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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I cant believe today was Mr's 8 month ampuversary. I remember thinking that I would never get used to the look, and I still occasionally panic and think he is limping, however generally, I dont notice. Many people when first meeting him also do not notice. He still hasnt learnt to "lift" the stump when he pees, often opting to do an odd handstand instead. Losing the damaged limb seems to have sped him up, how is that possible?
He is back to work, and is off lead on hikes.
His skin cancer seems to be held at bay for the moment with THC oil taken both internally and externally. We have opted not to do chemo and radiation. We also have decided that we are not doing any more surgeries. For now he is happy and healthy, He isnt in pain at the moment.
Question though, on our hike today he got bowled over by 3 of the other dogs. He wasnt injured, we don't think. How will I know if he injures his remaining back leg? Will he "tell" me? He used to SIT down and refuse to move, will he do that again or....? And if he does that how do I know that he is injured and not just stubborn? He occasionally decides that we have walked a trail to often and refuses.
Have I mentioned that I love Jack Russell Terrier's lol.
Hoppy Ampuversary Quiote! Glad to hear that life is good and you're thriving!
Regarding pain signals . Anytime a dog refuses to move they are telling you something, likely that it hurts and they don't want to go any further. It's not being stubborn, but rather their way of communicating pain. Here are some articles that explain more:
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hoppy Ampuversary!
Murphy gets bowled over once in awhile and sometimes it bothers him, sometimes not. We keep some Rimadyl on hand just in case he has a bad day. He sometimes has a day when he's moving more stiffly or just laying around we give him one, and then the next day he's his same old spunky self!
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
Jerry, oh no the times he has refused to go down a trail its because he wants to go down a different one and if we turn and follow him he will lead us down trails we havent been on or rarely use. He knows where the car is. He also at times will sit and refuse to move if the walk was to short. (again he knows where the car is). He has done this 2 times since the surgery, Before he did it often but I stuck to really easy trails and there are a limited number of those. Now he only does it if we have gone on the same trail 3 times in a row or more or if I have "yelled" at one of the other dogs (keep in mind they are off in the bush and I have to raise my voice to be heard (they bark and yip and are a distance away normally out of sight)) We have noticed that when he is tired (maybe sore hmmm) he tends to walk at heel, although again he does this if I have yelled at the dogs to stop what they are doing, where as normally he is running thru the bush with the the other dogs. (The dogs are off lead on our walks). Its getting to winter here too. Is there anything I should be doing? Coats? or to protect his remaining limb from the cold (arthritis).
Murphy and Donna> He was never put on that drug. He was on Derramax and fentanyal. spelling I know. I use Recovery with him (have since he was 4 months old). He is raw fed as well, I also keep him on the thin side (thank fully he is wire coated so the general public cant see how thin cause they think think means starved lol)
Maybe I worry about him too much? He really has been only using 3 legs for over 3 years now. (I cant believe he is going to be 4 soon ahhh where did the time go). He tends to be the spoiled dog in the house. (They are all spoiled but he rides in the front, he gets the big crate with the orthopedic bed , he gets the raised food dish, and on walks he dictates where we go and for how long (he acts tired or sore we go HOME, he wants to go down a different trail we go down that one.)
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