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Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat

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New Adoption- starting to feel a bit overwhelmed :(
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Member Since:
13 June 2021
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21 June 2021 - 10:10 am
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Hello,

We adopted a tripawd dog from our local shelter a little over a week ago.  She's a 6 year old border collie/lab mix (39 lbs) that was transferred to our local shelter a couple of months ago with a hind left leg injury that was deemed irreparable (she'd had broken bones that never healed right and had fused together, causing her a lot of pain when walking), so she had surgery to remove that left hind leg about a month ago.  They said at the shelter that she's been doing great, actually better, since she had the surgery, and still loves to run, play, etc, including playing fetch.  Other than telling us to keep her active and lean (so not to put extra strain on her joints with excess weight), they didn't really indicate any other special needs for care going forward and said that she'd be able to live a pretty "normal" life.

I came upon this site as a resource for tripawds, and to be honest, now I'm feeling overwhelmed, because though I anticipated some accommodations, such as not being able to take her for as long of walks, I'm also feeling worried about all the problems that could (and from the sounds of it, probably will) arise for her that I didn't even realize were possibilities until reading some of the posts here.  I'm feeling like she just has a life of lots of therapies, acupuncture, medications, etc. ahead of her now that we were not/are not at all prepared for.icon_cry

Some questions I'm having now:

1) For her breed/size/age, what would be appropriate for physical activity?  How long of walks should we be taking her on, with what frequency?  She loves to play fetch; is that even still appropriate for her, or are we just setting her up for early joint pain, injury, etc? 

2) What should we realistically expect in terms of her care going forward?  What ailments are we probably facing?  

3) Also, thoughts on best financial resources ?  I'm stressed and wondering what that looks like, and if we'll even be able to provide what she needs at this point.icon_cry

Thank you all for any help and guidance you have to offer.  We have a lot of love to give and offer her, but just feeling in over my head right about where to go from here and what to anticipate. icon_cry

On The Road


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21 June 2021 - 1:14 pm
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Lucy's Mom, welcome! I'm in the Tripawds Chat for a bit if you want to talk. Back in a sec with some feedback.

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

On The Road


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21 June 2021 - 1:28 pm
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You guys are rock stars for wanting to adopt her! And you ask GREAT questions, she is very lucky to have you for her new forever home. Too many people adopt a Tripawd without thinking about these things. Take heart though: not all Tripawds will need tons of rehab or unending pain management . They can live strong, healthy, active lives as long as you are proactive in keeping her slim, and ensuring she gets appropriate activity that will keep her fit without putting undue stress on her joints. 

Try not to panic, I think you should still go forward with the adoption and here's why:

lucysmom11 said
Hello,

1) For her breed/size/age, what would be appropriate for physical activity?  How long of walks should we be taking her on, with what frequency?  She loves to play fetch; is that even still appropriate for her, or are we just setting her up for early joint pain, injury, etc? 

The best way to get this question answered is to have her evaluated by a canine rehab therapist. Generally speaking, shorter more frequent walks of 15-20 minutes tops are recommended. An explosive activity like fetch isn't the wisest thing to do without some limits on the length of time you are playing. Tripawds can still do fun things like that, but within reason. A therapist is the best person to guide you on what activities are best for her, and that's why the Tripawds Foundation can pay for your first rehab visit . Sometimes a therapist will recommend a few sessions to help a Tripawd adapt and get strong, sometimes they won't, depending on the dog's fitness level. If you tell a therapist you would like to learn the exercises so you can do them at home, a good therapist will happily show you how. It's not a permanent commitment, it's really about getting educated for your dog's needs.

2) What should we realistically expect in terms of her care going forward?  What ailments are we probably facing?  

All dogs are different. Anything can happen but most Tripawds enjoy the same types of health, happy lives that four-leggers do, as long as their human diligently manages their activity and weight. About the only thing you can almost certainly expect to deal with earlier than with four-leggers is osteoarthritis. Tripawds are more prone to it, and you will need to stay on top of any potential pain issues that may come up. As an example, our Wyatt Ray , a German Shepherd (already prone to bad hips), started showing OA signs at about age eight. We managed it over the years with therapy, weight management, and pain medications. But he was still as nutty and wild as ever, it didn't slow him down until he reached the end of his normal life expectancy. This is the case with most dogs. See these posts about senior Tripawds dogs

3) Also, thoughts on best financial resources ?  I'm stressed and wondering what that looks like, and if we'll even be able to provide what she needs at this point.  

Well, you already know about the Tripawds Foundation rehab reimbursement program, and as far as financial help for other things, most times assistance is very specific to the individual and the pet. So we do have these financial resources you can check out, but they likely won't apply to Lucy right now. 

I hope this helps. Be sure to check out the Tripawds e-book Loving Life On Three Legs , and our 10 Things to Expect When Adopting a Tripawd for more details. Ask as many questions as you'd like, we are here to help!

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

On The Road


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21 June 2021 - 1:29 pm
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Oh and I do want to add: GET PET INSURANCE!!! This is something you do not want to be without for any dog but especially a Tripawd. Be sure to listen to our Tripawds post Choosing the Best Pet Insurance for Tripawds to learn how to choose a policy that works for you.

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

Virginia







Member Since:
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21 June 2021 - 2:06 pm
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Thanks  so much for giving this pupper such a loving and caring home!!!!  What's her name?

We certainly  didn't  mean for  any "potential" issues that may not ever happen, or for any "potential" therapies  that may or may not ever happen, to cause you undue worry!   As Jerry said, the one thing  that MAY creep up as she ages, or before,  is arthritis.  That can happen with ANY dog at any age,.  And it is certainly manageable. 

The last thing in the world our site is intended  to do is to scare you or cause you unnecessary  worry!  We are a solution  oriented group,  thus, always throwing out a vast array of solutions.  Obviously  a lot of posts here are when issues do arise, as we are here ro support any tripawd challenges, so that's  why you may see more posts referencing  need for therapies, extra care, etc.  The Tripawds that have zero ossues thru the years don't  give people much reason to post!  Make sense??

FWIW, I have a wild and crazy adopted front legger.  been owned by him about six years, not sure how long he was a tripawd before that....probably  a year or two.

He has developed arthritis (kind of guessing g he's around eight uears?).  I have him on joint supplements (Dasaquin)..  

A lot of therapies mentioned on here are  not financially  feasible for me.  They are "auggestions" (like acupuncture for example)) that may work for some dogs and not for others should, for example, arthritis arise.   

So try not to project onto the future with worries and "what ofs" that may never happen.  THE most imp thing with A Y dog is to love in the NOW and enjoy the beauty  of being fully present in the moment. 

As Jerry said, your tripawd can pretty much do anything  a four legger can.  You just want to do some things in moderation.  The main thing I would suggest with a rear legger us to try to avoid any "high" jumping that requires landing hard, like frisbee throwing.   Certainly  fetch, or throwing frisbee is fine,  just throw it low to the ground to avoid that high jump hard land.

We have tons of videos on here of dogs playing fetch, swimming, dock div9ng, doing agility, etc. 

Looking forward to hearing  more about your sweet tripawd.  We would love pictures too!  Here's a link to help.  adding images

Hugs

Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!

PS. Yes, as Jerry me tioned, one thing of great value is a connection  with a Certified Rehabilitation Specialist  AND the Tripawds F pays for it!!  Usually  just one consult gives you all you need to know to keep your tripawd strong and fit with some suggested  stretches, core strength  exercises., eye.  

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!

On The Road


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21 June 2021 - 3:09 pm
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GREAT input Sally!

And yep as we like to say around here, we consider no news as good news! When life is smooth sailing, most people ride that wave and we don't hear from them on a regular basis. That's a good thing!

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet


Member Since:
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22 June 2021 - 9:45 am
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Thank you both for your replies!  Thank you for all the great information, support, and encouragement.  I apologize for giving an impression that this site has be hurtful rather than helpful; it's been extremely helpful and informational, and I'm grateful for all that you all do to provide this resource, especially for newbies like myself!  Looking into meeting w/a canine rehab specialist and researching pet insurance options for now, otherwise we're just taking it one day at a time. Will also look into joint supplements like Dasaquin or Cosequin (we lost our 18 year old senior dog in January of this year, and he was on those as well and we had good experience with those).  Thank you again all your help, I really appreciate it!!

P.S.  Our tripawd pup's name is Lucy. 🙂  Here is a photo of her in our backyard, enjoying being outside. 

May be an image of dog, flower and outdoors

On The Road


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22 June 2021 - 4:29 pm
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You are so very welcome! Lucy looks SOOO Happy! What a lucky girl. I'm glad you found the community helpful. Ask any questions you'd like, we are here for you and Lucy (and I'm so sorry about your sweet ol' pup....clearly he did really well into old age, thanks to your conscientious care!).

We look forward to being part of Lucy's journey. Can't wait to see more pics!

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

Livermore, CA




Member Since:
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24 June 2021 - 8:56 am
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Hello and welcome to you and Lucy.

I have a small Pug mix rear amp Tri that I adopted when she was 10 months old, Elly lost her leg at 7 months after being hit by a car.  She is my second rear amp, Maggie the TriPug lost her leg to cancer.

Elly was fully healed from her surgery when she came to me but not very strong.  She was full of puppy energy and as an example she would jump on to and off our beds when she got the zoomies!  Not good for a small dog and certainly not good for a Tripawd. I worked with her on learning to use the stairs up to the bed and other furniture, she almost always uses them now.  I also embarked on a strength training program with her to build her core and leg strength and work on her balance. We do food games an puzzles, strength work on balance equipment, and trick and obedience training.  We are also obsessed with the sport of Nose Work- a great way to challenge the mind while being easy on the body. I try and make everything fun so to Elly it's all games...of course the treats helpsmiley4.

Elly is now 6.5 years old and coming up on 6 years on three legs.  She is fit and strong and can do pretty much what any dog her size and age can do.  I do moderate her activity a bit- limiting long walks especially on hard surfaces and burst type activities, but she still is a dog!  There is one open space we go to where she almost always does some zooming, and last winter she discovered the fun of hunting and chasing rabbits.  Not to worry- she gets no where near the rabbits and when she runs after one she loses it pretty quickly!  I balance the more active days with short activity or rest days, some days we don't walk at all just play games in the house.  Elly has severe anxiety issues which are better now than when I got her but that plays into our activity schedule too, some things like vet visits just exhaust her because she geta so anxious. 

BTW- dealing with her anxiety is much more of problem than her being on three!

I do have a stroller that right now my almost 15 year old Pug boy uses mostly, but Elly does ride sometimes.  I started her learning to ride in the stroller right after I got her.  She doesn't need it on most of our planned outings, but I can go on longer walks and take her with me without overdoing for her.

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

 

              Maggie's Story                  Amputation and Chemo

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17 October 2021 - 5:34 am
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I hope I can jump on this thread rather than starting my own, I'm not sure which is better. We just adopted a Tripawd from a rescue group. "Bonnie" is approximately 5 years old (according to the rescue agency) and her left rear leg was amputed an inch or two below her knee joint shortly after she was picked up as a stray. She is about 2.5 months post amputation, and lived with a foster family for the past 3-4 weeks. They described her as "not missing her leg one bit" but I'm not sure this is very true... more wishful thinking. She seems to think the leg is still there and also drags her right rear leg, I'm not sure why.

Anyway, Bonnie is a very sweet dog who loves people and we want to do what's best for her, but "overwhelmed" is how I am feeling also! So I totally understand Lucysmom11. I'm trying to get Bonnie in to see a vet this week to evaluate her. I'm poring over this site as well but wow, it's a lot! 

Pet Insurance will accept a dog with a known issue such as an already amputated limb? I did not know that. Are there recommendations for certain companies?

I too am wondering if we can provide what Bonnie needs. Our home is a mutli-split level with mostly hardwood floors. We have MANY stairs (tho all are carpeted). Right now I'm using gates to keep her from wandering up and down and up and down. We do not have a fenced yard, so our only option for exercise is leashed walks. (She does not walk well on a leash so perhaps she was never walked with one.) Is there a summary of what Tripawds need after surgery, say 2 months out, then 6 months out, etc., so we can evaluate how/whether we can meet her needs?

Thank you for this site and I'm so grateful to have found it.

Staci

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17 October 2021 - 9:46 am
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Hi Staci and Bonnie, welcome. 

OK take a deep breath, and know that we are here for you. It really is better to start your own topic in this Forum, so we can help you better. So please do OK? We have lots of ideas for you:

Pet Insurance will accept a dog with a known issue such as an already amputated limb? I did not know that. Are there recommendations for certain companies?

Yes, however there are things they won't cover if they can prove they are directly related to being on three legs. See: 

Choosing the Best Pet Insurance for Tripawds

Again, start a new topic so we can share our experience and what we know about pet insurance and amputee pets.

 Is there a summary of what Tripawds need after surgery, say 2 months out, then 6 months out, etc., so we can evaluate how/whether we can meet her needs?

Yes! Please consider taking her to rehab therapy. A therapist will evaluate Bonnie and let you know why that weakness is occurring, and how to correct it. The Tripawds Foundation believes it's so hepful that we will pay for your Tripawd's first rehab visit ! The link has details.

 our only option for exercise is leashed walks. 

Oh there is sooo much more you can do besides walking for exercise! interactive brain games , for example. Our Tripawds Gear blog has tons of exercise tips, and so does our e-book Loving Life On Three Legs . Again, a rehab therapist can show you appropriate exercises for her.

Smart of you to keep the stairs blocked. Please put down as much traction as possible. It will help her so much. Throw rugs, yoga mats, anything to make it easier for her to navigate slippery floors and not get injured.

I have LOTS more to share, so please start a new topic. In the meantime check out something I wish every pet rescue sent to prospective Tripawd parents (we're working on it!). We are trying hard to let folks know that while dogs don't miss the "spare" leg, there are many things that pet parents can do to avoid future injuries and ensure a long, healthy, injury-free life on 3:

Ten Things to Know About Adopting a Tripawd (Part 1)

What to Know When adopting a Tripawd (Part 2)

See you in a new post all about Bonnie!

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

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