Many of you have asked about my dog Harlan since he was hit by a car a month ago. Originally, we took the news of severe nerve damage to his leg and decided to let him keep his leg for the time being to see if he would regain any use of it. That didn’t happen. Things got worse with his leg, things got gross with his leg, and we finally had to have it amputated on Thursday of last week. It’s surreal to see my hound dog moving about on only 3 legs. I’m surprised by him every time I walk in the room.
I took him in to have his nails trimmed, but I think they took a little too much off.
A friend came over to our house a couple of days ago and asked my little girl Ava about Harlan’s leg being removed. Ava told him, “Yeah, Harlan’s a circus dog now!”
Now if we can just keep our circus dog from chewing open his stitches, we’ll be good to go. He’s healing up pretty well already, and he’s moving around way better than he should be able to. I was kind of hoping we could keep him from jumping up on our bed for a little while…but, I’ll take what I can get.
Dogs are funny little buddies to have around. I wouldn’t consider myself an animal activist of any sort, but several people have told me that they don’t know if they could bring themselves to spend that much on having a dog’s leg amputated…that they’d probably opt to have the dog put down. All I can really say is that you just don’t know what you’d do in the situation until you’re in it. That, and I know that we made the right choice. He’ll be around for a good long while – and we never really knew how much we needed a circus dog in our lives.
Interesting fact: When I took him to the vet before the amputation, he was 49lbs – after the amputation a week later, he’s only 41lbs. Now that’s a serious weight-loss plan.
If this had happened to my Leroy, I’d do the same thing you did, without even thinking.
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Bitch Stopped Cookin says:
August 20th, 2010 at 3:18 pm
@Lisa,
Me too! It seems like it would be devastating, but I guess it is just a lifestyle change.
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AGinTO says:
August 25th, 2010 at 1:36 pm
@Lisa,
Yup. Me too. I love animals, and would NEVER unneccessarily put one down. I don’t have a dog, I will one day soon…and I would lose the leg to save his life – without a doubt!
Good on ya!
Goddess Jewelry
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Oh your poor baby dog. Watching the video of him limping around just broke my heart. I’m so glad he’s doing much better, even if he’s without a leg. I’ve seen many 3-legged dogs have good lives. (One was renamed “Tripod.”) Thank you for your update. I said a little prayer for your doggie to keep healing.
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For some people pets are just animals, for others they are part of the family.
I have also seen several three legged dogs, hopefully it won’t take Harlan too long to get the hang of it.
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My vet always says “You know, there are a lot of 3 legged dogs running around on just three legs.” Hoping for continued healing.
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My dogs are family. I’d do the same as you! He’s precious and I’ve seen several 3-legged dogs and cats and they are just as fast as the 4-legged kind! And just as loved, if not more so.
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You know what, only you and your family could have made the decision, it wasn’t up to anybody else!
I am so happy you made the decision to amputate his leg and keep him alive. He will bring much joy into all of your lives. The video of him limping made me cry. I think you absolutely did the right thing.
We have spent so much money on our pets just to save them. Every penny is worth it with our pets. They add to our lives.
God Bless you and your family!!
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We have a three-legged dog now too. He has become much sweeter now that he is more dependent on others. The most amazing part to me is how well they adapt and that they don’t lie around lamenting what might have been! Great lesson to learn
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Harlan’s been on my prayer list. I’ll keep him there until you tell us he’s right as rain and jumping on your bed again.
When my husband married me, my dowry was a 15 year old cat who I’d had since she was a kitten. He hates cats, but when she got extremely ill after minor dental surgery and had to be rushed to the emergency vet an hour from home, he slapped down his credit card without a second thought. You’re right. You never know what you’ll do until it actually happens. Pets give you their implicit trust and unconditional love. They’re part of your family, and when they hurt, you hurt with them. My old cat is still ticking three years later thanks to my husband’s kindness.
A circus dog, huh? That’s just plain cool! Ava’s got a great take on it.
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I’m glad you made the decision you did … Harlan looks like such a sweet guy….I’d do the same thing.
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Aww, what a trooper. It’s amazing how tough dogs are. Hope he heals up quickly and becomes the coolest hopper in town!
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I know it probably seems really raw right now, and I’m so sorry for all that you’ve had to go through. Pets are family members and if you are a pet parent, then you know that you always end up making the decision that’s best for them.
Luckily as far as limbs go, dogs are really adaptive to these situations, and more often then not do just as well missing a limb as they did with it. There is a wonderful dog up the street from us and he is happy as can be and will happily run full sprint with only three legs.
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So glad Harlan is doing so well! You’re right about not knowing how you would handle a pet situation until it happens. I say this after one $2500 back surgery for a blue heeler and a $8000 doggie ICU bill for a pancreaitis attack. Go figure. Many happy, healing thoughts to Harlan!
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I would have made the same decision in a heartbeat.
Last year we missed one month of Heartworm meds….took the dog in for his check up and sure enough he came back heartworm positive. It was $800 for the treatment and I was terrified my husband wouldn’t do it but there was absolutely no hesitation….They’re more than pets to us, they’re family.
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Ms Dreamer says:
August 18th, 2010 at 2:19 pm
@Dyanna, same happened to our Daisy – missed one month, and she had heartworms. Duke (not intentional) was miserable for the two days that she was in hospital, and Mr Realist had no qualms about plopping down the monies to have her treated. Since we don’t have human kids, our dogs are our children!
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Ms Dreamer says:
August 18th, 2010 at 2:20 pm
@Ms Dreamer, and Duke’s never had them.
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Hey Ryan!
Other than not being able to dig holes like he used to, Harlan will live a pretty normal life. I am a veterinarian, and have had to deal with amputations quite often. Fortunately, dogs pretty much learn to deal with anything without feeling too sorry for themselves, and just adapt. We owned a toy poodle once who was surrendered to the humane society with a satin bra strap tied around his leg, which resulted in the circulation being cut off, ending in an amputation. He was a fabulous dog! When anyone asked what had happened, we just said that he was a courageous army canine and had gotten it blown off stepping on a mortar shell. He weighed about 4 lbs. There were those who believed it….for a few seconds. Enjoy your extended time with your dog and have fun with him. They truly are a gift from God to us.
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We just spent over $5,000 having our “baby” fixed. People thought I was crazy. He is a young dog, he got sick, why would I end his life?? He’s much better! Glad Harlan is better!
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You know, my husband and I have always said that if a vet bill was too much, we wouls have to put our animals down. That of course is a far too simplistic answer. If my dog, at age 11, was diagnosed with cancer, and the treatment was expensive, we might say, “well at least he lived a good life.”
If my boxer/lab was hit by a car (she is 2) and required amputation, I’m sure we would find the money somewhere.
Like you said, you never know what you’ll do until you are in that situation. And the answer never seems to be black or white.
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It looks like Harley is a fighter! I would have done the same thing in your situation. We spent $2000+ on our cat Chessie fighting to keep her alive after she had an obstruction in her bowels and developed Pancreatitis. She was about nine years old at the time; so, had quite a few years left to her if she survived. I’m so glad we did. She did survive and is such a sweet little kitty. She is now 13 years old.
PS Our other cat is missing a leg and doesn’t miss it at all. She too was hit by a car and suffered extreme nerve damage in that leg. So, it had to be amputated. She’s such a sweet little thing.
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i haven’t really commented before, but i wanted to on this.
i always relate to your posts. i related to your recent one about working for a church. i actually crashed and burned after my experience and your honesty was just honestly refreshing to read.
the reason i wanted to leave a note was i found you a few months ago when i was about to go to Kenya, and you were linked to a group of compassion bloggers. i read about your experience, and still go back from time to time because you’ve put into words what i can’t quite yet. anyway, about a month ago my dog tore both ACL’s – she tore one, was on bed rest, then tore the other – both requiring surgery. she’s had one surgery, and will go back in a couple of weeks for the other and then after recovery, will hopefully be better than new. i have had such a hard time with it, especially after Africa – i had a friend say something along the lines of ” you have to decide whether you’re going to spend that kind of money on your dog, or use it to further the gospel, etc”. she was one of the only people i mentioned it to, probably b/c i didn’t know how to defend my choice even to myself. i just wanted to thank you for your thoughts on why you chose to help out Harlen.. thank you for just being real, for being someone who is honest about what you’re facing, or thinking. i have no idea if i have even made sense, but just wanted to really say thank you.
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The example you just set for your children is a wonderful one. I think your decision teaches Ava a lesson in compassion, and that a “circus dog” deserves no less than a whole dog, and that he is no different than before…. He just gets around funny now.
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drives me insane when family members or friends tell me what to do with my do. Yeah she’s old, yeah she has accidents, yeah she can be so annoying at times but she isn’t in any pain, she has a healthy appetite, she loves life, why would I take that away from her. Besides I love her to death and while I won’t let her suffer, I will prolong her life as long as possible. I WILL know when the time is right. Harlan looks fabulous as a three legger. Bless him take good care of him.
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Denise Armbruster says:
August 18th, 2010 at 3:30 pm
@Denise Armbruster, that should be “dog” not “do”
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I agree – someone can’t really say what they’d do in the same situation till it happens to them. Unless their pets are more like simple possessions as opposed to close members of the family. I’ve never hesitated if my dogs needed meds, tests, or amputations. The only question I struggle with is wondering if I’m doing what’s right for the dog – or am I just improving the situation temporarily for my own benefit. With two aging dogs, I know this will come up more in the coming years (months?) and I just hope to have my heart in the right place when tough decisions need to be made. I appreciate your update on Harlan, so good to see him on the mend!
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awww…what a sweet looking pup.
I had to put my dog down when she was hit by a car last year…she had spinal injuries…toughest decision ever.
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Bless his heart. I would do anything for my (four) dogs and have spent an absolute fortune on my springer spaniel, mostly for ear infections. You wouldn’t even believe what the last treatment cost when I had to take him to the vet daily for two weeks for IVs.
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Harlan is such a beautiful dog. I am glad that your family didn’t decide to put him down. He should adjust well and still has lots of life in him, much love to give.
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It always hurts me to see how sometimes human being can have such little regard for God’s precious animals, so, to know you and your heart, I would never expected to have seen you do otherwise. He is a lucky, blessed lil guy to be part of your family and will heal quickly and adapt too….It is just another reveal of God’s glory!
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Awwwwwww…look at that face. **scritches**
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What a determined little sweetheart dog! Give him a scratch behind his ears for me, will ya?
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I completely agree with your actions. I have spent a nice chunk of money on animal health over the years and would do it again in a heart beat. They are family. Not everyone thinks that way though.
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I believe that there are two kinds of people in the world: those with pets and those who don’t understand. Not a doubt in MY mind what we’d do if Tulip needed this surgery.
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We spent a big wad of money on a dog we’d just adopted from the local pound – turns out they microchip the dogs but do NOT test for heartworm. So we put ourselves and this poor dog through the agonies of heartworm treatment and are grateful for it. Your dog is a good companion and what would your children have thought if you put a pet to sleep because it was hurt? They’d hesitate to tell you they were hurt wouldn’t they??? this from a woman with no children and LOTS of animals. We do what is right for our family members – and that sweet “circus” dog deserved a chance at life.
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I agree with Sandy. I believe that if you do it right, your family dogs become your best friends. I don’t question you doing everything within reason to keep him with you. I’d question somebody who wouldn’t. As people have said above, pets are God’s creatures too.
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aww sweet baby…i think that it is so cliche but “God works in mysterious ways”, and he doesn’t always put PEOPLE into our lives to show us love and help us grow, i think he uses animals too. like those finches you saw (it was finches, right?) a few months ago.
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Linds says:
August 18th, 2010 at 11:11 pm
@Linds, also, you -ryan- are not the sweet baby. the dog is. a sweet puppy baby. you are a very nice person.
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I’ve spent a good chunk of money on my dog through the years… chronic bladder infections, bladder stone surgery… but I never, ever have a doubt about spending all the money to make her feel better. I would never hesitate even if it would take me 10 years to pay off the credit card bill. She does so much for me. It’s the least I can do for her to keep her healthy and happy.
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[...] This Is Reverb » Harlan, as of late… thisisreverb.com/2010/08/harlan-as-of-late.html – view page – cached Many of you have asked about my dog Harlan since he was hit by a car a month ago. Originally, we took the news of severe nerve damage to his leg and decided to let him keep his leg for the time being to see if he would regain any use of it. That didn’t happen. Things got worse with his leg, things got gross with his leg, and we finally had to have it amputated on Thursday of last week. It’s… Read moreMany of you have asked about my dog Harlan since he was hit by a car a month ago. Originally, we took the news of severe nerve damage to his leg and decided to let him keep his leg for the time being to see if he would regain any use of it. That didn’t happen. Things got worse with his leg, things got gross with his leg, and we finally had to have it amputated on Thursday of last week. It’s surreal to see my hound dog moving about on only 3 legs. View page Tweets about this link [...]
When I was younger, I had a dog that had to undergo the same thing, same leg even, when he was just about 18 months old. He lived a long, happy, fully mobile life until he was about 16 years old. He was chasing cats well into his teens and had no problem putting the pedal to the metal when he wanted to. I know Harlan will be just as active once he recovers
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I would spend what I could afford to save my dog, she is my 2nd best friend in the world. Good job.
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My best friend has a three legged dog. She was rescued from a ditch after being hit by a car and left, and the leg couldn’t be saved. That dog is hillarious, and wonderful, and does just fine. Harlan will too. Circus dog = awesome!
I dropped $3,000 on jaw surgery for my dog. She is our responsibility, a part of the family, and more important than all the new living room furniture that money was ear-marked for. Plus, we love her. Love doesn’t have a price tag.
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I’m so glad Harlan is doing well. What a sweet looking circus doggie!!
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Awww…Harlan looks like he’s doing great! As a previous owner of a tri-pod dog-just so you know, you won’t get a discount on nail trimming, or dog shoes…even with the argument of “Well I only need 75% of your services, so I should only have to pay for 75% of the product!”
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Awww, poor Harlan. I am sure he will be just fine! My cousin’s dog had a tumor and lost the use of his back legs and he was only 8 months old. They got, well, I guess a wheelchair of sorts, for him and he speeds around like no one’s business!
Enjoy your circus dog! I’d probably do the same thing.
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Awww, look at the eyes on that dog! So sweet.
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I had to make the same decision on my Cocker Spaniel a few yrs back when my son ran over her on the driveway..the nerves were damaged in her leg and it had to be amputated …..it took her a little while to get the hang of things (she was 12) but soon she was going up and down the steps and could do almost everything she did before …..we lost her a year later when her heart valve collapsed ….but we gained a yr. for out friend who was always loyal to us and you can’t put a price on that!
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Poor Harlan! It is amazing, though, how well dogs can manage on 3 legs. Our rescued dog that we adopted 8 years ago, tore a ligament (like an ACL injury) in his back right leg and was on 3 legs for about 3 weeks until we took him for surgery. He had to stay in the hospital for 30 days so they could keep him in a very strict controlled environment so he didn’t re-injure and undo $2500.00 worth of surgery. Funny thing is, 2 months after his surgery) and about 50% of the time he still walks on 3 legs even though his 4th one works perfectly fine. He just got used to having only 3 to use so he forgets. A lot of people couldn’t believe we’d spend that kind of money on repairing it but as you said…you don’t know what you’ll do until you are in that situation. We couldn’t imagine doing all we could to try to make him better and no amount of money was going to stop us. He’s worth every cent as I am sure Harlan is too! Hope Harlan feels better soon!
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I would have done the same thing. My dog was born with hip dysplasia in both hips and she had both hips operated on and new joints put in. She has been with me for almost eight years now and she is the best companion! You made the right decision and I’m sure Harlan is thankful you did.
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It would be hard for me to spend thousands of dollars on a surgery for a dog that they might not survive…but an amputation? I’d do it without thinking. My husband’s parents spent over two grand on their black lab when he was hit by a car. He had nerve damage in his foot and eventually chewed off all but one toe on that leg. My father-in-law fashioned a cage contraption using metal, electrical tape and an old sock to put over his foot to save the rest of it. Seeing/Hearing Beau run around with that thing on his foot was hilarious “clunk ca-clunk clunk”
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I’m glad to hear that Harlan is doing so well! I am a
big animal lover and have three dogs (and one cat). They bring a great spirit to our family!
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S.E.L.F.I.S.H
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Bless your heart, and your hound’s, too. Our lab lost his front leg at 2 yrs. He’s 12 now, and I think his remaining front foot aches constantly as a result of all that extra use over the years, but otherwise, having 3 legs has never slowed him down. We call him our Handicapable Dawg. Best wishes!
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I am sending healing thoughts and prayers to Harlan and your family. I have had to make the same decision 3 times in the past 2 years with foster dogs. Luckily for me the rescue group I foster for pays the medical bills. All 3 of the dogs are doing great on 3 legs and are in loving homes now. Harlan is so blessed to have a wonderful family. Don’t feel guilty about this situation. take care.
So to http://www.scrco.org to see some of my former foster dogs and their happy tails.
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Ryan, I’ve been following you for over a year now and want to share this website that I’ve followed since I saw the one couple on a special on tv about their dog, Jerry. There is a harness you may like from Ruffwear for Harlan:
http://gear.tripawds.com/2009/09/16/help-three-legged-dogs-with-ruff-wear-harness/
Read about Jerry: (scroll to the bottom of the site)
http://tripawds.com/
Stay positive for Harlan and work with him.
di
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Oh I’m so sorry about your Harlan. I bet it pains you to see him like that. But it really is amazing how resilient they are. I’m sure he’ll be running around like normal in no time.
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So good to hear Harlan is doing well. We have had 3 dogs in our married life. Peanut (beagle) passed away after 10 years of wonderful life. Freckles (springer mix) lived for 20 years and now we have Wyatt (full blooded springer) and he’s going on 15. They must have loved our life!
Good to hear that humor back in your voice too.
Take care of that wonderful family!
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Many years ago, we had a dog get hit by a car and he also lost a leg (back leg), and we wondered if we did the right thing. Many years later, when he could out run any dog in the neighborhood (yes he adapted quite nicely) we knew we had made the right decision. So, hang in there. Dogs are so amazing in their ability to adapt. With 3 legs they run more like a rabbit!
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OH bless his heart. What a beautiful dog. I have 13 dogs myself. Yes I know I’m crazy! Thank you for not putting him down.
Thanks,
Valerie
http://www.thecutecouponer.blogspot.com
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I hope Harlan loves to howl at the midnight train.
Ignore the video and enjoy the song: “Three Legged Dog” by The Lost Dogs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7oyeoqmRIM
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I just love your insight into life… I think your circus dog is one lucky pup…
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Harlan will be fine! Of course you would spend the money on him…even if it make your finances difficult for awhile. We had a dog that was injured in an accident and he had his leg amputated. He did chew open his stitches and we had to rush him to the vet after hours…they had to call in another vet to assist with blood transfusions and another surgery to repair the damage. He survived both surgeries and we just called him “Tripod…our Six-Million Dollar Dog”!
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Poor baby – that’s very sad! It’s a good thing dogs are so adaptable!
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Awww, I’m sorry that happened to your dog. Thankfully, he will adapt and he’s looking great. Circus dogs are the best!
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We had the exact same scenario with our dog macy! She is now 2 years post amputation and doing great! In fact she and Harlan look as though they are cousins! Tell him his 3 legged soul mate in Ga is doing great!
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Yeah I bet he really enjoys that shock collar too. Unbelievable man. The disparity in who you portray yourself as on your blog and who you really are is disappointing. I’m not just reffering to this but your political leanings as well.
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