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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I like Gatorzilla too. What were Otis and Tess's nicknames?
Ruby, Staffy, born June 2022, became a Tripawd, November 2023, adopted 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 Elsie Pie and Bille. In the pawprints of giants...
I've had pugs for almost 17 years so I'm used to gulp and swallow first, find out what it was later.
My dad and I both crack up when we watch Elly carefully sniff anything we offer her as if we are trying to feed her kale or something. She also chews kibble, another thing quite foreign to pug owners. Crunch, crunch, crunch. Even my vet was laughing at her careful sniffing and chewing of treats at our last visit.
I love the visual of Enzo playing with the game- did it work?
Did you say lab-a-saour? G-rex?
Karen
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
And then there was the Murphinator.
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!
Yes, the treat toy was empty, courtesy of Enzo. Gator still hasn't figured out that he is supposed to bat it around to get the treats out, or he just doesn't care.
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.
OMG .. just catching up and all I can add is that it took almost a year - yes a full year - for me to fully admit that I LOVED Jasper as much as I do! It was like my heart had to keep healing to allow it to open up and while our bond is crazy strong, I always know that my souldog (Shelby) is right there beside me.
Jasper does daycare (once a week) and it is great for her too. Built her confidence SO high!!! Almost too high if you ask me. 
You are doing great with Gator! Time is the hardest thing for us humans ... I still have my moments and Jasper has been with me 2 1/2 years... sometimes I still wake up and look for Shelby but I know that Shelby is in my heart, in my soul and she sent me little Jasper (who has more issues than most dogs should but that could partly be her owner that has her own issues with trust).
🙂 
Shelby Lynne; Jack Russell/Shiba Inu mix. Proud member of the April Angels of 2014.
October 15, 2000 to April 8, 2014
Our story: Broke rear leg in June 2013 - non-conclusive results for cancer so leg was plated and pinned. Enlarged spleen in September 2013 and had it removed and was diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma and started chemotherapy. Became a Tripawd January 8th, 2014 and definitive Hemangiosarcoma diagnosis. Three major surgeries in 7 months and Shelby took them all like a champ only to lose her battle to cancer in her brain. We had 8 amazing extra months together and no regrets. #shelbystrong #loveofmylife
He recognized me when I picked him up from day care today! (Actually, he tried to jump over the play space wall to get to me. He was awfully close to clearing it.). No sign of the abandoned dog anxiety at all. I think he knows he has a Mom again.
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.
Yay Gatorzilla. Yay for Mom. Boo for almost clearing the play space wall (we don't need escape artists.) I am glad he recognized you and came to you.
xoxoxo
Michelle & Angel Sassy
Sassy is a proud member of the Winter Warriors. Live long, & strong Winter Warriors.
sassysugarbear.tripawds.com
07/26/2006 - Sassy earned her wings 08/20/2013
05/04/2006 - Bosch, Sassy's pal, earned his wings 03/29/19 fought cancer for 4 months.
"You aren't doing it TO her, you are doing it FOR her. Give her a chance at life."
otisandtess said
He recognized me when I picked him up from day care today! (Actually, he tried to jump over the play space wall to get to me. He was awfully close to clearing it.). No sign of the abandoned dog anxiety at all. I think he knows he has a Mom again.
Happy, happy, joy, joy!! Gator knows his Mom!! Best of both worlds - he likes going to day care and LOVES going home with Mom.
Lisa, Minneapolis
On October 27, 2016, nearly 6 months after amputation, and 18 months since his cancer likely started, we lost Pofi to a recurrence of Soft Tissue Sarcoma in his spine quite suddenly. His canine sister also succumbed to cancer on March 1, 2019 - we lavished her with our love in the interim, but life was never quite the same without her only real canine friend. Cliff kitty had to leave us, too, suddenly, in August 2019. Lucia kitty grieved all these losses, but helped us welcome two new Lurchers into our home and our lives, Shae and Barley.
So cool!
Not the wall thing of course, maybe you should take an agility class with him. Then again it might teach him how to completely clear the wall.
It's such a wonderful feeling when they know for sure they are home!
Karen
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Hooray! He gave you that look! Gator knows he is home. So happy for both of you.
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!
GRRRRRREAT. BIG HUGE GIGORMOUS GRIN PLASTERED ACROSS MY FACE!!
Oh gosh! I know how excited we all feel,I can only imagine how happy you felt...and Gatorzilla felt!! "She came back for me...twice now! I really am not going to be given away again !!!"
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!
This makes me so happy! What wonders you've worked, to give him that sense of security in such a short space of time! Fantastic. Big grin over here.
Ruby, Staffy, born June 2022, became a Tripawd, November 2023, adopted 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 Elsie Pie and Bille. In the pawprints of giants...
When he first came, I was still using the baby gate to block off the upstairs while I was gone - gave the cats a safe space. One day, I came home and went upstairs without removing it. He jumped over it easily to be with me. He could be an escape artist if he wanted to - very powerful hind legs! Pretty obvious that he is staying inside my backyard fence because he is a good dog, not because he physically must.
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.
When I was a kid we moved into a new house in a new housing tract at the edge of town. There were lots of empty lots and we were surrounded by open space. Almost nobody had fences so you just let your dog out into your yard and they would wander around and come home whenever. That is how my brother's dog Snoopy was raised- no fences. At some point fences were put up and the dogs were not allowed to roam anymore.
Snoop was a mutt we got from the pound, about 25 to 30 pounds and very athletic. She (yes, brother named his girl dog Snoopy!) could easily jump our 5 foot fence. She was also a dog that smiled...when you told her to smile she would bare her teeth and wag her tail like crazy!
When we went out as a family the dogs were left in the garage which had a dog door out to the side yard. When we would come home Snoop would always be laying in the driveway waiting for us. After she got yelled at a few times by my dad she learned her best trick ever. When we pulled into the driveway she would jump up, smile and wag her tail for a few seconds, then jump back over the fence where she belonged.
Karen
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
oh Karen, that's the best story! made me laugh out loud.
I'm glad Gator's twin apparently found a home - evidently his name is/was Moose. Not that anyone will or should keep track of this but if/when I refer to Idaho, it will almost always be Boise. My sister and niece live there and it was my abode for just shy of ten years before moving to New Mexico.
Hooray for Gator recognizing his mom! That made me so happy. The thought of Gatorzilla in general makes me happy. I bet he could clear just about any obstacle he chooses.
Grinning big grins over here for you both!
Right rear leg amp 7/12/16 due to OSA. Metastatic lesion on her right front leg, January 2017. Joined the Winter Warriors January 19, 2017. Run free my sweet girl.
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