Has anyone ever had a pet with 3 limbs?
Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2017 1:08 am
I am hoping one of you has had some experience with this. My 21 year old cat was diagnosed with cancer in Dec. She is feeling fine, eating, etc., but has a lump in her groin that is growing. It effects how she walks and can no longer jump. Her lungs are clear and they don't believe it has spread. They recommend taking her leg at the hip. The doctor says animals don't have the sentimental attachment to their limbs that we do and tend to do really well with amputation. I have gone to this vet for years and really trust her.
I asked if this was for the cat or for me. The vet said what will happen if we don't do it is that the tumor will rupture, a painful sore will develop, the cancer will spread, and it will be too late then for the surgery. There will be pain either way, but, in her experience, the pain from the amputation is short lived (about a week & controlled with drugs) and can be controlled where as the pain from the rupture will be constant and grow worse as time goes by. I have seen 3 limbed animals before and they seemed fine.
I don't know what to do. I can't see putting her to sleep now because she is doing ok, but on the other hand amputation seems so drastic. The vet thinks she will make it through the operation, but if she doesn't at least it would be a painless way to go. On. The other hand, ignoring the vet's recommendation and letting her go until she is in so much pain that I have to put her to sleep seems cruel.
So, my question for you is, has anyone ever done this, had any experience with a three legged animal, know someone I can reach out and talk to about this??? I have had this cat, Clementine, and her sister, Molly, since they were kittens. I lost Molly in September to kidney failure and that was really hard. I think it makes me want to fight even harder to keep Clem, but not at her expense. Speaking of expense... I just don't care. I am not made of money, but she has been a very healthy cat and I don't care what it costs. I just want to do the right thing for her. I owe it to her. After talking to the vet I was convinced that amputation was the way to go. Now, in the middle of the night, I am second guessing everything. Sorry, this is really off topic, but does anyone know anything about this?
Judy
I asked if this was for the cat or for me. The vet said what will happen if we don't do it is that the tumor will rupture, a painful sore will develop, the cancer will spread, and it will be too late then for the surgery. There will be pain either way, but, in her experience, the pain from the amputation is short lived (about a week & controlled with drugs) and can be controlled where as the pain from the rupture will be constant and grow worse as time goes by. I have seen 3 limbed animals before and they seemed fine.
I don't know what to do. I can't see putting her to sleep now because she is doing ok, but on the other hand amputation seems so drastic. The vet thinks she will make it through the operation, but if she doesn't at least it would be a painless way to go. On. The other hand, ignoring the vet's recommendation and letting her go until she is in so much pain that I have to put her to sleep seems cruel.
So, my question for you is, has anyone ever done this, had any experience with a three legged animal, know someone I can reach out and talk to about this??? I have had this cat, Clementine, and her sister, Molly, since they were kittens. I lost Molly in September to kidney failure and that was really hard. I think it makes me want to fight even harder to keep Clem, but not at her expense. Speaking of expense... I just don't care. I am not made of money, but she has been a very healthy cat and I don't care what it costs. I just want to do the right thing for her. I owe it to her. After talking to the vet I was convinced that amputation was the way to go. Now, in the middle of the night, I am second guessing everything. Sorry, this is really off topic, but does anyone know anything about this?
Judy