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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7:49 pm
Moderators
17 October 2012
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Hoping for good news for you & Karl. I didn't use the cone. Sassy was a rear amputee and never bothered any of her sutures ever. She healed great but a T-shirt as long as he can't get to the sutures/staples but if he bothers it you may have to check into something like this one
http://www.lamb....._3456.html
xoxoxox
Michelle & Angel Sassy
Sassy is a proud member of the Winter Warriors. Live long, & strong Winter Warriors.
sassysugarbear.tripawds.com
07/26/2006 - Sassy earned her wings 08/20/2013
05/04/2006 - Bosch, Sassy's pal, earned his wings 03/29/19 fought cancer for 4 months.
"You aren't doing it TO her, you are doing it FOR her. Give her a chance at life."
10:32 pm
17 February 2016
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Hi everyone, your great! Karl and I send our love. Karl has a right front leg tumor.
Karl is doing pretty good, it is hard to wait for the results. My husband still believes it isn't Oste, the results should come anywhere from Wednesday to Friday.
If it is Osteo, which I am prepared for, the surgery could be as soon as Friday, so I started Karl on Gabapentin as some vets have suggested.
One big stressor is that our house has a lot of large areas of hardwood floors that would be costly to cover. Right now I have Karl blocked off from a long front hallway that he typically charges when people come to the front door, but there are large areas in the kitchen, dining room and a large open hall.
My sweet Karl is wearing a tshirt. 
My husband isn't ready, but I am. Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.
Ditto on the yoga mats. You can also buy cheap industrial looking floor mats at places like Home Depot and Target. Ugly, but efficient. I also found that post-surgery, Otis was more careful about his movements, no more charging people at the door.
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.
9:00 am
13 August 2015
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Yup very important to give your pooch a path on hardwood floors. Someone here once said their house looked like a clown threw up with all the runners she had. 😀 Good luck and keep us posted on the beautiful Karl.
Linda, Ollie, Riley & Spirit Mighty Max
9:09 am
Team Tripawds
Administrators
25 September 2009
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Love that Karl!
If you're a Costco member, they have some great carpet runners for about $10 a piece and they last quite a while. Dogs usually gravitate to wherever there is traction so they're not ice skating all over the place.
Keep us posted on how this week goes.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
9:22 am
Moderators
Helpline Hosts
Bucketeers
22 February 2013
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Yep, ditto the rugs! Very important! I think you'll find that Karl will gravitate to the non slip scatter rugs for his "pathway" around the hoise. You can also check into a variety of booties available through the GEAR link here. Some here use PAWZ. They are meant to be worn just for short periods of time at once though.
I know it's al.ost impossible to "prepare" emotionally. Kudos ro you for going ahead and getting the "physical" things done around your home to get ready for Karl's "tripawdness".
I may have mentioned, seeing the amount of fur they shsved on my Happy Hannah probably shocked me more than the incision!
I think you've been "lurking" around here long enough to know recovery is no picnic for a couple of weeks. But one Karl's sparkle comes back and that painful leg is gone, you will be amazed at his resilience!!
You are doing this FOR Karl, not TO him. This painful leg jas to go in order to give Karl a QUALITY life full of more loving and spoiling and fun and tummy rubs and treats and sunbathing and greeting people at the door!
Sending hugs to all
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
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!
I got 2 large area rugs and a bunch of runners and cheap yoga mats.
It has helped a lot. Buddy strained the muscle on his only hind leg and getting the large area rugs was the best thing I could have done. I got them at Ross. They weren't that expensive and I actually got some that match!!
1:53 pm
Moderators
Helpline Hosts
18 October 2009
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I'm glad Karl is dealing with the biopsy ok. Sending strong positive thoughts for the best possible report.
I had pergo type floors when my pug Maggie had her amp. Neither of the pugs could stay upright on it on four paws so I knew I had to do something. I was getting tile installed but not for a couple months after her surgery. I used the non-skid stuff you usually put under rugs. I made trails through the house to connect the rooms she would frequent. She stuck to those trails until I got the tile installed. She never really had any traction problems on the tile floor.
When quad pug Tani got older she had a terrible time keeping her feet under her on the tile floors. She had preexisting ataxia problems that were exacerbated by some mild strokes. I used throw rugs at first but she would slip on those- I think because her legs were getting so weak. So I went to yoga mats. Ordered a bunch of cheap ones thought Amazon (using the tripawd link!). The other advantage of the yoga mats was that I could custom cut them to fit in the house. I taped the edges together on the bottom side to keep them in place (I tended to trip over them otherwise 
).
Another thing you can do is to keep the fur between Karl's toes and pads clipped very short. I also had good luck with Musher's Secret. Both of those things helped both Maggie and Tani.
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
Maggie's Story Amputation and Chemo
Find me now on Tripawds Circle
7:05 am
17 February 2016
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Biopsy came back Osteo. Surgery scheduled for today 1:00 pm. Central time. Please say a prayer for Karl.
Thank you so much everyone!
Oh sweet Karl!
We are thinking of you, sending out positive vibes and saying puppy prayers all day long.
The first couple of days are rough but remember, IT GETS BETTER! Just hang in there and know that we are here for you!!!
Please keep us posted on Karl's progress.
Love
Julie and Buddy
Amp days are tough so sending virtual snuggles to you and Karl today....
Active 10+ Pyr mix suddenly came up lame with ACL tear in left rear leg. Scheduled for a TPLO but final pre-op x-rays indicated a small suspicious area, possibly OSA, which could have caused the ACL tear. Surgeon opened the knee for TPLO but found soft bone. Biopsy came back positive for OSA. Became a Tripawd 9/18/14. Carbo6 with Cerenia and Fluids. Pain free and living in the moment. Crossed the Bridge on 7/12/15 after probable spread of cancer to her cervical spine. A whole lifetime of memories squeezed into 10 months. Here's her story: Eloise
9:21 am
Team Tripawds
Administrators
25 September 2009
Offline
The diagnosis is hard to hear, but at least you know what you're dealing with now and can come up with a plan, right?
Sending all our best to you and Karl, and lots and lots of 3-paw salutes! Keep us posted!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
9:24 am
Moderators
Helpline Hosts
18 October 2009
Offline
Sending strong, positive thoughts for an easy and successful surgery today.
Keep us posted.
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
Maggie's Story Amputation and Chemo
Find me now on Tripawds Circle
