Amputation is a surgical procedure that involves removing a pet’s limb. This procedure might be necessary for several reasons, such as a cancer diagnosis, severe injury, fractures, infections, or persistent pain. Typically, amputating a forelimb involves removing the entire limb, leaving an incision along the side of the chest. For a hindlimb amputation, the limb is removed at the hip joint or the upper part of the thigh bone (femur). In some cases, the procedure may be adjusted to accommodate a prosthetic limb for pets that have difficulty walking on three legs.
What to expect before amputation surgery?
Before an amputation, your pet will be evaluated for factors that could impact recovery. While other orthopedic or neurological issues may affect recovery, they don’t automatically disqualify your pet from the procedure. Weight loss before surgery can be helpful for overweight pets. Post-surgery, pets with mobility issues or obesity might need walking assistance or physical therapy.
A common misunderstanding is that giant breed dogs are unsuitable candidates for amputation. However, amputations in these large breeds are often successfully carried out with appropriate pre-surgery screening and can yield excellent results with proper post-operative rehabilitation.
What to expect the day of surgery?
Before surgery, your pet will undergo pre-operative tests to ensure a safe general anesthesia protocol. During the procedure, a large area around the limb to be removed will be shaved. After the limb is removed, intravenous pain medications will be given. If there are concerns about cancer or infection, the limb may be sent to a lab for analysis.
In the following days, pain medications will be switched to oral form as your pet prepares to leave the hospital. Upon discharge, you’ll receive instructions on limiting activity, monitoring the incision, administering medications, and assisting with mobility.
What to expect during recovery from amputation surgery?
Post-operative recovery from an amputation typically takes about two weeks for the site to heal. Since dogs and cats bear more weight on their forelimbs than their hindlimbs, recovery from a hindlimb amputation usually requires less assistance. However, complications or mobility issues can extend the recovery period. Rare complications might include issues related to anesthesia, incision irritation or infection, bleeding, or fluid accumulation at the surgical site.
In the long term, amputees generally have a high quality of life. Most pets experience no lasting limitations or pain. Additional rehabilitation can aid in strengthening the remaining limb muscles during recovery. Amputees often resume activities such as running, jogging, swimming, and jumping with ease. Although future injuries to the remaining limbs can be harder to recover from, most pets are quite resilient.
Alternatives to Amputation:
Alternatives to full amputation include partial amputation with prosthetics, orthotics, or limb-sparing surgery. While these options can be appealing, they are often not required for most pets to achieve a good quality of life and maintain high function. These alternatives involve extensive customization, surgery, recovery, and may come with varying complications.
Limb-spare surgery:
“Limb-sparing” surgery refers to techniques designed to keep a diseased limb functional by replacing bones that are removed during surgery. This approach is often used for cancer affecting a single bone. When amputation is not an option, radiation therapy may be considered to alleviate discomfort.
Limb-sparing surgery requires thorough pre-operative planning and is tailored to individual needs. However, amputation is frequently preferred over limb-sparing surgery due to the potential for complications and a longer recovery period of about 12 weeks. Additionally, if complications arise, they can delay further treatments like chemotherapy, which are more common with limb-sparing procedures compared to full limb amputation.
Prosthetics and orthotics:
A prosthetic is an artificial limb, while an orthotic is a brace applied to the limb. Both prosthetics and orthotics are tailored to the specific needs of the patient and are best suited for cases where a partial amputation leaves a “stump” for fitting the device. Although prosthetics can be used after a full limb amputation, they do not replicate the function of a normal limb. Some prosthetics may require multiple surgeries (exo prosthesis) to achieve high functionality. Regular adjustments and physical therapy are recommended after fitting a prosthetic or orthotic to ensure the best possible use.
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