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
Hello. My Asta (Airedale - 68 pounds) had her left hind leg amputated on January 2 due to a catastrophic shattering of her ankle. She is doing well - stitches out and seemingly having very little trouble with her stump. She does have an infection that she is taking antibiotics for. What has me concerned is I am noticing a weakness in her good leg. At first, she had no trouble - was able to walk, run (had to put her on a leash to keep her quiet), toilet, etc. But now she is having difficulty getting up and the leg is giving out frequently once she does get up. I don't know if it is pain causing this but she is getting Novox tid with Tramadol prn. I'm just wondering if this is a common phenomena in new amputees.
Hi Asta and Jake, welcome. I'm so sorry about the accident, poor pup. Sounds like her healing went really well though, that's awesome.
Her amputation wasn't that long ago, and it does take time for the body to build up strength. Tripawds are using their bodies in all new ways, and those muscles need time to adapt and adjust. Many dogs start off rearin' to go and then have mobility issues, soreness mainly, once a few weeks have gone by. It's often because they appear to adapt soooo well that we forget they need time and should take it slower. It's happened to all of us at one time or another so don't feel badly.
Resolving the issue is usually just a matter of letting your vet know (who will likely prescribe R&R), going at a slower pace to allow for the adjustment and working on core-muscle strengthening activities. A consult with a certified rehab therapist is also a great idea and so beneficial. The Tripawds Foundation will even pay for that first visit! That's how important we think it is for Tripawds to do 🙂
Also keep in mind it's not so much about strengthening the remaining leg as it is about building up strong core muscles. Our Tripawds Gear blog and our e-book, Loving Life On Three Legs , have many tips about how to do this. Be sure to check 'em out!
Let us know what your vet says and how she's doing OK?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Yeah, ditto Jerry! Sounds like she did a little too much too fast! Vets say, in general, it takes abput thirty days to adjust to mobility, miscle adjustments, etc. That thirty day period is often when dogs jave done too much too fast and show symptoms like your Asta.
Yes, have your Vet check her out to .ake sure nothing else is going on. Most likely she has overdone it and will need anti inflammatory, some pain meds and nothing but getting up to potty. No jumping, no stairs, no long walks.
Also, .maybe she'll let you use a towel sling to help her get up. Also, try some gentle massage up and down her spine, her neck and shoulders, etc before getting up. Does she show any tenderness or tension when you massage her?
Let us know how she's doing when you can, okay?
Hugs to all!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
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!
My Tri-pug Maggie was also a rear amp. It seemed to take quite awhile for her to get her strength back. I do remember that it took her about 6 months to get back to half the walking distance she could do before surgery. I didn't know anything about rehab back then so that slowed her down somewhat.
My current Tripawd Elly was hit by a car when she was 7 months old and lost her right rear leg. I adopted her at 10 months old, she was about 2.5 months post amp. Because she was in a rescue setting she didn't get rehab either and was not that strong when I got her. We work every day on strength and balance through food puzzles, games and obedience training. She is two years old now and very strong but there are times when I can tell her back leg gets tired. She will occasionally sit down while we are working on exercises and I know we need to take a break or focus on something else.
Asta is still early in her recovery still and will continue to gain strength and endurance.
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
I went through the same thing with Novak. At first he was doing so good and as time pass he seem to have more difficulties with his good leg, like it was not strong enough. I thought it would be the opposite. I started physio with him and he seem to improve. So my new regiment is physio and less "hard" activities. Hoping that with time he will get stronger and stronger! It can be the same with Asta.
Thank you all so much for your input. She has seen the vet multiple times and they think she is just still adjusting. It is so hard to keep an Airedale quiet. They rarely walk - even if they are just moving from one place to another in the living room! I have caught her upstairs at least three times - I take my eyes off her for two seconds and she's off. She always falls when she does that. One would think she would become wary of the stairs. I wish. For now, I am keeping her as quiet as I can to give her some R&R. She gets to go outside but if I see her winding up, I grab the leash. She absolutely abhors the sling and refuses to move if I put in on her - even if it is just around her and not even touching her. Your kind responses have made me feel orders of magnitude better! Thank you all so much 
1 Guest(s)
