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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.

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Wheelchairs and amputees
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Leicester, NY
Member Since:
23 August 2010
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1
2 January 2011 - 4:48 pm
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I purchased an http://eddieswheels.com/ Eddie's Wheels Cart for Miss Daisy who is just one of those tripawds that hasnt been able to get around on 3 legs. So far she has been using the chair for 1 month and we have been fiddleling with the height and length adjustments to make her more comfortable. We have also had to fill in the void on the left side where her leg was amputated with layers of foam and some silicone falsies to keep her hip from falling into the space between her body and the chair frame. The foam support tends to shift around quite a bit and although its better than not using the support (which lets her hip drop into the void) it seems to push her good leg against the right frame. Maybe I am being to much of a worrier- she is getting around in it.

Has anyone else had experience using chairs for their dogs? What brands?

 

I would like to make a permanant silicone or latex? spacer for her but am not sure how to do it. Any engineers out there? Seems like I sould be able to make a clay model and somehow make a mold and cast it. I have tried some local human medical amputee stores but the cost is over $1500 to have a "human store" construct one. If anyone has any ideas-let me know.

Daisy-week four using her wheelchair

Foam and silicone padding

Daisy earned her wings on Oct 22, 2011 at 14 years old

She is now the official greeter at the rainbow bridge

Everyone is guaranteed a welcome sniff and Dalmatian smile

Cleveland, OH
Member Since:
19 June 2010
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2 January 2011 - 5:08 pm
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I had a wheelchair made for Denali.  She never really adjusted to it.  There was a guy in Ohio that made the wheelchairs for less than I could find them online. 

 

Guess I'm no help

~~~~ Denali ~~~~

June 9, 2010 OSA suspected

June 17, 2010, July 14, 2010 Clear X-rays – no mets

July 1, 2010 Amputation

July 9, 2010 OSA Confirmed

November 23, 2010 Cancer took you from me - Never forgotten, Always Loved - Forever

Supporting the Fighters, Admiring the Survivors, Honoring the Taken, And never, ever giving up Hope

On The Road


Member Since:
24 September 2009
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2 January 2011 - 5:51 pm
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Your local fabric store should have thick foam padding that you could sculpt to fit by cutting and tearing until you got it just right. We've seen it as thick as 7" or so, but you could glue layers of thin foam together if necessary. But as you said, if Daisy is getting around and doesn't seem uncomfortable... why fix it if it ain't broke?

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

Las Vegas, Nevada
Member Since:
14 August 2009
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2 January 2011 - 11:29 pm
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She looks great in the video! 

 

Just doing a quick search, you can buy foam for chairs, sofa's etc...

Here's an L shape one.  I put in random 10-15in dimensions with a 6in  thickness and  it was $11.

 

https://www.buy.....Start.aspx

 

Good luck!

Her Retired AvatarComet - 1999 to 2011

She departed us unexpectedly  January 23, 2011 at the age of 12 1/2.

She was born with a deformed front leg and a tripawd all of her life.

Member Since:
14 April 2010
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3 January 2011 - 6:46 am
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I think I understand what you are trying to achieve, but I'm not sure how big of gap you are trying to fill, and when reading you were thinking about something permanent silicone or latex, a couple things came to mind. Do you think you can make a knee pad with gel work, would that be big enough, maybe using some velcro to hold it in place, you could find them at Lowes or Home Depot. What about making something out of bubble wrap. Could you possibly make something out of a breast implant, you would have the only dalmation with a double Dbig-grinblushsmiley The males wouldn't even notice the cartlaughing, just a thought, coming from a male!!!!! Good luck, paws up, spirit Gus and Dan

My buddy Gus had a left front amputation on April 7, 2010 and lived a great life until July 26,2010

Leicester, NY
Member Since:
23 August 2010
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3 January 2011 - 11:27 am
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On a whim, I emailed a professor at the Rochester Inst. Of Technology asking if he had a model making/engineering student interested in taking this on as a project if I purchased the materials. He sounded positive and is going to talk to a few students when they come back in session.

I have tried sculpting a giant nerf ball, gluing pieces of mattess foam together and yes, layering on silicone breast enhancers (Walmart $16.00 if anyone is interested winker) Had it held together with a stocking but that kept snagging so I switched to a motorcyclist "do-rag" (Also Walmart $1.99- it's amazing what you can buy at Wallyworld) I have a set of knee pads left over when we tiled the house and yes that is the firm foam/rubbery consistancy I am looking for. After a week+, the matthress foam has too much give and tends to shift around too much and starts smelly slightly doggy. Something in a solid silicone/rubber would be much easier to clean.

(NOT that Miss Daisy ever smells- it must be something she rubbed up against that smells like a hot, wet dogway-confused)

Thanks All!

Julie and Daisy

Daisy earned her wings on Oct 22, 2011 at 14 years old

She is now the official greeter at the rainbow bridge

Everyone is guaranteed a welcome sniff and Dalmatian smile

Jenny
7
3 January 2011 - 11:56 am
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We will be getting our new Eddie's Wheel's in about a week. They are almost done building them for our Great Dane. Just need to remodify something that caused it to be too wide to fit through a doorway.

He is a recent rear right leg amputee so we are also concerned about making sure he stays balanced in the saddle. He also has wobblers syndrome and some right front leg ataxia due to that. He's getting around ok now but we plan to use the cart to offer him more stability and save any additional stress on his neck/spinal coloumn.

 

Jenny and the Z pack in NC

featuring wobbly and bouncy Zane the Dane

rr amp 12/08/10

histio sarcoma 11/10

3 acl repairs 2008-2009 hardware removal 2010

wobbler syndrome, multiple surgeries 2008-2009

On The Road


Member Since:
24 September 2009
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3 January 2011 - 12:02 pm
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Thanks for joining in Jenny, good luck with Zane! The cart sounds like it'll really benefit him.

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

On The Road


Member Since:
24 September 2009
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3 January 2011 - 12:03 pm
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Thanks for joining in Jenny, good luck with Zane! The cart sounds like it'll really benefit him.

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

Leicester, NY
Member Since:
23 August 2010
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10
3 January 2011 - 12:42 pm
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Hello Jenny and Zane!

I would love to hear how Zane adapts to his new Eddies wheels and if you find he needs support under his hip or if he is able to support himself fully without it.

Daisy is finally getting the hang going forward. It took her 2 weeks before she figured out the K turn manuver in the hallway and she still is quite perplexed about not being able to cut corners and run through thick underbrush.  

Julie and Daisy  

Daisy earned her wings on Oct 22, 2011 at 14 years old

She is now the official greeter at the rainbow bridge

Everyone is guaranteed a welcome sniff and Dalmatian smile

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