Cat with Front Leg Amputation

Please post questions about pets who are expected to undergo amputation or who have already undergone amputation here, as well as pets born with missing or incomplete limbs.
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Ms McCoon
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Cat with Front Leg Amputation

Post by Ms McCoon »

Mickey just had his front leg amputated on Friday due to Soft Tissue Sarcoma. He was such a laid back, easy-going Maine Coon and now he is so reclusive and frightened. I really fear that I made the wrong decision. The situation has been complicated since we have three other cats. His companion cat has been wonderful in assisting him with grooming and laying with him but the other cats are "hissy". He hates the isolation that I've imposed on him and tries to escape his "prison" which is a carpeted basement family room. My husband and I have been taking turns sleeping in the room with him and I've been working from home during the day.

For some reason, I didn't think that the operation would be so horrendous and just wanted the assurance that the cancer wouldn't spread. There was an option for radiation which, in the opinion of the surgeon, would not have been as effective plus it would have required that we go to another city for five days.

Can anyone provide any words of encouragement? I'm trying to stay upbeat because Mickey probably can sense my terrible sense of guilt.
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CarolC
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Re: Cat with Front Leg Amputation

Post by CarolC »

I think you did the right thing. My Maine Coon cat Teddy also got a soft tissue (vaccine) sarcoma. It was on his shoulder. I decided not to do surgery due to age and other health conditions, and because they would have had to take some ribs, and based on statements of an internal medicine specialist that he had seen cats survive a long time without surgery. Well, without surgery it grew quickly and it quickly became so large he had trouble walking. Then it also became painful for him, requiring pain injections. I'd have to check exactly, but I think without surgery he survived about 6 months, and they weren't 6 good months. I understand your feelings, but what you don't see is what would have happened if you had not amputated. I hope your kitty will have a good survival, but please don't look back and wish you hadn't amputated. Sometimes you don't have any options you can really feel happy about, only one option that is better than another. With a little time and TLC, he will feel better when he heals a little more. I am attaching a picture of a cat named Tiger. He was not my cat but I have always loved the picture. :)
Tiger in Bed
Tiger in Bed
Ms McCoon
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Re: Cat with Front Leg Amputation

Post by Ms McCoon »

Thanks Carol, I guess time will tell. In the meantime, I'll just keep giving him as much TLC as I can.
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critters
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Re: Cat with Front Leg Amputation

Post by critters »

:welcomeblue: Well, I suspect at least part of the reason he has his tail in a twist is being jailed; cats are notorious for HATING that! :twisted: Admittedly he's not very jailed, since y'all are staying with him, but cats ARE that way!
Ms McCoon
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Re: Cat with Front Leg Amputation

Post by Ms McCoon »

I have learned that with amputation, there are so many more considerations other than mobility. Are there other pets in the household and what is the amputee's relationship with them? What is the amputee's favourite activities? Well, Mickey loved to play with the other cats in the house and his absolute best thing in the world was to take my clothes, hold them in his mouth and knead the #### out of them. After the amputation, he couldn't do any of these things and became depressed. The depression manifested itself in overgrooming both himself and his housemates. My happy-go-lucky guy became fearful and anxious. I took him to his holistic vet where he had acupuncture and was prescribed some herbal remedies. These treatments helped a bit but he was never himself. By the beginning of July, he showed signs of vision problems and then was diagnosed with kidney failure. The usual fluid treatments did not work and on a sunny day on July 12, the vet came over and euthanised him on his favourite spot in our backyard where he is now buried. My decision to have his leg amputated gave him six months of discomfort and confusion. Do I feel guilty? #### yes but if this story helps anyone else, it's worth telling.
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CarolC
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Re: Cat with Front Leg Amputation

Post by CarolC »

I'm sorry for how it worked out for your kitty. As you saw earlier in the thread, not doing the surgery did not work out well for my kitty, either. I guess sometimes we just don't have any really good options. I hope it was not 6 months of only discomfort and confusion...I hope there were also some better moments mixed in. I am sure a cat who does not have surgery is confused about why there is a lump growing on his leg, and why he is having trouble walking, and then about why it is hurting so much and only getting worse. I am sorry it did not work out better for your kitty. I am really sorry for your loss.
Ms McCoon
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Re: Cat with Front Leg Amputation

Post by Ms McCoon »

Thank you, Carol. Yes, on reflection there were some purrs and sometimes the old Mickey would shine through. I'll focus on those memories.
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