Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
Tripawds is your home to learn how to care for a three legged dog or cat, with answers about dog leg amputation, and cat amputation recovery from many years of member experiences.
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Good morning,
So I dropped Cassidy off for her surgery this morning. I am not sure what to expect when I pick her up tomorrow...
A little back story, Cassidy is a dog...breed?...I don't know exactly but we are pretty sure she is shepherd and lab mix. Some people say there is some pitbull in there but...I'm not sure. We got her from a 'rescue' when she was about 4 months. We didn't notice until the next day that she had a limp. After a few visits to the vet for shots and check ups we finally had an x-ray done and found out that her leg had been broken when she was around a month or so old. The joints at the top and bottom of her femur had healed wrong and the bone didn't sit in her hip or connect right at the knee. After discussing it with a few people amputation seemed like the best route.
With her age she is expected to heal quickly. She has been in surgery for 22 minutes now...
Any advice will be helpful. I am just not sure what I got myself into. =)
Thanks,
Justin
Welcome Justin, Cassidy, and family. Your future posts won't have to wait for approval.
I want to answer your last question first- what are you getting into? You will have a wonderful companion who could care less she is on three, and will inspire you every day! I hope you can deal with that 😀
Tripawds are special. I am just the latest Tripawds member to adopt another Tripawd into my family. Elly lost her right rear leg after getting hit by a car at 8 months old. She is now10 months old and I'm having to slow her down a bit. My first tripug Maggie was 7.5 years old at the time of her amp and at two months out was not nearly as active as Elly.
The young pups seem to heal and adapt quickly. Cassidy will probably feel much better with that bum leg gone.
I've got to run, you will get lots of advice from others here.
Karen
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Thanks for the advice. =) From everything I have heard she will be back in action soon. I am just a little in the dark at the moment. =)
I just got done with a ceremony in which I was a sideboy. AEGIS Training and Readiness Center is now 30 years old here in Dahlgren. Working here I don't get to have my phone on me...I think I am going to call my day short and go find out how it went.
Hi Justin, welcome!
I hope you don't mind that I moved your post here, but this is a great place for dogs and cats who lost a leg for reasons like Cassidy's. We too have a dog who lost his leg for something other than cancer, Wyatt Ray . He lost it at 8 months young and he's now going on seven and doing great.
First, be sure to check out Jerry's Required Reading List . It's full of lots of good tips about life on three legs. We also have an e-book which is all about staying healthy and strong on 3, Loving Life On Three Legs . It's full of our best tips like:
- When she is recuperating, take things slowly. She'll try to go back to her old ways pretty quick and although her mind wants to, her body needs time to get strong. Limit her activity and rebuild it slowly and incrementally. Many Tripawds are injured after surgery because their humans let them do too much, too soon.
- You can help her get strong by working on massage, range of motion and core-strengthening exercises. We have some great tips here.
- Keep her slim, slimmer than you think she should be. Any extra weight on a Tripawd is going to be very hard on them. You want her to be lean, always.
- Consider taking her to rehabilitation therapy. It's an awesome way to learn exercise tips and you can gain valuable insight from expert vet rehab practitioners. Our Tripawds Foundation even has a program where we will pay for the first consult! See: http://tripawds.....bursement/
There's a lot to learn but we'll be here every step of the way. Keep us posted!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Online
Hop Along Cassidy! Cannot wait to see pictures of your adorable puppy self!
You certainly have found a very loving and caring forever home!
You've already gotten great advice and links to check out.
Like Karen, Jerry and so many others here, I have also adopted a tripawd (yeah, on purpose!). Not sure hownlong he had been a tripawd. He was approximately 1 1/2- 2 yrs. old when he came into my heart and home. He is a wild and crazy boy!! Everything he does, he does with gusto!
Recovery may be a bit rough for Cassidy for about two weeks. It is major surgery and it does hurt! Your vet will give Cassidy some pain meds and probably an antibiotic. Cassidy may not poop for a couple of days...sometimes the pain meds cause that "delay".
By being so young though, he'll probably recover pretty quickly. I know he will be so glad ro be rid of that painfulmleg! That must have hurt him a lot!
Update us as soon as you can. Stay connected and let us know how we can help. AND...pictures when you can!!
Hugs to all!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle too!
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
She is doing great.
Came home and did all the normal dog things. Eat, drink, pee and poop. =) Now she is chilling in the living room chewing on a bone.
I do need to clean off her other leg. She doesn't seem to be in any pain... I think the hardest part about this will be keeping her calm and off the stairs for a few weeks.
Thanks for for the encouragement and support. It was more for me than her I guess. =)
We put up a baby gate on the stairs. That was after Ellie pushed past some barriers we had put up, determined to make it to her perch on the 2nd floor landing. It was only a few days post-amp and she got herself stuck halfway up. It was pretty traumatic all 'round so the baby gate was a good solution.
Active 10+ Pyr mix suddenly came up lame with ACL tear in left rear leg. Scheduled for a TPLO but final pre-op x-rays indicated a small suspicious area, possibly OSA, which could have caused the ACL tear. Surgeon opened the knee for TPLO but found soft bone. Biopsy came back positive for OSA. Became a Tripawd 9/18/14. Carbo6 with Cerenia and Fluids. Pain free and living in the moment. Crossed the Bridge on 7/12/15 after probable spread of cancer to her cervical spine. A whole lifetime of memories squeezed into 10 months. Here's her story: Eloise
annapyr said
It was pretty traumatic all 'round so the baby gate was a good solution.
That's our plan too. Just waiting for my wife to get home so I can go to the store.
Welcome! Cassidy's picture on your Facebook page is adorable! Are you sure she just had surgery? She looks so alert. She already did the big three and is now relaxing chewing on a bone? This girl is going to rock recovery! Keep us posted on her pawgress.
Linda & Max
She (and you) are going to be just fine! My sister has a tripod who lost a back leg in a car accident when she was less than a year old. She's now going on 10 and still totally rocks the stairs.
Welcome and howdy!!!
pam
Harmony became a Tripawd on 10/21/14 (MCT). She left us way too soon on 11/1/14.
"We miss you so much; our love, our heart, our Harmony."
- Pam, Ron and Melody, Meesha, Doublestuff and Mariah Carey
Question: How much bruising is normal? It looks like a lot.
I'll look it up. Online to but....just wondering. I'll post a pic in a few.
She seems fine...not in pain or anything. Playing and being normal Cassidy.
Earth Munkey said
Question: How much bruising is normal? It looks like a lot.
Every dog is different. Check the "Treatment Pics" Gallery for many more examples...
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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