Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Awesome videos!
I can't feed the pugs anything raw like that, Tani's choppers are 13 years old, and both of them try to swallow things whole. Chewing just slows the flow from the bowl to the stomach.
Karen
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Sally, you may need to find out how many calories per day Hannah needs. Since most tripawds are less active after surgery, they likely need fewer calories.
As an example, Evelyn is not a tripawd, but bulldogs are notorious for hanging on to fat and not letting go. I had a vet friend do some complicated calculation (seriously, it took her almost 10 minutes with a calculator) to discover that Evelyn should have no more than 800 calories per day. The Orijen 6 Fish is an incredibly calorie-dense food. I gave it to Ev for awhile but she would rather have quantity so I stopped it. (We have a member here hiking the Appalachian Trail with his quad-pawd and Orijen 6 Fish is what they chose to take because of the nutritional density. Less to haul.)
Most dog foods have the calorie content per cup on the bag. If not, I go to the website or call or email to find out. I make sure to use a real measuring cup and poor, unloved Evelyn gets 3/4 of her current food twice a day. That equals about 750 calories for her. Mind you, she doesn't lose weight on that amount, but hopefully she doesn't gain. (For 6 Fish, she only got 2/3 cup twice a day.)
"Serving size" on the bags of dog food are designed to sell more food. Poke around on the web and search for "senior inactive bull mastiff calorie requirements" and I'll bet you find some consistent answers. Keep in mind most premium foods are close to 400 calories per cup and you're on the road. (Orijen 6 Fish is 456 calories per cup; their recommendation for an inactive dog weighing 130 pounds is 3 1/4 cups per day, just as a comparison. If you fed her 3 cups of that food per day and not the extra 1/2 cup, you would be cutting out 225 calories, which would be a good start.)
And no, I am not a dog nutritionist but I did play one in preschool!
Shari
From abandoned puppy to Tripawd Warrior Dude, Dakota became one of the 2011 February Furballs due to STS. Our incredibly sweet friend lived with grace and dignity till he impulsively raced over the Bridge on 12-15-12.
Dakota's thoughtful and erudite blog is at http://shari.tr.....pawds.com/
Looks like he enjoyed his green beans Kathi. Sassy & Bosch are not veggie dogs besides what comes in the canned merrick.
I agree with Shari find out how many calories Hannah needs. I can look on the stuff that Dr Boyer gave me for Sassy I think it tells me for her how many she needed. I will have to find it on my desk
Hugs
Michelle & Angel Sassy.
Sassy is a proud member of the Winter Warriors. Live long, & strong Winter Warriors.
sassysugarbear.tripawds.com
07/26/2006 - Sassy earned her wings 08/20/2013
05/04/2006 - Bosch, Sassy's pal, earned his wings 03/29/19 fought cancer for 4 months.
"You aren't doing it TO her, you are doing it FOR her. Give her a chance at life."
That is a great point Shari.
I made a pretty complicated spreadsheet that calculated calories when I was changing the pug's diet. First I carefully measured what they were getting each day (when their weight's were steady) then figured out how many calories they were eating each day. I had to email one dog food company to get the info. Then I figured out how many calories in the new foods I was planning on feeding. I worked up how much of each food the pugs could have each day. I did a slow conversion from old diet to new diet since each pug has had some stomach issues, so for awhile making food involved a lot of weighing and measuring.
Now we are pretty much set so only basic measuring is needed. I keep an eye on waistlines and increase or decrease volume as needed. I agree with Shari on the suggested portions on most dog foods. When the pugs were eating mostly kibble I fed them about a third the recommended serving size.
Karen
OMD! Look at Murphy with those green beans!!! How adorable is he!!!! I just want to squish his cute face with smooches!
Shari you are always chock full of good information. I'm going to check out the calorie thing now!
The bag of 4Health Grain Free I Have says TJ should get 8 cups (EIGHT CUPS!) of food a day. Yeah.... maybe if he was running marathons every day.
He gets 3 cups of food, 1 raw egg, and 4 pumps of Salmon Oil. I can see his ribs.. so he is *slightly* underweight but even the vet said less weight is better for the front leg and the arthritis in the rear.
Bear gets 2 cups, 1 egg, and 4 pumps of salmon oil. She's down to 90 from 102. 10% body weight lost and losing more. She's 12... so again, less weight the better.
YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST The time to share such valuable i formation, insight, support and first hand experience.......just k ow it IS appreciated and valued!!
As some of you have suggested, I think eliminating kibble will help tremendously! I'm only giving her maybe a cup and a half WITH all the other homecokking.....but cutting jist that out...or down...should help. I think I felt like by co tinuing with the kibble I was "ensuring" she's still getti g "proper nutrients".,etc. AND, I have not been measuri g the cooked food like I need to be either!
KAREN! think Happau Hannah does equal eight pugapalozzas AND one small cow! Gonna' definitely get onto Honest Kitchen site...from Tripawd link of course...and see what they have for Hap Hannah. I think eleiminating kibble will help tremendousy and the measuring as you have suggested! Thank you! We allways have Spirit Maggie in our hearts! ALWAYS! Love that "mug shot" on her banner!
SHARI! Grat idea aout searcing for the caloric intake Hapy Hannah sould have! When I showed her your post, she immediately wooooofed out, "25,000 calories a day!" I'm really commited to getting some weight off her in a nealthy way and k owing what jer i take "should" be is a huge suggestion!! Tha k you Shari, for all you do for us! You know we will never forget The Dawg"....the great Dakota Dawg who helps make this site what it is!
PEPPER! I told Hapy Hannah what you said avout her not having to eat for Jill! She had her mouth full of food at the time, but she barked out something like, "Have you seen our little Jill s?? Are you kidding me? Look at Brudda! Nes still eating all Jill's food so I MUST still eat for Jill!"
KATHI! OMD!! The photos!! The caption! Brilliant!! I could look at that pnoto with the bean on the nose FOREVER!! That is the cutest thing in the land!! Love the story of Murphy helping himself to the garden beans! So funny! Love that dog! I had a sweetheart of a dog who wold walk beside me while I picked blackberries and very gingerly picked her own. She never pricked herself, which is ore than I can say for me! For whatever reasn, I STILL cannot get the videos to pull up! It takes me to the hoto bucket site of yours but just show two bols blacklines with white space in middle. I've tried tapping a ything I can find vut still can't see it! So fristrating! Had the same problem with Snoops pics! Tha ks soooo much for the great story and great photo! I bought some fresh picked green beans today and shall see if I can make those be her snack!
KATY! As always, your post are chock full of info. But one thing that really stood out was the fish oil caloric cou t! OMD! That hadn't even crossed my mind! I feed her a can of sardines several times a week too! Fonna defi itely skip the kibble. Your sweet Jackson always looks so fit and healthy and he can thank his diligent, well-informed momma for that! Thank you for your valuable i formation you so willingly share! Oh yeah, she loves the "Queen" commet......she definitely thinks she's one!
PATRICIA! You tell that Atlas that he and Happy Hannah will be chowing down on tere green beans together! I would love to kow what his caloric intake should be! Tha ks for always being here for all of us! How 'bout the rest of your pack? We need an update on everyone!
ESTHER! Still haven't been avle to click o to Snoops' video! That's torture for a videoholic!! Yeah, I've been doing as uch natural and organic as possible! Vut I guess I'm doing TOO much of a good thing! Soooooo glad that sweet Snoops is doi g great! You're a wo derful mom and such an important and supportive tripawd person! Tha k you for always been here for all of us cheering us on!
AMY! Loved that you're cha ging so e of your husbands havits! That's a hoot! Listen, that Libby is doing great, so maybe a little table scrap sneak here and there is the ticket!! So glad you posted her ampuversary celebration! We "around the same time ups" gotta' stick together! Tha ks Amy, for always suppoting Hapoy Hannah...it means a lot to us!
TJ TIM! It's such a treat to read your posts!! I said to myself when I originally posted......now someone is going to tell me just don't feed her so much!! And there's my man TJ front and center with the advice!! Loved it! Oh, before I forget, that was a great photo of you and TJ you posted the other day of the two of you in te field. He REALLY looks hapy and fit! As far as those "feeding i structions" on the bags, aren't they overboard crazy?! And you are right, they just want your dog to eat mote so you'll have to buy ore faster! IF I do co ti ue with the kibble, I'm going to do what you said and cut kt down significantly! You are to be commended for taking such good care of your Bear and your TJ Thanks Tim! It always great to read your posts! I love how you don't hold back......just lay it all out there plain and simple!! Thanks for always giving good, straight forward adice! How 'bout another TJ and Bear photo?
One thing for sure, Happy Hannah is really enjoying being a couch potato and plopping in tne grass and rolling around enjoying the earth. I don't ever have to worry about her overexertin herself! But I NEED to be more disciplined in her eating habits. I've really been reflecting on this. EACH of you contributed so much insight, fun and support!
Thank you again from the bottom of my heart! Happy Hannah says to thank you from the bottom of her food bowl!! "UGHHHHH! HANNAH....GET OFF ME WITH YOUR FOOD BOWL!! IT'S NOT SUPPERTIME YET! YOU JUST ATE FIFTEEN MINUTES AGO!" Geeeeez, I have to remeber not to say anything about....shhhhhh..f.o.o.d. out loud!
Okay, gonna' go make Happy Hannay some GREEN BEAN ice cream! Shhhhhh...gonna' chill them so she "thinks" it's ice cream!
HUGS AND LOVE TO ALL!
Sally and the Happy Green Giant ---Happy Hannah...HO..HO..HO!
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!
I wonder why you can't read the Photobucket videos????? If nobody could, I might understand. I even sent the link to a friend who is very non-computer oriented and she was able to open it. Can you open the videos I posted on Murphy's Beyond Cancer thread? The one about the THR?
I used Photobucket because I saw that you had posted Hannah's pictures from there. Maybe we need someone who is way more proficient in computerese to help. HELP!!
Kathi and Murphy
Murphy is a five year old Lab/Chessie cross. He was hit by a car on 10/29/12 and became a Tripawd on 11/24/12. On 2/5/13, he had a total hip replacement on his remaining back leg. He has absolutely no idea that he has only three legs!
UPDATE: Murphy lived his life to the fullest, right up until an aggressive bone lesion took him across the Rainbow Bridge on April 9, 2015 and he gained his membership in the April Angels. Run free, my love. You deserve it!
murphsmom said
HELP!!
Firefox does not play nice with Photobucket, but Safari works for us. Let's try this...
So much for embedding Botophucket videos! 
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Oh my! I ws jsut writing down everythig K was "seeing" when I clicked on and write you! Great minds........? Well, one great mind anyway!
When K click on"turbomurphy it'll take me to to a blue box that says four uploads....and jnderneathmit says turbo hasn't uploaded any content
I tapmit anyway......I've learned to just keep tapping aything that's tappable and sometimes I'll get a result.....sometimes!
Anyway....just said same thing avout no contentuploaded
Anything lf value in mh gobby gook to nelp?
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!
Sally, I know you must be frustrated trying to get the videos to work, but I must say that your keyboard has created quite possibly the funniest thing I've seen in a week or so! I hope you can get it figured out, but I hope you never trade in your tablet!
Shari
From abandoned puppy to Tripawd Warrior Dude, Dakota became one of the 2011 February Furballs due to STS. Our incredibly sweet friend lived with grace and dignity till he impulsively raced over the Bridge on 12-15-12.
Dakota's thoughtful and erudite blog is at http://shari.tr.....pawds.com/
Oh Shari! Yeah I'm laughing MAO too now! !!! I'm gld I can give everyone a god laugh but I don't think anyone could be laughing hardee than me right now!!! That's some funny stuff!! Honest! I'm not drunk or on drgs!! I jst take vitamins and swwets are my vice!
However, I think after reading my typi g I WILL start drugs and booze!! Maybe it'll nelp!! Any suggestions? Preference? Or should I ust do voth and skip the vitamins!
And ow to add to my frustration.... went back and tapped my own li ks I "embedded" above ad can't get in to see my own embedds! Gonna go smoke a little K9 Immunity
now!
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!
Happy Hannah really panicked when she heard all this weight loss talke and came up with her own solution! http://s1351.ph.....3&o=0
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!
Not such a good morning... but now I am laughing so hard there are tears!
Anything lf value in mh gobby gook to nelp?
Hey, Sally... I just had that two black lines thing happen to me, too, when I tried to look at a video. It said no uploads, but when I clicked on view entire website, there was everything. Now I can look at any of the videos on the site. Not sure if this will help you or not.
Kathi
Murphy is a five year old Lab/Chessie cross. He was hit by a car on 10/29/12 and became a Tripawd on 11/24/12. On 2/5/13, he had a total hip replacement on his remaining back leg. He has absolutely no idea that he has only three legs!
UPDATE: Murphy lived his life to the fullest, right up until an aggressive bone lesion took him across the Rainbow Bridge on April 9, 2015 and he gained his membership in the April Angels. Run free, my love. You deserve it!
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