Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Willow is an 11(ish) year old whippet/collie x who had a front amputation at around 1 year old. She gets 15 min walk a day and is on NSAIDs for severe arthritis in her front wrist. 10.5kg.
Over a week ago she cut her remaining front paw on glass on her walk. Taken straight to vet, who stapled it. Been kept covered, clean and dry, no licking etc. On return to vet to get staples out one part of the paw healed well, but another part isn't at all, the vet described it as disintegrating. We were given manuka honey to apply to it for a few days and to bring her back after that.
If the honey doesn't help her pad heal. What, realistically, are our options? The vet mentioned they might be able to operate to repair it, but that the operation itself runs a lot of risks and can have variable success rate.
Hey there Evie & Willow, you may want to post this in "Hopping Around" too, as I know our wonderful community members have had some experience here. Meanwhile the Makuna Honey should work well, here's a post we wrote about it:
How Manuka Honey Helps Heal Wounds
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thanks for that Jerry, I've now posted there and will have a read of the link now.
Our Cassie (who is not a tripawd) had a lump removed last year on her back foot. At first it was healing really well, but then she licked it & it sort of looked ulcerated. Our vet also applied manuka honey to it & had me clean it & apply it every day. I found that I had to keep it wrapped to keep Cassie from licking it. It took a long time to heal - a couple of months, but it did heal. We applied the honey to it every day, put a piece of telfa (non-stick gauze) on it, then wrapped it in vetwrap. I would think that being part of the pad, it might take awhile to heal - she's walking on it, so that would irritate it more, too.
Donna
Donna, Glenn & Murphy
Murphy had his right front leg amputated due to histiocytic sarcoma at 7 years old. He survived 4 years, 2 months & 1 week, only to be taken by hemangiosarcoma at 11 1/2 years 6/12/17
Read about Murphy's Life on Three Legs
Thanks Donna.
We were back with the vet today. She says the wound looks clean, no sign of infection, which is good. We are too just keep doing as we've been doing, applying honey and keeping it clean. Willow is rockin the baby socks we bought her to keep it covered, lol.
Back to the vets again on Tuesday, fingers crossed for some improvement. She's doing very little walking around on it at all, just moving from bed to bed. But she's an older gal.
Willow is doing a really good job at monitoring her activity level while she's letting that paw heal. Miss'Willow is a very wise gal!
Do you think she would be receptive to using a "towel sling" to help her get around and keep a bit of pressure off that paw? Some dogs resist a sling of any type, but it .ay be worth a try.
Sounds like the paw is healing nicely and we're all cheering for it to continue!! Keep js posted, okay?
And BTW, HUUUUUGE APPLAUSE BEING A TRIPAWD FOR ELEVEN (+ -) YEARS!!!
HAPPY ELEVEN YEAR AMPUVERSARY WILLOW!!!
Lots of hugs!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
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!
PS. Looooove her avatar pic!!! A happy, smiling senior with a bit of gray...BEAUTIFUL!!
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!
Thanks Sally. We have tried Willow,'s harness as a way of supporting her, but she preferred to move independently, so have let her do that.
My nickname for her is Wonder Woos. She's an inspiration in how she copes with things.
Can you post a photo? Honey should help with the healing. If it keeps breaking open then sometimes sutures are needed.
Pam
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