Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Our 9 year old shepherd had her amputation of her front right August 31st. She has been doing really well and responding well to the acupuncture as well. She had a treatment on Friday and within the last few days has had a difficult time with her hind end. Usually she has a day or so of soreness then does great but not this time for some reason. Anyone know anything about this? I have gotten her socks and ordered her something for her pads as well to help with grip. We have yoga mats down all throughout the house for her and she definitely looks for rugs and mats to walk on as opposed to the floor. Just seems awfully sudden to have some difficulties.... any advice or info is greatly appreciated!
thank you
Heather and rayna
While you wait for feedback from one of our resident Vet Experts, please consider consulting with a certified rehb vet/tech for a professional evaluation, treatment recommendations and exercises you can do at home to keep Rayna fit and strong. Visit a CCRP or CCRT and the Tripawds Foundation will even pay for your first visit from the Maggie Moo Fund for Tripawd Rehab!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hey Heather,
I am NOT a Vet Expert, just a fellow tripawd GSD guardian. Could Rayna have tweaked something? Our Codie Rae was sure there was a YUUUGE RODENT in the back yard the other night and did some things with her body a 12 year old tripawd just shouldn't do. Needless to say, she could barely walk the next day. Common wisdom around here says that it can take awhile for a new tripawd to fully adjust to life on three so maybe Rayna did something she shouldn't have? Have you talked with her acupuncturist? Maybe they would have some ideas?
How is Rayna's weight? We keep our 3 tripawd GSDs as lean as we can without totally starving them 
What might seem like a "normal" weight for a 4 legged dog can literally become crippling for a tripawd. We especially see that with our Austin aka The Trainwreck--he has an optimal weight where he moves best. Just a couple of pounds over that and he can barely move. Its a constant challenge keeping them at those optimal weights
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You definitely are doing all the right things with the floors. Here's hoping Rayna is feeling better soon!
Martha, Codie Rae, and the Oaktown Pack
Woohoo! Tripawds Rule!
Regulator of the Oaktown Pack, Sheriff of the Oaktown Pawsse, Founding member and President of the Tripawd Girldogs With 2 Names ROCK Club, and ... Tripawd Girldog Extraordinaire!
Is she painful or just weak? Shepherds are prone to Degenerative Myelopathy but that is a more gradual weakness problem and often involves dragging or knuckling the rear feet.
Back pain can cause sudden muscle weakness as can other soft tissue injuries. If your dog is not on an NSAID I would look at a short 7-10 day course to see if that helps.
Pam
I am not 100% if she’s in great pain or not. She is on 227mg of previcox daily and 150mg of gabapentin at night and so far has done really well with that regiment. Just in the last few days it has gotten really bad. Today she won’t even really get up at all and is needing to be carried, she has defecated and either hasn’t known or was unable to get up to go out. She’s eating and drinking well and seems pretty happy otherwise. I have an appointment with my vet in the morning to have her checked and my fingers are crossed for trauma or small injury of sorts but was definitely prepared to hear DM. She has been moving a little slower the last week or so also but is that an indication as well?
I also did forget to mention that when we can support her standing she is knuckling her one paw a bit and they are sort of sliding out from underneath herself.
I have an update.. I took rayna to the vet Saturday after Friday when she was really unable to get herself up. She thinks the tweaked her back somehow and of course being 3-legged having a hard time compensating. How long would you say an injury could incapacitate her? She’s doing 4 days of dexamethasone after a loading cortisone shot. She has seemingly reaponded well to the steroids but what kind of success should she be having? She’s trying to use her hind end more but it’s only been 5 days so I’m not sure if she’s expected to be moving more or if this takes a long time? Now I am all worried about this back injury...
help!!!
thank you
heather and rayna
It can take up to 14 days with slow improvement every day. If she can feel it when you pinch her toe that is a great sign!
Pam
Oh thank you!!! Feeling so much better. She pulled both feet away from me when I tickled her feet!! Still not trying to do a whole lot as far as walking but she definitely seems more comfortable overall. Today was her last day of dex so hopefully all stays on track!
I just wanted to say I'm having the exact same issue and this thread gave me hope that was it was nothing. I still have a vet appointment sechduled however.
Ahh also makes me feel better!!! She’s still making really slow progress and I feel like I can now tell that it’s primarily her left hind that is giving her the most trouble... it seems to want to twist and sort of collapse a little but is using her front leg again and taking a few hops outside... we got her the help em up harness and it is a lifesaver! I can carry her out myself now and she’s 84 lbs!
im sorry your experiencing a similar problem but does make me feel like it’s a little more common then I had thought!
Actually funnily enough, Luke also had his front right leg amputated and currently his back left leg seems to be giving him trouble as well. Currently I'm linking it to a possible I minor injury (short story; It all started after I gave him a bath. When I was drying him off, he knocked over some shampoo bottles with his tail and jumped back, slamming his back into my face. My face actually still hurts lol. Of course I could be completely wrong but it's consistent with when this started for Luke anyway, I wonder if maybe he's got a bruise or something), but I'll let you know what my vet says as well. The weakness isn't really consistent; sometimes it seems to bother him and other times it doesn't.
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