Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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We adopted a little tripod girl a few months ago, and I was wondering if anyone has any advice for me. She is doing well, and is very sweet, but she seems to have high levels of anxiety and compulsive behavior. She was found last December with her leg caught in a trap. It was amputated and she was moved around the country from one foster home to another (I think she was in at least three different states before we brought her home in May.) I have found that if we take her out of the house, her behavior intensifies for 2 or 3 days. She drinks water obsessively, runs in a particular pattern around the backyard, tears pillows to shreds (ones that she is allowed to have). She will jump at the door, and when I tell her "no", she drops to the floor and spins until the door is opened. I know this sounds pretty awful, but really she is a sweet and good girl. She is eager to please and learns fairly quickly and easily. I have been hoping that staying in the same home would help her, but......now she is having siezures. She had one on Saturday and I am fairly sure that she must have had one earlier in the week while we weren't home.
I am taking her to my vet today, but would like to hear any advice that anyone can give me.
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Aside fro the seizures, it sounds some fairly typical puppy behavior. Tripawd pups just have it a bit worse because they get physically tired before emotionally mellowing out. The fact that she has had unstable early development doesn't help either. But the good news is, once she regains her strength, she will adapt well and grow up never knowing she was supposed to have four legs.
I would definitely get veterinary advice about the seizures, to determine if neurological issues may be causing her behavior. We found The Art of Raising a Puppy by the Monks of New Skete to be an invaluable resource for getting inside the minds of pups to assist with a successful upbringing.
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Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thank you. I did register. And thanks for the book recommendation. I've heard of it, but never picked it up and read it. And I probably will look through it, though I'm afraid I wasn't clear. This dog is two years old. She is our youngest dog and seems like a little girl to me. I'd consider her more of an adolescent, I guess. We've had this breed before (Brittany) and they are sensitive, but she brings a certain intensity to these behaviors that make us raise our eyebrows a little.
I'll check back in after the vet and let you know how she is doing.
It is true that Brittany spaniels are a little more high strung than other breeds and often the best way to help anxiety issues is to tire them out with lots of exercise. Even a tripod needs something to do!
The seizures are probably due to epilepsy which does occur in this breed. Your vet will most likely do bloodwork to rule out metabolic problems and then you can decide if medication is needed. Phenobarbital or potassium bromide are the most common drugs used for this conditon.
Pam
Sorry for the misunderstanding. We have friends who treated their dog's seizures with Phenobarbitol for years, and he lived to a ripe old age. Thanks for joining!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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