Teacup Great Danes.
Posted on 08/17/2015 9:06:32 AM PDT by NCDave
Hello everyone, I would like to hear from the vast knowledge of Freepers about anyone who has had to have a dogs leg amputated and also if anyone has had their dog fitted with a prosthetic after. I have a senior female Great Dane that has to have her front leg amputated somewhere above her wrist. She has tumors that grow and have to be removed, and now they are embedded in her paw bones and are not able to be removed. Right after the last surgery 2 weeks ago, a new tumor grew out and won't allow the paw to heal. So, I am up against the clock and I need to do something fast. I am trying to decide what to do about amputation and maybe getting a prosthetic due to her size and ability to get around on 1 front leg. She is healthy otherwise. I want to do what I can to make things easy on her but I am also limited by time and money of course. I would like to know what people have had to spend on prosthetics and surgeries. I love my dog like my children and will do whatever I can. Please let me know what your experiences have been. I will try to respond to as many replies as I can. Thanks again Freepers, your help is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely, Dave
(a bit off topic, but...) I just read an article about using “mirror therapy” for phantom pain for amputees. I wonder if it would work on animals.
I had to have a non-malignant tumor removed from my boy’s jaw. It was interfering with him eating.
No way I could afford it so I had to do the unthinkable... sell an AR15.
I know... Blashemy! But I’d do it again.
I know... The vet and the rescue I got her from are not suggesting anything but the surgery. The rescue has some Danes going as far as 14. She is walking around on the paw mostly while it’s wrapped. She does not act her age. Vet says she is still solid. And he wouldn’t jive me.
I have a 3-D printer and would be willing to attempt making a prosthetic.
My golden retriever had bone cancer. I had them remove the rear leg. Once healed it didn’t hold him back. I just had to give a hand under his stumpy to get into our truck. I didn’t select chemo therapies. ( an animal, wouldn’t understand chemo treatments, and I had no one to be at home with him). I went with natural. Made own food from organic ground chicken, carrots & broccoli. Bought very healthy dry food - not from standard store. Recommended by natural vet. He lived an additional 14 months. We had a great time together and when it was time to go, vet came to the house to put him to sleep. I wouldn’t trade a second of it.
It’s you call; I’m just telling you how I would make the call.
I love my dogs. I am still getting over a dog I lost a couple years ago. I still grieve for my first dog. But I personally would not put an old dog though that much trauma.
I didn't know Great Danes had toy varieties.
Thanks, I might consider that. The ones I have talked to people about they do a casting for the fit and the interior has soft sleeves and gel for comfort and grip. Are there program files online for that?
I had to LOL at that one. ;)
My favorite was a fawn who weighed in at 150 lbs. We called him “Leon”. His only fault was he thought he could sit on my lap.
I don’t know about mirror therapy. This was the absolute worst thing we went through but once I got the Gabapentin -it was fine. She would almost scream (never heard a dog make such a noise) - sometimes from a dead sleep - it lasted just a few seconds but seemed forever! My vet did not think it happened very often so I was not sent home with this medicine. I had to request it, fill it, and wait for it to start working. Many on the Tripawd forum suggest being prepared - if the pain doesn’t happen - that’s fine. If it does, having this ready to administer is well worth the few dollars it costs. This is actually a human medicine that many people take for all sorts of nerve pain issues. You must taper it up and then taper it down after a week or 10 days.
You should check with your State College that teaches veterinary medicine. Their prices are usually comparable to your local vet but the advantage is they specialists who can provide you with expert opinion. Most local vets can’t give you this level of service.
Their facilities are top notch and they and their students will provide the best care for your loved one.
As for the actual amputation, while it may be hard to see your baby hobble around on 3 legs, they adapt rather quickly where as I would think that the prosthesis would become just an annoyance and they would chew the crap out of it.
Teacup Great Danes.
My hero.
I would sell a kidney to save my dogs.
Oddly enough, that is my dogs markings. Harlequin. ;)
Front leg on a big dog don’t do it. My BIL and SIL did it on their golden and it was horrible watching that poor dog try to get around. Do the dog a favor and say goodbye and humanely have it put to sleep. Vets will try to talk you into all kinds of nonsense.
Our Beagle Buddy had a crippled back leg when we found him and it was really iffy whether they could fix it but since he had no pain and he got around with no trouble we left it alone. If it had been a front leg he could never have managed so well.
When our Sarabelle lost her front leg to osteosarcoma this website http://tripawds.com was very helpful with information and support.
They also have additional links to and I believe now sell products that are helpful. Prosthetics were not so prevalent then as they are now.
Front amputations are harder on a dog as they carry most of their weight on their front end. Dogs are very courageous and take life in stride.
I devised an upside down saddle that had holders above the ties across her back so that Sara’s chest was supported comfortably and i was able to use the holders to support her weight on long walks or up stairs, into vehicles, etc. I also put a t-shirt on her like she was a little kid, and knotted the tshirt bottom to make a firm fit and grabbed the knot at her waist and the back of her T-shirt to provide extra support when she required it.
She had her pride and refused to otherwise have any aide. Pups are resilient.
She was affected by the amputation, and the acceptance by her sister Tarabelle and brother Mozart who approached and sniffed her stump and accepted her as whole made a difference.
Hope all goes well for your pup and yourself. Many prayers.
I have a difficult time giving up my pets. I admit I”ve done things that were about me as opposed to being about what was best for the pet.
Now I try to remember that I need to be a friend to the pet even when it is difficult.
Put a 14 year old bull dog to sleep 2 months ago. He recovered from a serious injury 8 years ago to the astonishment of the vet and was a happy dog with a good life. He recovered in part because he was tough and resilient and could overcome pain.
When he was diagnosed with cancer! I decided I wouldn’t put him thru chemo therapy or surgery. I’m not sorry. We had a good couple of months and once it was obvious he was in pain we said good bye.
Please be assured... I say these words with all Christian love and respect my heart can summon. I know they may hurt you, but I hope they do not.
It is time to consider your dog’s best interests. He can’t understand what will befall him in the days to come. He will know fear and pain and the strangeness of his condition, but can’t know the why.
The Time has come for more than one of my Friends in years past, and hard as it was, and cry like I did, with time I saw the proper stewardship role thrust on me merely by my taking them into my life, and loving them.
I insisted on being with them and in physical contact with them as they crossed the Rainbow Bridge. For the last one, the vet gave us a comfortable chair in a quiet room, and a towel across my lap, as one mild shot for sleeping was given, and then a bit later, the other shot was administered. For all he knew, he fell asleep in my lap with me gently scratching the back of his neck. He was purring. And then he wasn’t.
I went directly to the shelter and got “Little Bo,” who partly filled the gap the same day.
God has given us dominion over the animals, and we owe them respect more than we do a long and difficult life.
This is my opinion. I’m sure others will disagree.
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