My dog has a limp. Should I amputate her leg after failed surgery?

Hello. I can not see what you previously wrote, so you may need to provide the history again. Your poor dog looks like she suffered a badly broken leg that has healed in a totally inappropriate manner. If this is the case, the easiest solution ( and fastest ) is to amputate the leg. This sounds harsh, but I am looking at the way she is putting the top of her paw on the ground & not only is this uncomfortable, it can lead to skin damage resulting in infection. Dogs can do wonderful once a bad & painful injury like this is taken care of. It is, of course, only one possibility. X-rays & a consult with an orthopedic surgeon may show a potential different outcome, but if this leg has been this way for some time, any meaningful correction to normal is unlikely. I hope I have addressed your concerns, & thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Playing the odds based on Skylar's breed and the fact that she has a tumor in the leg I would assume it is potentially a primary bone tumor such as osteosarcoma though of course your veterinarian would know better. Regardless of the tumor type, if they already made the determination of amputating her leg as the next step I can tell you that most dogs tolerate being on 3 legs very well and get around just fine even if older. Only dealing with cancer patients myself I have a lot of cancer patients that are three-legged and do great. As long as she does not have another orthopedic or neurologic condition that affects her ambulation, she would likely be ok in three legs. Good luck!

Good Evening...thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am sorry that Luna is experience some trouble with her left front leg. Since the lameness seems to be reoccurring, I would recommend you bring her into a veterinarian for an examination. Young dogs can often experience many conditions that can cause lameness. These can range from conditions such as panosteitis (growing pains) to congenital conditions such as elbow dysplasia, or OCD lesion of either the shoulder or elbow. Certainly a soft tissue injury (muscle strain or sprain) may also be the culprit. Regardless, it may be nice to see if the veterinarian can determine her "pain point" and localize where her lameness is coming from. They will also be able to give you prescription medications that ma help to ease her discomfort. I hope this information helps, good luck and I hope Luna gets some relief soon! :-)

Hello. Without x-rays it is impossible to know what is actually going on in the paw. It is difficult to say if this will bother her more as she matures, but you really do not have too many options. Perhaps a surgery to fuse & stabilize the paw may be helpful, but will not eliminate all pain & discomfort & you certainly would not amputate the leg unless she began to self-mutilate the paw. So, unless you can have the paw x-rayed, I would take a wait & see how she does. If she over does it when you play with her, then make sure she rests the leg. Otherwise, I would try to avoid pain relieves in such a young dog. Perhaps, once her bones are finished growing & maturing, she may actually do quite well. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear that Muneca is limping. Based off the radiograph, it looks like her fibula, the smaller bone in her lower leg, may be fractured. It is difficult to know for sure without an orthogonal view, but that may be the reason for her limping. I recommend restricting her activity to cage rest and leash walks only, do not let her run or play for at least 4 weeks to allow time for the bone to heal. I recommend having her evaluated by a veterinarian who can perform bloodwork and see if it is safe to prescribe her anti-inflammatory pain medications to help her feel more comfortable. NEVER give human pain medications to dogs as they can be markedly toxic. I hope this is helpful!

I am very sorry to hear that Amica is limping, I am sure it is worrying for you both. Unfortunately, there are many reasons why a dog may limp, ranging from injury, infection, osteoarthritis, disorders of the growing bones or joints, and even some cancers. Dogs can also be very good at hiding the exact location of the problem. In order to determine the precise cause of Amica's limping it would be best to take her in for an examination by a veterinarian. A veterinarian will also be able to make Amica comfortable by providing pain relief medication. The vet may also perform an orthopaedic exam and an X-ray. If Amica seems very uncomfortable or depressed, you suspect a broken bone, the limb is dangling at an unnatural angle, a limb is being dragged, severe swelling is occurring, the limb is hot, bone is piercing the skin, or nonstop bleeding is occurring, Amica needs to see a veterinarian immediately. If none of the above are occurring, and due to the high frequency of trauma cases which heal on their own, in limping dogs, as well as Amica's young age, you can try conservative management at home for 24 hours to see if Amica improves. Try the following at home; Keep Amica as comfortable as possible Strict rest with as little movement as can be managed When moving handle with care Do not give Amica any medications without a veterinarian’s approval Apply a cold compress for first 24 hours Switch to a warm compress after 24 hours If pain or limping continues after 24 hours then take Amica to see a veterinarian. I hope this was a helpful answer and more importantly that Amica feels better soon. Warmest regards and best of luck to you both.

Unfortunately only your veterinarian can answer this question. In general amputation buys a few months time and considering your dog is already very old for a Belgian Shepherd, it may be more humane to give your dog palliative care than go through with the surgery. If your dog has arthritis in his hips, having only one hind leg may put serious strain on the arthritic hip and this will cause more pain. Discuss good pain management with your veterinarian. An alternative would be to go see a veterinary oncologist who is most experienced in assessing bone cancer cases and can give you good statistics as well as has most experience with good palliative care.