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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Hey don't feel bad about not being able to carpet your house, we all do what we can do and Petunia knows she is very much loved.
You can also try trimming the fur between her toes to make it easier for her to walk on the floors. And when it's in your budget, don't forget to check out thrift stores for good cheap runners, or even yoga mats, those will help too.
Honestly I wouldn't stop the meds without your vet's OK on that. There's always a reason why they want us to finish antibiotics so I 'm sure it's the same for the meds she is on.
So happy the litterbox issue is all working out and that she had another DISCO 
!
Haha!! DISCO POOP has re-appeared!!! I can never get enough of that! 😂
I thought about the carpets at Goodwill or other thrift stores, but then I wonder how *dirty* they can be, you know? I’m not sure if they would clean them before. I would be willing to do yoga mats since those are easier to clean. I also hate the idea of just yoga mats all over my house. Are we talking just the first few months of her recovery, or the rest of her life?
Also, I didn’t even think about trimming the fur between her toes! That sounds scary! 😂
regarding rugs, etc.....one member sais her floor looked like a clown threw up all over it because of the patch work of colors, sizes,etc
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!
Im glad to hear Petunia is doing well!
Great job on increasing the gaba after the poop. Is she doing less pain meows at 8-hour dosing? If you can get a video of this, please do; you will have it for your record & the vet you can post it here so we can see.
Yay, we have more poop!
Petunia probably likes having two boxes, one to pee in and one to poop in. Purrkins did that for years. Now that we have massive-sized boxes, he does both in one box. Not all cats are fussy on litter type, thank heavens, but yea they all have a preference when given a choice.
Why do you want to stop the antiviral? Is she having side effects from it? It did work quickly for her, which tells me it was what she needed, like the antibiotic that didn't help because it was not bacterial but viral. I would hate to see her have a reoccurrence now that she is on the upswing.
Most of us are in the same situation here after the amp, so don't feel bad or be hard on yourself. No one said take out a loan for whole house carpeting, silly 😘 We are talking rug runners that don't cost much, and you get as you CAN afford them. You want something with rubber backing thats stays put and is not slide around Amazon . For all of us who did not have carpeting prior too, it's a pain in the arse but you will get used to it.
Scratches to the kitties, please!
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Well, hate to break it to you but yeah, slippery floors are a Tripawd's worst enemy. Putting traction down is helpful for any senior cat or dog, and especially helpful for one missing a leg. Get them as you can afford, don't go into debt over it but be mindful that the more non-slip surfaces she has the happier she will be.
As for rugs at the Goodwill, I'll admit it takes some looking. I had been looking for a couple of months recently because we just moved into a place with hardwood floors. Yep, I came across some really gnarly ones, but finally found a CLEAN and perfect rug at a local thrift store. It's big, and was $30. Totally worth it. What I learned is that if you look at the back of the rug, you'll see how many spills and grossness happened to the rug. The less spots the better. But it pays to look around until you find one that isn't funky.
The whole idea of putting carpet down was just a thought. A wishful thought. She just struggles so much walking, even on the carpets. I think it’s the ruggable ones that don’t seem to work cause they are so flat. I’m hoping that she’s just still trying to learn to walk on 3 legs and that it does take time. It seems she’ll get two hops in and that falls down.
She’s been good using the clay litter but it’s making me mad cause I’m afraid Possum will want to use it primarily. Am I okay with switching over permanently? Sure, but I have two 20lb bags of pellet litter! 😂 I’m sure as long as I keep the other litterbox where it’s at, I’ll eventually get through it.
I’ll keep an eye out on carpets at thrift store. Thanks for the suggestion/advice.
Might cut back on Miralax to see how she reacts. She pooped at 6am (12 hrs after her last) and 6pm tonight!!! But boy are they STINKY! It was so stinky that when I went into the room to let her out after giving her food, she was right next to the door. She’s was probably like, “GET ME OUT IF HERE! IT SMELLS SO BAD!” 😂
Less meows since switching back to 8 hrs. Actually none. So that’s good. I don’t have many more days left. Maybe 4 if I stay with every 8 hrs. I’m hoping she will be good to go without continuing. I didn’t realize a 10 day prescription is $50! Sheesh! 😆 I could use that money to buy a rug! 😂
I’m trying to get her to go to the ramp when she wants to get up on the couch. But she instinctively wants to jump. I haven’t given her the chance to try, but I doubt she’d succeed since there is no carpet up against the couch. So I’m failing on that part.
Also, decided to keep going with the antiviral. I don’t know why but it just gives me worries that she’s taking meds when she has no symptoms and that it could be harmful. She has zero side effects so I don’t know why I’m thinking that.
What is the current dose Miralax 1/4 tsp or 1/8 am and pm? I would NOT stop the Miralax while on the gaba. What is the poop looking like? Details other than stinky? You can reduce the dosage if the poop is runny or too soft! If you are doing 1/4 tsp am and pm try 1/8 tsp am and 1/4 tsp pm. If you are doing 1/8 tsp am and pm, do 1/16 am and 1/8 pm, you get the idea—tiny increments. I would not cease and be back literally to where you were. You stick with the slight change for at least two days and see the results before tweaking either way again.
I'm delighted to hear she has zero pain & no painful meows on every 8 hours dosing.👏🏻😻
Im glad you decided to stay on the antivirals; they are paid for and have helped Petunia with no side effects -stay the course or call the vet if you question the one month.
Give both the kitties a scratch from us!
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So I was searching for rugs on Facebook Marketplace and found one that is 2 yrs old, no pets, 8x8 and when I asked I’ll like to see it to make sure it’s not too thin (Tuni has trouble on anything thin), she said it is thick. $50!!! Now THAT’S worth it! I’ll go Monday to check it out/get it.
I’ve been doing 1/8 mostly, but I’m also not measuring. 😂 Hit very small. Her poops are VERY soft, and that’s why I thought to maybe at least do it once a day instead AM & PM.
I might take advantage of TRIPAWDS paying for the first PT session. I wanted to wait a little bit to see how she does with walking, and it’s hard to tell if I should be concerned that she has trouble walking. I’m also wondering if that what I have (mats, etc) doesn’t have the traction she needs. Or that her back leg does feel uncomfortable holding up all her weight (she’s 9lbs).
I've been doing 1/8 mostly, but I'm also not measuring. 😂 Hit very small. Her poops are VERY soft, and that's why I thought to maybe at least do it once a day instead AM & PM.
Ok, then you have no idea what dosage you are giving Petunia. If you measure, you can gauge what is or is not needed. I'd rather see you use a measuring spoon to know the amount to tweak am and pm dosing rather than skip a dose. Thats my suggestion: tweak & keep Petunia pooping.
From our experience, any traction
thats stays put ( backing or otherwise) is better than none. I would take advantage of the program and get their input. You have everything to gain.
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I lost my 1/8 and 1/4 measuring spoon, so I’ve just been putting in a small amount in the 1/2 tsp.
Almost all my rugs and mats are flat, no real “carpet”, ie shaggy part, if that makes any sense. 😂 No idea how to describe it. So I feel like since there is no shagginess to the rugs, it might be too slippery.
Im gonna go to Home Depot to ask them about leftover carpet they might sell. Or just get a certain lenth and have my brother cut it down to whatever size I want. Could be the cheaper route over a bunch of rugs and more uniform throughout the house. I’m excited for the 8x8 rug but not liking that it’s black, but it is what it is, it’s a great deal for its size!
Nevermind, the rug isn’t black in color, it’s gray/white. 😂 Phew. I’m still struggling with lack of sleep or waking up multiple times a night, and it’s shows! Ha!
Hey just catching up. I think i know what you mean about the rugs not being shaggy. Anything but bare floors will help, so even a rug with a very low pile (flat) is going to assist with the walking and confidence.
Yes pleeeeeease take advantage of the rehab evaluation. Let them know you are on a tight budget and want homework, and they'll set you up with a home program. Having a rehab therapist evaluate her will put your mind at ease so you can get that sleep you need 🙂 I'm happy to help you find a practice, just message me your location.
Meanwhile don't forget to celebrate all the progress she IS making. She's got lots of sparkle back, and has come a long way. And you are not failing at all at anything. This is the education nobody expects or wants to have, and we learn as we go. You can lean on us, we'll help!
Keep us posted.
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