Tripawds Three Legged Dog & Cat Forum Archives
Tripawds is your home to learn how to care for a three legged dog or cat. Explore 17+ years of forum archives for stories and answers to questions about dog leg amputation, and cat amputation recovery. Enjoy fresh discussion and connect with members in the new Tripawds Support Circle.
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I am new to the forums and was searching around to see if anyone uses a prosthetic for their dog and hoping to chat with others that do use one and am surprised I haven't really found anything. Maybe I am missing the posts about them?
Anyone use them? I have an almost 11 year old Great Dane that uses one and it has been a godsend for him. He has always been an active, strong dog so having his right front leg amputated (due to cancer) was hard on him. He can now be his normal, active, exploring self again and I am so very grateful for this option.
We also go swimming twice a week, without a prosthetic. I wish they made a prosthetic paddle for swimming! 🙂
ozandangel said
...searching around to see if anyone uses a prosthetic for their dog...Maybe I am missing the posts about them?
Apparently... 
Tripawds News Blog Articles about Prosthetics
Tripawds Forums: Search results for 'prosthetic' (175+)
While you wait for comments from others, use the Advanced Search above to refine your forum search results with specific phrases, and you're sure to find lots of helpful feedback. You can also search all blogs here . Or, consider downloading the Tripawds e-books for fast answers to common concerns and feel free to call the toll-free Tripawds Helpline anytime!
Please tell us more about Oz. Is that his name, or Angel? We look forward to hearing your story. Your future forum posts will not require moderation. Consider submitting a Tripawd Tuesday feature or paying tribute on the Tripawds Honor Roll.
FYI: For anyone else interested, Prosthetics are only an option if planned for well in advance of the amputation, or if ample residual limb and joint remains for attaching an orthopedic device. Please watch our video interviews with Orthopets for complete details and contact them directly if you feel your dog may be a candidate.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi there and welcome!
would love to hear more about your Dane and maybe see some pics?
i did contact Orthopet regarding prosthetics prior to my girl, Meg's amputation but was told she would need two remaining joints to make a prosthesis viable. As she needed the amp above the elbow it wasn't an option for her. I suspect this may be one reason more people don't use them. I would certainly have gone for it had it been possible, as problems in Meg's remaining front leg made amputation very much a last resort. Would be very interested to learn more about your situation.
All best,
Meg, Clare and Elsie Pie xxx
Ruby, Staffy, born June 2022, became a Tripawd, November 2023, adopted 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 Elsie Pie and Bille. In the pawprints of giants...
Hi and welcome,
I would love to see pictures of your boy and his 'leg'. How long ago was his amp? I assume the surgery was planned ahead to accommodate the prosthetic?
My first Tripawd Maggie lost her rear leg to cancer back in 2006. I'm not sure if prosthetics were available for dogs then but it was never brought up in my conversations with all the vets involved. Her tumor was in her knee so she only had a little stub of her femur left after surgery and my understanding is that there needs to be more of the leg left to make a prosthetic work.
My current Tripawd was hit by a car as a puppy and her femur was broken in several pieces. She does not have any of her femur left so there is nothing to anchor a prosthetic.
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
admin said
ozandangel said
...searching around to see if anyone uses a prosthetic for their dog...Maybe I am missing the posts about them?Apparently...
Tripawds News Blog Articles about Prosthetics
Tripawds Forums: Search results for 'prosthetic' (175+)
While you wait for comments from others, use the Advanced Search above to refine your forum search results with specific phrases, and you're sure to find lots of helpful feedback. You can also search all blogs here . Or, consider downloading the Tripawds e-books for fast answers to common concerns and feel free to call the toll-free Tripawds Helpline anytime!
Please tell us more about Oz. Is that his name, or Angel? We look forward to hearing your story. Your future forum posts will not require moderation. Consider submitting a Tripawd Tuesday feature or paying tribute on the Tripawds Honor Roll.
FYI: For anyone else interested, Prosthetics are only an option if planned for well in advance of the amputation, or if ample residual limb and joint remains for attaching an orthopedic device. Please watch our video interviews with Orthopets for complete details and contact them directly if you feel your dog may be a candidate.
Sorry I somehow missed all that! Still getting familiar with the site.
Yes we would love to hear more, do tell! And welcome!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I had an 8 year old male Weim who had a front wrist tumor and had a partial leg amputation leaving his elbow. That was helpful for him to be able to lie down upright and never seemed to be a problem. We did try to get a prosthetic to work for him. We had to order it long distance. My rehab vet did the measuring as instructed. First try it kept falling off. Finally it was realized they had made it for wrong leg - left instead of right - and they sent us a new one. Still had issues with it falling off. We then went to a local human clinic for prosthetics and they tried adding adjusting it but still would not stay on for more than a few minutes. Unfortunately his cancer metastasized and he got very sick quickly after that so we never were able to get the prosthetic to help him.
Conclusion - if you live near to a place that makes them I think it might be worth it. Long distance, just not feasible.
Hi Weimlover, thank you so much for sharing your experience here.
I'm sorry that cancer took your boy.
You can join Tripawds if you would like to and share more about your cancer warrior and your journey.
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
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