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
We have a puppy, less than a year old, who will need a front leg amputated at some point. The dog is probably only going to get to be about 90lbs but the vet says amputating will likely shorten a large dog's lifespan. Is it better to get another surgery to lengthen the life of the limb so as to alleviate stress on the other leg, or amputate early so the dog adjusts to having one front leg as it ages? Will it actually shorten the lifespan of the dog? If so, what is an estimate for how long they might live? I have never owned a three legged dog before and I'm curious about the best course of action and potential outcome. Thanks for any help!
Hi and welcome. Thanks for joining us. Your future posts won't need approval so post away.
Tell us more about your dog. What's his name? Is he a Malamute? Looks like it from the pic but I can't really tell.
What is the reason why he might need the amputation? Also, have you seen an orthopedic surgeon for a second opinion?
Sorry for all the questions but the more information we have the better we can give you our own insight on what we've seen here.
Dogs have different challenges depending on which leg is removed and how old/young they were when the amputation happened. But it's nothing you can't overcome at any age. Now, I've never heard anywhere, or seen a study, that being three-legged shortens a life span. Perhaps your vet meant that a dog may have a a lower quality of life as a Tripawd due to pain and joint problems, which could lead to an earlier euthanasia decision?
We have seen many dogs live a long time on three legs. Their quality of life depends on how well the parent handles things like weight management and exercise.
Remember, no dog has an expiration date stamped on their rear end. With a good quality of life, any animal can live well into old age.
Let us know more details so we can better help you OK? Thanks!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi there puppy and family,
We also never heard of a shorter lifespan for a tripawd dog and, as Jerry says, a lot of it has to do with managing exercise and food intake so he'll never be too heavy on the remaining leg.
Also important not to over exercise your dawg.
Eurydice, my Great Dane girl is very heavy and lost her front leg almost 12 months ago and she is super energetic and well balanced.
Your doggie, being smaller should hop around even better and faster than her.
Sending you a big hug and cuddles 😘🐾🐶
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)
