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.
Join The Tripawds Community
Learn how to help three legged dogs and cats in the forums below. Browse and search as a guest or register for free and get full member benefits:
Instant post approval.
Private messages to members.
Subscribe to favorite topics.
Live Chat and much more!
Register
Log In
Members
Add Topic
Offline
Hi. I have read so much helpful information here this week, many thanks to all of you for sharing so much.
A little intro... Last Sunday (9/22) on our way to lunch we found Fancy lying on the side of the road with her right hind leg/foot severed at the hock. We couldn't just leave her there, so we went to the ER vet. Hubby decided if she was ok internally we'd pay for her treatment. They sutured what they could & recommended I follow up with my vet in a few days to schedule a proper amputation when she was stronger/healthier.
Here's where it gets complicated... we saw my vet Mon, he looked & said we should wait & see. At the time, it looked really decent, she's too young to board & we were on our way out of town. By Wed we had covered her ribs & an otherwise healthy 10 week old pointer puppy came to life! She has found a way to undo all of her sutures, wiggled & wormed past collars, boots & bandages. It's a little sad & a lot comical, typical puppy, but the result is that we're probably going to have to do the full amp in the near future, for our sanity & hers. She's grown already & she's chasing her big brother everywhere (our 5 yr old Dobe). I'm confident that she won't miss it & that she strong enough, yet a bit sad that we won't be saving as much as possible.
That's our story so far. When we're not on the road (we're truck drivers) we're in upstate SC (Cowpens); any opinions, advice and vet recommendations are greatly appreciated.
Welcome, and bless you for saving Fancy. Your future forum posts will not require moderation.
"Saving as much"? Of what, the leg? Unless you're working closely with prosthetic specialist and a vet with the intention of fitting a prosthetic, Fancy will most likely adapt quicker and have less complications if the whole limb is removed. Be sure to bookmark Jerry's Required Reading List and consider downloading Tripawds e-books for more detailed explanations and plenty of more tips.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thank you. Saving as much of the leg as possible. From what I have read a prosthesis works better if there aren't multiple joints. At this point she is only missing her foot. Saving it wasn't the point, saving her is the object &, after this week, I think she will do better with a full amputation. As I watch her hold the leg up, it seems to be more of a burden than anything.
Oh that's great to hear that she's doing well. You are a SAINT for helping her out, how wonderful, she is so lucky to have you.
Keep us posted on how she's doing and let us know how we can help. If you are thinking about a prosthetic you may want to consult with the folks at North Carolina State, they are doing a lot of interesting things with artificial limbs on dogs. But you'd have to talk to them before the surgery so as to plan correctly.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
What a lucky girl Fancy is! Poor thing! Hate to think how that happened and how long she'd been there. Horrible start ut nkw she's foud her forever lovng ho e! Her avafar icture looks adorable?
You've researched enough to know that dogs do extremely well on three legs. And as you said, she's not even using the other one anyway. You'll always want to be aware as she ages, yo will ave toprotect ner joints, ligaments, etc.
Kee us posted on what youplan to do. Most of the feedback here...and we are not vets and dn't kow your specifics...would be to amputate the whole leg as the "stump" causes co tinuing problems.
Fancy sounds like a wonderful vibrant and fun up! am soooooo glad she is withnyou. You are wonderful souls. As you've enriched her life, she will enrichnyours more than you could ever imagine.
Take care and thaks for caring!
Sally and Happy Hannah
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!
1 Guest(s)
