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
I have a jack Russell blue tick mix and she is a little over 4 month, I got her to help me with my PTSD and to overcome the fear of being in public. I knew when I met her she was the dog for my family, we have been inseparable ever since and she is extremely hyper like most jack Russell's. On February 22 Gracie had her front left leg amputated because she fell off my couch the wrong way and fractured her elbow completely through, which of course dislocated it cause the joint had no where to hook. We decided on amputation because if we did the pins she would always have discomfort and would effect her growth plates. She came home Friday on the 23rd with a drain tube. She had to go back to the vet saturday cause she was picking up on my anxiety and was getting stressed so they are keeping her til Thursday when her tune comes out. I'm so scared cause she is so hyper that she will injure her self again, I was thinking of getting her an indoor ramp but unsure of if she could keep balance. She has never been in a crate cause she has always slept with me so that will be an adjustment. Did I mention she is a diva as the vet says, I'm not sure when yo put her in puppy training class and not sure of really anything, I'm just scared and worried about my baby! The vet says she is doing great and resting well.
Hello Gracie and family, welcome. Sorry to hear about the accident, yikes! No more couch surfing OK Gracie? 😉
So momma, now that she's getting some rest and recuperating at the vet's, it's time to get centered, and breathe. She will amaze you and do sooo well I'll bet. But how the recovery goes is going to be up to you. Keep your attitude as upbeat as you know how, and do your best not to panic as she figures things out. The more pawsitive you can be, the easier and faster recovery will go by.
Have you checked out Jerry's Required Reading List yet? I recommend it, there are articles listed that can help you know what to expect and how to cope with the new normal. Meanwhile you can keep yourself occupied by preparing your home for her arrival. It's OK that she's not crate trained, just do your best to keep her confined to a small space in your home. Baby gates can help you do that. Also, make sure you have plenty of no-slip rugs for traction , which will help her keep balanced. As for the ramp, you may want to wait on that for now, she may not even need it.
Don't be scared OK? We will help make this easier on all of you!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
thank you so much for the encouragement! I am going to check out Jerry's reading list right now. Thank you for all the support and I'm so glad I found out about Tripawds, it is very helpful! Gracie Jo definitely will not be couch surfing in the future😉.
Oh my goodness! That feisty Gracie Jo is starting her journey as your partner with quite a flair!! Â
And for whatever it's worth, the decision ro not try and put her through surgeries, plates, risk of jnfection, crate rest, more surgeries was a great decision for Gracie's well being!  One surgery, one revocery (kind of rough for about two weeks) and then onto living her life to the fullest! 🙂
Gracie DOES need a strong confident pack leader during her recovery. Because you clearly @ove her so much, being the partner she needs you to be may be more therapeutic than you could ever have hoped for!!  Gracie certainly may have picked up on your uncertainty and fear and that would make her uncertain and fearful. And, on top of that, the IS major surgery and it does hurt!. So hopefully they sre managing her pain properly and will send her ho e with the appropriate meds.
From this point forward, YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!! WE ARE RIGHT HERE BY YOUR SIDE THE WHOLE WAY!! It is a stressful time but we hope our knowledge can help reduce the fear and arm you woth the facts you need to show Gracie you BOTH ARE A-OKAY!! 🙂
Gracie Jo is flowing through one moment to the next with NO worries about her next moment, next hour, or next day. Gracie Jo lives in the NOW and stays fully focused in the present. We call that BEING MORE DOG
After you read through Jerry's Required Reading List , let us know any questions you may have. One thing you'll want to do right away is get non-slip scatter rugs for traction if you have hardwoods. Cheap yoga mats work well too.Â
She can sleep with you again. You jist want to make sure that you have "levels" arpund your bed so she can climb off easily with no huge jumps. Not sure if that makes sense. Check out our Gear blogs for stairs that may be helpful for her getting up and down from the bed. Â
You'll get a kick out of this.. One member (Bruiser Bruno) cut the legs off her @oveseat so Bruno could still get up and down on the sofa easily! 🙂
You will be amazed at how easily Gracie adapts to three legs and learns how to maneuver just find and with "grace(ie)" and balance!
Try and get some rest. Gracie is in good hands!Â
Can't wait for pictures of this adorable pup!
Hugs
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!
thank you so much, the help and love everyone has shown us is amazing. I feel much more confident about her recovery now, I definitely dont feel alone anymore. I think this will be great not only for me and Gracie, but I feel this will help my son with patience as he has severe ADHD. Gracie definitely has put her mark on my family since day one and we are so excited about her coming home . We all miss her like crazy!
Hello and welcome!
I'm sorry you have to deal with amputation at such young age in your girl. My current Tripawd is a little pug mix named Elly who lost her right back leg after being hit by a car at 7 months old. Elly is now a little over three years old and can do pretty much anything a dog her size and age can do, she is about 15 pounds.
I have stairs or stools by all the furniture she is allowed on. She is very good about using them to get up- and most of the time going down. Once in awhile she will get wild playing and jump down. As a rear amp it's not as dangerous for her- really something you need to work with Gracie. We have stairs in our house and she has no problem with them. As far as ramps- I've not tried with Elly, she doesn't need them at this point. I did try ramps with my first Tripawd Maggie. Mag was a pug who lost a back leg to cancer. She had trouble on the stairs so I tried ramps- 3 times! Mag was not a dog who would EVER use a ramp!Â
I spend time with Elly every day on some type of training. We play games, work on tricks or obedience, and do variations of Nose Work. Training is all about consistency and patience. Maybe something that would be good for your son?
First though you need to get Gracie through recovery. The worst part is usually over in two to three weeks although with youngsters they seem to bounce back from surgery very quickly.
Hang in there- Gracie will get used to her new normal and will be inspiring you with her resiliency!
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
Â
        Maggie's Story          Amputation and Chemo
1 Guest(s)
