Hello All!
I was hoping to get my blog up the first day I found this website which was 11/11/11 the day after Kumba’s Tripawd transformation, but I was emotional and not really grasping the technical part of this very well. I am glad I was able to overcome that part and hope to continue with a regular post on my pretty girl’s recovery.
Kumba is a 10 (approx.) year old lab mix that I rescued from Northern Cali.and she has been the best dog in my world. In early September, I took her to the vet due to a mild limp on one of her front legs. I couldn’t tell which one it was then, they diagnosed her with elbow arthiritis and sent us home with pain killers and an anti-inflammatory pill. About five weeks later her limp was severe and I took her back and it was re-diagnosed as the horrible cancer/osteosarcoma:( I was told her upper left limb would break in a couple of weeks because the cancer deteriorated it and made it so fragile and she was in alot of pain which was obvious. The two options were to put her down or amputate her leg. I went for a second opinion at a more advanced facility that cared for cancer patients and provided chemo. I had a biopsy done and once the results came through, I knew there was only one choice that was right for Kumba. I was so scared her leg would break before we could get the biopsy results back. I think I was more worried she would go through more pain than I could bear. The decision to remove that pain right away seemed like the only right choice for us once we found out what we were dealing with 100%. I found this site the day after she had the operation and it was very comforting and supportive and it was the reassurance I needed. I felt so lost and unsure and you all helped me see things in a better light
Saturday she came home and I was very surprised that she moved as well as she did when she got up to go out and do her business (both, which is good) We lounged on the floor together and she got lots of hugs and pats. She did have the worst gas in the world though, lol! I am not sure if its the cut up hotdogs (used to hide her pills) thats causing it or something else. If anyone has a solution for a better pill pocket, please let me know.
Before bed, I tried to get her to come to my room but she insisted on sleeping in the living room, which she sometimes does, but I worried about her being too far away, so I didn’t sleep much and checked on her in the late eve. to find that she somehow managed to get on the couch and sleep there, which never has been allowed. I was so shocked to see this and at the same time worried about how she would get down since she is suppose to take it easy with this 18″ stapled incision, but at the same time it brought a smile to my face and made me realize that if she can do this on her second day of post op, I wont worry so much about her getting around moreso in a few weeks.
We put a t-shirt on her to protect her from her back leg scratching it til its bloody or worst. I am afraid she will rip it open. They didn’t bandage this and I am not sure why.
Today is her 2nd day home and 3 days after her surgery. She is resting alot, still very gassy,eating well but not drinking much water and I don’t know if I should be worried about that just yet. We will see how she does in the next few days and I will try to post again as we progress
I am so thankful I found this website so I can share with others who will go through this and have other parents share with me on their journeys. I read stories that I totally related to in the beginning before surgery and all of the emotions that loving parents go through when their loved ones are at risk. 
I welcome any advice on our journey!
what a beautiful pup!!! thanks for sharing your story – geesh it’s amazing what it takes to finally get up on the sofa!! as for the gas, we give pills in rehydrated ‘honest kitchen thrive’ brand dog food. you just add warm water and make up a little batch at a time, we keep it in the fridge and hide pills in s spoonful..very popular in our house and no ‘fragrant residue’… paws crossed for continued recovery, we highly recommend ‘upping’ the number of medicinal naps!
charon & gayle
First, welcome to Tripawds! No one really wants to “join this club,” but if you have to, it’s full of great resources. My Max was a left front amp also. I’m glad to hear Kumba got through the surgery and is back home healing with you. The only advice I would give you is to try not to stress out around her too much (easier said than done, I know!). Kumba will key off you, so try to remain calm when you’re around her. Also, you may become a bit sleep deprived, so try to get some sleep when she does. Most people say recovery from the surgery can take about two weeks, but it really depends on the dog. Max wasn’t really his “normal self” until about 4 or 5 weeks after; some dogs breeze right through without any issues. Hopefully Kumba will be in that category. Post often with any questions, and be sure to post in the forums, too, as you’ll get more of an audience there. Keep us updated on Kumba’s progress. By the way, I’m in Orange County, are you still in Nor Cal, and if so, where? Nor Cal has a very active Tripawd group who try to get together about once a month; keep an eye on the forums, and hopefully you can meet up with them sometime!
Thanks for joining and sharing Kumba’s story! You’ll find lots of recovery care tips and advice in the discussion forums. Start be reading Jerry’s Required Reading List, and for immediate answers to the most common dog amputation questions consider downloading the Tripawds e-book Three Legs and A Spare.
Thanks for sharing Kumba’s story! Paws crossed for a speedy recovery!
There is a lot of support and info here at Tripawds.com. The first couple of weeks are going to be hellish, so don’t be afraid to reach out if you need some help or advice!
Nancy & Butchey
Thank you! Im crossing them also. I am thankful for the support
Kumba, we’re glad you found us. All of us who are here know how hard the journey is. When I was on it, we felt so alone and scared, which is why we started Tripawds in the first place.
Not bandaging is pretty normal. I didn’t have one and most dogs don’t. Some do, but not many.
Where in Northern CA are you? I was born and raised in Eureka!
Feel better and soon you’ll be hopping around loving life like you always did before. Cancer is scary indeed, for humans mostly, but we dogs know how to live life to the fullest no matter what, don’t we?
Welcome! I love that picture on the couch 🙂 what a cute dog. Hang in there the first few weeks can be a rough ride but you’ll get the hang of it and you found a great place to come for support.
Jenna & Spirit Chili Dawg
Thank you, so far its been easier than I anticipated. I think it was rougher worrying that she could break her leg any day before the surgery. I feel more at ease about her recovering and getting past this pain. Now I just need to make sure she doesn’t try jumping and overdoing it:P