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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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On The Road


Member Since:
24 September 2009
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1
24 January 2008 - 10:31 pm
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Please share your your tips and resources for coping with canine osteosarcoma or living with a three legged dog in this forum.

We list various health tips and resources on this site. But the more information we have to help others, the better.

Thanks for your help! 

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

Maruk's Mom
2
1 April 2008 - 4:51 pm
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Let’s see…from a German Shepherd’s right rear leg amputee perspective…

First and foremost, you can learn a lot by observing your furry friend’s actions and motions. Keep your eyes open.

Being three legged, means bouncing up and down more with each stride. The slower you move, the more bouncing you do. With that in mind, getting into crates, even if they are safe-havens, may not be the best answer. Their backs might hit the door frame and they may not be able to manuever around and get comfy. We removed Maruk’s crate, but left behind the padding, cozy bed and pillows. (No, he’s not spoiled. Why do you ask?) On the other hand, Timber’s Mom, Crystal, posted that Timber did fine with a doggie door! Thanks for the info, Crystal.

Back to that bouncing thing, Maruk had leg cramp issues. Severe cramps that made him howl with pain. He would start bouncing up and down with his remaining back leg, pretty much every hour. I’m certain that his bouncing equivolates to our stretching-out of a cramped hamstring. We helped by massaging the leg quite firmly, which was a funky sight for some strangers to see. You can feel the knots. Ultimatley, I think getting him off the Tramadol was the trick in Maruk’s case. (Ah, finally some sleep for all of us.)

Some furkids make use of any nearby solid mass. Maruk would lean against our cars to potty (1 & 2) for the first few weeks of three-legged-dom. (You just have to watch your step and be even more diligent in the clean up process. He now potties in the yard like "normal." Our cars and shoes are safe.)

If they are just hanging out, many furkids will lean against you, your friends or even their best furry friend to relieve some pressure on their limbs. If you can, give him or her some warning before you move away.

Let’s talk carpets. Ya know how they slip out from under you sometimes? Need I say more? Smooth surfaces can be slippery for all of us. No one needs a banana peel on top of it.

With a back leg amputation, most likely your pooch will still have the hip bone socket. That socket sticks out just a bit...much less noticable once the fur has grown back. I understand that the front amputations are more smooth, close to the body, given the design of the shoulder socket. The remaining nubby or any surgery site will hurt for a while, so chances are they won’t sleep on that side or even lay down on it. (Would you?) Maruk resolved this issue by sleeping upside down, all paws in the air. Now that the fur has grown back and the site has healed, he’ll lay nubby side down on the couch (or bed), but never like that on the floor.

Also, now that his nub has healed and furred over (about four months after surgery), we can help him into the car by supporting behind his good thigh and under his healed nubby. Previously, we tried assisting with arms wrapped around his chest or middle. Without the other leg there, I think his little privates would get pinched. That’s never good.

Directly after surgery, we tried to help lift him up four back stairs with the harness thing, but he didn’t care for that. He figured it out on his own. (They usually do. We just have to get out of the way. Literally and figuratively.) He circle around to get the best approach and energy level, then up he went…boink, boink, boink.

They'll need a bit more room to turn around now too. Can you give them any more space to allow for this? Take a look around your house. On this same note, I began to worry that Maruk's remaining leg was hurting him, when in actuality, Maruk had learned that if he bent his remining back leg a bit more, he could turn around in even tighter spaces. This came in handy for him, when he just HAD to join me in the bathroom.

Some mornings he just wants to eat lying down, instead of standing at his usual post. That works too, even with the little, hoover, corgi-border collie mix nearby. She stays back. Anxious and springy, but she stays back.

Speaking of Pixie, she doesn’t cut him any slack. They still love to play, and she still playfully nibbles at his remaining legs. He just hops over the top of her. Goodness knows, we’ve learned a lot about Maruk from little Miss Pixie. Time and again, he shows us he’s much more capable than we give him credit. (Again no big surprise that it’s OUR hang up, not theirs.)

Lastly, do you remember what you two did together before the surgery? Well, that’s what they still enjoy doing. Oh sure, moderation in everything. You are still the parent. You need to set the guidelines. You don’t want to over do it, but the good things they enjoyed before are the same things that keep them from sinking into depression (you too). We aren’t much different than they are. How would you feel? What would make you happiest? A little time, a lot of love, a little help, lots of patience…lots more lovin’.

“A time for everything and everything in its time.” Heads and hearts up! Eyes forward! You and your pup are on a new adventure!

On The Road


Member Since:
24 September 2009
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2 April 2008 - 11:33 pm
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Wow, you are so nice for giving us such details on Maruk's recovery and every day life. Being a front leg amputee, it's a little different for me to get around, so hearing the perspective of a rear leg amputee is really great.

You're so right about setting guidelines. If it were up to me, I'd still go nuts playing with the frisbee for hours on end. But now Mom and Dad throw the frisbee a little lower so I don't jump so high, and we stop after 10 minutes or so so that I can take a good long break. I still love to do everything I used to, only now it's on a smaller scale so I don't hurt myself. 

I eat lying down too. It's so much easier for me!

Thank you for letting us know about life as a rear leg amputee tripawd, you are so sweet!

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

Max
4
2 June 2008 - 4:55 pm
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Little question - I thought eating from a food bowl on the floor was bad for big dogs - like GSDs. Max always has his food from a raised bowl - is it ok for them to eat lying down if they're feeling a bit tired?

On The Road


Member Since:
24 September 2009
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2 June 2008 - 11:08 pm
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Max said:

is it ok for them to eat lying down if they’re feeling a bit tired?


Well Max, I always eat flat on the floor. Even before I became a tripawd. Not on my side, because that would make me choke, but I eat while propped on my belly and my head is up. It's the best way to attack raw chicken!

 

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

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