Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Jewels is a very active, 1 year old dog. I feed Kirkland brand dry food. I give her the same amount that I feed my 4 legged dog (quadpawd? 
) of the same size... but Jewels seems to need more. She is a very exhuberant eater. Plus, I can feel her hip bones a little so I think she is underweight.
Do tripawds need to be fed larger meals to account for the added calories they burn from all the hopping?
Quite the opposite here...had to feed her less due to less activity. But Maggie is 11 yrs old now...amputated at age 9.
Tracy, Maggie's Mom
Maggie was amputated for soft tissue sarcoma 10-20-09
Maggie lost her battle with kidney disease on 8-24-13
Jewels was only 9 months old at the time of her injury, so I think she was able to adapt pretty well to loosing the use of that leg. She is always on the move, bouncing all over the house and smiling with her tongue hanging out one side of her mouth. She is constantly playing with the other dogs or with toys, and she runs laps all over the yard when we go outside. She's incredibly energetic.
We've found the opposite to be true, as well.
Dante is an energizer bunny, but his sister (who we adopted with him, at 12 weeks) eats more. He lost his leg at 8 weeks old - so he's adapted well, too. But he just doesn't seem to need as much. Up until recently they were eating the same amounts, but he seems to be needing less these days.
Don't forget it's much better for a tripawd to be on the lean side, than to have any extra weight. Can you see her hip bones, or just feel them? Seeing hips can mean they're underweight, but feeling them isn't an issue if they can't be seen.
All three of mine are exhuberant eaters as well - they'd trick just about anyone into thinking they're starving, and would happily stuff themselves all day long, if we allowed. So don't let the speed and excitement with which she eats, determine how much you feed, either. Some dogs have more of the 'natural' scavenger in them, and are opportunists, gobbling up everything in sight as fast as they can - while some other realize there will be food again soon, and it's not such a big deal!
jewels said:
Do tripawds need to be fed larger meals ...
Short answer: no. We have confirmed with veterinarians that canine amputees should be kept on the trim side to compensate for the extra weight absorbed by remaining limbs. This doesn't mean we should starve them, only that we should keep their weight in check. Continue feeding Jewels as you have been, and watch closely for weight loss or gain. If she exhibits additional hunger or seems to be thinning, consider changing to a diet higher in protein.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Ok, I won't worry about her then. I can feel her hips, but they don't stick out. She probably is a little bit on the thin side, but if that's good then I'm happy.
Fat Tripawds are Fun Tripawds!
Bwhahahahahahhahhahhaaa!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Yep, you gotta keep a three legged dog lean. The good part is they should stay lean with the extra hopping. That was Comet's case. By all rights, she had been a tub with her begging and me giving into cookies. I was very, very lucky that I didn't have to worry about weight until the last couple of years with Comet.
By Jewels pics, she looked pretty good.
I wouldn't worry about it unless Jewel is losing or gaining weight. A vet told me if you can see their spine from the top, then they are underweight but a little rib isn't underweight or if you can feel the ribs, they are okay.
If you got a hungry girl, give her a celery stalk and or carrot. Or even a whole cucumber (although those can be expensive). I started my dogs on 1 celery stalk and 1 carrot stick per night and it toned down the their hunger some. Because it's crunchy and takes a while to eat, it will satisfy them. Start them young. And if you are lucky to have one dog that will eat celery, then the rest will follow suit. Celery has like 10 calories (I think). My dogs would eat lettuce even and thought it was fantastic!
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.
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