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
Keep in mind too that just because you opt out of neutering doesn't mean that you can't eliminate the reproduction cycle. Dogs and cats, just like people, can have vasectomies and tubal ligations. It just takes searching out a vet who can do it. They are out there, but hard to find, since vet training schools don't offer this as part of their education. If a vet wants to learn it they have to ask how. I'm hoping that with more and more people asking about it, vets will meet the demand.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
First, I want to address the fixed dogs weigh more question. My dog (not a tripawd) was neutered when we adopted him (at about a year old). The most he has ever weighed was this past year when I developed a chronic illness that did not allow me to walk him. I keep him fit, trim, and muscular. My vet has always told me what a good weight he is, especially since he's half hound breed - which is generally predisposed to being overweight. A spayed female will tend to gain weight more easily, but again, if you choose to keep your dog fit and trim with a healthy lifestyle, it doesn't have to become a problem. I've seen many a spayed dog in great shape!
Second, the disease issue. I have seen and smelled a pyometra first hand. You can smell a pyometra from across the room (and I don't mean after it's been removed). For those who don't know, a pyometra happens when a female dog is not spayed and is not bred. The lack of use of her uterus causes it to rot. I've seen mammary tumors in unspayed dogs and I've seen unspayed dogs without tumors. I've seen prostate cancer and testicular cancer in unneutered dogs. I have never heard of cruciate injuries being related to neutering, and I can't even imagine how they would link. I've worked with some of the best orthopedic surgeons in our area, and it's my understanding that cruciate injuries occur due to activity. Once one cruciate goes, there's something like an 85-90% chance the other will go within a year or two.
While being in a shelter setting has me in a mindset of spay/neuter as soon as possible, I can definitely get behind waiting until a dog is 6 months to a year. I can understand the benefits of waiting until the bones are done growing. I don't know that I can support flat out not spaying or neutering.
My experiences are very different from those of the pet parents on these forums. The last thing I want to do is step on toes or offend anyone. I have my reasons for raising my pets the way I raise them, and you have your reasons for raising your pets the way you raise them. 
Right rear leg amp due to injury from unknown cause (but don't tell her she's missing her spare...yes HER!)
Read our blog here: http://stevetheprettytripawdkitty.tripawds.com/
And find Steve's new Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/stevetheprettytripawdkitty
Such a great site for informative discussions! Thanks Steve's mom!!! More good insight!
For me, I'm definitely going to let My Pal Merry Myrtle go through her first heat and then consider spaying...maybe even going through a second heat.
JERRY, does Webmaster sell CHASTITY BELTS for dogs?
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!
I do think it is smart to delay spay/neuter until a dog is fully grown. For smaller breeds that could be 12 to 18 months and for larger dogs up to 2 or 3 years. Sometimes this plan does not work because some males become aggressive (often because owners have not trained them properly if at all) or there can be unwanted pregnancies. It can be very difficult to keep an intact male away from a female in heat and many people don't understand that a female is actually most likely to conceive in the week or two AFTER the bleeding has stopped.
I think a female always should be spayed if she is not a breeding dog due to the risk of breast cancer but more importantly pyometra. Think of pyometra like appendicitis; it can come on quickly and be just as fatal. Essentially a pyometra is a pus-filled uterus waiting to rupture. The dog is often septic due to the toxins produced and if the uterus does rupture the pus spills into the abdomen and that bacteria is what kills the dog. A pyo usually occurs about 2 to 4 weeks after the dog has been in heat and can occur in very young or very old dogs. The best way to save the dog is emergency surgery but the dog needs additional IV fluids and antibiotics so a spay that would have cost about $250 is now over $800 due to the emergency care and high-risk procedure. I see pyometras much more often than breast cancer and most of the time owners are unaware that a spay would have prevented the whole thing.
Males can be left intact longer but they can get prostatitis (an infected or inflamed prostate) as well as prostatic hyperplasia (an enlarged prostate) both of which are treated by neutering. Prostate cancer occurs in some breeds fairly often but there is no evidence that neutering prevents this cancer.
Pam
Yep, I forgot about that one, and I agree Steve's mom, pyo is awful for unspayed females, and have seen it myself working in my veterinary hospital......not all female dogs survive this condition either, even after spay to remove everything.
I do strongly believe in spay/neuter to help stop the over-population of too many unwanted pets.....On the other hand, I also believe if we are responsible pet owners, putting our females through one heat, is not going to significantly raise their chance of developing either pyo, or breast cancer. If my Pearl's current condition can be corrected by just going through one heat, and also possibly prevent urinary problems in the future, and/or even correct/prevent a few other possible problems, it is worth the risk. So for me personally, I will let this play out and let Pearl go through just one heat, especially knowing how painful the surgery is to correct her condition.
No matter what, I think we all want what is best for our fur babies......So in that same breath, we all must weigh the pros and cons about everything in regards to the health of our pets and take whichever road we think may be the best route.......and if any of us can ever somehow avoid the ugly "c" in the future, that would be the best result EVER...!!
Love, Bonnie & Angel. Polly
I find it all so over-whelming in trying to make the "right" decision. To amputate or not, chemo or herbal, when to neuter or not, to vaccinate or not or which vaccine. It's hard work coming to the "right" decision. I'm so impressed with the thoughtful discussion and insight on these forums. Ultimately we each will make the best decision for us and our much loved furry family.
That photo is way too cute!
All stories, all dogs, all packs, are different. We each do our best, that's all our animals want from us. No decisions are 'right' or 'wrong,' just what's right for each individual pack.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I agree with Dr Pam. We are waiting til the girls are one maybe a little after by the time I get some of the other bills that we had earlier in the year paid down before adding more to it. But waiting til growth plates started closing on their own and one heat cycle. Like I said earlier our vet consulted our oncologist and they felt one was a good age to spay. I would have like to wait longer but I don't want to push it too much either
I probably still wouldn't have neutered Bosch but prostitis and his fistualas (which we have been fighting over 5 years the fistualas) finally made me do it. I kept Bosch & Sassy apart until we had her spayed but it would have been a lot more difficult with 2 females.
Hugs
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."
stevethetripawdlady said
My experiences are very different from those of the pet parents on these forums. The last thing I want to do is step on toes or offend anyone. I have my reasons for raising my pets the way I raise them, and you have your reasons for raising your pets the way you raise them.
Holy moly not at all offensive! Really, it's PAWESOME to have insight from folks like you & Dr. Pam who have real-world veterinary care experience. We can read all we want about studies and this and that, but when you've been out in the field it's an entirely different experienc.e Your opinion is always welcomed and will never be offensive to this community, I can promise you that. Thank you for giving us things to think about (and you too Dr. Pam!).
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
tazziedog said
Think of pyometra like appendicitis; it can come on quickly and be just as fatal. Essentially a pyometra is a pus-filled uterus waiting to rupture. The dog is often septic due to the toxins produced and if the uterus does rupture the pus spills into the abdomen and that bacteria is what kills the dog.Pam
I didn't know this Pam! Thanks for sharing.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Bhhahahaha! I love that look, like "WHAT are you gonna do with THAT?!"
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
KAZANN!!! PENNY!!!!!! Great phots and commentary! I knew it would come to this!!!!! GOOD JOB
Love Jerry's thought bubble for Hank
He could also be saying, "Geez, it's a little SMALL Mom!!"
Okay, the girls have to be represented.....this is Merry Myrtle.....while doing a roach..... modeling a Chastity.Belt I found on the Tripawds Gear Blog !
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!
Oh Sally,
That is right over the top. I wish I knew how to draw on pictures or maybe not as I don't know what the rating is for this website. Here is a letter from Hank to Myrtle;
Dear Myrtle,
I've only seen your picture a few times but I feel I could release you from your chastity belt and we could UNLOCK a lifetime of love. The KEY to our love would last a lifetime. There are no CHAINS that could stop us.
Sign Hank LOCKSMITH OF LOVE
P.S. I hope we don't get kicked off this site 
OHMIDOG Sally where IS your mind these days?! Bahahahaha!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
1 Guest(s)
