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
Hello everyone. I hope I'm not duplicating a thread. I tried searching for cat supplements but it won't look for the word cat because it's not 4 letters or longer. 
I searched kitty nutrition too, but I don't know if everyone uses kitty to refer to their cats?
Anyway, Smore is a 3-4 month old kitten with a long life ahead of her, or so we all hope. I asked my vet and the teaching hospital where she got her amputation done about joint issues because I know there were discussions here about it; however, neither vet seemed to think that arthritis was directly caused by having three legs.
Do cats need joint supplements? If so, what kind? Where do you find them at? What other types of preventative stuff can be done now to try to ensure a better and longer life for a tri-kitty?
I'd appreciate any advice! Thanks everyone. 
Tina and Smore
(with the spirit of Pebbles watching from the Rainbow Bridge)
Smore is my tripawd kitty who adopted me one summer evening. She had an injury to her front left leg and had to have her leg removed July 17th. She was only 3 or 4 months old at the time. Now she moves faster than some four legged cats!
Nope, not duplicating this topic at all, thank you for starting it. You're so right, the Forum search function is limited and won't find cat, so it would help if people used the word "feline" in their topic headline. If you don't mind I'm going to add it into yours.
So these are very great questions and SO timely. Just last night I sent some questions like this to a veterinary rehab therapist who has a Tripawd kitty, and am waiting to hear back. Until we had so many felines join us we hadn't asked these very important questions, so I'll admit I don't know the answers myself. But I do want to learn more.
I have a feeling that a vet rehab therapist will say that just like with dogs, any tendencies toward arthritis is exacerbated because of the modified stance of being on three legs. Rehab is such a new field, most vets don't have the training there yet. But we'll did and find out, so stay tuned!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Using feline is a great idea. Hopefully the other tri-kitty pawrents will join in. And thanks for editing my post. I realized after I posted it that I used cat myself and prevented it from beimg searched in the future. Oops!
When did tri-kitties start showing up? I feel like it must be pretty recent since so much still seems dog centered or perhaps the feline part is just buried by the dogs. It's great that you allow us to join the community and connect to each other. I'd definitely would have felt lost otherwise!
Please let me know what you find out from the vet rehab therapist.
Tina and Smore
(with the spirit of Pebbles watching from the Rainbow Bridge)
Smore is my tripawd kitty who adopted me one summer evening. She had an injury to her front left leg and had to have her leg removed July 17th. She was only 3 or 4 months old at the time. Now she moves faster than some four legged cats!
Oh gosh, it was just the end of 2012 when Fang took the brave steps to show up and we are SO grateful he did, and now folks like you too. We totally get that it's still very dog-centric, and until Fang and then Jill, were pretty clueless that there were kitty Tripawds who needed support and information too. Sinc then we have slowly been adding more kitty info. In the coming months we will have an entirely new site design here that will far more cross-species centric (we've even had rabbits join us!) so stay tuned for that and thanks for your patience meanwhile.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
There are rabbits too? Oh my that's awesome! And wow I didn't realize it was so recent. I saw that there was something about Nemo and henry but also saw Fang was first blogger. Thought the others just used forums but I see now that they were just highlights.
I'm excited to see the site. You have a great site here and the enthusiasm and love from all the people is just so lovely! I'm surprised you are able to stay so visible.
Tina and Smore
(with the spirit of Pebbles watching from the Rainbow Bridge)
Smore is my tripawd kitty who adopted me one summer evening. She had an injury to her front left leg and had to have her leg removed July 17th. She was only 3 or 4 months old at the time. Now she moves faster than some four legged cats!
Sebastian takes Dasuquin for Cats. He's around 8 years old though...technically a senior but don't tell him that! My vet wasn't overly concerned because cats are so agile and able to adapt but I still feel better taking some sort of action. And Dasuquin is what my vet recommended when I asked. You can get it online or through your vet. I think (don't quote me) that Fang takes it as well. Some other cat on here does!
It comes in a powder that you sprinkle on their food. Sometimes Sebastian is happy to eat it, other times he's a brat and won't. But if I mix it with wet food, all is well. Ever since his surgery he has been weird about food. I think I spoiled him!
Other than that...I guess make sure Smore doesn't get brave and try to jump down from high places. Impossible, I know. I also keep Sebastian's nails trimmed on his remaining front leg because he's an anomaly of a cat and gets his claws stuck in things. He'll fall off the bed and be hanging onto the comforter by his claws...I'd prefer to not have 10lbs of cat hanging by one arm!
All the new kitties have been sooo informative and are helping make this site even better for future cat tripawd parents. And questions like this are great...I might have to go update Sebastian's blog with more info now!
Jill's oncologist wanted her on a glucosamine and chondroiten supplement. She recommended dasuquin and Jill took that and loved it for a while. Then one day she didn't want it anymore! Now I give her pet naturals of Vermont bone and joint treats and she loves them!
Jill is a 9-year-old tuxedo kitty. She was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in June 2012 on her toe in her right hind leg. Her leg was amputated on 12/12/12 and she completed four rounds of chemo (2 of Carbo, 2 of Doxy) in April 2013. "Like" Jill's facebook page: https://www.fac.....tty?ref=hl Proud member of the WINTER WARRIORS!!!! Her blog can be read at http://jillsjou.....ipawds.com. xoxo
I went and looked back at Fang's blog and his pawrent just posted a comment about adding it to their cat's food, so it looks like your memory is correct. Do you know of any potential side effects? I guess there's no surefire wsy to know if it works. I'll ask my vet about it when we go back for her second round of kitten shots and rabies.
Is it the same as that gabupentin or whatever it is I've heard about it.
And I think I'm going to have to cut Smore's nails too for the same reason.
Thanks for replying and helping us!
Tina and Smore
(with the spirit of Pebbles watching from the Rainbow Bridge)
Smore is my tripawd kitty who adopted me one summer evening. She had an injury to her front left leg and had to have her leg removed July 17th. She was only 3 or 4 months old at the time. Now she moves faster than some four legged cats!
Gelatin or collagen is helpful for the joints also! I've been thinking of things I can do for Kender, especially since she is so old already (14 years...don't tell her I said this hehe) but haven't been able to do much research into it yet. I already add Great Lakes collagen hydrolysate to smoothies and such for myself to help with my bad knees. And I make gelatin gummies for my kids. I've been trying to think of a way to get these into Kender also. She is the weirdest cat and pretty much only likes dry food 
She ate wet food just after her surgery but hasn't touched it since. Maybe she'd drink bone broth??
Another thought I just had is coconut oil. I don't know that it specifically helps with joints, but it helps with lots of other stuff so probably wouldn't hurt to try! Once her cone is off, I'm thinking I'll just rub a little on her coat in easy to groom spots and she'll get it that way haha And maybe I could mix some collagen powder into it 
~Melinda and Tri-Kitty Angel Kender
Follow Kender's story here
Smore's mom and all other kitty parents,
When getting vaccines for your cats please ensure the vet does not inject in the scruff of the neck or in the hip. In the vaccination guidelines issued in 2013 the American Association of Feline Practitioners recommend that respiratory virus vaccines should be given below the right elbow, rabies vaccines should be given below the knee of the right rear leg, and the FeLV vaccination should be given below the knee of the left rear leg. There is a study from last fall stating that vaccines in tails are just as effective but I don't think many vets are experienced injecting in the tail. The reason the scruff was used is because it's easier for the vet.
If a tumour forms at the vaccination site, which happened in Mona's case, there is a much better chance of saving the cat's life through amputation. Cats that develop these sarcomas in the scruff of the neck have a much lower chance of living a full life.
The newest guidelines also discuss core and non-core vaccines. They state the cat’s lifestyle should be considered when developing a vaccination protocol as every cat has a different level of risk of exposure to contagious viral diseases (indoor versus outdoor).
Of course, as in Smore's case the kitten vaccines and boosters are still important to build up immunity. Just in the leg please.
I hope this is okay to place this information here since it's not about supplements and nutrition. Please let me know if I should delete it or move it to a more appropriate forum.
Great info! And to add to it, ask your vet about using non-adjuvanted vaccines, which have been shown to be less likely to induce vaccine associated sarcomas. Most vets have already switched over, but not all of them have so it doesn't hurt to ask!
~Melinda and Tri-Kitty Angel Kender
Follow Kender's story here
kazann said
Smore's mom and all other kitty parents,I hope this is okay to place this information here since it's not about supplements and nutrition. Please let me know if I should delete it or move it to a more appropriate forum.
I know, how about starting one in "Anything Goes," I think that would be a great place for it all on its own. But wait, better yet, if you want to submit a guest blog post about this topic we would love to feature it in the Tripawds News blog . PM me for details.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Vinny is also 8 and has recently started taking glucosamine/chondroitin supplements since his amputation. My dog has been taking it for years (the dog version), so I was familiar with it and asked the doctor about it and he said it was a good idea.
They all take Cosequin, which is made by Nutramax Labs, the same company as the Dasuquin which sebastien mentioned. I was curious, so I just checked their website to see the difference: they both have the same amounts of supplement (125mg of glucosamine & 100mg of chondroitin), and Dasuquin has an extra ingredient called "soybean & avocado unsaponafiables", which is also beneficial to joint health. Cosequin and Dasuquin are quite similar, but I think the Dasuquin is slightly better. I've been buying Cosequin because that's what they've always carried at my vet, but I think I will ask them to order me the Dasuquin next time.
All of my animals easily tolerate the powder mixed into their wet food… including my picky female cat (which was surprising to me), but you really never know from one cat to the next, or apparently one day to the next, as with Jill, above.
I have no idea if it's necessary at 4 months old as a preventative measure, but if it was me, I'd probably start her on within a few years.
The other dietary supplement I've been feeding Vinny (and now all of my animals) is fish oil. I spoke to their doctors about it, and they thought this was a good idea too. Just like us, it's good for so many of their body functions. I bought a high-quality liquid fish oil, designed for humans, and they each get 1/4 teaspoon a day mixed with one of their meals. They love it!
Love Vinny and his human, KJ! <3 xox
Check out Vinny Boy's progress - PrinceVince.tripawds.com
KJ & Vinny said
They all take Cosequin, which is made by Nutramax Labs, the same company as the Dasuquin which sebastien mentioned.
Good to know cats can take it too. We have both of these featured in our Tripawds Nutrition Blog Supplements Page, but the canine version. We'll be sure to add more cat-specific versions to the list, thanks!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Today Mona had a visit with a vet who has "retired" after practicing integrated Western/Traditional Chinese medicine and chiropractic for many years. I think she might have been working today doing some relief work.
I'll add information on her visit on Mona's blog but she was also given "Power Mushrooms" because the vet is most concerned about future tumours. She said it's to enhance immune functions and it contains herbs that may have anti-tumour effect (based on Chinese research).
1 Guest(s)
