up.
Don't beat yourself up OK? For many of us here, we learned about our pet's cancer in a very similar way, myself included. It was the rocky road to diagnosis but it taught me how to advocate for my dog, and always get a second opinion when my gut instinct is telling me something is wrong. Your dog will never hold anything against you, promise!
Glad you found our e-books helpful, thank you for your support! Let us know how WE can support you guys now, we are here to help.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
One other thing that may help when decisions like this are not clear cut....What would Iñego want? So etimes it reallh does come down to that "gut instinct", that little enternal voice, that sixth sense of what Iñego would want. The fact that the leg caused him pain today, or yesterday, may be a "sign".
The main thing, and it's hard, is to move forward with a treatment plan with no regrets. Or, if you decide not to proceed, then make that decision with no regrets. Iñego knows uou ALWAYS have his best interest at heart and he knows he is adored and loved.
I'll just throw this but there. I have a friend who has been owned by many JRTs. They all loved to 17 or 18 years old. They are such tough dogs. One she has now has the same IVDD issue that has remained manageable with no flair ups. He's 17. And he does have four legs. Those four leggers are so weird.
((((((((((((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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