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
Rocky is 2 weeks post front leg amputation and I’m so glad to have found this site to help prepare for surgery/recovery. My question is a behavior one I guess. Like most cats, Rocky used to stretch front and back legs as soon as he would rise up after laying. His stitches were removed 5 days ago, but when he tries to stretch he just can’t keep his balance. Is there a pressure point/massage spot to get a stretch reflex when cats are laying down that would get the same effect as a good stretch?
A quick background: Rocky is a very active 13yo male manx indoor kitty with a 6 yo manx sister. Rocky developed a lump on his front left wrist 6 months ago but it didn’t seem to bother him. It continued to grow and a biopsy was done by a local vet 2 months ago, which came back as a soft tissue sarcoma. We were referred to UGA Veterinary School and they did the amputation 2 weeks ago. PTL Rocky’s recovery is going amazingly well, and the histopath showed clean margins and no activity in his lymph nodes!
Welcome, and best wishes for Rocky! Your future forum posts will not require moderation.
While you wait for comments from other tri-kitty members, use the Advanced Search above to refine your forum search results with specific phrases, and you're sure to find lots of helpful feedback.Don't miss all the Tri-kitty Blogs where many members have posted tips and videos about rehab, behavior, fitness and stretching...especially Purrkins and Feta.
You can also search all blogs here , and feel free to call the toll-free Tripawds Helpline anytime!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi and welcome!
Your furbabies are BEAUTIFUL!! I'm sorry you are all going through this, but you're in good company here. My Huckleberry did not have cancer, his amp was due to a traumatic injury.
He might be a little touchy yet so soon after surgery, but with my dogs or cats I simply give them a nice knee massage when they are resting. I don't know the name of the muscle group it is. I start scratching/ massaging each side of their knee. Almost on top but not quite. As you rub up and down the knee you'll find a spot that makes them want to stretch out their leg. Mine will actually stick their toes out and extend the claws.
Some cats might not take to it but most of mine have, especially if I go over nice and easy and just talk to them.
I hope this is a good start for you while you are waiting for others to post.
Jackie and Huckleberry ❤️
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry 
Hello & Welcome to you and Rocky!
Congrats on clean margins! 
Looks like you have two kitties Rocky its the Ginger Manx kitty?
Purrkins is 7 1/2 now he also lost his front left leg from a low-grade soft tissue sarcoma we got clean margins Purrkins will be 2-year post op in July.
Purrkins never had a problem stretching. He did some face plants the first few days, and then he found his tri legs. He had some on and off face plants as he learned.
Rocky will figure his stretch out. Five days after stitches removed he is still figuring things out. Work on some core strength training did you happen to come across our Feline Rehab forum? We put a bunch of links & ideas in there.
You can start just by having Rocky stand for treats, standing to reach a feather toy. Food puzzles are great for core strength too. You can massage him sure a specific point to do his stretch? I am unaware of but a good massage down his back I am sure he would appreciate.
We took Purrkins for acupuncture after his amp and continue to go for tune-ups every 3 months and chiropractic as needed. I massage Purrkins he loves it, actually, both of our cats love being massaged.
Check those ideas out and see if that helps! Go slow & let us know ok?
Holly & Purrkins
Rocky and family, welcome! I'm so glad surgery and recovery are going well. You've gotten some great feedback here and to that I will also suggest, why not consider taking him to a rehab therapist for a consult? You will learn so much about how to help him stretch, what exercises are good for him, etc. And the Tripawds Foundation may even pay for your first rehab visit ! You are in a great area for rehab therapy, there are many good practitioners in your area.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi and welcome.
My Tripawd is a pup, and a rear amp but she is sort of cat sized 
Elly weighs in around 15 or 16 pounds, she lost her right rear leg after being hit by a car at 7 months old. She came to me when she was 10 months old and and 2.5 months past her amputation. She was fully healed but not very strong.
I'm sharing because she didn't have enough balance or strength to stretch like she wanted- the downward dog looking maneuver then stretching her one back leg. She couldn't balance on her back leg long enough to really stretch her front. Once she gained some strength and balance she was able to stretch easier. Once I taught her to 'bow' she really got the hang of it.
Two weeks out is really early in recovery. Give Rocky a little more time and he will figure it out!
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
paws120 said
Hi and welcome!Your furbabies are BEAUTIFUL!! I'm sorry you are all going through this, but you're in good company here. My Huckleberry did not have cancer, his amp was due to a traumatic injury.
He might be a little touchy yet so soon after surgery, but with my dogs or cats I simply give them a nice knee massage when they are resting. I don't know the name of the muscle group it is. I start scratching/ massaging each side of their knee. Almost on top but not quite. As you rub up and down the knee you'll find a spot that makes them want to stretch out their leg. Mine will actually stick their toes out and extend the claws.
Some cats might not take to it but most of mine have, especially if I go over nice and easy and just talk to them.
I hope this is a good start for you while you are waiting for others to post.
Jackie and Huckleberry ❤️
Thank you Jackie, I will try the knee massage 🙂
Purrkins said
Hello & Welcome to you and Rocky!
Congrats on clean margins!Purrkins is 7 1/2 now he also lost his front left leg from a low-grade soft tissue sarcoma we got clean margins Purrkins will be 2-year post op in July.
Purrkins never had a problem stretching. He did some face plants the first few days, and then he found his tri legs. He had some on and off face plants as he learned.
Rocky will figure his stretch out. Five days after stitches removed he is still figuring things out. Work on some core strength training did you happen to come across our Feline Rehab forum? We put a bunch of links & ideas in there.
You can start just by having Rocky stand for treats, standing to reach a feather toy. Food puzzles are great for core strength too. You can massage him sure a specific point to do his stretch? I am unaware of but a good massage down his back I am sure he would appreciate.
We took Purrkins for acupuncture after his amp and continue to go for tune-ups every 3 months and chiropractic as needed. I massage Purrkins he loves it, actually, both of our cats love being massaged.
Check those ideas out and see if that helps! Go slow & let us know ok?
Holly & Purrkins
Hi Holly, Rocky is the tuxedo and Sophie is the ginger. I appreciate the feline rehab forum link and will go over that today. Your posts about Purrkins were so encouraging as we entered into this process. I actually started core training Rocky prior to the surgery which has been helpful. I haven't found an acupuncturist or chiropractor that work on cats, so i need to develop my massage skills.
Thanks again,
Laurie
Ok sorry for the mix up;) Cute we have the same ginger kitty and tuxedo kitties! If you can and want to search for one here is where to start. You can narrow it down too.
https://www.ahv.....erinarian/
We have to drive an hour/hour half drive to get to ours but if you can swing it, it has been great for Purrkins! Purrkins is not A typical kitty he loves going in the car, and he loves his treatments. I know all kitties are not the same. Saxton his brother, for example, does not like any of it. Things you have to consider and weigh!
Massage at home is excellent I have a book on acupressure for cat's called Acu-Cat excellent reference guide. You can search youtube videos for massage on cats too. Great job on starting core exercises beforehand, we did the same. I think you will find a lot of things to try at home and of course take advantage of the rehab visit too. Going at least once would be great to get guidance on what to do. We have just done our own thing, and we should do the same, see what else we can do. As we said it is still early, and I am confident Rocky & you will figure this out.
Thank You, Purrkins is our inspiration glad he helped you thru the process that was our hope documenting his journey! He thrives on three and has surpassed anything we could have hoped for him! Rocky will too!
Hugs,
Holly & Purrkins ❤️
lmhallock said
Rocky is 2 weeks post front leg amputation and I’m so glad to have found this site to help prepare for surgery/recovery. My question is a behavior one I guess. Like most cats, Rocky used to stretch front and back legs as soon as he would rise up after laying. His stitches were removed 5 days ago, but when he tries to stretch he just can’t keep his balance. Is there a pressure point/massage spot to get a stretch reflex when cats are laying down that would get the same effect as a good stretch?A quick background: Rocky is a very active 13yo male manx indoor kitty with a 6 yo manx sister. Rocky developed a lump on his front left wrist 6 months ago but it didn’t seem to bother him. It continued to grow and a biopsy was done by a local vet 2 months ago, which came back as a soft tissue sarcoma. We were referred to UGA Veterinary School and they did the amputation 2 weeks ago. PTL Rocky’s recovery is going amazingly well, and the histopath showed clean margins and no activity in his lymph nodes!
For my guy, rear amputee, we kept the cardboard scratchers around and he found his way to work his daily stretches using those. i don't know if it would be the same for the front leg.
Gina
Rusty "The Bunnyman" adopted us in 2014. Aug/Sept 2017, back left leg amputated (HSA cancer). He remained cancer free over 900 days. Cancer returned as of emergency visit on day 931. 15 days later, he gained his wings 04/18/2020 due to congestive heart failure. He will always watch over his fellow tripawds and their hoomins with Head Scritches and Sand Paper Kisses.
reilly95 said
For my guy, rear amputee, we kept the cardboard scratchers around and he found his way to work his daily stretches using those. i don't know if it would be the same for the front leg.
Gina
Thanks for the suggestion Gina, I'll get a scratcher. I was just looking at Bunnyman's bio today, what a handsome guy!
1 Guest(s)
