Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Gday all,
I'm new to the forum, but I thought I'd share my positive tripawd journey, with my little girl AJ, a 10 month old long haired GSD.
AJ was born with a deformed right front leg. There was no paw or paw pad at all. We picked her up at 10 weeks old and she had only started putting weight on this leg. Essentially, she kept ripping open the 'paw' on the ground. Never causing her pain, but we tried treating it. We took her to the local vet and they gave her antibiotics and wrapped it. This caused an infection and softened what she had as a paw. We then started using herbal treatments to treat it.
I started researching and working with thermoplastics to make her a prosthetic or should I say 6! Each one had various positive design parts, but she'd either get it off or it would rub and cause another wound or infection. Most of the time we ended up leaving it uncovered as it healed until the next time she ripped it open.
I literally tried everything get this paw to heal and avoid the 'a' word. We noticed every time it was wrapped up it would get soft and infected. Though all of this she never complained. A little over a month ago. She tore it open again and was bleeding everywhere, so we wrapped it up again. 3 days later it started to smell. I unwrapped it and a whole chunk of her foot had died and there was a huge whole in her foot.
Beside myself, I felt so sad that everything I tried to help AJ and this was the result. I seriously started considering amputation. Treating her with twice daily saline baths and herbal infection fighter, the tissue underneath was healthy. Then I noticed a small bone coming out of the wound. WOW, this is serious. Amputation was the only answer left. Again through all this she never complained.
Last Tuesday she had her amputation, picked her up Wednesday and brought her home. What happened was short of a miracle. She came home and run around the backyard on three legs, chasing my other dog. We wondered if she had, had any surgery, it did not seem to affect her in the least.
AJ was destined to be a tripawd. She's actually getting around better and faster than before.
Anyway that's the beginning and end of AJ becoming a tripawd and I'm sure, she'll continue to thrive.
regards
Brenden and AJ
Hi Brenden and AJ, welcome! We are so glad you joined us to share her story. I hope you don't mind I moved your post here to "Beyond Cancer," this is a great spot for stories about dogs and cats who lost a leg for reasons like yours.
We would LOVE to see photos of AJ and your pack, you guys sound like a lot of fun! In our experience, GSDs are one of the most resilient breeds, along with Pitties and Cattle Dogs, just something in their genes that makes them bounce back pretty darn fast. Of course we could also be a little partial to GSDs since our founder Jerry and his legacy, Wyatt Ray , are of the pointy-eared GSD variety.
I'm interested in hearing more about how you came up with the prostheses. Are you a designer? Just curious, please tell us more. We've interviewed various experts here about when and how prosthetics are helpful for dogs (see our OrthoPets interviews), and the latest thinking among them is that as much of the limb should be left as possible, even if a prostheses isn't in the future, because it's good for balance, etc (very different thinking from just a few years ago). But then I hear stories like AJs about how the nub just banged around (see this discussion about partial scapular versus full scapular amputation), and I just wonder how realistic that advice is for most animals.
Anyhow, we're glad you joined us and look forward to following along with your adventures. Pictures! Pictures!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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YAAAAAAAAAY BRENDON AND AJ! What a lucky puppy to have you as her human!
Imq sure she just feels gloriously happy to have that painful leg removed!!
Do check out all the links on here about keeping the "other" three legs strong and fit. No jumping off stuff, lots of core strength exercises, etc. I know itr hard, but right now she really does need to take it easy....good luck with that! AJ sounds rearing to get on with her puppyhood!! 
And YES...we must have pictures! Look forward to following this wonderful journey! Very uplifting!
Extra treats for everyone!!!
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!
Welcome AJ and Brenden. Isn't it amazing how well they do? Pictures would be great. We love pictures and happy posts.
Thanks for the warm welcome.
It seems I'll need to crank up the laptop to upload some pictures. I can seem to figure out how to upload from the ipad.
As for the prosthetic, I'd did a lot of research on the net through sites like handicapped pets and orthopets. I bought a jar of plastimake - a thermoplastic that can be moulded when heated to over 60 deg Celsius. I made several carpal splints and even a shoe with a sole off of a child's shoe. Before the last infection I made moulds of her foot with plaster of Paris, to try to refine and make the shape more correct.
The biggest challenge has been as she wore away a part of her foot, she'd walk on a different part of it making the previous designs unsuitable.
Is there a limit to how many photos can be put up and size? I'd love to share, but don't want to photo bomb the forum.
regards
Brenden and AJ
Welcome Welcome Welcome!!!! So glad to hear (and not surprised) that AJ is doing great on three legs. Prosthetics work for some dogs and not for others. Surgeries work for some dogs and not for others. Sounds like you thoroughly explored all the options and discovered that life on three legs was meant to be for your little girl. OMD! We are dying for photos!
xoxox,
Codie Rae and the OP (three tripawd GSDs and one 4-legged mutt)
Woohoo! Tripawds Rule!
Regulator of the Oaktown Pack, Sheriff of the Oaktown Pawsse, Founding member and President of the Tripawd Girldogs With 2 Names ROCK Club, and ... Tripawd Girldog Extraordinaire!
Hey Brendan that is really interesting the way you approached it! We would love to see photos. No there is no limit to posting photos (assuming they are hosted elsewhere like Photobucket or Google and not in your Tripawds blog, which does have certain storage limits). Thanks for asking though, let me know if you need assistance. Can't wait to see 'em.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Beautiful!!! Lookin' good AJ.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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