About Limb Amputation

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Surgery Overview

Your pet will undergo general anesthesia with an IV catheter, fluids, and breathing tube. Their entire affected limb from toes to level of spine shaved. Their limb will be removed at shoulder (front leg) or hip (back leg). They will have stitches placed in their skin. They will not have a stump remaining in the affected area.

Recovery and Aftercare

  • Your pet will stay at WCC for maximum of 4 hours for supportive care after surgery. This includes fluids, pain medication, monitoring.
  • Pets that may need additional hospitalization should transfer to family veterinarian or 24 hour facility.
  • Expect a two week recovery period at home. This should include activity restriction, incision line monitoring (daily), medication administration, assistance walking, incision line protection with E-collar.
  • The incision line should be healed by day 14.  The incision should not have any redness, swelling, discharge or gapping.  Suture removal with veterinary professional or at home with small scissors is required. We have provided an example photo below.

This is an example of an amputation incision in a dog. Mild, bruising, redness and swelling is normal but should resolve within several days.

Risks

Anesthesia, death (<1%), skin incision infection, skin incision dehiscence (gapping), bleeding, chronic abnormal nerve stimulation, difficulty ambulating

Prognosis

Great prognosis for recovery from surgery.  If leg was removed due to mass, prognosis dependent on biopsy.