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 guys,
My doggy has recently had her front right leg amputated and I am wondering about harnesses for tripods? I have seen the ones on here however are there any good ones just for walking? I am looking at the RuffWear Web Master harness , however i wanted something just for general walks?
I also am looking at the Ruff Wear Portage Float coat for when we go to the beach. We dont really go in deep though, so not sure if it's worth buying.
Would love to hear some opinions!
Hi and welcome, your future posts will not have to wait for approval.
Tell us more about your girl, what's her name? Why the amp?
I have had two small rear leg Tripawds and I use/used the WebMaster for both of them. Tri-pug Maggie, who lost a leg to cancer, never really needed it and didn't like it at all. My current pug mix Elly, who lost a back leg to a car accident, wears her's whenever we are out of the house. It works great as a walking harness as Elly is quite interested in chasing cats and it is very secure when she tries to take off. It also allows me to help her in and out of the truck and over obstacles.
Here is a blog post about types of harnesses.
I'm not sure about international shipment. Here is a link to international ordering for RuffWear- You have to scroll down a ways to get to the list.
I hope you find something that works for your girl.
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Hi Karen!
Sarsha is a blue stumpy tail cattle dog who had her amp due to a truck accident. We kept the leg for two years with vet advice as it was nerve damage and they weren't sure if it would get feeling back. It didnt get feeling back though so we had her amp done 8 days ago now! She was walking less than 12 hours after, she is very spirited.
She is impressing all of us including her vets, and is able to jump in the car already unassisted which i wasnt expecting. I am tossing up on whether she would like the harness seeing as though she isn't used to wearing one and she is very obedient anyway (generally doesn't pull on the lead).
Thankyou for the links! I found the stockist over here for Ruff Wear and have been looking all afternoon, I'm just not sure if she needs/will like it!
Thankyou so much!
Hi there and welcome!
I'm sorry Sarsha ended up needing the amputation, but pleased to hear she is doing so well. With the nerve damage, she was likely pretty one-sided anyway (?), which does help re the physical adjustment, at least that was certainly the case with my Meg, who lost her right foreleg due to elbow problems.
Re the harness, it's hard for me to say whether Sarsha will need it/find it helpful. I do have one for Meg. She doesn't always wear it by any means but there are times when it is invaluable, whether for offering extra support (for example when she pulled the muscle in her shoulder blade) or, and this might be useful for Sarsha, forcing her to take it steady. Do be careful with that jumping in the car, for instance. I mean, it's great that she's feeling so strong, but it is so easy to injure the remaining leg (jumping out of the car, especially), and a handle on the harness gives you added control. Meg is very bouncy too, but I always lift her in and out of the car. (and she's usually covered in mud, lol).
I would definitely get the float coat for swimming in the ocean. Without that front leg, Sarsha will be lower in the water. She may well still be able to swim, but she will be far more comfortable (and safer) with the buoyancy of the float coat .
The float coat and the harness are certainly an investment, and at a time when you're likely drowning in vets bills, but for me, even though I don't use them all the time, they have certainly been worth it.
Now the important stuff: please can we see a pic of the lovely Miss Sarsha?
All best,
Meg, Clare and Elsie Pie xxx
Ruby, Staffy, born June 2022, became a Tripawd, 23 November 2023, adopted 12 January 2024.
Also Angel Tripawd Meg (aka The Megastar), who died in April 2023, aged 14, after seven glorious years on three, and Angel Staffies Pie and Bille. In the pawprints of giants...
Hi Clare!
Yeah she was basically operating on three legs prior to amputation which is why she is doing so well. Hardest part is restricting exercise, she just wants to go outside and run haha!
Yeah I definitely do help her into the car now because I feel like that's just too much for her to be doing right now and I definitely don't want any more injuries for her! I'm thinking that would be the upside to the harness.
We do go to the beach along with my other dog ( have to wait til she is healed though) however I wouldn't say they ever actually swim....they enjoy going about as deep as their elbow, sometimes hip if it's a really hot day. My other dog is a beagle and isn't the best swimmer so they never really go where they can't touch ahahha! I'm thinking of getting the harness as her Christmas present, she has really been a saint even while recovering she is such an obedient, good girl 🙂
of course i can post a picture however she's a bit sad because she still has the cone of shame on hahah
I'll post one as soon as I can get to my laptop!
https://www.dro.....o.jpg?dl=0
https://www.dro.....9.jpg?dl=0
the above links show pics of her at the moment, couldn't figure out how to upload on here
I can't see the photos 
I want to see Sarsha!!!
Here's a post about adding pictures to posts... (when you have a moment) xxx
Ruby, Staffy, born June 2022, became a Tripawd, 23 November 2023, adopted 12 January 2024.
Also Angel Tripawd Meg (aka The Megastar), who died in April 2023, aged 14, after seven glorious years on three, and Angel Staffies Pie and Bille. In the pawprints of giants...
We also use the Ruffwear harness for Murphy. He weighs about 50lbs (about 23 kg) and had his right front leg removed 3 1/2 years ago due to a different kind of cancer. With the handle on the top I'm able to lift his weight by myself one-handed if I need to. I can help him in & out of the car easily to protect his other front leg. There's a loop for the leash to attach to, also, so we use it for his walks. We don't keep it on him for just around the house, though.
So glad that Sarsha is adjusting well. To post pictures, I started a photobucket account, then you can add pictures by clicking on the picture of a mountain at the top of the box, click 'direct link' in the photobucket picture & add it in the mountain 'insert/edit image' box.
Donna
Donna, Glenn & Murphy
Murphy had his right front leg amputated due to histiocytic sarcoma at 7 years old. He survived 4 years, 2 months & 1 week, only to be taken by hemangiosarcoma at 11 1/2 years 6/12/17
Read about Murphy's Life on Three Legs
We used the Ruffwear Webmaster Plus for just walks. Otis was so big, he could get in and out of the car just fine, and did stairs. Independently. In some ways, I bought it thinking about future needs - he weighed 100 pounds, so no way I could lift him. I loved using it for walks. I clipped the lead on the loop on his back. It kept the lead up and away from his legs and I felt like it helped him stay well balanced. He could do all his normal doggy stuff in it, including roll. His walks were short, with lots of resting, so I also used it to assist him up when it was time to go home. The padding prevented the straps from digging into his body.
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
Murphy was a rear leg amp who had several surgeries before he had a total hip replacement at about two months after the amp. His remaining hip kept dislocating. After the THR we discovered Ruffwear (and Tripawds). He practically lived in the harness while he was recovering, and then used it whenever he would be out and about. I could help him in and out of the car with it by myself (he weighed about 75 pounds). We found it quite funny that he thought he was incapable of using his ramp unless he had the harness on. He also had the Ruffwear Floatcoat, even though he was a very powerful swimmer. It allowed him to spend long periods of time in the water without tiring.
Kathi and the Turbotail April Angel...and the Labradork
Murphy is a five year old Lab/Chessie cross. He was hit by a car on 10/29/12 and became a Tripawd on 11/24/12. On 2/5/13, he had a total hip replacement on his remaining back leg. He has absolutely no idea that he has only three legs!
UPDATE: Murphy lived his life to the fullest, right up until an aggressive bone lesion took him across the Rainbow Bridge on April 9, 2015 and he gained his membership in the April Angels. Run free, my love. You deserve it!
1 Guest(s)
