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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HI all
im only new to site my boy who is really athletic had a fall from the ute and dislocated his elbow after one surgery it was placed back in but only luxated again then a corrective procedure to give prosthetic tendons has now failed he will lose his leg tomorrow im not sure what im in for but im devastated as he was such a healthy and fit dog who would run around up to 60klm a week and now he has been reduced to zero he has a great pain tolerance but im more concerned on his mental ability to recover without shutting down completely and the behaviuoral problems i am going to incur along the journey any advice will be appreciated
thankyou
Hi tankman, thanks for joining. Your future posts won't need approval so post away OK?
I'm sorry to hear about your pup. Rest assured that since he's in such great health before surgery, he will very likely have a smooth recovery and bounce back in good spirits.
Don't be too concerned about his mental ability to recover: it's your psyche that will carry the burden. So much of this situation is always worse for humans than the animals. Dogs and cats don't feel remorse or regret like we do, they just want to be out of pain and get on with life.
Yes, Tank will have more limited activity but there are so many ways around that. First, you need to help him get his strength back. Since he hasn't been using the same muscles that he will once he's on 3, you'll need to strengthen his core and get him strong enough to do the things he loves.
Jerry's Required Reading List and our e-books have lots of great fitness tips. Also, just search our featured blogs like the Gear blog or Downloads blog for "Rehab" and "core" and you'll find lots of informative articles.
If you're near a certified rehabilitation center, that is a GREAT way to get started.
It's important to be realistic about his activity so that Tank doesn't hurt himself once he's recovered. Too many people allow their new Tripawd to move too quickly with physical activity and the dog or cat ends up being hurt. Take it slow and Tank will have a very long, happy healthy life ahead.
Also, know that dog strollers are a great tool to have when you want to go on longer walks with Tank. Many Tripawds parents find them helpful and it's a great way to assist Hank so he doesn't overdo things.
I hope this helps. Stay tuned for others to chime in OK? Keep us posted.
P.S. I'm so curious about the "prosthetic tendons" procedure. Who did it? What's the name of the surgery? Any info you can share is appreciated, thanks.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
We are 4 1/2 months out from a front leg amputation on a 100 pound dog, 8 years old. The only things that are different - our walks are not as long. He used to walk about a mile in the mornings, now we go 7 houses, with a 10 - 15 minute rest stop at house 5. And, although Otis goes up and down the stairs well, I limit his access to the stairs by putting a baby gate
there during the day or when I am not at home. Other than that, he chases squirrels and cats, steals food off the counters, and does everything that he did before. Same dog, different hop.
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
jerry said
Hi tankman, thanks for joining. Your future posts won't need approval so post away OK?I'm sorry to hear about your pup. Rest assured that since he's in such great health before surgery, he will very likely have a smooth recovery and bounce back in good spirits.
Don't be too concerned about his mental ability to recover: it's your psyche that will carry the burden. So much of this situation is always worse for humans than the animals. Dogs and cats don't feel remorse or regret like we do, they just want to be out of pain and get on with life.
Yes, Tank will have more limited activity but there are so many ways around that. First, you need to help him get his strength back. Since he hasn't been using the same muscles that he will once he's on 3, you'll need to strengthen his core and get him strong enough to do the things he loves.
Jerry's Required Reading List and our e-books have lots of great fitness tips. Also, just search our featured blogs like the Gear blog or Downloads blog for "Rehab" and "core" and you'll find lots of informative articles.
If you're near a certified rehabilitation center, that is a GREAT way to get started.
It's important to be realistic about his activity so that Tank doesn't hurt himself once he's recovered. Too many people allow their new Tripawd to move too quickly with physical activity and the dog or cat ends up being hurt. Take it slow and Tank will have a very long, happy healthy life ahead.
Also, know that dog strollers are a great tool to have when you want to go on longer walks with Tank. Many Tripawds parents find them helpful and it's a great way to assist Hank so he doesn't overdo things.
I hope this helps. Stay tuned for others to chime in OK? Keep us posted.
P.S. I'm so curious about the "prosthetic tendons" procedure. Who did it? What's the name of the surgery? Any info you can share is appreciated, thanks.
Hi Jerry thanks my usual vet has closed down for renovations so the vet I seen is in the North Queenland he had the surgery yesterday and they said he is going good and will be home on the weekend I haven't seen him for over a month now as I didn't want to disrupt his healing process so I will be glad he is home he's been on three legs before operation for a 3-4 wks and vet said he is moving and eating.im not sure on what they meant by prosthetic tendons as what was explained was the were going to screw tendons and attach wire or stitch and attach thread through the bone or something along those lines he stretched it 5 days in and loosened the screws or wires and it started moving sideways again they were letting it try and thicken up naturally but it wasn't working so amputation was the last resort they have been good to me money wise as well for if I got it done anywhere else it was would have been 8 thousand which meant I would have had to put him down so it has only cost me just under 2 thousand it was the first time anyone has ever wanted the elbow fixed at this surgery so it was an experimental type procedure all the other dogs who have been taken in with the same problem have been put down which is something I refused to do we got a long road to go but him being home is the first step along our new journey
Tankman, if our experience is any indicator, the fact he has been using only three legs for a few weeks may mean he adjusts very easily to the amputation. You must be so pleased he is coming home. Anxious to hear about it when he does.
Lisa, Minneapolis
On October 27, 2016, nearly 6 months after amputation, and 18 months since his cancer likely started, we lost Pofi to a recurrence of Soft Tissue Sarcoma in his spine quite suddenly. His canine sister also succumbed to cancer on March 1, 2019 - we lavished her with our love in the interim, but life was never quite the same without her only real canine friend. Cliff kitty had to leave us, too, suddenly, in August 2019. Lucia kitty grieved all these losses, but helped us welcome two new Lurchers into our home and our lives, Shae and Barley.
They've kept him for a month? wow! That must be so hard for you! Here they keep them overnight, and some don't do that. And price-wise, for a month of hospitalization, that's cheap! That's less than what most of us have paid for just the surgery.
Hope Tank is feeling better soon!
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
Ohhh poor pup I'm so glad he's coming home soon. That procedure kind of sounds like the tightrope procedure to repair torn cruciate tears but I can't really tell.
He clearly has a great team looking out for him, and you. What a lucky lucky boy.
And price-wise, for a month of hospitalization, that's cheap!
Uh Donna, he's referring to Australian dollars. In America, that's over $15k 
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Oh, well, in that case, that makes sense! lol 
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
I collected tank this morning he was busting to get out of there first thing he done was stand up and put his front paw on the tray but he was riding with me in the front.He is really mobile and moving around fine at the moment but we were home for a while and i think it all must have hit him i was sitting on the grass with him and he was lying down then all of a sudden he got panicked and was looking side to side and staring at where his leg was and he sat up and was staring and not real responsive to me when i tried calming him then he sort of snapped into it and went and layed down by himself for a while so i gave him some space and he seemd back to normal about an hour later im sure theres going to be more times like this ahead but 1 day at a time thats all i can really do at the moment i feel sorry for him hes only 3 and when you look at him you can still see that silly little pup that annoyed me and gave me so much fun during the process of growing up to see how vulnerable he is at the moment which probably is the hardest part to get over.
He could still have a fair amount of the stronger pain meds in his system making him a bit foggy, but when he saw you adrenaline took over. Pofi was also quite animated when I picked him up, but got very subdued and just a bit spacey when we got home. I think what you describe is normal.
So glad he is home! He will figure this out!
Lisa, Minneapolis
On October 27, 2016, nearly 6 months after amputation, and 18 months since his cancer likely started, we lost Pofi to a recurrence of Soft Tissue Sarcoma in his spine quite suddenly. His canine sister also succumbed to cancer on March 1, 2019 - we lavished her with our love in the interim, but life was never quite the same without her only real canine friend. Cliff kitty had to leave us, too, suddenly, in August 2019. Lucia kitty grieved all these losses, but helped us welcome two new Lurchers into our home and our lives, Shae and Barley.
Hi there tankman,
Your boy is back home, that's really great news 
Just as hester says he could have pain meds in his system and that can make our furry friends act quite weird for a while ...
It's still very early days, your boy needs time to rest and recover, he will be sleepy and slow but everything should take off after stitches come out.
Be prepared for a bit of a crash 2 - 5 days after op, it happened with Eurydice and a lot of others here.
Walks for the first couple of weeks should only happen for pee and poop.
Good luck with his recovery, big hug and cuddles to your boy
Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-)
Yaaay! Happy to know he's home.
And ditto: oftentimes a new Tripawd will indeed crash after doing too much, and want to sleep long and hard. Try not to let him overdo it. As long as you monitor his activity and make sure that he only goes outside to eliminate, he'll be on a good healing path.
Your little pup will be back to a good life soon. Hang in there and keep us posted!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Online
Geez! Just catching up on everything!! A month? A while month Tank was at the Vet,s and you couldn't see him? WOW!
But now you are back rogether and on the road to recovery! YAY!!
You can search pahntom pain here on the site, as Tank possibly could have exexperienced that. Sometimes they'll jump up suddenly, yelp, and act as though they are trying to run away from tne pain. It lasts less for seco ds, but it,'s hard to watch. If you think Tankmis experiencing that, speak with yiur vet about adding Gabapentin into the pain med mix.
Sooooo glad to here you and Tank are back togetner!! 🙂 Steak and ice cream for that sweet boy!
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!
Day 4 for tank and he's adjusting really well he can get up and down off the lounges and dog beds no worries he's been barking and hassling me since he got home to go for a drive and a run in the ute I took him up the road yesterday for 15mins of free time to sniff and chew grass (he loves grass and young sugar cane grass as well )I had to hold him back when I opened he gate as I knew he would run and attempt to jump on the back of the ute he dragged me to it and stood up with his one paw for me to lift him up he was quite happy when I opened the door and let them in the cage he picked his normal sniffing spot and you could see him smiling as we drove up the road I'm not real impressed at the stitching job they done on him as it was a blanket type stitch that is continuous and not stitched in singles which is a much tighter and quicker healing stitch (my usual vet is really good for operating and stitching they never come undone and at the 10 day mark the wound is healed and ready)so this continuous stitch is letting a small hole open up and is leaking some light blood fluid out not the dark bleeding blood from the wound they have only given me 5days of antibiotics and Previcox for pain relief I think he needs to be on 10 days for both minimum so I'm lucky I have always had pain and antibiotics spare in the dogs first aid kit I've dealt with all sorts of injuries in the past just just not amputees.so he got his walk around and has been quiet since I have him locked back in his kennel again so he doesn't over do it and later in the week he will get another 15 min chance of freedom until I take the stitch out Sunday from his wound that will be day 11 I took a quick video of him as I am impressed at his hard headed attitude of not giving up and laying down I took a quick video yesterday but I'm still trying to work out how to post it
Glad to hear how well Tank is doing! Yeah, he has ro take it easy for about two weeks, even if he doesn't want to! 'And it sounds like he's feeling so much better eith that bum leg gone!
If you have concerns about the hole opening up, maybe you coukd email a picture to your regular vet and see what he thinks. As I'm sure you already know, it's not anything to mess around with.
And ditto your assessment for pain relief! .ost dogs here are on Tramadol, Gabapentin, Rimadyl and an antibiotic for at least ten days, some two and three weeks. Every dog is different. Every recovery is different. CANNOT believe he inly has five days worth...and Previcox isn't exactly "heavy duty".
If you are able to transfer the video to YouTube, then you can embed the link in your post. Others will co e along to give you better specifics, but this may...or .ay not... give you a start.
Tank sou ds like such a strong willed and determined dog with a lot of spunk! He is already well on tne road ro a very impressive recovery! You two clearly have a special bond...he's a lucky boy!
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!
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