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
Our 11 year old American Bulldog just had to have her left front leg removed due to a bone tumor 2 days ago. We just got her home today and she seems to be doing alright putting weight on it. We are having a hard time assisting her to get around/figuring out the best way to pick her up. She has let out some loud yelps of pain when trying to move her that obviously scare us. I am really just looking for some tips or words of encouragement from some of you that have been through this. I know it is just day one and believe it will get better but hoping for a few thoughts since we have never done this before. Thank you and anything would be appreciated!🐶
Welcome and best wishes for your pup! What's her name?
Start here for lots of help navigating the many helpful resources this community has to offer. You will find most of your concerns addressed in Jerry's Required Reading List , or download the Tripawds e-books for fast answers, and feel free to call the toll-free Tripawds Helpline anytime!
It is still so early in the recovery process, there is no need to be getting up and about except meal time and short leashed potty time. See the Tripawds Gear blog for the best harness recommendations and other helpful items. For now, if necessary, you can cut a reusable canvas shopping bag down the size to make a convenient sling with handles.
You came to the right place for support and encouragement. Please keep us posted. Your future forum posts will not require approval.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
The grocery bag sling is your best bet until she heals, but after that you're going to want a harness. We didn't really lift Murphy much, he got himself up. It seems that most dogs don't really want our help much - they really want to do as much as they can on their own. Like when going potty - when people have tried to help their dogs figure out how to balance, they just won't go...then they take off one time & just do it. They somehow just figure it out.
Donna
Donna, Glenn & Murphy
Murphy had his right front leg amputated due to histiocytic sarcoma at 7 years old. He survived 4 years, 2 months & 1 week, only to be taken by hemangiosarcoma at 11 1/2 years 6/12/17
Read about Murphy's Life on Three Legs
Thank you both and her name is Delilah. The harness sounds great but we were told that it is not an option because of where the incision is the straps would interfere with them until the sutures are removed.
Right, we didn't use the harness until Murphy was healed. We got the Webmaster Ruffwear harness for him. It slips a little, but the new one has the brush guard that's supposed to help with that. The handle on the top really helps for getting him in & out of the car or any other time we need to lift him.
Donna
Donna, Glenn & Murphy
Murphy had his right front leg amputated due to histiocytic sarcoma at 7 years old. He survived 4 years, 2 months & 1 week, only to be taken by hemangiosarcoma at 11 1/2 years 6/12/17
Read about Murphy's Life on Three Legs
reit0101 said
Thank you both and her name is Delilah. The harness sounds great but we were told that it is not an option because of where the incision is the straps would interfere with them until the sutures are removed.
If she needs to go up or down stairs, you can put a t-shirt underneath the harness and it should be OK. Just monitor the area carefully.
Hang in there, things do get easier. Just remember that rest and sleeping is medicinal. Try to put yourself in her paws and you'll really see how much progress she's making.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Perfect name for a Bulldog!! Love it and can't wait to see photos!
Recovery can be sooo rpugh sometimes! It took me three weeks before I felt like I could say I did this FOR my Hapoy Hannah and not TO her!
Getti g the pain meds balanced can be a bit ttricky. My Happy Hannah was restless and whining and just didn't want to kay down for almost three days! I think I felt a total of five hours those first three nights!
Most dogs come home with Tramadol, Rimadyl, an antibiotic and oten Gabapentin. You can check out phantom pain link and see if that sounds like some of the pain Delilah is having. It is MAJOR surgery and it does hurt.
The fact that Delilah is getting up and about, even with assistance, is pretty darn good, especially for dogs built like Bulldogs! .My Happy Hannah was one of those who didn't want to ise a towel sling.
As already mentioned, just potty breaks and total rest for now. Delilah may not want to eat much for several days and she may notnpoop for athe couple of days. Let us know when she does though. We celebrate everything around here!
If you have hardwoods, you'll want to use non slip scatter rugs for traction . Slightly raised food bowls for youriur girl may helpmprevent strain.
I KNOW this is so scary right now. We are all here for you, okay? We've been through it and understand like nonothers can! Hang onto us and uldate when you can.
((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too t
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 all very much, this is very new to us and the kind words and suggestions are greatly appreciated and very helpful!!
OOOOOOMMMMMDDDDD! Her avatar pi ture just came through!! PRECIOUS!! Aa d yes, I had to turn it sideways vut the cuteness came through just fine!! You are way ahead of the curve. It rook me months before I had an avatar picture. And that was because Jerry did it for me!
And the crowd roars "More photos,!"
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 to you and to Delilah!
It is early days and you will become more confident and so will she. Her pain should diminish - but you also do want to be sure you have all the pain management she needs. Some doctors are more conservative in their approach, but I am with Sally above. Tramadol, Rimadyl, Gabapentin and an antibiotic work on the pain in different modalities (well, the abx just prevents infection which would cause more pain).
Our surgeon was of the very firm opinion pain served no purpose and managing pain better meant faster recovery. Certainly has been true for us.
Lisa, Minneapolis
On October 27, 2016, nearly 6 months after amputation, and 18 months since his cancer likely started, we lost Pofi to a recurrence of Soft Tissue Sarcoma in his spine quite suddenly. His canine sister also succumbed to cancer on March 1, 2019 - we lavished her with our love in the interim, but life was never quite the same without her only real canine friend. Cliff kitty had to leave us, too, suddenly, in August 2019. Lucia kitty grieved all these losses, but helped us welcome two new Lurchers into our home and our lives, Shae and Barley.
Also a big fan of the Ruffwear Webmaster harness , but you are right - we also did not use it until about week 3, after staples were out. We had a sling from Tess' cruciate repair, but Otis wouldn't move with it on him (neither would Tess). When he needed to go in the first five to six days, he got himself up. It was the bare minimum, not a lot of movement (mostly sleep), but I kept a log so that I knew when I really had to entice him to get up and when I could just leave him be. Otis is big, so picking him up was never an option, but he was able to do what he needed to do.
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.
Night one down, not a lot of sleep for my fiancé and I but Delilah seemed to sleep through the night for the most part. The drugs seem to be effecting her a bit more today and she is less willing to get up. Though between the day she had yesterday and the drugs she is on I'm guessing that is pretty normal. She is still eating and drinking willingly so that is good and we will keep trying to keep up the positivity. Thanks again!
Sleep is the absolute best thing for her right now, so that's great, and great that she is eating and drinking. Right now she has a lot of hospital meds in her system - you may see a bit of a crash somewhere in days 3 - 5 as those meds wear off. Just be alert to her pain signals and call your vet if she seems to be in pain. Many of us worked with our vets to adjust the meds to get to a good dose for our tripawds. Keep her quiet - short leashed potty breaks, but other than that, sleep is the best! And you need to sleep when she sleeps - kind of like having a new baby!
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.
Hi Delilah and family
Well, the operation went well and she is eating and drinking which is great news!
As others said, she needs a lot of rest right now and going out for pee and poop only.
Take one day at a time and keep watching her, as Otis mom said she might have a crash between day 3 and 5 but she should be better every day, especially after stitches are removed.
She will show you how long her walks can be but never forget whichever distance she is prepared to do you need to calculate the return as well, so if you see her slowing down turn back home.
My girl would do 5/10 minutes max in the first weeks following stitches removal but even so she would need to lie down for a rest between "going" and "coming back".
Keep us posted !
Sending you big hugs and cuddles to your girl
Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-)
1 Guest(s)
