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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Of website will stay on long enough to say..-..YAYMarla and Daisy. Good job of hanging in there and staying strong. Daisy is improving and mom need some rest and a god massage!
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!
You go, Daisy!
Sorry I didn't get back here to tell you sooner. We have been on vacation (with a swimming pool!)' and then couldn't get on here. So glad we are back online. It sounds like you and your Mom are getting things worked out. Take your time with recovery, and then go slow on the rehab. You will be back before you know it.
Murphy is a five year old Lab/Chessie cross. He was hit by a car on 10/29/12 and became a Tripawd on 11/24/12. On 2/5/13, he had a total hip replacement on his remaining back leg. He has absolutely no idea that he has only three legs!
UPDATE: Murphy lived his life to the fullest, right up until an aggressive bone lesion took him across the Rainbow Bridge on April 9, 2015 and he gained his membership in the April Angels. Run free, my love. You deserve it!
Haven't updated Daisy's progress for a while. We are now on Day 17 post op. She had been doing more weight bearing until her 15th day when we had a little crisis with a HUGE horsefly in the house. Daisy is terrified of flying insects, especially the kind that buzz her. She jumped up and was trying to get away and I think overdid it using that knee for balance and so we are back to putting very little weight on it again 
Her "staple" got removed on Day 8. By her one week re-check she only had one left but thankfully the incision held and actually looked really good. Vet was very happy with it.
We just continue to take it easy. Lots of laying around. Out to do her business 3x a day when we walk around the yard a little. Of course being a tripawd it feels like we are actually running with me trying to keep up with her in a sling.
Thanks again everyone for your support!
Marla and Daisy
My Two Tripawds...Biscuit 
and Spirit Daisy 
A horsefly Daisy? You? Afraid of a flying bug? Well I think your Mom got that all wrong.. I'll bet you were just trying to show that fly who was boss in your house right?!
Take it easy Daisy, there will be lots of time for bossing around critters pretty soon. I'm glad you and your Momma are hanging in there.
Wyatt Ray Dawg . . . The Tripawds Leg-A-Cy Continues!
Read all about my adventures at my Tripawds Blog
Ssssh Wyatt. Don't tell my momma I said this but I think SHE is the one that is scared of little ole bugs. She gets all crazy acting with her screaming and swinging the broom around. I'm just trying to stay out of the way.
Daisy
My Two Tripawds...Biscuit and Spirit Daisy
Keeping paws crossed that Daisy continues to do well in her recovery. It's bummer having restricted activity but there's light at the end of the tunnel.
Amy & Libby
Liberty (Libby) was diagnosed with OSA on 1-22-13. Right front amputation on 1-31-13. No IV Chemo. Metronomic Therapy started 2-19-13 along with supplements and some home cooking. Lungs clear until 1-06-14. She's still her happy, hoppy, bossy self. Living the dog life to the fullest and a proud Winter Warrior. :) RIP my Libby 4-21-03 to 3-19-14
Daisy, aren't humans so weird? I knew it couldn't be YOU who was afraid of a fly!
Wyatt Ray Dawg . . . The Tripawds Leg-A-Cy Continues!
Read all about my adventures at my Tripawds Blog
You two get the "tripawd determination award". It's time for all these challenges to stop so you can mist get on with all the joy and happiness AND smooth sailing you deserve!
I bow down to you Marla and Daisy! I can only imagine helping an eighty lb. dog on "two legs" with a sling!! You are two brave strong souls and sincerely applaud you both! Your love for each other will continue to carry you through this journey.....this journey that will get better! And you know that's a tripawd promise!
Now Daisy, we've gotta talk about this horse fly thing. You are 80 lbs. Daisy! 80 lbs! A fly? A fly weighs.....? Too little to count!. But then again, we get it! Your role model human who is a gazillion times bigger than a horsefly is chasing it with a broom!!! The visual makes us laugh!
You hang in there....both of you are doing an amazing job!
We all re sending you even more strength and encouragement! Hang tough...because you are:-)
Sally and Happy Hannah
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!
Good to hear Daisy is making progress. As I told you Obie had knee surgery in February and his recovery/rehab was way harder than after Maggie's amp. And Obie only weighs 16 pounds so if he overdid on one day I could carry him out to potty.
You are doing great!
Karen
Daisy and Marla,
My 4 year old Rotty Area, who had her front left leg amputated in Jan and is cancer free...tried to chase a neighborhood dog today. Her chase resulted in a cranial cruciate ligament rupture of her back right leg. (Prior to her cancer Area had surgery in her left rear leg for a cruciate ligament rupture) My family and I are taking the weekend to decide next steps. Reading your post and Daisy's success has given me hope. Area is so dear to all of us and knowing what is best for her (not what makes us happy) is hard.
Thank you and so happy to hear that Daisy is such a champion!!!!
Frenchbd13, welcome to Tripawds, your future posts will not require moderation.
I'm sorry to hear Area has another knee injury, one of our worst fears with our Tripawds is an injury to one of the remaining three. We have a member who went through hip replacement recently with their Tripawd. It's not easy, but it can be done. Search these forums for stories of other Tripawds who have had post amputation leg problems.
Keep us posted on your decision, and feel free to start your own thread and tell us more about Area and why she is a Tripawd.
Karen
Hi Frenchbd13. Since you have already gone thru a ccl repair for Area's left knee then you kinda know what to expect from the recovery. I've read that a lot of dogs will end up rupturing the ccl in the other knee after repair on one. It is more challenging with a tripawd though. I am still having to walk Daisy with a sling to support her hind end and we are 3 weeks post surgery. I think "quad-paws" are usually walking on their own by the 3rd week.
I think it is a little easier for her since her knee surgery was on her right knee and she is a left amp. Gives her a leg on each side to balance with.
What procedure are you thinking about for Area's knee repair? I did the lateral suture stabilization. The thought of a TPLO or TTA procedure was too scary for me. There was another tripawd on here that had TTA surgery on her knees. I think her name was Ellie. You might do a search to read their experience. I think it turned out well.
This recovery hasn't been easy but I would do it again in a heartbeat. It would not have been long before the arthritis would have set into that joint and that leg would have become close to unusable.
Good luck!
Marla and Daisy
My Two Tripawds...Biscuit and Spirit Daisy
Marla,
I am so glad that Daisy is slowly progressing. She is so lucky to have such a great mother! I know that with each day she is improving with all the healing love you are showing her. Soon she will be 100%!
Thank you for responding to my message, I truly appreciate it! Area had TPLO for her last rupture and we will probably need to go the same route for her right leg. To have beaten the cancer and now to be faced with another surgery is disheartening. Area weighs over 100 lbs. I am amazed that you are able to help Daisy as well as you are. It takes both my husband and I to carry Area and she has refused to go to the bathroom outside today....
We will be taking Aera back next Friday for a consultation with our oncologist. We know that with a diagnosis of osteosarcoma (which we have overcome and have been cancer free now for 6 months) that the average life span for survival is 6months to 2 years. (unless you beat the odds) We will have another chest x-ray to ensure that Area is still cancer free before making the decision to put her through another surgery. There is nothing we wouldn't do for this amazing dog. She is like our fourth child. I will search for other stories on this great site, as you and Karen have suggested. Please keep me posted on Daisy's progress. You both give us great hope!
Warmly,
Laurie and Area
Laurie and Area...I don't have any k owlege on your specific recent challenge yet I do have a. lot of in recognizing g a devoted, courageous, determined and very lovi g advocate for their dog when I see o e! You are amazing g and so is Area!
She sou D's like quite the fighter! CO GRATULATIO S o six month ampuversary! That's remarkable!
Maria and Daisy, as well as a dog named Murphy jav all endured and overcome similar challenges. It's certainly a rotten set of circumstances and unfair and just plain. ticks ya' off!
You'll do your research a d you'll make the best decision. for your girl....your big girl!
We understand the bond and the length s we will go to for a quality life of lovi g and spoil I g for our pups.
P.was, pease keep us posted. We re here for you.
What's Area doing g right ow? If you say her name will she wiggle and wag her tail? I bet she will.....go ahead and do it and watch her wag.....now go give her a bug fro. all of us.....and o e for yo too:-) 
Sally and Happy Hannah
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!
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