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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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11 year old Lab mix with nerve sheath tumor
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Member Since:
1 October 2017
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10 August 2018 - 12:24 pm
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That is really good news! You will see more of this as she heals, honest! Wait until that incision is healed, that seems to make a huge difference in their activity level. I'm so glad you're having a better day ❤️

Hugs,

Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry

Huckleberry's Blog



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10 August 2018 - 4:45 pm
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Oh, so wonderful to know!

Belle is turning the corner, yes she is!

You are on a good path, sweetie, as Jackie says stitches removal is generally a key moment and it won’t take long for Belle now!

Hugs 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 :-) 

Virginia







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11 August 2018 - 12:16 am
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It took quite awhile before my Happy Hannah  got up to greet me with a Wooo---Wooooo!  I almost cried I was so happy!

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!

Montreal, Quebec
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11 August 2018 - 11:38 am
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hi. We tried to start to give Belle a very little walk. it is a lot of work for her to move. I'm scared she will not get the strength to be active again. Also what was very concerning was on the return we noticed her rear left leg was twisting inward. Is this due to balance issue? The vet did an orthopedic exam before the surgery and concluded all her remaining joints were ok. 

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11 August 2018 - 1:09 pm
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Not trying to be mean but she's probably not ready for a walk, honestly. She needs to heal and then to get her strength back. Lots aren't ready to even attempt a short walk until about a month after surgery.

Hugs,

Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry

Huckleberry's Blog

Montreal, Quebec
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11 August 2018 - 1:20 pm
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I guess it was too pushy to try to make it to the park with Belle. It looks like a lot of effort to hop on 3 ... and she is not a puppy sleepy

Livermore, CA




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11 August 2018 - 1:25 pm
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I was allowed to take Maggie for walks two weeks after surgery- back then the vets were not really helpful with what to expect.  She had been pretty much in her bed for two weeks so in hindsight she should have been pretty weak.  I of course expected her to pick up where she had left off before surgery!

Mag was a rear amp and she took probably 6 months to build up to half the walking distance she could go before surgery. I didn't know anything about Tripawds then or how important core strength is for them.

You are just over two weeks from surgery now, right? Still very early and she is going to take some time to re-build strength and endurance.

Here are some Blog Posts on Exercise for Tripawds.

Here is Our Tripawd Rehab Reimbursement Program.

I adopted my current Tripawd Elly about 2.5 months after her rear amputation (car accident).  She was fully healed but not at all strong. I got to work right away with core strength and balance exercises- many disguised as games and puzzles.  We work on something everyday- even a game of tug will work on balance and core. 

Be patient with your girl- she will get there.  Can you post a pic or video of her gait?  I'm guessing it's nothing more than her trying to figure out her balance and gait.

Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls

Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.

1999 to 2010

 

              Maggie's Story                  Amputation and Chemo

Livermore, CA




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11 August 2018 - 1:28 pm
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What if you drive her to the park for now? Let her use her energy where the good smells are and then you can get her home if she gets tired.  Extend the distance she walks slowly- and work on her core strength.

Maggie was able to hop a mile on her own eventually although I often gave her a stroller ride for parts of the walk. 

Karen

Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.

1999 to 2010

 

              Maggie's Story                  Amputation and Chemo

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11 August 2018 - 1:32 pm
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As long as she doesn't have to exert herself you could take her outside for some air and maybe a blanket to have a treat on? Baby steps, it's all good. Lots of us have learned from our own as well as others trial and error. You're doing great and want the right things for the right reasons. I feel bad saying go slow all the time but have seen others have complications from trying to do too much too fast. Honest, I'm just trying to help save you undue problems, I promise. 

Big hugs ❤️❤️❤️

Hugs,

Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry

Huckleberry's Blog



Member Since:
21 May 2016
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11 August 2018 - 4:18 pm
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Hey sweetie 🌸

Yes, it is still too early for walks.

One thing you have to always remember is to allow for the time needed to return to the point where you started your walk.

Learning to hop is one thing, having the muscles trained to their new gait is another.

My baby Eurydice would stand up and remain standing for a long time without moving during the initial recovery period.

It puzzled me until I realised she was just adjusting to standing up on three, I guess she needed to master that before going further in her learning curve. 

You are doing great, just slow down a little bit, your girl will be able to go for walks in a not so distant future but not just yet 😉

Karen’s suggestion of taking her in the car to smell the air and feel the breeze is great, this way she will have the pleasure of the walk without actually having to move ☺️

Hugs 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 :-) 

Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
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11 August 2018 - 9:03 pm
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Is this the best place for first- hand -been -there- done- that information  or what??  Such great insight  and spot on advice from everyone!!

We can all see the victory in Belle getting up to greet you, and we can also "see" how hard it is to be patient and want her recocery over!!  Yep...been there done that!!

It IS good to get her outside so she can be in healing nature a elling all the scents on the breeze.   But as Jackie said, just set a blanket out there for her.  Use that time to just chill beside her and give her tumny rubs and ear scratches.  Being with their hooman and getting  attention from them means  more to them than anything!!

Remember,  dogs really don't  care about how FAR they walk.  Their true nature is to just slowly  meander from one smell of nature to the next.  

Right now she just needs to focus on recovering  from surgery.  She IS mobile and she CAN walk, so that's  huge!  

As Karen said, the position  of her legs right now is just about figuring  out her balance...her new gait..what muscles to use for what.  A coi0le of sessions with a Rehab Specialist  will do wonders AFTER she recovers.

Hang in there.  Recovery really doesn't  last forever!

Hugs 

Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie!

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!

Montreal, Quebec
Member Since:
10 July 2018
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117
12 August 2018 - 9:35 am
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There are two videos below. If you look closely you can see her rear left leg bend shuch that she looks like she is stepping on the outside of her foot. 

https://photos......QwYtDxjvp9

https://photos......myZLrV47R8



Member Since:
21 May 2016
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118
12 August 2018 - 10:26 am
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Hey sweetie 🌸

Yes, she is still a little unsteady on her back legs but she is no spring chicken 🐣...

She may still need a little while longer to adjust ...

Can you see a rehab vet?

It can only help speeding up recovery.

Hugs 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 :-) 

Livermore, CA




Member Since:
18 October 2009
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119
12 August 2018 - 10:34 am
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Does she have any soreness in her back and hips? Actually she probably does as a new Tripawd...is there a trigger point you can find?  Do her muscles seem tight?  Can you find a pain trigger point anywhere on her leg or foot?

Maggie was a rear amp and because of her altered gait she would occasionally get a small sore in the pad of her one rear foot.

I'm guessing she is still working out her gait.

Here are some Blog Posts on Massage. If her muscles are tight and sore she might benefit from some massage if she will allow it.

Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls

Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.

1999 to 2010

 

              Maggie's Story                  Amputation and Chemo

Montreal, Quebec
Member Since:
10 July 2018
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120
12 August 2018 - 12:24 pm
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She does not communicate or show any sores when we examine her. We are anguished second guessing our decision to amputate; if after all this we don't get her back to happy, it will be devastating. 

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