Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Stella is doing great. She gets around fairly well, but she tires out easily (which is to be expected, I guess). She's always been a mellow girl, so it's not too concerning.
Hopefully we will have pathology results on the leg and the mass that was removed from her arm pit by the end of the week. Any decisions regarding future treatment will depend on those results. In the meantime, she is being spoiled rotten!
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So happy to hear this pawsitive update. Keep up the good work Stella!
Scout: January 31, 2002 to November 7, 2011
Scout's diagnosis was "poorly differentiated sarcoma"; amputation 1/11/2011. Scout enjoyed 9 fantastic years on 4 legs and 9 glorious months on 3 legs. If love alone could have saved you…
Another spoiled tripawd. Harrrrumpp. No new news here.
Hurry up and get well Stella...the monkeydogs are coming after you when you do! We won't bother you while you are sick because ......we are nice that way.
-MBBVP
Yes, Stella - you need to get up and at 'em soon! And by 'em - I mean monkeybutt bunny dogs. Especially their leader - MonkeyButt Bunny Vampire Pirate.
I am going to tell you a big secret about what really bugs him - when a Triipawd Warrior Princess threatens to hold him down and kiss him! And you have Tripawd Warrior Princess written all over you! Glad to hear you are doing good. Get all better fast!
Kisses,
Angel Abby
P.S. I heard you pooped! Whoohoo. Doing the happy hoppy poop dance!
Abby: Aug 1, 2009 – Jan 10, 2012. Our beautiful rescue pup lived LARGE with osteosarcoma for 15 months – half her way-too-short life. I think our "halflistic" approach (mixing traditional meds + supplements) helped her thrive. (PM me for details. I'm happy to help.) She had lung mets for over a year. They took her from us in the end, but they cannot take her spirit! She will live forever in our hearts. She loved the beach and giving kisses and going to In-N-Out for a Flying Dutchman. Tripawds blog, and a more detailed blog here. Please also check out my novel, What the Dog Ate. Now also in paperback! Purchase it at Amazon via Tripawds and help support Tripawds!
Stella seemed really depressed when I got home last night. My husband had been with her all day and said that's how she'd been the whole day. I decided to let her be involved in our normal routine with our other dogs, so she ate with them, then went out to the backyard to potty, then laid on her cot outside and watched the birds. She was SO much happier after that! I think she just wanted some normalcy back.
My advice to those with recovering babies--don't try to "protect" them too much after surgery. Keep them safe, obviously, but I think they need something that's the usual for them.
Stella looks so sweet and it sounds like she is doing real well. I think it's normal to "overprotect" especially when you have other dogs. I did the same thing. After all the wound is pretty large and scary looking to us. They just want to be treated like you normally would....at least my Rizzo did.
So happy she wants to be around the other dogs and pottying, yippee! The simple joys of tripawd pawrenthood!
Keep up the great recovery sweet Stella! Welcome to the Tripawd Warrior Princess Club!!
Suzie and Rizzo
Jack Russell born in 2001. Mast cell cancer found Dec 2009 and right rear amputation. Five rounds of chemo done before all treatment stopped. Living life to the fullest!! Read my story at http://rizzo.tripawds.com
Going nuts right now. Pathology report is back, but my vet is in the middle of an appointment and is going to call me back. I want to know what it says, but I don't. 
Happy to hear Stella wants to be back to her normal routines. We never separated Shadow from his sister, but he was/she is 11+ so they aren't as rambunctious as they once were. We even put him up on the bed at night because he would get his poopy look if we didn't.
Heather & Spirit Shadow
Try not to freak out out the path report. If anything...think the worst. Although, I'm not sure what the "worst" is.
Edited to add:
That may not have come out right after rereading it. I'm not wanting it to be the worst! I want it to be the best! But try not to worry.
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.
shelleycj said
My advice to those with recovering babies--don't try to "protect" them too much after surgery. Keep them safe, obviously, but I think they need something that's the usual for them.
Absolutely! Normalizing your routine as soon as possible is sooo important.
Paws crossed for a good pathology report, keep us posted.
Oh, and glad that you started a new topic here!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
We got the pathology report yesterday, and as suspected, it says she has "Osteosarcoma with presumptive lymph node metastasis." Report said the mass that was removed was completely comprised of cancer cells, and it is assumed (but can't be confirmed) that the mass is a lymph node that completely changed due to the cancer. Report also says there is a likelihood of metastasis in the lungs. Her lung x-rays were clear, and my vet thinks that a high-quality radiograph would show *something* if it were there. We will do another x-ray in a couple of months. In the meantime, we are meeting with a specialist on Tuesday. At this point, I'm leaning towards supplements rather than chemo, but I will know more after I talk with them.
She is doing great right now though--eating, drinking, pooping, peeing, sleeping, watching birds, and all the other fun dog stuff she loves. It's been a week ago today since the amputation, and I'm very thankful that it's THIS week and not LAST week at this time!!
I'm sorry. 
I think - our resident vet, Pam said that there is usually "micro" mets in the lungs with osteo but they don't show up on the radiographs. It's not uncommon. I don't think unless it's visable you should worry. I'll see if I can find the post.
I'm glad to hear she is doing great otherwise! Dogs don't care that they have cancer which is wonderful!
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.
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