Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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My Bella is still in this hospital, but I am going to plan for her homecoming. I got a sweater for my St Bernard at Walmart, but she's having so much trouble at the hospital, I don't think that sliding it over her head and pulling her remaining front leg through is realistic. I was thinking about making a fleece coat for her to wear this winter (I read that cold can cause phantom limb pain). She's got so much fur shaved off from her legs, side and neck. I think it will be less traumatic for my kids and anyone else who sees her too. She was so majestic. Has anyone made a coat or shirt for a large dog before?
I haven't made any, but have found that Target seems to carry a good selection of large dog clothing. Chewy.com also shows a large dog coat that is fleece lined and slips over the head with a velcro closing under the belly. I would think that maybe something along the lines of the Thundershirt pattern would work, too.
Kathi and the Turbotail April Angel...and the Labradork
Murphy is a five year old Lab/Chessie cross. He was hit by a car on 10/29/12 and became a Tripawd on 11/24/12. On 2/5/13, he had a total hip replacement on his remaining back leg. He has absolutely no idea that he has only three legs!
UPDATE: Murphy lived his life to the fullest, right up until an aggressive bone lesion took him across the Rainbow Bridge on April 9, 2015 and he gained his membership in the April Angels. Run free, my love. You deserve it!
I'm not sure if you are thinking about something for the healing period or later. Initially a lot of people use a t-shirt to cover the incision site. This is useful until the stitches are out. A fleece coat would be lovely while the hair is growing in to keep her warm.
Personally I did not find the incision site traumatic and Mona loved it when I massaged her and put warm and cool cloths on the site. Whatever you choose to do it might help your kids to be part of the nursing process by brushing her, cleaning the around the incision site if necessary, applying cool compresses, etc.
Kerren and Tripawd Kitty Mona
She'll still be majestic, I promise you.
My Elsie has a number of fleeces from Equafleece. They are soft, warm and also waterproof. They go up to pretty large sizes. Something like this might be suitable https://www.equ.....-neck-coat
Meg, Clare and Elsie Pie xxx
Ruby, Staffy, born June 2022, became a Tripawd, 23 November 2023, adopted 12 January 2024.
Also Angel Tripawd Meg (aka The Megastar), who died in April 2023, aged 14, after seven glorious years on three, and Angel Staffies Pie and Bille. In the pawprints of giants...
Thank you for the replies. With the costs of surgeries and complications, I decided to make her a coat. She's going to be in the hospital at least until Monday, possibly longer. I'll be in debt for a long time....
I got a two layered throw blanket from CVS super cheap. I can make 2 coats from it using a template for a dog coat. And the packaging included 2 wide ribbons with Velcro! So, I can just use those to sew on a closure for under her belly. While not velvet, they will look like Queen Victoria's coronation robes. Appropriate for my beautiful and very deserving girl. And it will keep the cold away this winter until her fur grows in.
Thank you again. I did look at the sites and got some ideas on how to easily make the coat.
Can't wait to see Miss Bella in her Royal Cape!!
And for whatever it's worth, some Vets keep dogs three or four days after amputation surgery even WITHOUT the "issues" Queen Bella is having!
You .ay have to buy her a Tiara to go with her .majestic coat!! 🙂
Love and hugs
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
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!
Bella will look very regal I'm sure in her "coronation robes"! Pictures, we MUST have pictures!
I am so sorry she is having complications in her recovery, but it certainly sounds as if she is in good hands. And, with any dog with a big hair coat, the shaved area just looks that much more awful. My golden retriever's hair is growing back very quickly, and it covered his incision at week 2. It' still noticeable at almost 3 months, about half the length of the rest of his hair.
I don't know where you live, but I have to tell you my experience with a hairy dog post op. And it may just be my dog so take this fwiw. Fionn had surgery in Oct. We're in N. California so it was still warm but a bit chilly at night. He wore tshirts for the first 2 weeks to keep him away from the incision and to keep it clean. They were not difficult to put on him. I usually did it while he was laying down. I used loose ones and just snugged them up with a hair tie. Any time he could, he was outside laying anywhere cool. Once he could navigate his dog door, he would sleep outside all night, choosing the concrete or ROCKS (that made me crazy). I could tell he preferred no t shirt and how much of his panting was due to him being hot is debatable, but I just sensed he was. I worried so much I would get up in the middle of the night to cover him with a jacket or blanket, all of which would be off of him in the morning. He LOVED the ice packs I used on his incision. Now that we are actually having below freezing nights, he STILL chooses to sleep outside in a covered area and his hair is not grown back all the way yet. The only change is he is choosing to use his bed to sleep on instead of the concrete or, thank goodness, the rocks.
I'm saying this because Bella may actually not need the extra warmth depending on the climate she's exposed to. Since we aren't covered with hair (I do know some men who would qualify as having a fur coat, but I digress), I think we assume they feel the temp as we do. Plus, their body temp is much higher. Pain meds, pain and heat can make them pant, making it very difficult to know the cause. Just throwing it out there (like you needed something else to think about-sorry!). I still think she will look gorgeous in her lovingly made robes
Hugs and wishes for a speedy recovery for sweet Bella!
Nancy- mom to the FABULOUS Fionn. He rescued me in 2015 when he was 6.
Right front leg amputation at age 7 for osteosarcoma 10/6/16. Taken too soon 6/12/17. Read about our journey here:
http://fionnsjo.....pawds.com/
Great point. I just don't know what to expect. And I want to help her avoid pain. I read about triggers of phantom pain so, going outside when it's anywhere from 5-35 degrees where I am I thought might just be a tad too cold.
i am going to put together some cold compresses for her. I think that will help. Thank you for the suggestion.
i am preparing for her homecoming which I hope is soon. She's really having a tough time. She's pretty much knocked out there.
Otis just wore a T-shirt until the stitches came out. It was February in Chicago, and he seemed to do fine.
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.
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