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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Hello All!
While looking on Petfinder for a dog to share my life with I fell in LOVE with a rescue that needs to have a rear leg amputated. My biggest concern is a long flight of stairs. I live in a 100 years old row home. Small space and it works for me. Am I being selfish by potential adopting a tripaw with my home not being ideal?
-mikecoast
Hi Mike! You not selfish at all and I know that’s true because you cared enough to join us and ask this great question.
First, what breed type is the dog? Big? Small? And how old or young?
Next, how many stairs are you taking about and do they have any kind of traction ? I’m going to assume the staircase is pretty narrow and with taller rises between steps?
A rear leg Tripawd will always have more trouble going up stairs than down. They lose 1/2 of their ability to propel forward and climb. But that’s usually not a big deal on stairs IF you can always be there to help the pup with an assistive harness that has a handle, like the Ruffwear Webmaster or Flagline harness . We do this all the time for our pup, Wyatt Ray . He’s also missing a rear leg and he’s been that way almost all his life. We always help him up and down and he wears his harness every day, although he might tell you he doesn’t need it. But being there to assist him helps lessen the impact on his joints.
When our Jerry lost his front leg to cancer, we lived in a 100-year old house and he had 18 slippery steps to use whenever he wanted to go outside. It was precarious but we eventually developed a routine to let him out. But we were always there to help.
So I guess what I’m saying is that if you know you can always be there to help this pup use your stairs, and if you’re willing to add some traction to them, it could certainly work out. Because even if you’re some day lucky enough to have a four legged dog grow old with you, that pup will need similar kind of help as the aging process takes a toll. Make sense?
Lets see the pup you’re thinking of!Â
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi Mike,
Good for you for asking questions!
My situation is a bit different from Jerry's. I live in a split level house with two indoor flights of stairs but the longest one is only 7 or 8 steps. My current Tripawd Elly is a little Pug mix that has no problem doing the stairs on her own, she is a rear amp. My first Tripawd Maggie was a small Pug who could only do a couple of steps on her own after she lost a back leg to cancer. It was fine as we spent most of our time in a one story house although she was here in this split level house often (then my parents house, now my house). When Mag spent time here she was carried up the stairs- she could go down by herself.
In a perfect world I suppose I would help Elly up the stairs all the time, but it's just not practical for me. I did consider the stairs when I adopted Elly (I found her on Petfinder!), to be honest after my experience with Maggie I didn't expect her to do stairs so easily. I've had small dogs for years and there comes a point when they can't do stairs so it's part of the long term plan to help or carry them when needed.Â
I keep Elly very fit and strong- we work on strength and balance nearly every day through food games and puzzles, obedience and trick training, and exercises for core and leg strength (we do different things every day) and I keep her weight on the light side. The two indoor stair flights have rugs for traction since one is laminate and the other is tile. I have stairs or steps near all the furniture she is allowed on to lessen the stress of her jumping up. I always get her in and out of my truck with her harness. She has learned my routine enough that she will wait before she goes up or down stairs when I am moving around the house- she waits to see if I am coming back or not! I also sometimes tell her to 'wait' when I am running up or down for just a second to save her the extra steps. I know at some point she will struggle with stairs and I will accommodate her anyway she needs.
We have a great life together!
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
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        Maggie's Story          Amputation and Chemo
Thanks for sharing your story and insight. I live in a 100 year old row home with 13 steps to the 2nd floor. Frieda is a young/small Pit mix. I’ve been in contact with the rescue about her condition and any additional health issues. She was hit by a car in Texas where she was picked up by Animal Control. The rescue had her examed and found out her right rear leg will have to be amputated. The other issue is the covid virus and the rescue is in NYC. I live in Southern NJ. Another area that is being hit hard.Â
The rescue knows I’m extremely interested in adopting Frieda and is aware that my home has steps. I don’t know if they’ll allow the adoption to happen due to the stairs in my home. Still waiting for the Rescue to make a decision.Â
Hi MikeÂ
18 months ago we adopted a young male staghound cross missing a rear back leg.
we moved to a house with wooden stairs a few months ago  and he manages them perfectly.
before he attempted them we went to a carpet shop and bought off cuts and double sided tape and covered the stairs with them to ensure no slipping. The whole job cost $5 and works perfectly. Three legged dogs seem to be just as agile as four legged ones!
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