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 Everyone,
I've agreed to foster a special little lady while she can heal up from an amputation surgery of a front leg. Spirit is ~8 months old and a lab mix of some sort who got clipped by a truck while she was out in the middle of nowhere. She was picked up by a passing vehicle and brought to the only shelter around, which happened to be too understaffed and under budget to provide care to a dog they'd likely euthanize within 72 hours. Lucky for her a group caught sight of her while doing a transport pickup of some other dogs to go into foster, and funds got pooled for the surgery. After some calls we agreed to make the roadtrip up to get her after surgery and keep her safe and comfortable while she can heal and get back to business.
I'm sure we're making a good choice here in giving her a hand, but my mind usually goes into research-mode when handling something for the first time. I've never had a three legged dog before, and I'm a fretful pet mum to start with, so there's a lot to learn.
We already plan on keeping her under watch and carefully penned to prevent her from injuring herself or damaging the stitches while she heals up to the vet's approval, then starting out on short walks and exercise to get her endurance back up. My questions are these:
1) What should I do if she wants to get mobile too soon? We want to make sure those stitches heal nicely!
2) How long a walk do you think we should initially try for?
3) Down the line, once she's recovered, what kind of exercise is ok for her? Can she go to dog parks? Could she be a jogging partner for a slower runner? What kind of activity would they be able to do?
Thanks in advance!
Ella
Offline
Thanks for posting, please consider registering to take full advantage of these forums. Most of your questions are answered in Jerry's Required Reading List or the Tripawds e-book, Three Legs and a Spare.
Hopefully these links will help too...
1) What should I do if she wants to get mobile too soon?
How to keep recovering dogs entertained.
2) How long a walk do you think we should initially try for?
Cal Animal Rehab Amputation Recovery, Exercises & Stretching Videos
Every dog is different, but you do not want to walk very far at first, maybe half a block. If she sits down you've gone to far. Cut the distance in half the next day and slowly build back up. But remember, walking does not build strength, only endurance...
3) Down the line, once she's recovered, what kind of exercise is ok for her?
FitPAWS Cainine Cinditioning Equipment and Demo Videos
Focus on building core strength with balance exercises and unstable surface work.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Glad this little girl found her way to you!
Since she is a young lab it might be hard to keep her quiet! Do you have other pups at your house too? If so, she will likely want to play with them soon, so best to keep her separated in the penned area, like you said you have done.
Eventually, she'll be ok to go to the dog park. Our Abby didn't really like to go there anymore after her amp though. She didn't really like to wrestly with other dogs (unless they were smaller/very gentle) after losing her front leg. Eventually, she might be a good match with a slow runner (as long as they don't go too far and rest). It's actually easier for a tripawd to move along at a slow jog pace, rather than a walking pace. We used to run/walk with our Abby - but we had a great, really huge beach/park where we could take her where she could run off leash so we could both go our own pace. She would wait and rest while I caught up. Also it was a soft surface, so I didn't worry as much about wear and tear on her joints. Of course, since Abby had cancer, I knew we didn't need to worry long term about her joints, but a tripawd due to an injury will need to be a little more careful!
All the best! Hope she recovers well!
Jackie, Angel Abby's mom
Abby: Aug 1, 2009 – Jan 10, 2012. Our beautiful rescue pup lived LARGE with osteosarcoma for 15 months – half her way-too-short life. I think our "halflistic" approach (mixing traditional meds + supplements) helped her thrive. (PM me for details. I'm happy to help.) She had lung mets for over a year. They took her from us in the end, but they cannot take her spirit! She will live forever in our hearts. She loved the beach and giving kisses and going to In-N-Out for a Flying Dutchman. Tripawds blog, and a more detailed blog here. Please also check out my novel, What the Dog Ate. Now also in paperback! Purchase it at Amazon via Tripawds and help support Tripawds!
well done for taking in a foster we do it here in the uk and just love it, this site is full of great info. You will be surprised how quickly she adapts you will learn to trust instincts and take your lead fom her. Hoping for a straighforward recovery for her.
Dizzy diagnosed with osteosarcoma 24 may 2011 amputated same day doing fine hopping around on three legs giving the neighbourhood cats what for
Hi Ella and Spirit!
Just wanted to welcome you and let you know that if you need anything at all we're here to help. You'll soon find that you've got nothing to worry about, three legged dogs are anything but "special needs" as they're often thought of.
By any chance are you in the UK?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thank you, everyone. We're in the US (California to be exact), and little Spirit is under watch at the vet right now because she's already tried to scratch/chew out stitches and they're watching for the puffiness/redness to go down and confirm no infection (she's just wanting to go go already). She's in a body bandage for now and we're going on a road trip to pick her up once the vet approves her for transport.
At the house we've been forming a game plan complete with crate, frozen peanut butter and chicken broth in kong toys (I already have 4 prepped to go), bully sticks, squeak toys, old t-shirts on top of a memory foam mattress in her rest area, and a plan to keep our resident dog (mellowest creature on earth, frankly) active and entertained while his foster-sister gets her rest. Whew.
I guess my concern is that I'll be too scared to let her be like a normal dog (which won't help her get her strength and endurance back, much less socialize her like the puppy she is) or let her overdo it too much (I don't know that, as a puppy, she really know her limitations at all and so might go too far and hurt one of her remaining legs). How do you identify the 'in-the-middle' there?
We have already gotten some questions on how she might fare on hikes and jogs with normal dogs from potential adopters, which we have to deflect at the moment, since the short-term goal is rest and not blowing out stitches. I have no idea what to say to them beyond 'were at the starting point right now and can't confirm what she'll be like until after she's healed and started to adjust pain-free'. We're even holding off on doing a full temperament eval until she's off any meds and the stitches have come out...
hi ella. you might want to register as a tripawds member (as opposed to 'guest'), so your posts can be automatically approved...just a thought.
every dog is different, but it does take time to heal and adjust, so taking it easy initially is important for recovery. plus, with all of the pain meds and stitches, you're right it's just too soon to know how much spirit will be able to accomplish. for the most part, tripawds have more limitations with endurance and such, as they are using muscles differently and the weight distribution isn't as nature intended. take it day by day, and you'll be fine.
charon & spirit gayle
Life is good, so very, very good!!! Gayle enjoyed each and every moment of each and every wonderful day (naps included). She left this world December 12, 2011 – off on a new adventure.
Love Never Ends
Be sure you are logged in when you post, you are still showing up as a guest.
Karen
Oh dear me....I'd hoped not to show my lack of technical knowhow quite so early. Thanks for letting me know I was still a guest!
Thanks for joining! Your future forum posts will not require moderation.
Fostering members in the past have used their blogs to help find pups furever homes. Consider using Ella's blog to post pictures and share here progress. Anyone who adopts her can then join and take over the blog.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
ellafoster said
Oh dear me....I'd hoped not to show my lack of technical knowhow quite so early. Thanks for letting me know I was still a guest!
No worries- I've been here over 2 years and display my lack of technical know-how on a regular basis 
.
Welcome to Tripawds. You are awesome for fostering! I don't know how you do it, I think I would be a HUGE foster failure, every time!
You have some good advice already. I didn't have to worry about Maggie over-doing it, she was a slug during her recovery, I had to encourage her to move at all. But from what I've read here the young pups seem to recover pretty quickly and keeping them quiet at least until the stitches are out can be hard. Maggie was a little pug rear leg amp who eventually got back to walking a mile on her own. Some rear leggers can not go that far, but it was not a problem for her.
Where in CA are you? I am in Livermore and part of the fairly active Nor Cal Crew. We get together every few months in Mill Valley for a Tripawds meet up. And there are a couple of us in the East Bay Area who try to get together a bit more often.
Karen and the pugapalooza
Welcome Ella and Spirit!
What a special person you to foster a dog in need!
I know your questions are directed at the immediate recovery mostly, but as one that had a tripawd from a puppy to the end (12 years), I can pass on a few long term tips...things I learned the hard way!
Ensure there aren't any slippery floors. Runners and throws are essential. (Walmart has a descent selection of matching ones in various sizes. And Ross has a nice inexpensive selection too) This is so important for many reasons. Taking spills is hard on them and also they can fall on their face and crack teeth. (it's only took me 3 cracked teeth to finally figure out that harmless nose plants weren't humorous!)
Raising the food and water bowl to the correct height is a great way to save their neck joints in the future. Some tripawds like to lay down and eat, so it's mostly important for at least the water bowl to be raised.
Using a harness for walking/hopping also is better on their neck because of their need to go faster. They need momentum to hop. I liked using a retractable leash so Comet could go at her pace and not feel restricted but she was under 40lbs.
I hope that helps a little.
Keep us posted!!!
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.
For any potential adopters, I would tell them that while she shouldn't be thought of as "special needs", even when she is recovered they shouldn't expect her to do long hikes of more than a mile or two, or to have the same endurance as a quadpawd. Long morning runs with humans isn't recommended, although some super extraordinary dogs like Bart do fine. It depends on the dog really. Our Wyatt Ray will poop out after too much activity and really pay for it the next day, and he's only 3, so we are very careful with his activity level. It's really just a "wait and see" and play it by ear game, always.
- The general suggestions that rehab vets recommend are, Tripawds should have shorter, more frequent walks. Say, 2 or 3 walks a day of no more than 20 minutes each.
- Keep explosive exercise (chase games with other dogs) to a minimum. Allow plenty of breaks.
- Regular play and exercise is better than "weekend warrior" outings.
Our CARE videos have some great tips that elaborate on this, hope it helps.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
jerry said
For any potential adopters, I would tell them that while she shouldn't be thought of as "special needs", even when she is recovered they shouldn't expect her to do long hikes of more than a mile or two, or to have the same endurance as a quadpawd. Long morning runs with humans isn't recommended, although some super extraordinary dogs like Bart do fine. It depends on the dog really. Our Wyatt Ray will poop out after too much activity and really pay for it the next day, and he's only 3, so we are very careful with his activity level. It's really just a "wait and see" and play it by ear game, always.
- The general suggestions that rehab vets recommend are, Tripawds should have shorter, more frequent walks. Say, 2 or 3 walks a day of no more than 20 minutes each.
- Keep explosive exercise (chase games with other dogs) to a minimum. Allow plenty of breaks.
- Regular play and exercise is better than "weekend warrior" outings.
Our CARE videos have some great tips that elaborate on this, hope it helps.
Thanks a lot for this. I do absolutely want to stress to the rescue, to any potential adopters, and to myself that she is going to be her sort of normal. Whether that means that (once healed) she can handle a dog park or beach outing now and then or a jaunt with a ball, it's going to depend on not just her body but her own spirit and drives. I just hope our plan to take things really nice and easy until she's recovered works out for her.
I've got a meeting with her vet today to discuss her recovery so far and if she's clear to have us pick her up and take her home to finish her recovery. Fingers crossed, as this spirited little dog has been trying to get very clever in getting at her stitches and managed to take one out the day after surgery.
We're kind of scared ('oh dear, never had a three legged dog - what if we do something wrong?') and excited, but I'll definitely post questions and fears and achievements here as we go along. And pics, of course - apparently the shelter got 0 good ones because she's too wriggly. I keep seeing a grey brown blur in all of them.
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