Treatment
For the front leg, the most successful and cosmetic amputation is by “scapulothoracic disarticulation” the entire limb is removed from the toes to the scapula (shoulder blade). Since the normal anatomy of the front leg only has muscles that attach the front leg to the chest wall, it is straightforward to remove the limb by cutting these muscles and sewing the area closed. This complete removal creates a smooth, well-padded amputation site on the side of the chest that will not get pressure sores or interfere with movement in any way.
For the rear leg, there are two main techniques that are commonly used. The first is a “high femur” amputation that results in a short, well-padded stump at the level of the rump/thigh. The muscles of the mid-thigh are cut and the femur (thighbone) is cut close to the hip. When the tissues are sewn together, this provides good padding for the pelvis when the pet is lying down and offers a cosmetic appearance by maintaining the symmetry of the rump area. The second technique is often used when the disease of the rear leg is in the thigh area; the leg is removed at the hip joint, only the pelvis and the surrounding muscles remain. This amputation technique is very successful as well, with slightly less padding over the amputation site and a less symmetrical appearance.
A third, less commonly, used procedure for hindlimb amputation (typically used for tumors in the upper part of the thigh, hip or pelvis) is a limb amputation with hemipelvectomy, in which part of the pelvis is removed as well. This procedure does change the symmetry of the rump more than other procedures but is well-tolerated.
