https://www.vetsurgeon.org/f/clinical-questions/26071/sore-stump-after-amputation Dear All, I have an 11 year old 20 kg lurcher who had one of his forelimbs amputated (mid humeral amputation) due to a soft tissue sarcoma on the foot 4 months ago. In the post-operative period he had a small area of wound dehiscence at the cranialen-USTelligent Community 10https://www.vetsurgeon.org/thread/183012?ContentTypeID=1Tue, 15 Aug 2017 23:37:24 GMT146601cc-3922-4be7-9974-7e1d4e45a66b:e832fd16-947e-4c3d-85aa-f32b2d8ccc37Michael Woodhouse<p>I&#39;d also go for a 2nd surgery. No idea why anyone would leave half a useless leg behind.</p><div style="clear:both;"></div>https://www.vetsurgeon.org/thread/182992?ContentTypeID=1Tue, 15 Aug 2017 12:04:05 GMT146601cc-3922-4be7-9974-7e1d4e45a66b:371d6218-809b-498b-86fe-c2c56a81d702Sammy82<p>We had this problem with a cat my family adopted from the vet years ago, when I was a child. If I remember right the vet amputated in the elbow joint though, not ideal. The cat was sometimes walking on the stump when walking slowly and it took ages, probably months rather than weeks, to heal properly. We used a leather finger protector on it to protect it and it eventually healed and developed thick callus like skin at &nbsp;the tip. So maybe just protecting it from hitting the floor for a few weeks might be enough to give it time to heal, a second surgery is always still an option if it&#39;s not working.</p><div style="clear:both;"></div>https://www.vetsurgeon.org/thread/182986?ContentTypeID=1Tue, 15 Aug 2017 10:32:10 GMT146601cc-3922-4be7-9974-7e1d4e45a66b:435f1164-f374-4997-a5de-769470c25d3bpeter chalkley<p>Without pictures it is hard to make any other assumption than the bone causing pressure through the stump.</p> <p>Lots of our younger vets look to cut bones or disarticulate on forelimbs, I am a strong believer in taking the scapula but preserving the muscle to cover the ribs. It leaves padding without a stump/counter balance.</p> <p>If you are left with a stump that is sore, time and rest might help, but personally I would be planting the second surgery seed.</p><div style="clear:both;"></div>https://www.vetsurgeon.org/thread/182978?ContentTypeID=1Mon, 14 Aug 2017 23:57:21 GMT146601cc-3922-4be7-9974-7e1d4e45a66b:658c0e0b-304a-4d6f-b5ec-5f5a7781f9deEilidh Corr<p>I&#39;m afraid also unhelpful, but forequarter amputation is advantageous because not only does it avoid this problem, but the remaining three legs have a good bit less weight to carry. I think if the wound is truly caused by abrasion and not self trauma I&#39;d go back and take the rest. If there&#39;s an element of discomfort leading to self trauma then gabapentin and maybe even acupuncture would be worth a shot first.</p><div style="clear:both;"></div>https://www.vetsurgeon.org/thread/182976?ContentTypeID=1Mon, 14 Aug 2017 22:23:58 GMT146601cc-3922-4be7-9974-7e1d4e45a66b:8fda96e2-ae8e-4bc7-9382-1105ef9d9d8fVirginia Campbell<p>I&#39;ve only seen this happening in a couple of quite small kittens that had very little muscle to sling over the humerus end. Both had a second surgery to take the scapula off, problem solved.&nbsp;</p> <p>I appreciate that knocking an 11yo large breed dog to go again wouldn&#39;t fill anyone with enthusiasm but might be needed. I don&#39;t think it was necessarily wrong do the original amp at the level of the humerus. Most of the ones I have done and seen others do have been at this level (usually cats admittedly) and most have done fine.&nbsp;</p><div style="clear:both;"></div>https://www.vetsurgeon.org/thread/182972?ContentTypeID=1Mon, 14 Aug 2017 22:09:51 GMT146601cc-3922-4be7-9974-7e1d4e45a66b:d7fe3adc-a464-4461-a039-39742e3570f6Rob Loxley<p>Not much of a helpful comment at this stage, but I would ask whether preserving the stump is any use or just dead weight to carry (and traumatise), and have always done complete forequarter amputation.&nbsp;</p><div style="clear:both;"></div>