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.
Join The Tripawds Community
Learn how to help three legged dogs and cats in the forums below. Browse and search as a guest or register for free and get full member benefits:
Instant post approval.
Private messages to members.
Subscribe to favorite topics.
Live Chat and much more!
Register
Log In
Members
Add Topic
Offline
Hi, everyone! I know I haven't posted in a LONG time, but I was without a computer and it's hard to navigate through here on my tiny phone...
Anyway, Brady is over 23 months post amp and met free! Yay!
My question for now is he has slipped a disc in his back and is having a hard time walking. He's been evaluated and was on prednisone for a couple days until his poop turned black, so we dealt with that. His gut is back to normal but he has been put back on anything other than tramadol.
Has anyone dealt with back issues? He's a front leg amputee....please help 🙁 he's been on crate rest and I've even built a ramp for him to go out to go potty.
Thank you!!!
I would suggest a trip to a certified rehab specialist. The difference it made when Murphy had back problems was nothing short of amazing. He would have laser treatments and acupuncture periodically following his initial series of rehab sessions.
Kathi and the Turbotail April Angel...and the Labradork
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!
Rock and Roll, Brady, you are kickin' cancer's butt!
OK, about the disc issue....I'm sorry to hear about it and the pred side effects. Mobility issues for front leggers are especially challenging for general practice vets and Kathi's advice is spot on...time for a visit to a rehab vet. Unless your current vet has a plan for this issue that is making a difference (prednisone is only a temporary band-aid, it will not fix it), I would get a referral asap. Sounds like he's in pain. Check out this directory of rehab vets and see if there's one near you. If not let us know and we can try to find one.
Also, Tripawds Foundation is reimbursing members for their first vet rehab visit so, bonus! Check out our blog post about the program and let us know if you have any questions.
Hugs to you and Brady, it's good to hear from you and I hope we can help get him feeling good and moving around again asap. Got any recent pics?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thanks for the responses, everyone!
Brady did have a chiropractic adjustment yesterday afternoon (I did find one close by!) and he was a totally new dog when we left. He seemed pretty good this morning too....when I got home, he seems stiff and depressed again. 🙁
We have another appointment Monday so I'm hoping that will help again. I just feel like the primary vet, the chiropractor and his specialty clinic seem rather "Ho Hum" about this, while I'm freaking out. They all seem optimistic about his recovery, but I'm the one who knows him best and I see him not being himself.
I did look into the reimbursement program, but Dr. Holter isn't listed. What else can I do for my boy? I HATE seeing him like this. His Xrays showed the L2 was the problem but it didn't appear to be anything major. Maybe being in the crate all day while I'm at work is making him stiff and sore? He has been crated since he was a pup.....help?
I'm sorry that he's stiff again, it's too bad that it didn't do the trick. You're right, you do know him best and you are on the ball by looking into your options.
I know you're doing all you can to find someone to help, that's awesome. But is the chiropractor a vet with a CCRT or CCRP -certification? If not I would not hesitate to go find one who is. These vet CCRT practitioners really know their stuff and have tons of training behind them, whereas someone who just does chiro can get the cert in just a couple of months before practicing and may not be as knowledgeable (not saying yours isn't so please don't take that the wrong way). In most states you have to be a vet to do chiro, but you don't have to have the physio training behind you the way CCRTs and CCRPs do. So if Brady were my dog I would want one who has that kind of background to diagnose something like a disc issue. I can help you find one if you let us know the general area where you live (if you want to PM it to me feel free, sorry I think I had your address at one point but I'm spacing...)
You might be onto something with him being left crated all day. Is there any way he could be in an x-pen instead? That would give him more roam to move around without getting full run of the house. I know when I sit in one spot all day I get sore too.
Stay optimistic. I know it's hard but you're doing your best. He's not the first Tripawd to ever have a situation like this. Others have overcome it and he can too! 🙂
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I'm not entirely sure if Dr. Holter is CCRT or CCRP or not. I'm trying to find out. The practice website has him listed at DVM. Maybe you can make sense of it
http://www.dodg.....llevet.com
He is very good, but you may be right. I think I might need one who's totally chiro - rather than, internal medicine, surgery, chiropractic, etc etc.
I tossed Brady his ball and it just bonked him in the face 🙁 Normally he would have caught it. He's lying on the couch right now...I did hold the ball by his face and he playfully grabbed it like he normally would have. I just got back from walmart from buying an air matress because I've actually been sleeping on the hardwood floor in the living room outside of his crate.
I live in Platteville, WI so we're pretty rural....but it's only 20 minutes from Dubuque, Iowa and East Dubuque, IL....I'm going to do some searching to see what I can find. His Oncologist is in Madison - 70 miles from my door to theirs.
I'm so incredibly exhausted. Thank you for your replies....Brady wears his "Protect This Dog" tag every day 🙂
Awww Brady. I know you will get through this. You are protected with Tripawd Love!
As I mentioned in the chat, Dr. Holter and his clinic is fabulous, AAHA-accredited and lots of great vets. But I would definitely seek a second opinion through UW Madison.
Let us know what you decide OK? Thinking of you and sending our love.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
1 Guest(s)
