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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we got Kali, a boxer, as a puppy in 2007. The following year we adopted Dakota, a 4 yr old male boxer. They were the best of friends for over three years. Played together, ate together, slept together. Out of no where and without any signs that we humans could see, Kali started attacking Dakota in October 2011. I mean blood drawing, puncture wound causing attacks. While trying to break one attack up I lost a small chunk from the side of my thumb, that's how vicious they were. Why? NO ONE KNOWS. There was no change in their lives, in our home. It was just a dog thing. Unfortunately it happens. You definitely aren't alone.
Keep fighting for that precious puppy.
Leslie
Regarding financial help - have you tried the list that Rene suggested? Here's the list again. It really looks like there are some organizations that will help if you ask.
Comet - 1999 to 2011
She departed us unexpectedly January 23, 2011 at the age of 12 1/2.
She was born with a deformed front leg and a tripawd all of her life.
I will go through it again (the list) I emailed like 4-5 different ones from the list I got generic response from 1 saying they didn't have the funding to help right now and no response from others at all. 🙁 But I will see if i missed some.
Sorry Angel Valentina's mom - I was looking straight at your guest post and never realized it needed moderation! I can see it but others can't. It's approved now. Do you know how to copy and paste? I've written a post as a guest too only to realize I wasn't logged in. Here's how to solve that problem - copy your "guest" text and then paste it when you log in.
To copy and text, highlight your text with your mouse by left clicking in the beginning of the text and then slide your mouse over it without letting go of the click. At the end of the text - Let go of the click. Now, slide your mouse pointer to the highlighted text and RIGHT click your mouse. A window will pop open and left click the "Copy". You have now copied it. And then go ahead and login and open up a post as normal and paste the text. Just left click where you want to paste and then RIGHT click and that window will open up again but this time you left click "Paste".
I hope that helps.
Comet - 1999 to 2011
She departed us unexpectedly January 23, 2011 at the age of 12 1/2.
She was born with a deformed front leg and a tripawd all of her life.
Thanks Cometdog! I wrote down how to copy and paste in case that happens again. I'm sure it will. Usually I get my daughter to help me do things like that because I am not so good with computers. I didn't even realize that I could copy and paste my post. I always feel really silly when I realize I didn't log in! Thanks for the help. Now I won't have to bother my daughter!
cometdog said
Sorry Angel Valentina's mom - I was looking straight at your guest post and never realized it needed moderation!
You're the best, thanks for your help with this!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Shari and Krista,
I read your post and agreed!
I also did the same, set up a paypal account and DONATED! I hope other folks will too! I also hope they will like his page on face book...share it and create more awareness for Dexter.
I've been following Dexter's post and videos for months may he blessed and healed! He is already so loved!
Kudos to the animal docs making it all possible.
I'll be watching for more updates.
Thank you so much! Every little bit does count and I truly appreciate it (and so does Dexter). Even if you don't have the funds to donate if you could spread the word that helps too. I went and saw him again today and he just whined and whined he wanted to get up and be excited to see me so badly and he couldn't and it broke my heart a little bit, but I know before long he will be doing great and it will all be worth it. I also know he is so drugged up he won't remember much if anything about all this. He is coming home tomorrow around lunch time so I will get a video of him when he first gets home.
Thanks again to everyone!
There are some great tips for raising money in this News Blog Post, "When and How a Dog Wheelchair Can Help a Tripawd."
All of us wish you much success in your fundraising! I just want to take this opportunity to remind everypawdy about the Fundraising Policy in the Tripawds Community and to please keep it in mind. You can read more about it here. Thanks for understanding.
We can't wait till Dexter is home 🙂
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Glad Dexter gets to come home today! Looking forward to hear about all of his triumphs!! Good luck with his first night home! 
First night = Tough. Brought him home around 12:30pm gave him his first dose of meds which was just Tramadol for the middle of the day. He started panting really hard, he was really tense. He wouldn't sleep, kept throwing his head around. We got him to sleep a couple times with a loud floor fan and snuck out of the room. He only slept about 20 mins 2 times and that was all, right before bed we gave the tramadol along with the rimadyl and the antibiotic and then it started again the heavy panting the tensing up. He would be so tense you could feel all the muscles and things in his neck and he just wouldnt relax. I would massage him and he would relax for the moment but as soon as I quit he tensed back up. He kept us up all night and around about the time for his medication to be due again he calmed down and went to sleep. So I left the tramadol out and called the vet this morning and now we are trying him without that. Right now he is laying calmly on his bed awake looking around. Which is huge improvement so hopefully his pain will be managed fine with just the rimadyl. He is eating very small amounts here and there and right now he isn't using or moving his back feet at all, but he does have deep pain in them as he did when he was first paralysed.
This is normal and we should start to see slow improvements just as we did before. Not really posting any videos as its just him laying around. Hopefully soon there will be something to share.
Hello. I was just looking for a update on Dexter. Wow, that does sound like a rough night! Hopefully without the tramadol he will be able to relax more. And you too. That's good that he is eating small amounts of food. Just curious but how does he go to the bathroom while healing? I know that it is really hard on you right now but you will get through. Everything that you have been through so far has made you stronger and Dexter is so lucky to have you for his Mom. Still praying for Dexter's recovery and for you to keep your sanity while you take care of Dexter.
I just wanted to mention to help people out if they have to hospitalize their dog after surgery. My vet wanted to keep him through the weekend but I insisted bringing him home on Saturday before they closed as they are not 24 hours and they close around 12 on saturday and someone comes in once on saturday for meds and then someone is there 3 times on sunday. But if the last person comes in at say 6-7pm on sunday he sits alone from that time until 7-8am on Monday that is a whole 12 hours alone. Dexter can't get up and move around so any peeing and pooping he did through the night he sat in for 12 hours. Dexter has two bed sores on him. One on his back hip and one on his front elbow (same side) So on top of everything we having to try and heal two sores. One is so sore he snapped at me when I barely touched it. Which is very unlike him. While last night was hard and I didn't get much sleep. I changed pee pads from under him 3 times through the night if he was at the vet he would have soaked in that all night. So depending the situation vet care isn't always the "best" option. Albany (where I live) unfortunately doesn't have any 24 hour emergency clinics or I would have tried to get him taken care of there.
Angel I just posted and then went back and saw your post. He pretty much just pees where he lays. We take him outside to get him to pee but right now he isn't standing and if he pees at all its just a little bit. It mostly comes out while he is laying there. We went through this before so we were prepared. We just put puppy pads on his bed and cover it with one of his blankets and when he starts squirming around we pretty much know he probably peed as he tries his best to get out of it. We have a stock pile of fresh blankets so we just change out the pad put a new blanket and repeat. We held him in our lap outside today and he got a little bit of poo out. So it takes patience and you can't have a weak stomach.
Oh no sounds like a rough night - Hopefully without the nasty tramadol he will feel better. You are a angel for all you are doing for Dexter and he is one lucky boy to have you. Keep us updated on his recovery. And yeah you are certainly right about vet care not always being the best option sometimes, our vet isn't open 24hrs either but if a pet is in there overnight they are checked on throughout the night.
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