How to Care for a Dog After Amputation Surgery

Lisa Colagrosso 2 years ago

I just want to alert everyone out there that because of Banfield Pet Hospital BUTCHERY...my poor cairn terrier has to have her fron leg amputated tomorrow. I am completely devastated. She is my world! BUT, I found an amazing company that does prosthetic limbs for our canine friends!

Orthopets.com They are fabulous! At least my Abbey can have a "better" recovery...and hopefully return to her normal terrier-self!

barbara 2 years ago

Our dog goes in for a hind leg amputation tomorrow and we are looking for aftercare info. Your tripawds website and this hubs article have been very helpful. The amputation is due to an old joint injury that has become chronically painful for Chewbacca. Since he is already used to using 3 legs we feel we feel he will adapt just fine to the missing leg. We would like to help him as much as we can to make the transition however and appreciate any info about his aftercare. Chewy is 8 years old and medium sized in good health. We live in the Costa Rica in the country and although we have access to a very good vet here we do not have easy acccess to products such as a harness that might be helpful. Wondering about homemade harness' that people have made and that we could copy.

Thanks for your web and dedication to 3 legged dogs.

Barbara 2 years ago

Hello Spirit jerry,

Chewy's amputation surgery went very well and after 3 weeks we are completely amazed at how well he has adapted and recovered. It is wonderful to see our beautiful dog enjoying life with out seeing all that pain in his eyes or lying around looking desolate.

Our vet did a terrific job and between him and all the useful info from your websites we were well prepared with what to expect.

We can now let him move about more and he has very good balance and flies along on his 3 legs ( it was a hind leg which was amputated)as easy as can be. It appears that we may not need any kind of harness for him but will keep in mind the shopping bag idea that you suggested. He had been used to balancing with only 3 legs prior to surgery so that may be why he is adjusting very quickly with the 3 legs post surgery. He is returning to his normal routines although we limit some of his activities ( such as no more going along with the horses when we go riding, it is too much for him).

Again, thank you for your dedication to 3 legged dogs and we will keep in touch with your website. We have not regreted for a minute to having Chewy's leg amputated and are so happy for him and his new pain free lease on life.

cheers,

barbara

Brenda 23 months ago

Thank you so much for all that you are doing. My Doberman Pinscher Billy just had his R front limb amputated yesterday due to Osteosarcoma and I need help with potty time. He is overweight 130lbs, however, he can still walk outside with our help and a towel harness. He always took several minutes of walking around and sniffing the backyard to find that special spot to urinate. Now when we go out together I am right next to him holding the harness and he does not know how to get his business accomplished with all the extra accessories. He can stand but I am afraid to let him stand or walk alone (without harness) because of his overweight stature. I see the pressure on that one front paw and don't forget the diagnosis is bone cancer and can pop out in the L limb as well. Any stories on how anyone else got their large breed dog out to potty with a harness or otherwise?

Thank you, Brenda and Billy

scout 22 months ago

Hello,

Today our yellow lab had his front leg amputated! Our family has been trying to rehab the leg for over a year, and the nerve just has never come back. This have been a really tough decision, and my dad his having the most difficult time with it. Today Scout came home and we were not expecting the largeness of the incision and we are all really upset! We understand that this is for his better health, and he already has been functioning on three legs, however, this is so upsetting.

How long will the recovery be? Is the fur going to grow back and cover up the incision? How can we help our dad with this situation?

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Bianca 22 months ago

Hello,

I'm so happy I found this website. Out family dog Wilbert had to have his front leg amputated. It's been a long nine months trying to rehab his poor leg. He went in for second surgery and then we got the call, " It's best to amputate". We were not prepared for this, least to say, we were all devastated. Now after surgery he's home, but I notice he's more active than I thought, he wants to walk around and is well aware of his surroundings. He's also become very territorial of me. He wants to be cradled like a baby, I'm not sure if this is normal? If he doesn't hear me, he'll whine, and as soon as he hears my voice he's quiet. Is this normal?

After reading the many experiences from others and their pets, I know were on the right track. I am a bit worried that he wants to be up and walking so soon, he's operation was two day ago. I talk to him and tell him he will be fine, but is there a fine line between reassuring him and babying him?

I appreciate all of your advice. It's needed...

Barbara van'tSlot 22 months ago

Hi Tripawds!

A few months back our dog, Chewba had a rear leg amputated.I wrote in about this as you can see above. Just wanted to let Bianca know that our dog was up and around very quickly as well after his operation. Once he was out of the anesthetic he wanted to be walking and was active right off the bat. Once the source of his pain was gone he behaved like any normal dog.We did have to try to limit his activity as he was so keen and not quite as strong yet as he thought he was. In fact our vet gave us instructions to keep him in a small space for the first week so he wouldn't move so much and to keep swelling down etc. It was hard to do this with Chewba but we knew it was best for him even when he whined for our attention sometimes. We just tried to keep him company as much as possible when he was restricted.

Now he is fully recovered and doing great.It is a bit upsetting at first to see your beautiful dog and his missing leg but when you see how your dog takes it all in stride it becomes easier. He will need a little babying at first but remember he is sensitive to your feelings and looks to you so be strong and confident for him and he will be fine. good luck!

Bianca 22 months ago

Barbara,

Thank you so much for your response. We've had him in a crate for his own good. Sadly, he's has spen most of the last nine months in a crate since the accident. I feel guily and bad for him. He's a strong pooch and has gone through so much this last months. We pray that this puts an end to this whole situation and he's able to go back to being a happy go lucky and most importantly, "FREE" dog.

Best Regards,

Bianca

Debby and Mike 22 months ago

I'm so glad that we found this site. Our Cairn terrier, Sam, is having his rear leg amputated tomorrow. We decided that rather than 19 radiation treatments, surgery which might--or might not--save his leg but would leave us with a 20% chance or re-occurance, and chemo we'd go with the amputation: better prognosis and less trauma for him. More trauma for us. Thanks for the hope you've all shared. It's good to know that there is somewhere to get practical advice. Thanks, Debby, Mike and Sam

Jeri 21 months ago

My 11.5 year old big lab mix just had her front leg taken last night. SHe had bone cancer. She slept well through the night and I have given her some water by hand this morning. She has not urinated since some time yesterday, and not with me. I don"t know how to get her up or if she'll even be able to stand with assistance. SHe is in a harness. Last night all legs buckled so maybe it was the meds. ALl I want to do is get her out and let her pee, then back to bed. Ahhhhh!

Amy & Zorion 21 months ago

Hi all,

It's great to find decent information about amputation and real people's experiences. My 8 month old kelpie pup is going in for a R hind leg amputation next tuesday, I had to make the devastating decision today. He dislocated his hip a couple weeks back and had a FHO operation 2 days after the accident to 'fix' it. because he is so young and still growing, the cut femur has started growing again, but now it's growing abnormally and interfering with how he moves his leg. There is another operation that can be tried to fix it, but with no guarantee that it will work, I've chosen the easier and less stressful way - amputation.

I'm scared out of my mind about this decision, although I know it will be in his best interest and he's young enough to recover fine and adapt well to it - he's moving around on three legs now so he won't have much difficulty adjusting to the change, and I have absolutely no issue with having a 3-legged pup. I know and trust the vet who will be performing the operation, I think I'm just overstressing about this entire thing.

Thanks,

Amy and Zorion

Liz 21 months ago

Our 5 month old lab had to have her front left leg amputated at the weekend due to a horrendous break. We are terrified that she will now hurt her 'good' leg. I have to say that 2 days after surgery she ran (unexpectedly) upstairs and she did this at great speed! Barricades are now in place to prevent this happening again. She tires easily and sleeps quite a lot but she's still a puppy so does need sleep.

I suppose what I'm saying is, this is a very difficult time with everyone having to adapt and we're just going day to day and keeping our fingers crossed. She is still the same loving girly as she always was.

Amy 21 months ago

Just an update

Zorion is out of surgery, it got pushed back 2 days, 2 hour operation went well, he's recovering nicely.

Thanks a lot for the well wishes, I appreciate it. Will update more when I get him home tomorrow.

Amy & Zorion

Jessica Farrell 21 months ago

My name is Jessica and my golden retriever’s name is buddy. He was shot on May 5, by my neighbor for no reason. He shot him in his left front elbow with a 38. I rushed him to a vet and his elbow was completely shattered. We had the choice to pay $3000 and try to have it repaired with no guarantees. We chose to amputate. I was scared. I went and got him yesterday with my four year old daughter. I went in the room first so I could get over the shock I was expecting. When I saw him it didn’t matter if he had four legs or three. He was so happy it took away all my fears. We are just starting our journey. He hates the E collar so I am putting Tshirts on him. I don’t know if this is a good idea or not because I am new to this so any help anyone can offer is greatly appreciated. He is walking better than I thought he would. He is having trouble balancing when peeing. He can actually jump in the air and catch his treat. I am willing to walk this road with him paw in hand..Any advice is helpful

Ruth Mason 21 months ago

Your site has been very helpful. Lazlo, who is 12, had a rear leg amputated a month ago due to cancer. We were happy at his slow but steady improvement for the first couple of weeks, but now, it seems that things are getting tougher. He is on diet to lose weight - the vet said that would make things easier. But it seems his hind leg buckles more, he is less willing to walk (we support him with a sheet when necessary, but I will switch to a shopping back now that I've read this), and when he needs to move only a bit in the house he sometimes just drags himself along. He is in good spirits though, and wags his tail as ever when we take him out or talk to him or pet him. Any advice? And where will I see the advice? I can't always find my way around big web sites! If someone could email me I would greatly appreciate it. I am a member of the site.

Thanks,

Ruth

Ruth 21 months ago

Thanks so much. I had just asked the vet about physical therapy and he told me there were two places that do water physcial therapy for dogs about an hour away. I think we will try it! I have gotten much useful info from your site. Keep up the good work!

Graham 20 months ago

My 12 year old pup has osteosarcoma in the hind leg knee. I know there is at best only a ten % chance that it has not already spread throughout her body already. I want to have the leg taken though because ten % is good enough chance. I am worried about the recovery though, I worry that the pain of recovery and the time of recovery would make the rest of her life miserable if it has already spread. Can anyone offer information about the time for recovery?

Graham 20 months ago

thank you for your answer and thoughts. My Shelia had her amputation Tue. she is doing great so far. Her chest x-ray was still clean of visible OS. We had been told by two vets not to do the amputation, that it would cause more pain that it would fix. Luckily there is a specific vet in the practice we usually see and when I spoke to him at last he was shocked and upset that we were told not to have the surgery. I have to say that just from his reaction and Shelia's pain relief already that surgery was and is the right thing for dogs healthy enough to under go the procedures. He is also going to start a chemo regiment for her. I would like everyone to know that they may be told that they have to go to some special vet or university to get a chemo treatment but if they call around and actually talk with the vets not their staff or techs or have a good relationship with a vet they may be able to find one that can handle the treatment local. anyway thank you and Ill keep you updated.

Grham

Cathy 20 months ago

My Sheep dog just had his back right leg amputated yesterday. He still has a bit of his upper thigh. I expected some swelling but it seems quite swollen to me. How do I know when it is 'too much' swelling and need to get him back into the vet?

Savanna 20 months ago

So happy to have found this site and support!

My 1 year old pug, Emmie had a bad break on her hind leg in April, which required a surgery with exterior pins to repair her femur. Today was the six week marker, and I took her into our vet for an x-ray (expecting to be well on our way to recovery). Unfortunately, her fracture was not healing at all as expected.. our vet thinks that Emmie may have some sort of bone density issue. My only option is to amputate and I am very scared, Emmie is my world.

She is already used to getting around on just 3 legs so I hoping that she will do just fine after surgery. It just breaks my heart to envision her with just 3 legs.

I am looking forward to her to get her "spunk" back, ever since the break she is just always tired and I can see it in her eyes that she is in pain.

Emmie's amputation surgery is on Tuesday, 6/15 - PLEASE SAY A PRAYER

Savanna

Cathy 20 months ago

Thanks for the response. I did take him back to the vet and the swelling is normal. So other future readers know, what had concerned me is that even one side of his penis was swollen and was told that is also normal. It has been absolutely amazing how well 'Sherlock' is already doing. Hardest thing for him is when he has to lay down as he wants to lay on his amputated side. it has been 2.5 days and he has made it up 6 stairs, goes for walks, and is smiling a lot of the time.

Marla 19 months ago

Thank you for posting this amazing site. Our border collie broke his leg six weeks ago and now there is an infection under his castand his break is not healing - We have decided to have his leg amputated today.

This site has given me the smiles and hope I need in order to get through the rest of my day and to see him in a few hours. We are praying for a speedy recovery which will help him get back to his usual self in no time.

Nadia 18 months ago

Hi... As I type my beautiful great dane Apollo is having front limb amputation due to osteosarcoma. Im on pins and needles because he is one of my babies. I also have another great dane(sibling from same litter) as well as a mini schnauzer.

I decided to do the amputation rather than keep a rather vulnerable limb that has the possibility of breaking with any minor incident and end up having to do it anyway. We visited a veterinary oncologist who would be the one giving Apollo his chemo treatments. She was helpful in explaining all our choices as to handle this rather ugly cancer. I definitely recommend seeking second opinions from oncologists. She also eased my mind that he would be just fine with three legs. Her clinic treats many large breed tripawds.

Your site has been a great resource to because Im so worried about after surgery care. Thank you for the information.

Nadia

Cindy 18 months ago

I found out a 13 week old puppy I rescued has to have his right front leg amputated. He is only 2.5 lbs - a runt and now this - I feel so bad for him. He is so sweet. The vets say too much joint damage - either due to septic infection when he was younger or a severe trauma. I have just started looking at these sites and they are helpful. I still feel awful but I am happy to see that he can live a full and happy life. He will have the surgery in a couple of weeks - they want him to be 4 -5 months old and over the cold he came with. I had not idea what to expect so this has been very useful.

Abby 18 months ago

We have a 7 1/2 year old black lab Puck who just had his left rear leg amputated due to an accident. He is walking around great and his incision seems to be healing well. My only concern right now is that he sometimes whimpers in pain and he seems like he just can't get comfortable. I thought that as the days go on he should get better. He seems to be more uncomfortable. Has this happened to anyone else? I have talked to the vet about more pain meds but I don't want to drug him up too much. Any suggestions?

Dre 17 months ago

Hi, my dog Dre is an 8 year old Rottweiler and just had his rear right leg amputated due to OS bone cancer. It has been three days since his surgery and I don't know if he is doing good? He is a pretty big boy weighing 130 pounds. We brought him home yesterday and struggled to get him out of the car and into the house. He can barely walk , we have to support him by basically holding him up with a sling the whole time he is up. It is very hard for me and my mom to do this as he weighs more than both of us. We just feel so overwhelmed from all of this and don't know if we can do this? We finally got him up today and he had a pee outside and then we brought him back in. It's so hard though trying to lift him up with th sling and then support him the whole time he is up. I feel like devastated right now and don't know what to do? I feel so bad, he is my baby and I just want him to be okay. Can someone give me any tips or help for this situation? I know in my heart that he will be able to walk but he needs practice and help before he can start to do it on his own. He doesn't want to get up though so that's the problem right now. Also the vet told us to put ice on the swelling which is really swollonh and scary to look at but he won't let us put ice on it? Please someone help? This website is amazing and thank you for all the stories and information. My heart goes out to all who have to go through this.

dre 17 months ago

Thanks so much for everything! It was great chatting with you, as I got to learn so much info. I have read the web links you have given me and feel a lot better. Tripawds you are amazing! I cant thank you enough for your support :)

Dre Dre xoxo

Dre 17 months ago

Hi... Just wanted to give a heads up about how our boy is doing. Yesterday was good as we got him up atleast 3-4 times and he has really started learning how to walk on his three legs as we support him but let him do most of the work. Today was amazing!! I'm so proud of Dre Dre as he actually got up by his self and he got up by his self like 3 times so far today!! We have been getting him up every 3-4 hours or so and he jas been adjusting very well. He is starting to find that rythem with his walling pace and hop. Me and my mom feel so relieved! Monday was so hard, it was the hardest time we have faced and thought maybe we did the wrong decision? We thought maybe he won't be able to walk on three legs? Now Wednesday and he is almost walking by his self!!! I feel 100% better and so does Dre!! I just want to thank you again for all your help and support, we honestly appreciate it so much!

Susan  17 months ago

I am happy to have happened upon this site -- my little bichon is going to have his front paw amputated this week after a malignant lump was removed and didn't heal well. I am devastated but your advise is useful -- I need to stop crying and take care of him. He is old, so I am concerned about his making it through the surgery: then we'll see to his recovery. He's been hopping around on three legs for the past few weeks as it is...I know if he comes through the surgery he will be ok. I'm just feeling so sad right now..

Barbara van'tSlot 17 months ago

Hello Spirit Jerry,

I can't believe that it has been more than 7 months since our dog, Chewba had his back leg amputated. it was tough at first, mostly dealing with our own worries, but your website sure helped us get through the recovery. Now we hardly remember that Chewy had 4 legs. A few months ago he was feeling so good he took off for an all day run in the jungle with one of our other dogs, Chico. This was something he hasn't done since he was a young unnuetered dog and not the three legged 9 year old he is now. We were scared to death but he made it home 6 hours later exhausted and practically crawling but happy as all heck. I guess without the pain he had before amputation he thought he could raise havoc like the old days!

Now we keep him contained alot more so this doesn't happen again ( and it hasn't).

I just want to say that it has been well worth it to go ahead and have Chewy's injured leg amputated as he has adjusted so well and is enjoying life without pain. He comes with us to the barn to feed the horses and for short walks around the farm and is still a good guard dog. He has a great appetite and is as cheery as a puppy again. No one even notices he has only 3 legs at first.We don't know how much more time he has with us ( he is getting pretty gray around the face)but the time he has had since the amputation has been so much more qualitatively better for him that we have no regrets.

cheers to all and good luck and hang in there!And thanks spirit Jerry!

Scott 17 months ago

PEZ had her front leg amputated in June and has been getting around pretty good. However, there are times recently that her front leg folds over at the wrist/paw area and she falls forward onto her chest and chin. It's becoming quite common now and I've been using a harness to help her walk outside or carry her. I'm trying to get suggestions on what we can do to support the wrist area when she's walking. Any ideas. Thanks.

Scott, Charlotte & PEZ

Sharon, Tony & Chance 17 months ago

We just had to decide which road to take for our 7yr old black lab mix, Chance after finding fibrosarcoma in his R front leg. After making the amputation decision and leaving our boy for the surgery today, the vet hospital called us to offer another option. Did we want to try radiation for a few months to try to save his leg. Now we are torn. How do you know if you have made the right decision? Should we call and stop the surgery this afternoon?

Alice 17 months ago

Hi Sharon and Tony - I'm sure Tripawds will respond but since I happened to see your comment I wanted to say that you can always reschedule the surgery at a later date if you're unsure about it today. Its a big decision and if you feel you need a little more time, you could put it off for now and have time to explore the radiation option. Hope all goes well with Chance!

Sharon, Tony & Chance 17 months ago

Thank you for you comments about the radiation. I have been researching and reading your site for a few days now, but just never commented. We discussed the options with the UF Vet Hospital doctors and just could not see putting our boy through the radiation for months, waiting to see if it really worked, then possibly be right back at the amputation option. We just wanted it gone so that we could continue life with Chance. Because of all the good reports from all of your supporters and others I have talked with, amputation just seems to be the best option. So, as I type (Thurs night) Chance is recovering from surgery. We are told that we should be able to bring him home Saturday morn. Now I am searching for how to cope (humanly) with the change. I still have some animosity towards our vet who passed over the 2 centimeter lump and even after it became 4, he still thought it was nothing to worry about, but 30 days later when it was nearly the size of a tennis ball and he took it out well, here we are....

Thanks to all and I will keep you posted on Chance's (and our) recovery.

Linda 16 months ago

we have a 9 year old black lab, she has Hemangiopericytoma on her back left hock. she has had 3 surgeries in 5 months, radiation is the only for of treatment for her other than amputation.

We live in Mexico, and are very limited to good animal care- there is no radiation here for her. the one small hope we had - the doctor said he wouldnt do it because he has never worked on animals. I am terrified. Shelby is healthy, and very active and so happy. I am afraid of what this will do to her, there is no rehab here for dogs, can you please end me some advise, and some emotional and menatal encouragement- I am devistated, and so sad for her.

Jess 16 months ago

I have a 2 year old German Shepard/Collie mix named Candy and tomarrow she sadly goes into surgery to have a rear leg amputated. She got hit by a truck after getting out of our fence and I painfully saw the whole thing. I'm having a very hard time dealing with this but I'm happy I found this website and realized I'm not alone. Is there anything I can do to make her recovery less painful?

Carly 16 months ago

My dog is getting a rear leg amputation tomarrow. After the surgery she will have an e collar on but our house is pretty small and I think she'll have hard enough time getting around. How long do you think she will have to wear it?

Amanda 16 months ago

My dog goes into surgery tomorrow morning to have her front left leg amputated. All of these comments have been very helpful. I just have one question. I have another dog as well and all he wants to do is play. Once her surgery is done..how long should we keep her away from the other dog who is very energetic! When will she be able to run around and play with him like normal?

joyhh 16 months ago

Hi. My dog Champ is 8 years old and was diagnosed with cancer. We thought it was osteosarcoma since it exhibited in the rear femur. But the oncologist found a lump on his spleen during the consult. We had his spleen removed that week and he was diagnosed with hemagiosarcoma. He underwent 5 chemo treatments and has completely clear lungs, liver, heart, etc so we are beating this even though the prognosis was extremely poor. We now got the ok from the oncologist and my regular vet to amputate the leg. It's the last bit of the cancer and chemo/rad will not cure it. He is scheduled for surgery next week. I am scared but I know this is what i have to do to give him a chance at a cancer-free life. After stitches are removed he will go on a 6-month low-dose chemo pill for maintenance.

Do you know if the recovery from the amputation will be much worse than his recovery from the spleenectomy? He did really well with that one.

I want to make sure everyone who reads this knows to not give up. They gave my baby a 1 - 2 month prognosis originally. I was agressive with treatment and now, 5 months later, he is healthy and we are talking in terms of years. Never give up!!!

Thanks,

Joy

Sherry 16 months ago

Hello--

It is the night before surgery, and I am both nervous and relieved, as my 11-yr. old golden, Bailey has been in pain with osteosarcoma for a while now. He has a hairline fracture on the tumor site on his rear left leg, and he is facing removal of that leg tomorrow morning. Given his age and his size (he is 90 lb.) I know that his recovery may be a bit more difficult than a smaller, younger dog, but I am hopeful he will do well. He is a trouper, and I am anxious to see him relieved of the discomfort he has had, but was stoic enough to hide from us. All of your information and comments from readers has helped me, but I can't help but be apprehensive.

joyhh 15 months ago

Today was Champ's surgery. They amputated up to the coccyx to make sure they got it all. The vet said it was a very ugly bone and definitely cancerous. They are doing a biopsy to see whether it is a metastatic hemangiosarcoma or an unrelated osteosarcoma. He has already been up and out to go potty, ate his dinner and is wagging his tail. I am so relieved right now. He comes home in 2 days and I have taken a day off work to take care of him. In 2 weeks stitches/staples come out and he starts on a low-dose chemo pill for 6 months.

Thank you for having this site to provide support and information.

Joy

Paula in Ontario 15 months ago

Hello Tripawds,

My 10 year old dog Jazz, who is also the love of my life, had her R front leg amputated 2 days ago due to cancer, and already she tries to get on and off the couch and up and down stairs! I cannot believe how strong of spirit she is.

Dogs can certainly teach us a thing or two about playing the hand we're dealt with in life and moving on. I can't wait to see her doing what she loves best, chasing squirrels and swimming!

sibemom 15 months ago

I am so glad I found this site. My 5 year old Border Collie Brody just has a rear leg amputation at the Stiffle yesterday. This was a situation that could have been prevented as his initial injury was a closed hock fracture. The vet that started his treatmen was doing a wonderful job and he was healing perfectly. He decided that since the fracture was not severe a closed reducing was the best option. He bandaged the leg explained how it was important to leave his toes out so I could check for circulation and swelling, he was doing great. 4 weeks after the inital injury I took him in for his weekly bandage change. My vet was on vacation and so I was handed off to the seinor partner in the practice. He applied the bandage and covered up his toes. I said WAIT why are you doing that, he said for stability of the fracture. Well he was the vet so why would I question. Well the next week when the bandage was changed again Brody's foot was swollen, cold, and starting to turn Black. I had to leave him there for urgent care and then this vet started coming up with weird theorys that made no sense. Brody had never bothered the bandage and even though I was vigilant with checking his leg there was no way for me to tell that this was going on underneath. During his stay at with the vet somehow he started mutilating his leg. How this happened is nothing more then irresponsable just like with the tight bandage. His foot was doing well, he was expected to only lose his toes and the circulation and healthy tissue was returning. Yesterday I got a call that yet again he had gotten at that foot and mutilated it to the point where they could not save the foot!!! I was so angery, but I am putting that aside. They did the amputation and now he is expected to come home today. Although I know he will recover just fine the bad part is that He is my medical alert service dog, and it is going to be very difficult for me to get my emotions in check but I will. If I do not stay upbeat and positive he is going to feed off of my energy and his recovery will be hampered. Thank You so much for this site it has much information that will help us in the days to come.

valsell 15 months ago

Kara had been hit by a car while under someone else's care while i was in the hospital. Talk about emotional! Anyway, my dogs ran out when the sitter opened the garage door. I was so upset! She started to regain feeling a couple weeks afterwards and was able to move her leg at the shoulder. We got mixed mssgs from 2 diff docs about the expected healing time for this and when a decision would have to be made. We a couple weks ago it rained and a few days later, kara gnawed off her bandage and bit at her leg. We took her in and they cleaned her real well & left on antibiotics. This weekend, my hubby changed her bandage and said her leg looked bad and worsened. We called the vet immediately and told us to bring her in. Kara wasnt bothering the site at all but it was time to do something about. I didnt know what to expect at all. I iust know its hard for me to look at pets who are injured so didnt know how i was going to handle it. We took her yesterday morning. She was so happy and followed tue vet right to the back, no problem. I felt so bad bcuz she didnt even know what was coming. I didnt know the incision was going to be exposed. My poor pretty girl kara. She was so out of it last night and was exhausted. My hubby ttoo her out this morning to do her thing and give her her meds. A few minutes later she walked into our bedroom. I talkedto her and pet her. Told her to lie down. She did and i did as well. Immediately after i closed my eyes, she woke me up with kisses. She is doing well. I'm glad she with us and glad tye accident wasnt worse. Now we have to teach our 4 and 1 year old how to be around her until she heals and we have to let our other dog see her. I hope the rest of this journey goes well. Oh...our vet didnt instruct us to get anything to assist her in any way. Is that odd? Should i check with her?

Barb  14 months ago

My Siberian husky Taz took off today and was hit by a car, she is in surgery right now having her front right leg amputated. I googled for care tips and came across this website-what great information! I've saved it in my favorites as I'm sure I will be referencing for info in the days/weeks to come. Thank you everyone for sharing your stories. Hopefully mine will come out as well.

Jeannie 13 months ago

My 19 year old Shih Tzu, Little One is to have her back leg amputated tomorrow. She has a strong heart but still I am concerned because of her age. She has gone from 12 lbs to 7 in three months of suffering with this. She will be 20 in two weeks. I am torn as to should I put her through this or let her go. I've only had her three years. I rescued her from a kill shelter. She had been so abused but has really come around to be such a little love. Although I have another Shih Tzu and a Pekingese this little girl has taken my heart. I don't want to be selfish but I don't want to give her further suffering at her age. How safe is it to do amputations at her age? Thank you

Gabby 13 months ago

my three day old puppy was attacked by one of our dogs, she went in to the house went straight into the cage grab the little puppy bit her and broke one of the legs, yesterday I made the decision of amputate the leg because it was to damage the vet said that she will do just fine , since I was thinking in putting her down for her not to suffer no more , well i opted for the amputation and now i regretted , after the surgery she was in to so much pain I was crying with her, now the mother does not want her and don,t want to feed her, i went to the store and bought some replacement milk, she can hardly drink, I put her next to me for her to be warm, but I just see her so helpless I do regret my decision, now i am worry because she hasn't have any bowl movement not even pee, It just have been a nightmare, they do suffer a lot with amputation at early age. I hope with the care around the clock she will be able to survived... :(

austin 12 months ago

thank you for this

awesome advice. my puppy angel somehow broke her front leg and is 2 we have to amputate. at first i was devistated but now i know she will be all right. she is a pappilion. my mom said we should not get nonslip covers. should we get nonslip covers for such a small dog

Amy 12 months ago

Hello,

My name is Amy and i live in Greece and i own a male 1,5 year old Rottweiler (Tyson)

This is my story...

It was the 30th of october when i went for a car ride,my phone rang and it was my mother crying and saying "amy come home,Tyson opened the gate and was running down the main road to find you and got hit by a car"....

I went home as fast as i could and saw my mother on the road with Tyson lying on the ground (the person who hit him had vanished soon as he hit him and my mother didnt get a chance to see him, yes its a sport here in Greece for people to run over animals and not stop to see if they are ok)i backed up the car and it took 3 people to carry Tyson in the house...that night was a nightmare..

Tyson cried all night long from the pain he felt.I took him to the vet in the morning (no vets here in Greece who are open in the night in case of emergencies except in the big cityies)...the vet diagnosed NERVE DAMAGE and said amputation is the only way...its been 3 months since the accident which i fully feel responsible and cant handle it....i am loosing hope cause i live in a country that has NO hydrotherapy places for dogs...NO psysiotherapy clinics for dogs..NO accupuncter programs for dogs....I feel so sorry for my dog...

my point to this story is BE HAPPY that you live in countries with great vets,clinics and people and laws who love dogs....

Sparky's family 11 months ago

Our adorable 5 yr old Labradoodle will have his rear left leg amputated tomorrow. On Saturday morning, he darted out the front door and was hit by a car. Although the family was right behind him and motioning for an approaching car to slow down, the driver was distracted and on his cellphone. When he realized he hit Sparky, he shrugged his shoulders and drove away. We got him to the vet within minutes - but he has multiple compound fractures. Although we know this is the right and best thing to do for him, it is still a very tough, scary decision. Your site has reassured us that he will adjust. We just feel so badly that we weren't more alert and didn't prevent the accident. What else can we do to make his recovery as speedy as possible?

Sparky's family 11 months ago

Thanks so much for your note, we'll definitely visit tripawds regularly for support and information

Therese 11 months ago

This is a wonderful site, full of information! My dog Charlie is undergoing his R rear leg amputation right now. I am so worried for him. It's been close to 2 weeks ago that he and his brother "ran off" from our farm. Only his brother, Beau returned. I was in shock 4 days later when I found Charlie behind our house. So excited to see him, it only took a second for me to notice how injured he was. He had been caught in some sort of trap. I'm assuming for the whole 4 days. I rushed him to the vet, he underwent sugery to try to save the leg. It didn't work out, so today we undergoing the amputation. I'm glad to have access to all of this information. I'm sure some of his life will be "on the sidelines" compared to his brother, but better to have that, then nothing at all. I'm sure he will be just fine, and we can't wait to have him home so he can get back to life on the farm!

Angie White 11 months ago

so we were driving home from the store and saw a large black dog laying on the side of the road..I thought He was dead but then He lifted His head and I had to stop..He has been laying there a while and was soaked from a rain storm a few hours eariler..we took Him to the vets and He said that the pup has no feeling in His right leg and it is swollen 2 time bigger then His other paw..the vet said to have the leg removed we are worried about it as it is not even our dog and we do not know who the owners are

carolyncerutti 10 months ago

My 1o month old German Shephard/ Lab mix puppy is having her left rear leg amputated today because of a broken bone that is not healing. I am really concerned because she never cries or whines. I don't know how I'm going to be able to tell when she is in pain. I also don't know how I am going to keep her seperated from our other dogs as we share our bed with them. They are a little spoiled. Any sugestions?

Pamela 8 months ago

Is it common for dogs who have had their leg amputated to want to lay in a dark closet?

Wendy 8 months ago

My 13 year old Australian Shepherd had her left front leg amputated yesterday...due to osteosarcoma. Fortunately she was an excellent candidate...not overweight, strong, in excellent health, etc. and there was no mestastises in the lungs. The surgery went very well and she recovered overnight in the emergency animal clinic (standard procedure for my oncologist). She was taken out to pee several times last night...and peed...so that is good. when I called the EAC this am they said that she had tried to get up on her own and freaked out...and wouldn't let anyone help her to settle down....is that normal? they gave her a light sedative to calm her and she was fine after that. All her vitals are fine. They believe that the pain (wasn't even 24 hours) just alarmed her...and that it will go be better over time

Jc 7 months ago

My 10 yr beagle-jack russell mix bit his tail (2nd time in less than one year) and we had to have it amputated. Our vet would only do it bc it was medically necessary. He basically destroyed his tail possibly of a injury - biopsy is being performed-

Anyway, my dog didnt sleep, eat or do anything until the fourth day after surgery. He kept us up all night every night complaining of pain, but today he started barking and running as loud and hard as before.

Dont amputate unless necessary and be prepared for a few rough nights. I have children and would compare this experience to having your child in the hospital. You worry and stay up all night. The difference is that your kids talk back while your dog whines back...lol

Becks 7 months ago

Our beloved Border Terrier Eddie had his right rear leg amputated on Monday due to a road accident. We collected him from the vets yesterday and just ignored the wound site and made a big fuss of him and he was so pleased to see us and know that he was coming home. He is nearly 10 years old (a little overweight which we are addressing)and he is really struggling to stand at all and so is not going to the toilet at the moment. He looks so sorry for himself but we are just being there for him.He is eating though which is good. We're hoping that once he has recovered from the actual trauma of the surgery he will start to feel more positive and we'll be able to encourage him onto his feet. I guess the secret is to let him take his own time? I have ordered him a rear harness to help support his weight which should be here in a few days. We couldn't use it at the moment anyway because the poor little chap has bad friction burns on his tummy from being dragged along the road. Even though we are in the UK we have signed up to the Tripawds website as I think that it will be an excellent resource to support us in his recovery.

Becks 7 months ago

Thanks for your encouragement! My pawrents took me back to the vets this afternoon so that I could be catheterised so I'm feeling much better now my bladder is empty!!! They have upped my painkillers slightly so I've got my old smile back on my face :) I'm looking forward to Friday because I think you're right and I'll be feeling more like my old self.

Becks 7 months ago

Well, it's Friday and I'm pleased to report that I'm feeling much more like my old self. I was sitting in the sunshine this morning with my human sister and something grabbed my attention so I tried to get onto my feet by myself. I tried very hard rocking backwards and forwards but still needed help. My sister was tickled pink with me and said that was a very good sign. She helped me up and we took a few steps. My pawrents tell me that my new harness has arrived but we need to give it a few more days for my tummy to heal before we can give it a go. Still a long, long way to go but the harness will be the next big adventure I have to look forward too :)

Becks 7 months ago

What a difference a week makes! Yesterday I went off to see the vet who removed my stitches and my wound is very neat and tidy. I'm pleased to report that I caused havoc for my pawrents as I'd spotted the squeeky toy section on my way in (my favourite toys in the whole world). As soon as they put me down I was off to find 'em and even though the floor was slippery I showed 'em a clean pair of heels I can tell you. I managed to poke my head into every cat basket that was on sale on my way through too. My mum was forced to run after me ha, ha! I can report that I'm somewhat a celebrity in the vets and everyone is always pleased to see me and they are all astounded at my progress and give my paerents lots of praise for the care they've given me. On a suitable surface I can now get myself up on my three legs and get around quite well and on slippery surfaces I manage quite well too. Despite them telling me I must not tackle the stairs (I live over the business) my smiling face is always waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs when they open the door. I even attempted getting back up them today as my muscles are getting stronger by the day :) The next big adventure for me is hydrotherapy and I'm going to have my picture taken whilst I'm swimming so that the vet can it onto their webPages to encourage other dogs who have to overcome injury. I'll report back after my first few lessons. Who said life on three legs was all doom and gloom!!!

Becks 7 months ago

Righty oh! I'll investigate starting a blog about 'our Eddie' he's such a star and I'm sure his story will give hope and encouragement to many more pawrents with older dogs :)

Debbie 6 months ago

My Golden-doodle puppy Sprocket, at just 17 months, has been diagnosed with Osteosarcoma. I'm so frightened. My fiance and I got Sprocket when we just both knew we'd be together forever. You could say Sprocket was my engagement ring. Now just 2.5 months before our wedding and our puppy is in pain and, so they say, not likely to last 3 months. No sign in the lungs yet, but apparently that doesn't count for much. Already we plan to delay our honeymoon.

We've been agonizing over the decision, but we've decided to have his rear left leg with the tumor removed so he can enjoy what time he has left with no pain and a puppy's happy heart. He's such a happy dog, even with the pain he's in now. Everyone is saying that this is too much money to spend for 3 months of life, but what can we say?

I'm scared he won't react well. I'm scared something will go wrong. I'm scared he'll be traumatized. I'm scared that no matter what we do he'll pass sooner rather than later. I just don't know how I'll be able to see the wound after the removal and think that we've done the right thing. I want to say thanks though, because the site has been wonderful. Hopefully I can keep my chin up and help him work through this.

Debbie 6 months ago

Sprocket update! Despite my being all around terrified, Sprocket is pulling through like a champ. Walked right out of the hospital after an overnight stay and was awake and curious on the ride home. Greeted our other dog happily and wagging his tail. When we put him in the dog "pen" with his giant bed, he bunched up his back leg like he was going to jump out! I foresee "keeping him quiet" as the vet suggested might be a bit more difficult than expected.

He went out to pee and even pooped with only a little bit of balance problems. He's currently snuggled up in his giant dog bed and is laying with the incision down (something I didn't expect but might be due to the fact that he's got a pain patch on).

Seems like he's showing us all up with his cheerfulness!! Thanks for all the encouragement and the great site. Could not have done it with out all the wonderful success stories here!

Becks 6 months ago

Hi Debbie. I'm so pleased to hear that Sprocket is doing so well. As you can see from the postings above our beloved Eddie lost a hind leg due to a traffic accident. Like you I was so frightened and worried and thought that he wouldn't manage (he's almost 10). However, a month on and he's up and about and running and I have to agree that our hairy friends do seem to live in the moment and leave all the worrying to us. He has the odd stumble but he just gets up and carries on. He's waiting for his new harness with a handle so we can help him along when he's tired. Keep positive!!

Becks 6 months ago

Hi Eddie here. My pawrent has tried to start a Tripawds blog but there have been technical difficulties and it's just too complicated :( She said she might try again at some point. However, I would just like to report that yesterday my Mum and Sis took me down to the fields which lead to the river behind where we live (I haven't been there since my accident). They took me in the car to the bottom of the lane because I still can't manage a big, big walk. As soon as I got out of the car I recongnised where I was and knew a dip in the river was in order so I was off. I hopped all the way there had a lovely relaxing dip in the river and then hopped all the way back (over half a mile). My folks were astounded at my achievement and I was pretty pleased with myself too. My doggie brother Floyd was also very excited that he had his mate back to play with in the river. He said it was just like old times! I had a very smiley face for the rest of the day I can tell you. Tomorrow I'm off for my first hydrotheraphy session and will let you all know how that goes. Keep hopping everyone!!!!!

mojo85xx 6 months ago

hello. my name is jo and im currently sat here in floods of tears. i have a 7 month old miniture pinscher cross yorkie. her name is teyla,..after being in a kennels for 5 days whilest myself and husband went on holiday i was told she has been stood on by another dog and that her leg looked swollen. the kennels apparently rang my vets and were told she wasnt registered. which doesnt make sense as when i came home yesterday i rang and her name came up straight away. anyway due to her not being seen for 5 days and the kennels strapping her leg up in badage it looks like her leg has tried to heal itself in wrong way and is now classed as an old break. i have had to drop her off at the vets this morning who said she might end up having it amputated :( im shaking and crying :( i wasnt expecting to be told that at all. please can anyone reassure me or give me some advice on what to expect if she has had it done. its her left rear leg :( thanks. x

Susan Douglass-Jones 6 months ago

We have three labs and a poodle and our beloved "baby" of the labs Cooper at 6 years old has bone cancer. A few days ago he had his hind leg amputated. It was very hard to see him after surgery and whimpering and so vulnerable. It's very overwhelming, but working in the medical field i do understand how important it is to be positive. Today two days after surgery I went to visit him at the vet (he comes home tomorrow) he seemed still in shock his leg was gone and agitated. I want to be able to comfort him and help him feel better, I'm hoping when he comes home we will be more at peace. He's a big boy (75lb.) it's gonna be a challenge to get him out to go pottie, but I saw that harness and I will definitely show my husband. I think could make it easier for even me to help guide him up and down the one step out the door. It's helpful to find this site and know my husband and I aren't going this alone. I want Cooper to have a quality of life and do the best we can for him. Thanx for letting me vent, it's definitely been a very hard decision but seeing so many positive info here is very helpful.

Jennie 6 months ago

Hi there,

Our Daisy was diagnosed today with bone cancer in her front leg. The vet recommended amputation if the rest of her xrays come out okay. What has me concerned is her age she is 14 and I'm just afraid it might put her through too much. Thanks so much!

Susan Douglass-Jones 6 months ago

Cooper came home from the Vet today after a 3 and 1/2 day stay after his back leg got amputated, it was very difficult seeing so anxious and aggitated at the vet's office. But now that he's home today after 4 days post op, he's much happier and relaxed. He's been getting up and learning his new center of gravity. Plus they gave him a bath and brushed him, and he looks so much better than the first few days. I've ordered the harness and for the moment we are using a towel to guide him off the deck to the grass. I'm starting to feel better about him having the surgery. His spirit is back and I know he'll get through this with the help of his family (furry ones too).

Becks (Eddie Dog) 6 months ago

Hi Folks

My pawrent has finally gotten her head around the technical issues and has started a Tripawds blog to tell everyone about my hippy hoppy adventures and my ongoing recovery. Jennie, like Daisy I'm an older dog and I am pleased to report that I'm doing famously after my ampawtation :) Go look at all the blogs on the website, they are inspiring!

Jennie 6 months ago

The vet was pretty optimistic she's a 70lb lab mix. I would feel alot better if she were just a bit younger but if we don't try then I guess we'll never know. We'll see what's in store with the next xrays. Thanks!

Anita 5 months ago

My Golden Ret. is 13 1/2 years old but is now facing a diagnosis of bone cancer in the right hind knee area. She is in good weight, has some arthritis in the other hip, and is a good patient. Am I crazy to consider amputation at her age?

Anita 5 months ago

Thank you! I've got a great medical team to rely on and an even better dog! I stumbled upon your site today and it is helping me with courage and hope.

Paula Moss 5 months ago

My springer has just come home after fracturing his front elbow and had his leg removed, its such a stressful time and I am comforted by what is written here. I am trying to be strong, and inside just want to fall to pieces, he is only four years old.

Dawn 5 months ago

My beautiful, black lab Phoebe had her front, left leg amputated today - she just turned 11. Several well-meaning friends have said they would not do this to their pet - she is active and happy, but the osteosarcome is going to make it impossible for her to be pain free. How do I know if I made the right decision to have her leg amputated? I am devastated and scared I may be putting her through too much. And, is chemo the right thing for an older dog?

I have not seen her, but they say she is doing well and has stood up a couple of times in her kennel. I am so excited to bring her home and love on her!

Rebecca 5 months ago

I live in Sydney Australia and found your wonderful site while sitting next to my amazing dog Mischa who was diagnosed with bone cancer in her knee today and is scheduled for an amputation tomorrow. It has all happened so fast and whilst I will do whatever it takes to treat this awful disease I am in shock and terrified of the future for my girl. Your messages and posts are helping me understand and come to term with what I hope the long and pain free future holds. Thank you

Rebecca 5 months ago

Thank you, Mischa came home yesterday, she is doing amazingly well and I am so proud of her. Fingers crossed while waiting for biopsy results but she is in amazing spirits considering what she has been through. Thanks for support. Website has been big help.

Elizabeth 4 months ago

My 6yr old Min Pin Kaiser has been diagnosed with osteosarcoma. We have decided to amputate his front left leg on Tuesday. I am very nervous about the decision. I understand that amputating will relieve the pain from this terrible disease. I'm concerned he will be very angry with us. I hope he understands that I'm doing this b/c I love him and think amputation is the best decision. We are still uncertain about Chemo at this time.

Elizabeth 4 months ago

My 6yr old Min Pin Kaiser has been diagnosed with osteosarcoma. We have decided to amputate his front left leg on Tuesday. I am very nervous about the decision. I understand that amputating will relieve the pain from this terrible disease. I'm concerned he will be very angry with us. I hope he understands that I'm doing this b/c I love him and think amputation is the best decision. We are still uncertain about Chemo at this time.

Ilana 3 months ago

Hello,

My name is Ilana. About three weeks ago our 2 year old Pitt mix was hit by a car. As a result he has fractures on his rear right leg. He had surgery which involved placing two screws in the leg. Today (at his Post-Op) they informed us that his leg is not healing, it is in face rejecting the screws and continuing to fracture worse than before.

They informed us that we had one of three options, try the same surgery again followed by intense physical therapy with less than a 50% chance he will regain any use of the leg, amputation or putting him down. Putting him down was NOT an option so we decided to go with the amputation. This seemed to be his best chance for recovery.

Squiggy just got out of surgery about an hour ago and the Dr says he's doing ok. When I decided amputation would give him the best quality of life and out of any more pain my family's first response (and I quote) was "Why are you torturing him?". I was stunned to say the least. I'm happy I found this page and am able to read all of your stories. It makes me hopeful that Squigs will make a fast recovery and will be happy as he ever was :)

Ashley 3 months ago

I'm so glad to have found this site! I have been approved to adopt a tri-pawd terrier and am looking for all the advice I can get. I've grown up with dogs all my life and could not stand to hear about the trauma this poor girl has been through. She was found with a rubber band tying her back legs together. Needless to say as she is quite small (about 9 pounds), the rubber band cut into her leg right down to the bone and the infection spread. She is now a rear amputee and had little chance of adoption. Thankfully someone heard about her story and fostered her before she could be euthanised and I am glad to be her new mom. I will not be picking her up for another month at least as I move into a new house but I want to be sure I know everything there is to know about caring for her. I feel as though I'm 'baby proofing' my new place as I ask myself if every piece of furniture or household item I purchase will be suitable for her. She has healed from her surgery and has a lot of energy according to her foster mom, but I'm more interested in knowing ways to keep her healthy and active and to safeguard her from further injury. Any advice on must-have items? I read one article that said to keep tri-pawd dogs off furniture, but I'm not sure how accurate that is, especially for rear amputees. I want to shower this girl with all the love in the world to make up for the cruel way she was treated as a puppy so any advice would be great.

Rhi 3 months ago

Hi, I live near Sydney, Australia. My dog Mach had an accident just over a week ago - he got stuck in a barbed wire fence. Neighbours cut him out and rang us. It was horrible, he cut both left legs to the bone. The vet was worried about the back leg and said it may need to be amputated, but we had to wait and see. I googled amputation and found this site. I was so upset but the information an stories got me prepared for what may happen. The photos as well. Thank you! He had his leg removed on Friday and was home saturday. He is doing extremely well!! Apart from once when he tried to cock his leg, which was alittle amusing. He has figured out very quickly how to adapt. Again thanks for posting this information, it has made it a lot easier to deal with mach's accident.

tonym0828 3 months ago

Our 8yr old boxer mix Buddy is having his frt right leg amputated today and found this blog. It has been very helpful and I thank you for all you all have written.

Max 3 months ago

Hi. My 2 year old lab-cross broke his front leg (the vet says it is his 'elbow' though I'm not sure what part of a dog's leg that refers to) yesterday jumping off a trampoline. The vet says it is quite a bad break and has suggested surgery or amputation. I just don't know what to do. Although money is tight, I can borrow the money for the surgery, however I may not be able to afford future surgery if there are complications. She also has said there is a high likely-hood that surgery will result in arthritis in the future which will cause him ongoing pain. My only concern at the moment is his ongoing quality of life, and I am will to borrow the money for the repair operation if I knew it was going to be best for him but I don't want to put him through unnecessary suffering only to have his leg amputated later. I'm leaning toward having the amputation done now but I guess I'm just trying to work through my feelings of guilt for not trying the repair surgery first. Any advice on which path to take? Are there any statistics which can tell me how often elbow surgery is successful and the long-term quality of life of the dogs who have the operation. It is obvious from your hub that most dogs can get by fine with 3 legs (hey, it's still one more than I've got) but I just feel guilty about having it done when there is an alternative.

Max 3 months ago

Thanks for the reply.

I have decided to try to save his leg. The vet says his other joints look good and there is a good chance he will not need any more surgery in the future, though he may need management for arthritis as he gets older.

The expense is a lot for me (we are a single income family) but I think the vet has priced it as cheaply as possible ($1500 including the care before and after surgery which will be about a week stay at the clinic) and I would hate to think I chose money over his welfare.

He will be going into surgery later today (about 12 hours from now) and should be back home early next week.

I want to thank you for your reassurance and kind words, and I will let you know how Max progresses after surgery.

Cheers

Tom

Pam 2 months ago

I haven't seen (or missed) any amputations done as a result of a neural sheath tumor, which our beloved dog Bailey apparently has in his right front forelimb. He is 10 1/2 and has progressively gone lame - and it is now affecting his eye (Horner's Syndrome). Amputation will stop the pain and give him good quality of life for 8 months, according the vet. Has anyone gone forward with amputation with this type of cancer?

Georgie 2 months ago

I have just brought my girl jade home from the vet today. She had surgery yesterday to remove her front right leg because of bone cancer. She is very unsure on her feet ad the pain killers are making her groggy . What do we do if she needs to go to the toilet? If anyone has some advice for us that would be a great help. Jade is a Rottweiler and is 7 years old. Thanks Georgie

Matt 2 months ago

Hey everyone my 4 year old puggle Gus is going in to have his right back leg amputated in a few days. My wife and I have both been trying to be optimistic and your website has been very very helpful so far. If anyone has some advice I should know or some things go look forward to after surgery please let me know anything would be greatly appreciated.

Matt 8 weeks ago

Yes it was because of cancer. The surgery was today and so far everything is going great. He had to stay the night at the vet's office tonight but we visited him and we heard he was already up and about walking. Tomorrow he comes home and let's hope everything goes great from there.

ObiwanJW 6 weeks ago

Our medium sized black and white dog got out of the yard and was hit by a car today 12/23/2011 in San Leandro CA. I put him in my Wagon and ended up at VCA Bay Area Veterinary today, per the recommendation of Good Samaritan. His right rear leg must be amputated. There wasn't much left of his paw and his bone was exposed below the knee joint. VCA Bay Area Veterinary Specialists & Emergency Hospital in San Leandro is professional and kind, but the prices are really high. I couldn't afford to do all of the tests. The bill was $900 for today, would have been $1,750 if I had okayed all of the tests. The amputation, if we decide to go through with it, would be $3,500 - $4,500 at VCA. Is there a vet in the Bay Area that you know who could skillfully perform an amputation for a more reasonable price? Is this someone you know and trust? I would be willing to drive 100 miles to save his life, and to prevent my bankruptcy.

amybaz 6 weeks ago

My dear sweet 15 year old schnoodle, Goof, has cancer in her left front leg. The vet, after doing several tests, beleives she is a good candidate for amputation. She has arthritis in her back/hips and I am so concerned that I am making the wrong decision in doing this. But I can't NOT do anything if it means that she might have a longer life. I hate having to make this decision. The vet said that it should be "around 2k total" and that after mentioning the chemo too. I am hoping that it is not much more than that, but IF it will give her a happier longer life (key word happier), I guess that is the decision I have to make. Thoughts on a 15 year old with arthritis?

amybaz 6 weeks ago

Thank you so much for your feedback!

Since the vet only did an aspirtation (as opposed to the biopsy) she can only say that it is either bone cancer or cancer of the connective tissue. This was actually my second opinion (or 3rd if you consider the "traveling vet" that I called to come to my home to euthanize my baby). The first vet said nothing could be done, gave me some tramadol and called it a day. He had said since he did not advise for a biopsy or an amputation, considering her age, he gave me some meds for Valley Fever (which he said it could be) and if those worked, we would know what it was. If they didn't, we would know it was bone cancer. It was when I was trying to make all her final arrangements that I spoke with the "traveling vet". After hearing everything the first vet had said, she strongly recommended that I consult a specialist. Since I already had an established relationship with this 3rd vet, who is an intgrative oncologist, I went to her. After doing the aspiration, bloodwork and additional xrays on her lungs, she believes she would be a good candidate. She gave me some much meds to control the pain (said the tramodol does not really touch this kind of pain) and suggests we do the surgery. I just want what is best for my baby, and if she stands a chance for an extended happy life, I want to give it to her. I do not want to be selfish about this in any way good or bad. She has been such a joy to me. The vet said total of 2k for all treatment, which I do not consider that bad at all. I was expecting her to say 5k or something like that. My biggest concer is her recovery and how that all works. The vet said 3 weeks, the second two being the most difficult. I am going to take your advise about heaing the other stories!! Thanks so much!!

holly 3 weeks ago

heyy our dog libby just had here front leg amputated today :( but she is a little monkey as she is going around very fast is this normal

thanks holly

holly 3 weeks ago

heyy its my again just saying that libby amputation was only £300 pound witch is not a lot but i think it is just because she has been thoguht a lot since it has been broken two times :(

Lily 10 days ago

We are having to face a really tough decision this week. Our almost 14 year old Miniature Schnauzer has a malignant tumor on her hind leg, unfortunately it is in a place where surgery is not an option for removal. Since the diagnosis we have been giving her meds for the pain. The other night she fell while trying to jump on the couch and broke her paw in two places on her bad leg. It is a pretty bad break and the Dr. doesn't think that it will heel on it's own due to bone loss from the cancer. We are left with the option of amputation or putting her down. She is old and also suffers from arthritis , not to mention she has already had a toe amputated on her front paw. My fear is that her arthritis will only get worse and she will continue to be in pain from having to rest her weight on the other legs. The Dr. has stated that it is our decision and will respect what ever we decide to do.

As I mentioned earlier the hardest decision we have to make. Wish us luck!

Thanks,

Lily

Lily 9 days ago

Tomorrow will be the one of the hardest days for our family. Yesterday evening we went back to the vet for pre op blood work and x-rays. The x-rays revealed that the cancer had spread , so she is not a good candidate for surgery. We will miss her terribly and are fortunate to have been very blessed to have had her in our lives.

Thank you,

Lily

amybaz 9 days ago

Lily,

I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. My little girl ended up not being a good candidate for amputation either because of her arthrits and weakness in her hind legs. She is a (just shy of 16 year old) Schnoodle and her tumor is in her front leg. I have just been keeping her comfortable with the pain meds, but her time is quickly approaching. I have been so blessed to have her in my life and I will miss her so much too. My heart is breaking but I am so thankful to have had all this time with her.

Peace and Comfort to you Lily as you go through this difficult time. I am right there with you.

Amy

Jenn 8 days ago

Hello Tripawds,

I am so relieved to have found your website. My fiancee (Tom) and I have a red doberman puppy of 1 year and 8 months. The past two weeks have been a crazy roller coaster. After visiting 3 different vets, entertaining 3 different diagnosis, we finally learned yesterday that Rocky has soft tissue sarcoma in his hind leg. The oncologist at the animal hospital that finally diagnosed him is recommending amputation. We do have an appointmentwith another oncologist tomorrow for a second opinion; however, my main concern is the timing of the surgery and recovery. Tom and I are getting married in 5 weeks. We have also booked a two week honeymoon during which Rocky was supposed to stay with a friend. If we go ahead with the amputation, we are worried about leaving Rocky for two whole weeks while he is recovering and trying to find his balance. Rocky has a history of separation anxiety as it is, leaving him while he is recovering truly worries us.

Any advice is truly appreciated!

Jenn

Dee40 and Sadie 3 days ago

This site has been sooo helpful. Thank you to all who have taken time to listen and reassure and advise. Wow. What a process! This is a unique experience that many people do not go through! But, here, you understand! I started out explaining over and over and realized...you guys get it! I am changed because of it. Not worse, just changed. I am aware, surprised, educated...greatful.

kathy 3 days ago

My American Eskimo who is 13 just had her front leg amputated this morning. Can't see her til tomorrow. She has saracoma. Thank you for this site, it is helping my fears. She still acts like a puppy and was in such awful pain, I just know she will be better.

Spearol 2 days ago

My Manual Burglar Alarm (MBA) just had his rear leg amputated yesterday and he cried out in pain through much of the night. It has been emotionally harrowing. I was surprised that so many other people have had the same reaction of guilt. I wish I would've read this advice previously, but I have been doing everything wrong. It is so hard to see such a loyal friend in pain.

kathy 2 days ago

I brought my Eskimo home this morning,and yes I do feel so bad for putting her through this at such an old age. But she is eating,drinking an lots of sleeping. I know there was only 1 other alternative and I couldn't do that. Hopefully the biospy will have good news next week. At least I can stay home with her for a week or more.

Vickie 45 hours ago

I hand-reared my 'runtie' and when she was a year and a half old she had to have a foreleg amputated due to a really bad pastern break. the thing is she still has two brothers and her dad living with her and she was always rough-housing the boys and still tries every day, she goes at some speed up an open field too- i nearly jump out my skin every time incase she breaks the remaining leg (she is a thin boned little lurcher) and she don't take her time going downstairs either. i don't leave her in the car incase she slips in the footwell and i'm always worrying for her- i think its sad on her that i can't just let her run off and play like she used to, thats what she used to live for. am i being overly paranoid or is there any kind of leg support i can buy to minimise the risks? i've trained with dogs all my life but never a tri-paw...

vickie 23 hours ago

thankyou for the advice, yeah its been over 6 months now but i can't help panicing every time she moves, she does still lose her balance every now and again aswell. it probably wouldn't worry me as much if she didn't have such thin bones... p.s. this site is absolutely ace- really appreciate the help you offer owners- its not easy to come by :)