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
YAAAAAAAAAY!! WELCOME HOME HARMONY!!!!! Such a relief when surgery is over and they home!!
Let us know when Harmony hasnher first poop.....may take a couple of days with al l the meds in her. We celebrate anything around here!!!!
HAPPY HOMECOMING HARMONY
Hugs to you Pam, Sweet Harmony, hub a dub and Melody!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle 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!
Welcome Harmony, Pam and family. Have a good recovery, Harmony, and enjoy life while you kick cancer's butt!
Deb and Angel Lexie* Diagnosed at age 13. Tried radiation first; wish we had amputated upon diagnosis (even with lung mets). Joined Club Tripawd April 2014 & Lexie loved life on 3 legs! Advice: Start physical therapy as soon as your vet clears it, especially hydrotherapy if available :-) See Lexie pics here.
Happy homecoming Harmony! Glad everyone is doing well. Expect the next couple of weeks to be a little bit of a roller coaster ride, its completely normal. Hang on to us, we're all here for you.
HUGS
Mom to Tripawd Angels Jake (2001-2014) and Rosco (2012-2015) and Tripawd Tanner. “Whatever happens tomorrow, we had today; and I'll always remember it”
WOOOHOOOO!!! I'm so glad Harmony is home and Pam you sound so much better in your last posting!! Harmony and your family will get through this...there will be ups and downs but just hang in there it will pass. Like Christine mentioned rugs (preferably with the rubber back so they don't move) are very important on tile/hardwood floors. I spent a few hundred dollars in rugs and runners to put throughout the house so Leland felt more comfortable and had better traction .
Also, the first couple weeks Harmony's activity should be kept to a minimum while she heals. She should just be going out for potty breaks...no long walks. And if you have a lot of stairs in your home try to avoid Harmony going up and down as much as possible. For us we took our mattress and laid it on the floor and set up our bedroom in our home office so Leland only had one step to get up and down to go outside. We live in a split foyer home so we have steps everywhere. We pretty much lived in our office with Leland for the first couple of weeks.
Keep us posted on Harmony's progress and post some pictures if you can.
HUGS
Sahana and her Angel Leland
November 17, 2009 - June 30, 2014
May you finally be healthy and running free at the Rainbow Bridge. Until we meet again my sweet boy!
YAY!!!! Welcome home Harmony!!!! Keep us posted!
Hugs!
Alison with the Spirit of Shelby fur-ever in her heart (and little Jasper too)
Shelby Lynne; Jack Russell/Shiba Inu mix. Proud member of the April Angels of 2014.
October 15, 2000 to April 8, 2014
Our story: Broke rear leg in June 2013 - non-conclusive results for cancer so leg was plated and pinned. Enlarged spleen in September 2013 and had it removed and was diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma and started chemotherapy. Became a Tripawd January 8th, 2014 and definitive Hemangiosarcoma diagnosis. Three major surgeries in 7 months and Shelby took them all like a champ only to lose her battle to cancer in her brain. We had 8 amazing extra months together and no regrets. #shelbystrong #loveofmylife
Lordy, lordy what a night. I slept on the couch, the hub-a-dub slept on the floor (carpet) by her side. Although she rested well, any time she moved we jumped to check on her.
And, if I sound calmer, it's only because of your kindness and compassion. I listen to what everyone has said and it has helped me immensely. Saints, all of you.
Today, I'm on my own with the sweet girl, and, for the most part, she's rested well. She drinks ALOT of water, but I attribute that to all the meds she's taking. She's also eating, but no poody-poo yet. Her incision on her belly (form the spleen surgery) weeped during the night, but it's clear pink and watery. The doc said that might happen since they didn't put a drain in.
Our house is a one-level ranch with carpet. She only has to traverse one room (tile) and I've always kept a runner there just for her and Melody.
Once we get her lab results back we'll know better about her future regarding chemo, etc. Later on, once things calm down a little more, I'll post more about her past lab results on a MCT3 that was removed from her flank back in May.
In the meantime, thank you so much you wonderful people. I'll post pictures as soon.
Harmony became a Tripawd on 10/21/14 (MCT). She left us way too soon on 11/1/14.
"We miss you so much; our love, our heart, our Harmony."
- Pam, Ron and Melody, Meesha, Doublestuff and Mariah Carey
Hmm . . . still working on posting a pic.
Harmony became a Tripawd on 10/21/14 (MCT). She left us way too soon on 11/1/14.
"We miss you so much; our love, our heart, our Harmony."
- Pam, Ron and Melody, Meesha, Doublestuff and Mariah Carey
Oh good, sounds like things are going well. Actually, a little smoother than many first nights home!
As the hospital meds phas out in another day or two, you may find her a little more whining and restless...may not. Glad she's eating and drinking ...good!
Yeah, we can all relate to sleeping on the floor....they're drifting off fairly well and we are wide awake!!!
You are doing GREAT!!!!! Very strong pack leader!!! Stay connected, we understand the roller coaster ride better than anyone else can!!
Don't forget the chocolate!
Hugs and Love!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle 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!
harmony said
. . . still working on posting a pic.
Here are detailed instructions for adding photos to forum posts. If you need more help, post in the Tech Support forum or send a PM and we can schedule a time to meet in the chat room .
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Is that Harmony in your avatar picture ? She is beautiful. I love the names, melody and Harmony. Yep, I remember sleeping on the floor. Sounds as though she is doing great. If she soon does not poop, get a can of plain pumpkin and add abit to her food. Usually helps. Glad to hear she is home! Lori and TY
TY GUY, Best Black Lab ever! Diagnosed and had amp in January, 2014. Kicked MRSA's butt. Earned his angel wings on April 16, 2014. Run Free my boy and don't forget a shoe. Ty is a proud member of the " April Angels". Ty sent us Daryl, a Tripawd rescue in Sept. of 2016. Daryl is 5 +or -. We are also Pawrents to Chandler, a Border Collie mix who is 15 and 1/2, Lucy, a Corgi who is 7, 2 minis, 2 horses, and a feisty cat named Zoe. Zoe had a non skeletal Osteosarcoma removed in July 2015. No Chemo, she was at least 16. She is going strong although she is now completely blind. She is now close to 20 and her hobbies are eating and sleeping in front of her personal heater.
Sounds like things are going pretty well. Maggie didn't poop until day 6 I think, those pain meds can be constipating.
I slept on the floor with Maggie for a few nights because she usually slept on my bed and I was worried about her falling off. Once I figured out what a slug she was we all went back to bed.
Do the dogs usually sleep with you? When my quad pug Obie had knee surgery I put my mattress on the floor since I couldn't trust him not to jump off the bed. It worked great for the pugs, my knees weren't too happy though.
I hope Harmony's recovery is smooth- and I am interested in her past and current path reports. And looking foreword to some pictures!
Karen and Spirit Maggie
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Pam so happy for you and Harmony- lets not forget hub-a-dub too. Sounds like you have it all under control, but remember the first couple weeks are a rollercoaster. Don't be upset if some days are better than others. As for pooping we celebrate that here. Don't worry about it just yet. Keep us posted.
Laurie
Yes, that is our Harmony as my avatar. I thought it ironic she chose to pose with that particular limb (the one that was amputated) not in the picture.
Nope, Harmony nor Melody sleep with us. They have their own beds in the bedroom with us. We try to keep them on a schedule with their own place(s) when they need to retreat. We also don't want them jumping in their excitement and possibly hurt themselves, which they will. Melody thinks she's a lap dog. When she was a rescued pup (abandoned with spay stitches and an infection) I would hold her after her baths and she would sleep in my arms. These days it's not easy to hold a 60 lb dog, but I have on occasion.
Harmony had an on-and-off afternoon and evening. She wouldn't eat, and then she would. She drinks a lot of water. Sometimes she's restless, other times not. One incident happened yesterday when I couldn't lay on the floor another minute. I was on the couch when I heard her yelp and I never would have guessed a recent 3-legged dog could get across the room that quickly. Evidently she had a nightmare and was "being chased by something". It's happened before, but she wasn't post-surgery the last time. Scared me half to death. I thought for sure she had hurt herself the way she bolted.
I keep vigilant regarding her incisions for bleeding and/or swelling. Might I ask, what is normal? She hasn't bled, but it's obvious she's swollen. I suppose I'm extra cautious because of her spleen removal.
And on the whole "waiting for poop" watch, nothing yet. But her "poof factory" is working perfectly! Lord have mercy!
By-the-by, the hub-a-dub is wonderful.<3
Harmony became a Tripawd on 10/21/14 (MCT). She left us way too soon on 11/1/14.
"We miss you so much; our love, our heart, our Harmony."
- Pam, Ron and Melody, Meesha, Doublestuff and Mariah Carey
I just heard from the doc and her labs are back. The news isn't good. MCT has spread aggressively throughout her body, including her liver. They want to start her on chemo as soon as her staples come out.
I can't tell you how broken I feel right now. And guilty that we've asked so much of her and she still looks up at me with those wonderful trusting brown eyes.
Harmony became a Tripawd on 10/21/14 (MCT). She left us way too soon on 11/1/14.
"We miss you so much; our love, our heart, our Harmony."
- Pam, Ron and Melody, Meesha, Doublestuff and Mariah Carey
Pam,
I'm so sorry to hear the news about Harmony's labs. I will keep precious Harmony in my thoughts and pray that she's given the strength to start chemo immediately and her body fight this awful disease.
Yeah, our fur kids still look to their humans with so much love in their eyes and souls even after going through such an ordeal like amputation. That's just how they're made but I understand how you feel guilty. I went though something similar with my dear Leland. He had surgery done to correct a problem with his knee and then the following week he was undergoing an amputation because he came down with an infection that the surgeon couldn't get under control and the screws weren't holding in the TPLO procedure. When the ligaments in his remaining hind leg went out we could have put him through 3rd surgery but his health was declining rapidly we couldn't bring ourselves to do that to him so we made the decision to let him go. I'm starting to cry now thinking about it. It's just something that you and I have to work through and know that we did everything to give our precious fur kids a chance.
Sending you hugs and a kiss for Harmony.
Sahana and her Angel Leland
November 17, 2009 - June 30, 2014
May you finally be healthy and running free at the Rainbow Bridge. Until we meet again my sweet boy!
1 Guest(s)
