Amputation of my dog's right front leg

Hello members,

I joined Dogsey to get feedback on your experience with amputating your dog's leg. I have a 9 year old miniature poodle who has been diagnosed with a mast cell tumour on his right front leg, just behind his back pad. It has also gone to one lymph node at the top of his leg. The oncologist vet recommends leg amputation. I am ready to go for this if it will give my dog some more good years of quality life. My beloved dog is otherwise a healthy and happy dog who loves his country walks twice a day.

I wonder what quality of life a tripod dog can have at age 9. and also how much a reasonable cost for such a surgery might be?

Our dog is on 2 weeks of chemo drugs to shrink the tumour. If it does shrink, we may have the option of having 2 small surgeries: one for the tumour, the other for the lymph node.

Thanks for any experience you may offer.

I am sorry you are going through this, there are a lot of dogs living happy, active lives with only 3 legs. I met a collie the other day who just wZnted to run and play with mine. It is a major operation but dogs adapt very quickly to having a leg missing, it is us who has the worry and problems with it.

Hi and welcome and sorry under these worrying circumstances.

Fingers crossed that the chemo will shrink the tumour resulting in two smaller ops rather than having to have the leg removed. There is a dog I often see (standard poodle) who only has three legs and it races around in the fields as normal, so as Mattie says dogs do adjust incredibly quickly.

I have no idea of prices as I'm in the UK.

Best of luck with your decision ... you must be worried sick. Keep us informed as to how your little dog gets on.

really hope the Chemo works...fingers crossed.As the others have said imagine the dog will manage the very best.
Mine had to have an eye removed at 9 yrs old.I know it's not the same thing but I put myself through hell.Got so stressed out,practically cried a river Looking back on it,I can see how stupid I was,it was totally pointless.She did amazingly well,it was me who fell apart...total idiot Must be a huge worry for you,but try and stay positive,dogs could teach us humans a lot.They are unbelievably resilient
Let us know how he gets on(( hugs))

Welcome to Dogsey sorry to here your bad news. I do not have any experience of dog amputation but I hope all goes well for your dog.

I've no personal experience of such things but I have known and met many 3 legged dogs who do very well. We've had some on here on Dogsey.

Just wanted to send my best wishes to you.

If you can join the Tripawds site (there is an American one & a UK one) and there is unlimited info and experience on there.

Best of luck, dogs are very adaptable and once the source of pain is removed they usually bounce back.

And I understood that poodles are quite long lived, so 9 isn't very old for a poodle?

Thank you all for your supportive remarks and suggestions about my dog Finnigan. I have joined Tripawds and have found so much information there about vets, costs, recovery etc. that it will take me at least one week to learn more!! A HUGE thank you!

Best of luck to you Maureen! I can only add that yes, I have known amputees, and you'd not know there was anything the matter with them at all. An excellent quality of life is perfectly possible with three legs. Hugs! ()