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
Dakota has aged so much since his surgery in mid-February. He seems to feel ok and has even started playing some with Evelyn, but he's still so incredibly tentative in his movements. Unlike many other tripawds, Dakota has not learned to dig with one front leg. He hasn't even pondered it. I think he would have more pleasure in his life if he were able to go back to squirrel duty, but it takes a lot out of him to wander around outside.
He lays around so much more, sleeps so much more--and has grayed so much more. . All that white on his eyebrows and under his eyes is pretty new. He just turned 9, but I feel like he's an old dude. I know he's not losing any sleep over it, and neither am I, but I was just wondering if anyone else noticed similarities. Does this experience seem to make them older than they really are?
Shari
From abandoned puppy to Tripawd Warrior Dude, Dakota became one of the 2011 February Furballs due to STS. Our incredibly sweet friend lived with grace and dignity till he impulsively raced over the Bridge on 12-15-12.
Dakota's thoughtful and erudite blog is at http://shari.tr.....pawds.com/
Hi Dakota and Shari!
I don't have any words of wisdom here. I've definitely noticed lately that Roxy is getting a big bunch of gray on her face, but we have no idea how old she really is. It could just be that she's an old dog. But the real point of me replying to your post is I wanted to say what a beautiful picture that is of Big D. He looks so distinguished and gentlemanly. 🙂 Doesn't it just warm your heart when you look at these pups that had hard beginnings and see what they became? I just love it!
Leslie
That is a good question, but I don't have the answer. I will also say what a beautiful picture of Dakota! Please kiss his snout for me. Sending you golden hugs!
Cathy
Bud is still alot less active, too! Yesterday for the first time he picked up a toy, tossed it for himself and twirled around to get it. That is the first time I have seem him do something like that since the surgery and he is only 7yrs. I know he and Dakota are close in their amp time.He doesnt run around like some of the dogs in the posted videos either. We have kind of worried about that and wondered if it is because he is so large for a golden.
He also already had the white in his face but I am seeing it now on his good side and I am wondering if that is from him lying on it all the time because he won't lay on the amp side? Or if it is because we also found out when he got his blood work done pre sugery that he was low thyroid, which affects his coat. I'm guessing Dakota probably got all that checked out pre-surgery too?
Trouble was 10 when she had her amputation. While her recovery was pretty quick and mostly uneventful, she didn't play for months. She did learn to nap - lots! I don't think she ever developed the confidence of so many we see here. She also greyed out a lot, particularly her last six - nine months. Did it have anything to do with amputation? Maybe, maybe not. She was an old lady at 12 years old, maybe it was just natural aging.
Shanna & Spirit Trouble ~ Trouble gained her wings 3/16/2011, a 27 1/2 month cancer survivor, tail wagging. RIP sweetheart, you are my heart and soul. Run free at Rainbow Bridge.
The November Five - Spirits Max, Cherry, Tika, Trouble & Nova. 11/2008 - 3/2013 An era ends as Queen Nova crossed the Bridge.
amputation definitely causes faster aging in the associated humans...
Life is good, so very, very good!!! Gayle enjoyed each and every moment of each and every wonderful day (naps included). She left this world December 12, 2011 – off on a new adventure.
Love Never Ends
Oh now that is REALLY true!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
My lay thoughts would be cancer causes aging especially greying. That's my stupid, unscienctific observation.
But would it make sense if you have less bone to produce blood cells, you could age? Dunno.
Comet - 1999 to 2011
She departed us unexpectedly January 23, 2011 at the age of 12 1/2.
She was born with a deformed front leg and a tripawd all of her life.
Daisys amputation definately caused mom to get lots of grey hairs.......Oh? Whats That?? We are talking about dawgs?????
Spirit Samson was Spirit Tripawd Daisys four legged "brother" and ruled as the self proclaimed head of the Monkeybutt Federations East Coast Division. Lady Chunky Monkey stayed from Oct 2011 and left for the bridge in Apr 2012. Miss Perdy is left and has some big pawprints to fill.
Do you have what it takes to be a Monkeybutt? Find out more at the Monkeybutt Federation
Well - I would have to say yes definitely - I have aged big time....I got a full head of grey hair the same day Riley had her surgery 
Oh wait - I reread your post and you are talking about dogs.......I am going to have to say yes on that too...Riley seems to have a bunch of grey on her since the surgery....
Do you notice Dakota's hair coming back in a different color? Rileys has pretty much all grown back to the same length as it was before but about 3 shades lighter and it feels different too...very strange.
Okay, you're all a bunch of clowns and I set myself up for most of the comments. Yes, I'm sure I have more gray hairs now than I did a few months ago, but I have lots of excuses!
KaCee, Dakota's hair hasn't come in very much yet so I can't tell if it's going to be a different color. It looks like his undercoat is filling in first, and that's off-white, same as before. I'll have to wait and see if his lovely yam color returns.
Ge'Lena, you may be onto something. I'd never thought of that but why couldn't it be true?
I guess I thought since Dakota's cancer was not OSA, he might be immune to some of the really hardcore fallout associated with amputation. But maybe this is just really stressful and his body is reacting to extreme stress. I know that he doesn't worry about it and he doesn't know he had cancer, and he has no expectations for the future. Neither do I. Right now, he seems content. I won't ask for any more than that. (Because I won't get it!)
Shari
From abandoned puppy to Tripawd Warrior Dude, Dakota became one of the 2011 February Furballs due to STS. Our incredibly sweet friend lived with grace and dignity till he impulsively raced over the Bridge on 12-15-12.
Dakota's thoughtful and erudite blog is at http://shari.tr.....pawds.com/
Hello Shari,
It is funny you mentioned this topic...We had an easter party last weekend and one of the guests made the comment "Boy, Brandy is looking old". Brandy has no gray hair but she hops around so slowly and moves like an old dog. Sometimes it takes her a few minutes to pull herself off the floor...othertimes she can hop up from the floor like a ninja and run outside to chase the other dogs! She is not even 4 years old yet! Dakota sounds so much like Brandy. She is so nervous about falling or face-planting and she tends to lay down and rest constantly. She will not even attempt walking unless there is a rug in front of her. She has been a tripawd for almost a year and still has problems with the 3 legged thing. Luckily we have a pool she enjoys all the time and she gets pampered on a daily basis!
In regards to the gray hair, I noticed that our oldest dog began to gray badly around 8-9 years old. Now that she is 14, she is mostly white! Our vet said that usually between 8-10 is when the gray hair comes in and it comes in fast. I like the gray hair, it gives them such a worldly look, lol.
Dakota is such a handsome boy!
Teresa, Brandy's Auntie
teresa808 said:
It is funny you mentioned this topic...We had an easter party last weekend and one of the guests made the comment "Boy, Brandy is looking old".
Geez! I might be inclined to say "YOU try hopping around with a missing leg all day long and see how you look after a week!
Silly humans just confuse "old" with "wise."
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hmmm...and I thought I was just getting old. I'm likin' the "wise" angle. But heck, it takes me longer to get over stuff than it did 30 years ago so maybe he's not aging as much as just recuperating. There's stuff Tate won't do anymore either, like play with other dogs. He gets all pumped but then wanders away and lays down away from the action.
Dakota is such a handsome boy!
http://tate.tripawds.com/
August 16, 2006 to November 28, 2011
TATE ~ Forever in our hearts.
1 Guest(s)
