Kitty having leg amputated

[Rica55]

Hi All,

I found this forum while googling many things in search for some answers. I guess right now I just need some support….

My 8-year-old Kitty Jill was diagnosed with a very rare tumor on her toe in June (on her right hind leg). Her toe was amputated and pathology came back that it was osteosarcoma, but the margins were clean, and the rest of her leg looked great, lung xrays perfect. Her vet and oncologist agreed that she needed no further treatment.

Now, 6 months later, I find a lump behind her thigh (same leg). I brought her to the vet last week who did an xray (xray looked great, bones all clean) and needle aspirate and it came back bad news, it is some kind of sarcoma. Since a biopsy was not yet performed, we dont know what it is. The vet believes since it is the same leg it is a metasis (forgive my mispellings please , however there is no way to know unless we do a biopsy. The vet consulted Jill's original oncologist who thinks we should, at this time, amputate her leg. So we have decided to move forward with the amputation which will take place next week, followed by 4-5 rounds of chemo.

I am scared to death really. Does anyone have any advice/help/experiences they can share?

Erica

[CarolC]

Hi Erica,

Cats generally do fine after an amputation. There was even a 16-year old cat here with a hind leg amputation, and she did fine.

The thing I've noticed most with cats (doesn't seem to be with dogs) is a number of posts about the cat walking backward while figuring out their new way of walking. It is temporary and they figure it out. Your kitty may not do that, but here are some posts on that subject.

http://handicappedpet.net/helppets/view ... 11&t=14210
http://handicappedpet.net/helppets/view ... 11&t=12540
http://handicappedpet.net/helppets/view ... 11&t=12404

[critters]

Yup, tripods usually do great and are seldom really disabled afterward. I'd do it in a minute.