Dog amputation

[sea-sidelady]

We have a little Westie, who is 4. She has a fatty tumour in her back leg/hip.

 

She has had to get this removed 3 times now, and each time her muscle gets worse as the lump runs through it, along with a nerve. They can never get all the lump because of this, and so it keeps growing back.

 

She had the last op about 4 weeks ago, and we were told she will need the leg amputating if she doesn't get better this time.

She isn't using the leg hardly now, and seems to be really unhappy.

 

I dread the thought of her having it removed, but if it is that or put to sleep then there is no option. She will have to lose the leg.

 

Does anyone have any experience of dealing with this?? I would really appriciate any advice

[papasmurf1cx]

Well speaking as an amputee myself, one can have a happy enough life once free of injury and pain. have you heard of Oscar the cat?

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10404251

 

Possibly your little Westie can hop about on 3 legs quite happily but possibly he could also have a prosthesis. I think it is a process called oseointragration ie they put a pin inside the bone and then attach the prosthesis to this.

 

Failing all that, I know you must be very attached to your Westie but if s/he is in so much pain and unhappy have you considered putting s/him to sleep? (I don't say that lightly as I am an animal lover too)

 

Hope that helps.

[sea-sidelady]

Thanks for the reply.

 

The vet has reassured us that she can live a happy pain free life with three legs. She will be called a "tripod" (seriously!!)

 

I think I just need to hear that she will manage, especially from other "tripod" owners

[chesham]

I don't have an amputee'd animal myself, but I know of others who have had dogs and cats with only three legs - and to be honest, at first, I was extremely worried about how they would cope, was it cruel for us to expect them to have one limb missing? After all, they have four limbs for a reason? Is it a disadvantage to them (especially cats) as they will not be as agile as they could be?

 

All of these were completely dispelled after a visit to the Dog's Trust, where many beautiful dogs are overlooked simply because they have a disability such as a missing limb - when it really does make no difference at all. They compensate for it miraculously and, unlike some humans, never grumble about it! Although still uncommon, and people may be intrigued by a three legged dog, my personal opinion is that a good owner will always do what is best for the animal, and not what is best for the owner's lifestyle or needs. And you sound like a good owner!

 

A Westie who is 4 years old will more than likely recover extremely well from an amputation - but as with anything, it takes time for her body to re-balance itself and she will have a few mis-haps and various small accidents, but these will add up to give her that fiesty and determined personality. I know it's awful, because the decision is yours and it must be awful for you to decide whether or not her leg is taken away (after all, it's not your leg!) - however, you must consider whether or not the operations which she goes through are worth the pain they cause and, as they are likely to re-occur, the financial cost of this? I mean, I don't think anyone could love animals more than myself, but the cold hard reality is that keeping an animal, especially a dog, must be considered from a financial point of view as well as all of the other factors which are built into being an owner.

 

Have a read here - I hope it helps.

 

http://www.people.ku.edu/~cadavis/