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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So, I stumbled upon this amazing website on the same day brought my 10-year-old rescue cat , Yoda, into the vet for his front leg amputation. Up until very recently, Yoda has had zero health issues and enjoyed a wonderful life as an indoor-outdoor cat. He's never been very snuggly, preferring to spend his days adventuring and his nights waking mom & dad up in the hopes they'd let him go outside for more adventuring in the dark! Even as he got older, I marvelled at how youthful he continued to be, while our other cat (Chewbacca) of the same age just loves to snooze and snuggle most hours of the day.
Everything changed in November when Yoda came home from one of his adventures with an eye injury - a deep corneal ulcer. The treatment/recovery took about 6 weeks and was hard on everyone, with us giving him eyedrops every two hours and pain meds twice daily. After he recovered from that, the vet indicated he'd need to come back in for dental surgery as they'd found a rotting tooth during their initial inspection of him for the eye injury. So, on Jan 20th he went under anaesthesia and had two teeth removed. Afterwards, he struggled to recover his appetite but he was doing alright spirits-wise and energy-wise.
Two weeks on and I noticed he started limping. We took him in two days later, as he'd started hopping on his leg. It was the same leg they'd injected the catheter into for his dental surgery, so the vet did an x-ray of his lower leg and found soft tissue damage. She gave us Metacam for a week. He continued to hop and didn't seem to be improving, so I brought him back to the vet, thinking there was just some issue with the injury taking longer to heal than normal.
This time, they took an x-ray of his entire leg and discovered that his elbow bone was either cancerous or had an infection. There was no further testing they could do to conclusively determine it was cancer, but they felt that was much more likely the case than an infection. To be honest, it was a shocking find for everyone, as the vet also expected something related to the soft tissue injury. In any case, we knew he was in pain and that amputation was the only LT solution to removing the pain (even if it was an infection, the vet advised it would very likely be painful for the rest of his life).
I'm the kind of person that moves fast with decisions, especially if there are consequences to not deciding quickly (e.g. my cat is in pain, the cancer could spread).
So, here we are 18 hours post-op. I wasn't fully prepared (can you ever be?) for what it would be like post-op. I was just grateful that when the vet looked at his lungs and spine yesterday, before proceeding with the amputation, there was no sign of cancer spread. I thought 'great, we don't have to say goodbye today'. But I didn't think about how hard it would be to see my boy so sad, despondent and lethargic. So confused by his own body.
He hasn't drank any water or food since leaving the vet's. They said it may take a day or so, since he's on a lot of pain meds. I'm trying to stay hopeful, but gosh I'd really like to see him take a sip of water or eat just a morsel of food. If anyone has any insights in this regard, I'd greatly appreciate it!
I will update here on Yoda's progress. So thankful for this place on the internet, it's been encouraging to read others' stories of recovery and happy lives post-op!
Welcome to you and Yoda (and Chewbaca!). I'm sorry you had to join our club but glad you found us.
What a way to reach the amputation decision, yikes! You dealt with it quickly though and that's super helpful. It's like whiplash but you can cope, and Yoda can too. Have you seen our Cool Tips for Tripawd Cats book yet? Or our What to Expect articles ? I highly recommend them 🙂
Also, remember that Yoda's behavior is likely a result of pain medication. That's good, you want him to rest and heal, and the meds, as wonky as they make him, help do that. What kind of meds did he come home with? How much and how often?
How is Chewbaca coping with his buddy?
He hasn't drank any water or food since leaving the vet's. They said it may take a day or so, since he's on a lot of pain meds. I'm trying to stay hopeful, but gosh I'd really like to see him take a sip of water or eat just a morsel of food. If anyone has any insights in this regard, I'd greatly appreciate it!
Keeping him hydrated is key. Eating is important too, but not as much right now as drinking water. You can spike his water bowl with tuna water to see if that helps. Do it soon, don't wait long or it could get risky if he's not hydrated. For eating, Churu cat treats are the go-to thing around here. Slightly warmed cat food, served without medication and on paper plates, is also helpful. Give the meds separately so he doesn't smell them and wash your hands before and after handling any meds.
Our Appetite Tips articles have helpful info:
https://nutriti...../appetite/
Let us know how he is doing!
Jerry, thanks for the reply and additional information to help support Yoda! I didn't realize my post had been approved until I was scrolling through the forums today and saw it listed 🙂
An update on Yoda, one week since his surgery.
So, the good news is that he is eating, drinking water, and eliminating. On the third morning after his surgery, I was surprised when decided to escape the room we'd been sequestering him in. I opened the door and he just bolted. It was a stark change from the night before when he was really disoriented and wouldn't move from his little bed.
We decided that keeping him sequestered would cause more stress than letting him roam to his favourite places in the house. Also, he could access his litter box in its normal place (We had put out a new one for him when he got home from the vet's but he didn't use it and urinated on the floor instead).
So, that day (Friday) and Saturday, he seemed to be pretty alert and was hopping as if he'd always been on three legs. He started eating, drank water and used his old litter box. I was optimistic for a quick recovery.
Now here's where it gets a little weird (in my opinion). Since Sunday, it seems like he is more lethargic and less interested in moving around. Last night he peed and defecated in the upstairs bathroom instead of the litterbox (mind you, I had forgotten to put the scoop back in its place and it may have seemed like an obstacle). His behaviour is also quite unlike the 'old' Yoda. He was never snuggly before and had never wanted to sleep in our bed with us. Two nights ago I woke up in the middle of the night to find he's jumped up (it's a high bed) and is sleeping between my husband and I. He did the same last night. and slept with us When he's not snuggling with us, however, he is randomly hiding. It's hard to say whether it's because he's anticipating the meds or because he is in pain. Probably it's both. He's supposed to go off both meds (Gabapentin and Metacam) today, but I asked the vet about keeping him on Gabapentin at least and they agreed that was the best course of action.
Any thoughts on why he might be more sleepy and less active than he was on days 3 & 4? My only thought is that the vet gave him a long-acting pain med during surgery that would have worn off around midday on Saturday. So maybe he was actually feeling the pain less then and is now feeling it more? I'm still hopeful for a full recovery, but lots of restless nights and worry are the norm right now!
Oh, in answer to your questions: Gabapentin (1 mL0) twice daily and Metacam at 5kg (it's a weird metric used by the company) once daily.
Also, Yoda and Chewy were the best of buds in their younger years but over time they've drifted apart. I would say Chewy is giving Yoda slightly more attention than he usually does (but he usually gives him zero attention, haha). Chewy is also enjoying many treats as I feel bad excluding him from treat time when I give Yoda treats!
Hey you are so welcome, I'm glad you saw your post! And super glad you talked to your vet about what's going on. Overall it does sound like his recovery is pretty normal.
What I think is happening is that his body is getting really tired from so much movement so soon after surgery. I understand the problem with keeping him contained in a room, and causing all that stress. IMO being able to free roam around the house though is likely the cause of his pain signals , because it does sound like his pain is well-controlled medication-wise. Chewy doesn't seem to be an issue, but that is so nice he's being a good brother.
Yes, the injection he got during surgery is a 3-day, so that could be another cause of why he's feeling meh. It might be helpful to see if you can give him Gabapentin 3x daily to keep a more consistent flow of pain control in him. Not sure how to do that with such a small dose so please talk to your vet about that.
If there is any way to minimize his movement in the house, like only changing rooms when you do, or keeping him in a large dog crate where he can see you (I know that sounds kooky but lots of Trikitty people have done it and it worked out well). Putting your mattress on the floor is also something that works for many people.
Not sure if these suggestions are realistic but they could help him build up enough stamina and strength to help him heal and feel better.
Brilliant, thank you for your suggestions, Jerry. I'll ask about the Gabapentin. He seems to be limiting his own movement at this point - he's mostly been lying on our bed for the last 24 hours- only getting up to pee/poo once and then trying to hide from meds this morning (under our bed, so not very far away haha). He's back on the bed, resting now. If he starts moving around again, we'll look to keep him contained. Thanks again, it really is SO valuable to have a place to come and ask questions and get reassurances, grateful for this place on the internet 🙂
Just catching up on your beloved Yoda (and Chewy too). Jerry has given you so much information and invaluable insight.
Just know you are soing everything right. You are very observant and know your Yoda so well.
Aweet that Yoda wants ro sleep with you now. We do see where cats and dogs who were more aloof before surgery, become a bit more of a cuddle bug after surgery. I think they've learned to embrace the attention and spoil.
Overall it sounds like he is soing well. And yes, the hising co be to avoid having to take pills. Keeping him on Gaba a bit longer is a good idea in case he does still hsve some pain (not unusual).
Extra ear scritches from us to both kitties
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!
Thank you for your kinds words and support, Sally! It's really been a tough week, with very little sleep for me and a whole lot more than normal for Yoda haha!
Hi Jerry, Me again!
I wanted to give an update on Yoda's current condition and see if you have any insights/thoughts.
So, Yoda has continued to rest/sleep most of the day and night. he is very inactive compared to before he had surgery (albeit, his activity pre-surgery was mostly outdoors, while he mostly came inside just to sleep and eat).
He has been eating, but not as much as usual. This has been compounded by the fact that he had dental surgery only about 6 weeks prior to amputation and his mouth is still healing. He is eliminating regularly. He is snuggling a LOT and hiding less than he was earlier in the week. Mostly, he's been sleeping.
The vet asked us to bring him in today to see how he's getting along. He said that his wound is healing well and he sees no signs of pain, etc. He suggested we reduce the Gabapentin to .5ml twice daily and stop the Metacam to see if this helps reduce his drowsiness and increase his activity.
He did mention that if Yoda doesn't become more active over the weekend, they may need to do bloodwork. A possible complication is that there may be some complications related to the fact that he's had anaesthesia twice in a short period of time, as well as Metacam for three different issues over the past three months (starting with the eye injury in November). Of course, this has my (very tired) mind spiralling, as now I'm worried he's going to have some sort of permanent damage to his kidneys or other organs from the medications he's been on. Hoping that he's just taking his sweet time recovering and that we'll see more activity in the coming days, but equally worried about unanticipated complications that could impact him long-term and could be costly to manage.
Thanks for any insights/thoughts you might have!
I know it seems like an eternity, but this really is still very early in tecovery. Yoda just had MAJOR surgery and is trying to adapt to three legs while in pain meds.
Okay, there IS progress so let's celebrate that. Yoda is hiding less; he's pottying (huge victory); hiding less; he IS eating, even if just a little; snuggling with you is a good thing.
And yes, rest is healing but it may be that the pain meds are making him a little too lethargic. So the reduction may perk him up a bit.
Wouldn't be worried about all of the "what if possibilites " the Vet mentioned. They always have to throw out these types of things, but I don't think they realize how worried it makes us hoomans on this journey. The fact rhat he's pottying, eating "some", etc and mobile enough to get up to go potty seem to indicate he is on the road to recovery at his own pace and in his own way. Plus I'm guessing Yoda had bloodwork up done prior to surgery, anf prior to dental, and all was good then,
Let us know how the reduction in the meds works out. May take a two or two plus to see less lethargy .
Hanf in there! TRY to be patient. Ha4d, but you can do it!
Hugs
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
PS. Just curious, did the Vet put Yoda on an antibiotic? Some Bets do, some don't.
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!
Hi to you as well! I'm just now able to check in and get into what's going on with Yoda, thanks for your patience.
I'm so glad your vet checked him out and the plan sounds really reasonable. Don't worry about the what ifs. Vets give the worst case scenario just in case, but usually things don't have to go that far and the recovery gets back on track. Metacam is shown to be safe in cats for a recovery like this, try not to panic.
Yoda does sound like he is having a normal recovery especially considering what he has been through recently. Between the anesthesia, injury, and then amputation, That is a lot of whallops to any body but for a 10 year old cat it's more than the usual amputation situation. That's not to say he won't get back to a good quality of life, it just means that he may be taking longer than usual just out of being so tired.
As Sally mentioned, focus and celebrate the good things happening right now. Keep yourself in that state of mind. Play interactive brain games to boost his engagement level. And journal about the good things you see, to remind yourself they really are happening. If you just wait in nervous anticipation the next few days, you're likely to focus on the negatives, if there are any (I hope not!).
You can always journal here too, we want to know how he's doing so keep us posted oK?
Hi Sally, thank you for the support and tips, sorry I haven't replied it's been a hectic week. I will share an update about Yoda's progress in this thread, but suffice to say, you were spot on with your advice not to worry 😉
Hey Jerry,
Again, thanks for the encouragement and tips, love this community so much!
So, it's been a week since I posted, and oh how things have changed..for the better.
Yoda was still not himself on Saturday of last week, but on Sunday things changed for the better quite abruptly. He was gazing out the windowsill in our bedroom (the only place he would go besides our bed). It was a really nice day here in Canada (by nice, I mean it was above freezing!) so I opened the window so he could feel the fresh air and hear outdoor sounds. I also took off his tube sweater. Suddenly, he perked up and started moving around the house... looking for me to feed him, jumping up on a chair to get to another windowsill, and so forth. It's been like that every since! A remarkable and sudden upgrade in energy! We decided to take him off the pain meds and this also seemed to help with his energy levels. He was back at the vet to get his stitches out on Wednesday and the vet said he's healing really, really well!
I will note that he has a very different personality than prior to surgery. He sleeps with us every night (a dream come true), he snuggles beside me on the couch, and he is just generally more cuddly/needy (in a good way!). I think he is a little sad/bored, however because he can't go outside. He LIVES for the outdoors and that's where he's got a lot of his stimulation and enjoyment in life up until, well, until he became a Tri-Pawd. We will build him a catio and try walking him on a leash once the weather is better and he's fully recovered, but in the meantime, I'll try these stimulating brain games you've suggested 🙂
Oh, and finally, we are STILL waiting on a histology from the vet to confirm what he actually had - cancer or an infection. Either way, the vet indicated that amputation was the only thing that would ensure pain-free living.
Thanks again, I'll keep you all posted with any new and exciting updates!
WOW! What a turn of events. I'm so happy he's got his sparkle back. This is really good news, and you sound terrific too! I think as spring comes on he'll be even happier. I love that you're going to build him a catio, they are such a great idea for all cats, not just Tripawds. Can't wait to see what you come up with.
YAY! Thanks for letting us know.
......."changed for the better quite abruptly " YAAAAAAY FOR YODA!!! And YAY for you staying the course and not giving up!! So happy to read this update!!!!
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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