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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Hello, I just joined hoping to get some help. A week before Christmas, we got a call from the local ASPCA (equivalent) that there was a feral, one year old cat that had just come out of surgery having his front right leg removed. Some piece of garbage shot this poor baby in the leg (shattered it) and left him for dead. The ASPCA rep was at the vet, and they both knew that we were looking to get a new cat. They said he was very sweet, purred a lot, and was a talker. It's been about three months now, and he's doing quite well! 
He's adjusted to our home and to us with flying colors...although he is exceedingly nasty to our other rescue cat, but that's a topic for elsewhere.
We had a rescue dog who passed a year and a half ago from soft tissue cancer. It appeared in his right hind leg, which was amputated and gave him and us another year together. He was a large dog, > 100 pounds, and we used a vest with a handle on the back of it, which I am sure many of you are familiar with. The vets involved in his care discussed how he might develop arthritis because of the weight shift, and I'm now concerned about this or other related problems developing for our new addition to our family. I think that if he can normalize to it and tolerate it, that it might be worthwhile to get him this apparatus that would help support/distribute his weight and allow him to move about with more ease (hopefully). I am not sure what these contraptions are called. They are devices that are wheeled, and I've seen them online called cat wheelchairs. However, there are a couple issues.
1. The devices that I see are for pets who have lost a back leg. I can't find one for the front leg. Does anyone know if there is such a thing?
2. These are really expensive! Phew! Do any of you know if there are instructions online for how to build one yourself?
I would appreciate any help. This little boy has a long life ahead of him, and I'd hate for him to live it in unnecessary pain.
Thank you for allowing me to join your community, and what a relief it was to find you! I wish I had known about this forum when our puppers was still with us.
Hi Catmom, welcome! Thank you so much for adopting a Tripawd cat. What's his name? I'll bet your sweet angel doggie sent him your way! I'm sorry for your loss of your pup.
We always recommend meeting with a rehab therapist prior to trying any kind of mobility device. A wheelchair that doesn't fit right can do more harm than good. A therapist can tell you where your cat's weak, what strengths can be improved, and how you can help him stay injury free. And they can of course tell you if he needs a chair at all. Most Tripawds don't need them until they are much older. The Tripawds Foundation can pay for your first rehab visit so we hope you'll take advantage of the program! If you'd like help finding a therapist let us know.
He's a lucky kitty to find his way to you!
Thanks so much, Jerry. Is Tripawds able to help me find a place that does cat rehab? I've looked online, and the closest to me is about a six hour drive from where I live. There seem to be more places for dogs, though. I live in the middle of nowhere. I also can't drive. This might prove to be a bit difficult, but I must figure something out for this little guy. Our local vet is mostly large animal and is always out, but I've got a call to them.
It's amazing that Tripawds will help with rehab visits. Kudos!!!
Aww I'm happy you are interested! I can definitely try to help you find one. Can you private message me your city/state? Click on the little envelope to the right of my name to send a message.
Jerry, is it possible for you to reply to the message that I sent to you? I would like to see where I will find a notice that I have a message. We do not need to discuss anything. BTW, I found a place and am waiting to hear back from a therapist! Thanks so much!
Oh I did reply last night. You should have gotten an email message from jerry@tripawds.com that showed you have a message in your in box. Might be getting spammed by your provider, check your spam folder.
To read messages, the Inbox button is located to the right of your name in the Forums, when you are logged in. You'll see rectangles with "Subscribed" "Inbox" "Profile" and "Log Out" icons next to each other. Does that make sense?
So glad you found a place. I hope they can get you in.
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