|
|
 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 430
 
Location: Purcell Ok | Yesterday evening my 8 year old border mix was out in the horse pasture as usual and one of the colts kicked him and broke the femur in his back leg. Hubby took him to an emergency vet to x ray and see our options. It is a bad break and would require surgery and a plate to fix it. He is 8 years old and at this point I do not consider this feasible for us. Our other options are amputation or putting him to sleep. Has any one had any luck with amputation on a dog this old. He is healthy, active, but a bit over weight. What worries me about amputation is how long would his other back leg hold up?
Any input is appreciated.
|
|
| |
|
 Worst.Housekeeper.EVER.
  
Location: Missouri | I have not personally owned an amputee dog, but I was a vet assistant for several years and the amputees adjust very well and usually do great! So sorry this happened, but I would not feel bad about making that choice.
|
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 1857
| We had a three legged dog named stumpy that we used on a regular basis to work cattle. He loved his job, adjusted well to three legs, and he lasted to about 10 and then we had to put him down. He worked all the time I think that is why he didn't live as long but he enjoyed his job and hated being left at home. Good luck with your decision. |
|
| |
|
 Experienced Mouse Trapper
Posts: 3106
Location: North Dakota | just4fun - 2014-02-18 8:41 AM I have not personally owned an amputee dog, but I was a vet assistant for several years and the amputees adjust very well and usually do great! So sorry this happened, but I would not feel bad about making that choice.
I agree completely, he will manage just fine! |
|
| |
|
Hungarian Midget Woman
Location: Midwest | I would try the amputation if it was a back leg. Usually, they adjust. Hugs! |
|
| |
|
 Veteran
Posts: 222
Location: Texas | We did the plate when our dog got hit by a truck and I would never do it again. Maybe we had a bad vet but the recovery was very long and she seemed to be in pain a lot more vs. a cat we rescued that had a shattered shoulder that we amputated. The cat recovered 100 times faster and is still doing great 9 years later. He's a tad over weight but he can still jump run climb catch mice etc. I would go with the amputation. They do recover well and it doesn't seem to slow them down much. |
|
| |
|
 Member
Posts: 37
| I also have never personally had a 3 legged dog, but I've known quite a few, and was a vet tech for 4 years and we did a lot of amputations. The dogs, (and even cats) did pretty well and got around no problem. My suggestion would be if you do decide to go the amputate route to put him on a diet to help move added weight to the other back leg.
Whatever decision you make, do not feel bad about it. At least you are responsible enough to take him to the vet. When I was a vet tech my dachshund jumped off the bed wrong and hurt his back. Even with my employee discount and the one of the vets saying he wouldn't charge me for his time, I could not afford a $3,500 surgery. I put my boy down and while sad to know he was not hurting anymore filled me with more happiness to outweigh the sad. |
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 1392
Location: Central Texas | Yes, we had one around the age of 6 that had to have a leg amputated. He was a working dog and after surgury and some rehab he went back to work. He was about 12 when he finally had to be put down. He lost a front leg and sometimes if he got going too fast downhill he would lose control and take a tumble but he would just get up and keep on going. I will warn you it was very hard at first watching him try to figure out his balance and it made me question if we had done the right thing. In the end I believe we did. We also had a neighbor who had a three legged working dog and that dog could out work most 4 legged dogs. |
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 3165
| I've seen a few 3 legged dogs get around just fine, i would put him on a good joint supplement after to help out the other leg like cosequin. |
|
| |
|
 Veteran
Posts: 173
Location: Wyoming- where its always windy! | My in laws had an English Pointer who got cancer in one of her front legs. They amputated it. She did great as a tri pod. She didn't slow down one bit once she got used to it. I think they do a lot better when you just amputate. Hugs to you and your pup |
|
| |
|
Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| I have a tripod. He was 6 mos when he broke his front leg. He adjusted just fine and it adds to his charm.
At 8 yrs old I would struggle to make the call though. Finances would play a big roll too if I had to do it all over again. Life sucks sometimes. Hugs to you and gentle hugs to the pooch. |
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 2457
| MinorRed - 2014-02-18 8:31 AM
Yesterday evening my 8 year old border mix was out in the horse pasture as usual and one of the colts kicked him and broke the femur in his back leg. Hubby took him to an emergency vet to x ray and see our options. It is a bad break and would require surgery and a plate to fix it. He is 8 years old and at this point I do not consider this feasible for us. Our other options are amputation or putting him to sleep. Has any one had any luck with amputation on a dog this old. He is healthy, active, but a bit over weight. What worries me about amputation is how long would his other back leg hold up?
Any input is appreciated.
YES! amputate. One of our female Border Collies back home had an accident that we ended up amputating the leg. She was 9 when this happened and is 11 now. She's great, still goes to the barn, hops in the gator, bosses the young pups around, and tries her best every day. She has had no problems at all after the surgery.
Good luck! |
|
| |
|
  Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | I think the back amputees are easier on them.. prayers..they are so adjustable.. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1392
Location: Central Texas | Bibliafarm - 2014-02-18 9:24 AM I think the back amputees are easier on them.. prayers..they are so adjustable..
I agree. |
|
| |
|
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1066
| My mom's Border Collie had a hind leg amputated at 6 due to being kicked. She was always a tough one to keep the weight off of so she had to be on a pretty strict diet to keep her feeling good as when she got fat her hind leg would struggle to support her. As long as she was on her diet and kept in decent shape she was just fine. Mom got a magnetic dog bed for her, as well as a back on track bed so she had the choice of which she wanted to lay on and she would switch back and forth through the day. Mom also kept her on a good joint supplement, and tried not to let her play too hard as if she spent the day playing with our younger dogs she would be pretty stiff the next day... but I think that goes for any old dog. Tess lived to be 12, and easily had another couple years in her, but was run over last year :( |
|
| |
|
 Road Rash Expert
Posts: 5501
Location: Near San Antonio, TX | I have seen many do just fine with only 3 legs. If he has been a good dog, then I would personally give him the chance. Good luck in whatever you decide. It is always so tough when our dogs get hurt.
Our border collie/australian shepherd mix got hit by a car. Her hip was so severely dislocated, and every associated tendon and ligament was destroyed beoynd repair. My husband wanted to put her down, vs spending $3000 plus for a hip replacement. She too was 8 at the time. I just couldn't. She had been such a good dog. I took her to our regular vet (the former was the emergency vet, it was a Sunday night) and he suggested a femoral head oscillation (FHO) where they just remove the head of the femur and so much scar tissue forms it becomes a false joint. It was less than $400 for that surgery. It took her a good 10 months to get full use of her hind leg, but she was a bad ass dog when she healed. I sure do miss that girl... |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 430
Location: Purcell Ok | Thank you guys. He is comfortable now we have him home on pain meds. We are calling around to see what the cost of amputation is going to be. I don't mind having a 3 legger! I just worry about the cost as we just bought a house and are now getting ready to put a barn up. He has been a great companion and I really want to give him a chance. Will up date when we decide. I am sending the x rays out to a few vets around. If any one in the OKC area know of a cost effective vet let me know!
Thanks |
|
| |
|
 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 304
Location: SW North Dakota |  to you!! That is such a tough decision. I had a Min Pin that broke his leg when he was about a year old. He broke it bad enough that he would have needed a plate to fix it and the vet wasn't even sure if it would work. I made the decision to put him down because he had severe seperation anxiety. He would have tore what ever we did to fix it to shreds by trying to get out of his kennel. I think surgury was going to be on the low end $750 - with no complications. I didn't even ask how much amputation was going to be. I figured it was going to be more and I just couldn't afford that at the time. Still miss my little guy. :( |
|
| |
|
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 999
Location: Sunny So Cal | I had a great 3 legged dog! Lived to be 12 and it was a front leg we amputated. She wasn't a working dog though. |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 383
| I went through similar situation last year my husband had to make the decision at the vets office - just so happened it was on labor day weekend and he was kind of pushed into a quick decision- we put him to sleep- and have hated our decision every since- so alls I can say is pray and don't be rushed |
|
| |
Folks on-line