Civvie poss leg amputation: UPDATE

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Elizabeth and Bertie

Elizabeth and Bertie

Member Since 2010
Bertie's best buddy, Jim Bob, has recently had surgery to try to remove a tumour on one of his back legs (it was on his heel). The vet couldn't remove all the tumour, some of which he could see starting to wrap around Jim Bob's achilles tendon.

The biopsy has confirmed the tumour as a fibrosarcoma (anaplastic sarcoma). The vet thinks it's probably not metastatic but is waiting to hear more from the oncologist about this.

When we took Jim Bob to the vet for a check up last night it became apparent that the operation site is unlikely to heal completely. Some of the skin has died off.

So, we are in a situation where JB's tumour will grow back, and that he will also have a wound on his leg...

We've talked with the vet about amputating the leg. But the vet isn't terribly keen because of JB's age. JB is 15, but - apart from the fact that he has cancer on his leg - is in remarkably good health. Vet was really surprised how good his blood results were. No kidney or liver issues, and he apparently has a strong heart.

Has anyone here had an older cat that had a leg amputated? And how did it do after the surgery...?

Thanks,

Eliz
 
Re: Civvie poss leg amputation: anyone else done this?

Not as old but without the amputation it can spread and maybe have a year left. If it hasn't spread any further and he is in good health, I would do it. I've seen cats the day after and leg amputation and you would never know they had anything wrong with them. Up and about, adjusting extremely well, eating, etc. I've had rescue cats missing a leg and even had/have two dogs missing......one the hind leg,,,,,could run like a racehorse and my little Sheltie now has no front leg. She doesn't know it ;-) and being deaf also she can not go out except on a long lead. If she ever got loose, she'd chase and try and herd the deer and trust me, she is fast.
 
Re: Civvie poss leg amputation: anyone else done this?

I had an 8 year old, non-diabetic who had a limb amputation for osteosarcoma which had been found accidentally, and we hoped that we found it early and that amputation would cure it. It didn't. *sigh* The osteosarcoma had invaded her kidneys and she died from renal failure.

Pain meds are mandatory; they used a pain patch on a shaved area of her fur.

If the incision is closed by staples, make sure that e-collar stays on, because it is possible for the cat to hook a staple over a tooth. I was awakened by a blood-curdling howl when that happened, and I had to towel her in order to push her head closer to the incision to unhook the staple.
 
Re: Civvie poss leg amputation: anyone else done this?

(((((((((Eliz))))))))))))) I wish I knew what to say but... I know you will do the right thing and have Jim Bob's very best interests at heart.

Diana xx
 
Re: Civvie poss leg amputation: anyone else done this?

I have not had this done, but Chester may need an amputation in the future. He has a pin in his leg that may end up pushing the nerves for that leg. I didn't know he had it. We found it several years ago when Chester caught a nasty cold and lost a lot of weight. He developed a VERY bad limp so we rushed him to the vet. They asked me how long he had had the pin - what pin? From the Xrays, it looked like the bone around the pin is too thin to allow the pin to be removed and the head of the pin looks to be pressing on the nerves in his leg or lower back. They sent him home with some painkillers, with the understanding that if he didn't get better, he may need to have the leg amputated. As it was, he gained the weight right back and has been fine ever since, but it's always an option out there, in case that pin causes much more trouble.

I have known a few amputees and they end up doing just fine. They have to wear the cone for a long time and they might be a little wobbly on really polished floors...Have you ever heard of Trooper? He was a cat found frozen to a driveway in Canada. They were able to save him, but he needed his tail and one hind leg amputated due to tissue damage from frostbite. His rescuers documented his whole journey and recovery. They have a facebook group that follows him caleed "Troopers for Trooper". He looks great and doesn't seem to be bothered by three legs at all.
 
Re: Civvie poss leg amputation: anyone else done this?

It is a toss up because of Bob's age. If he is in very good health otherwise I would go for it.
 
Re: Civvie poss leg amputation: anyone else done this?

just make sure that every precaution is taken during the surgery, i.e. blood pressure monitoring, iv line hooked up, etc......

fwiw, i have a kitty who has a bum leg. she walks on it (on her hock basically) but she doesn't have feeling in it much below the hip area. so it's not really the same but when she wants to run at the speed of light like kitties do sometimes, she just picks it up and off she goes, like a 3 legged kitty. and she jumps up as well as any of my other kitties.

i did lose a kitty during a leg amputation surgery though. i have to say though and emphasize that i believe it was because i didn't know any better back then and the vet didn't bother to educate me, which surprises me now knowing now it would have meant more money for them, but in essence, precautions weren't taken during the surgery for "what if" possibilities, meaning if she crashed, had things been hooked up right and being monitored, she may have been saved, but they weren't and she became a vegetable basically and i had to let her go. thus my advice to make sure oxygen, blood pressure, everything is being monitored carefully. i know that now and i never have a surgery of any kind done on any of my kitties without the works being set up and done
 
Re: Civvie poss leg amputation: anyone else done this?

Poor JimBob!
Poor Eliz. :cry:

I suppose post-op recovery will all depend on his health before he 'goes under' & if he is a strong cat apart from his leg, then he has the best chance.

I've just been googling feline amputations to find out a bit more. It might be best to have a look at what kitties look like post-op before you pick him up after his surgery. I think the worst part (for you, anyway) may be the few days after surgery when he's confined to a small space & he won't like that at all.

Archie's parents set up a website about his rear leg amputation & there is a gallery of other amputees, too: http://www.archiecat.co.uk/

With a Mum like you, Eliz, he has the best chance, anyway.

J
xxx
 
Re: Civvie poss leg amputation: anyone else done this?

Hugs!

Not the same, but something along the lines of recovery outlook. We had a kitty that broke both his back legs in a fall off a roof and, after surgery to save his legs, ended up walking on his hocks for the rest of his life. The first year as he healed and got used to walking again, he had to be crated. After that, he was able to get around fine and even became an outside cat. He ran away a short time later and probably got adopted by some other family. I know this because a couple of years later, I was back home, sleeping in my old bedroom, and was awakened in the middle of the night by a cat walking along the side fence outside my window. It was our old cat, still walking on his hocks and just fine and dandy! And this is an area that has coyotes nearby!

Whatever you decide, you'll have his best interests at heart and you'll know if you feel he's healthy enough for the surgery and how he'll deal with his new 3- legged walking abilities. And some more hugs! It's so heartbreaking when our kitties are hurt or sick!

There's also a cat, Dottie, out there (I'll have to find out if she has a website) where some mean bastard cut off her hind legs and an ear.
 
Re: Civvie poss leg amputation: anyone else done this?

Thank you, folks, for your advice and suggestions, for your encouraging stories, and for your terrifying honesty: All of which has given me much food for thought. (But most of all thank you for the hugs!)

Eliz
 
Re: Civvie poss leg amputation: anyone else done this?

You're very welcome. Anything that might help sweet JimBob! To clarify, I asked my sister if she remembered how long our cat had to be crated and she said it was about 6 months (not a year). When they weren't sure if they would be able to save his legs, the vet told us that cats are very resilient and even without two rear legs, he'd soon learn how to get around (almost like a rabbit). We used to joke that even with two bad legs, he still had two legs up on us mere humans who have silly "hands" instead of more feet. :lol:
 
Re: Civvie poss leg amputation: anyone else done this?

I forgot to mention that about five years ago my vet amputated her cats leg and the cat was fine for a couple of years. I thing the cat was about 14. The cat was also diabetic.
 
Re: Civvie poss leg amputation: anyone else done this?

Well, it's been quite a couple of weeks....

The operation site on Jimbob’s leg didn’t heal and the tumour regrew and became increasingly ulcerated and nasty. Amputation looked like the only way to lengthen his life, but I was really concerned that he might have his leg amputated only to succumb to the cancer in another part of his body in a couple of months time or less. I knew that BJM here at FDMB had a cat that died not long after having a leg amputated, so I PM’d him about that. And he suggested I post his advice in this thread:

“Pepper's osteosarcoma, a tumor in the bone was found accidentally on an x-ray to determine why she was peeing so much (which in retrospect might have clued me in to the renal metastasis). A shadow was seen on the stifle - the upper hind leg, near the lower joint.
X-rays may show metastases and could be worth doing. If you see tumors elsewhere, or if the bloodwork is becoming anemic, I would probably opt for palliative care. No evidence for mets, a surgeon you trust, and a cat otherwise doing well - surgery may buy some time, maybe a lot of time. Cats can do well with only 3 legs.
Non-healing wound sites? Discuss with your vet the use of sugar to pack the would. It acts like an osmatic to dry and help the tissue granualate and heal.”
“Ask the vet what type of imaging will be most likely to detect other growths.”

We discussed the situation with the vet and decided on ultrasound initially, followed by x-rays if it looked like the operation might go ahead. Jimbob went for ultrasound with a specialist a week ago...

The ultrasound guy looked at JB's notes and said this was a metastatic cancer and also one that metastasises early on so we shouldn't get our hopes up. An hour and a half later we got the results. The lymph node in JB's cancerous leg was enlarged, and the next lymph node up in the abdomen was slightly enlarged. The leg lymph node would be removed with the leg. And we were told that the other lymph node could be removed via an incision in the abdomen (and that this could be done at the same time as the amputation). But there were no other metastases visible on the ultrasound. So, this was our first little chink of hope...

However, on talking to our vet we found out that the operation to remove the lymph node in the abdomen is by no means straightforward. Sometimes, apparently, the lymph node will "shell out" really cleanly, and other times it adheres to the surrounding structures which includes a couple of major blood vessels... Also, this procedure would add considerable time to an already lengthy operation; and JB is no youngster... It looked increasingly like euthanasia was looming...

Then the vet phoned the oncologist to discuss the situation further, and the oncologist said "Whatever you do, don't attempt to remove the lymph node because you will probably make things worse by seeding the cancer throughout the abdomen..."

But the oncologist thought amputation could still be an option. JB has the cancer in his system but the oncologist thinks he could well have 6 months ahead of him. If we chose not to amputate we'd probably be looking at euthanasia in another week....or less....

So, we opted for amputation. And he was booked in for his operation on Monday. But there was still one last hurdle to get across: Lung x-rays were needed to see if there was any metastases there. If lung metastases were evident then the amputation wouldn't go ahead; we'd bring him home, give him a nice few days, and then have him PTS at home...

Well, Monday was hellishly stressful: Waiting, waiting, biting fingernails, more waiting... But finally, late afternoon, we got a call from the vet saying the amputation had gone ahead and the operation had gone well. Oh, the relief......

So. Monday night Jimbob came home on 3 legs...

There is, of course, the challenge of his recovery and his adapting to being minus one of his back legs; and we are hoping and praying there are no complications with the healing process; but JB has shown extraordinary spirit. Yesterday was his first day as an amputee and he was already managing to get up and down the stairs! And last night he clambered up onto the bed and curled up alongside me.

So, we know he has cancer. But we are SO hoping we can give him another summer...
 
Yesterday was his first day as an amputee and he was already managing to get up and down the stairs! And last night he clambered up onto the bed and curled up alongside me.
Click to expand...

See, he already thinks he is doing well. He told you so by going up and down the stairs and then snuggling in bed with you.

Keep up with the life as normal JB. ;-)

{{{Lots of hugs to you Elizabeth.}}}
 
(((((Eliz)))))
Tears and smiles at the same time here - of relief, mixed with the picture in my mind of dear little Jim Bob jumping on the bed, wanting to be close to you. He knows you are looking after him. If only all kitties could have this kind of love.

See you soon.
Diana xx
 
Awww, Eliz! What a horrid time for you all. I'm so sorry. Much hugness to you.

Maybe if he's adapting to life as a tripod so quickly, he's definitely a tough old man, and his op recovery should be pretty rapid?

I'll keep my fingers & toes crossed for the cancer. It is evil.

Let me know if I can do anything?

Ju
xx
 
Just keep his butt area clean. My three-legged guy Stuart essentially sat in the litter box to urinate. I had to comb-out the litter clumps from his behind.
 
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