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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Jack had a dirty ear on his amputated side and was DELIGHTED to get assistance for a good clean tonight. We even had him licking my fingers so I could then give a good swish around inside the ear.
Has anyone else found this is part of the care needed long term for a front tri-kitty?
What a neat idea to help him in this way!
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
I love the way kitties are so fastidious about cleaning and bathing! Totally makes sense that this is something front-leg kitties would greatly appreciate. Dogs, maybe not so much. I know Wyatt Ray isn't a fan of ear cleaning no matter what the circumstances.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Other kitty members can chime in, but I would think it needs to be an ongoing process. And yes, BRILLIANT how she licked "your oaw" so "she" could groom herself!
A well.loved kitty indeed!
Hugs!
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!
What a great solution - you and Jack are a great team!
Mona is also a front leg amputee and in the 2 years since her amputation I have not even considered this. When I picked her up from the vet the day after the amputation she was sitting on my lap and used her rear leg to clean her face and ear. I was marveling at how smart she was and the vet said they adapt quickly and find new ways. I'll pay more attention to how she does it now.
I really like your solution and that Jack includes you.
Kerren and Tripawd Kitty Mona
There was a bit of an "ewww" factor as cat ear wax is obviously tasty to the cat which produced it...
My own 4 pawed manager Asbo taught me ears are to be massaged as part of a deep relaxation smooch. When I saw Jack had a twitchy ear I checked for mites and found dust/earwax/pollen and used an ear massage technique that sends Asbo into raptures. This dislodged the build up on the outer ear surface a treat, but it became clear Jack felt it needed to include a good dose of saliva to remove the bits I couldn't see that must have still been itchy.
We are just heading into kitten season so expecting the first fostering call soon... Jack is very much more settled now he isn't sore so may well be able to help in socialising the kitties after Quarantine is up. We will have him with good escape routes so if the kitties get too much he can depart!
Well, interesting enough my own cat with a front leg amputation has an ear infection as we speak, though it is in both ears. It's worse the side where she has a paw though.
This is the first in her two years not counting the ear mites I found her with as a kitten. So I'm not 100% sure it's something to worry about. As Kitten mentioned, I do notice Smore using her back legs to clean and scratch at her ears.
What I notice more, is that the eye on the side where her amputation was gets eye junk in it far more often than her other eye. In fact, she also had some problems with that in April, so I often clean her eyes. I'd definitely recommend giving Jack's eye and ear a good look over every now and then. I also bought one of those self grooming arches so Smore can rub at her face with it. Ok, so I actually bought it in hopes it would help with her shedding, and she decided it's great for rubbing the side of her face she has a harder time reaching. 😉
Tina and Smore
(with the spirit of Pebbles watching from the Rainbow Bridge)
Smore is my tripawd kitty who adopted me one summer evening. She had an injury to her front left leg and had to have her leg removed July 17th. She was only 3 or 4 months old at the time. Now she moves faster than some four legged cats!
Do any of you have photos of your kitties doing grooming / ear cleaning? I'd love to share this info in the news blog at some point.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I don't have any yet, but l see if I can get some photos or video, though she hasn't done it as much with the ear drops. I guess they're working, lol. I'll look through my stash though and see if I have anything else grooming related.
Tina and Smore
(with the spirit of Pebbles watching from the Rainbow Bridge)
Smore is my tripawd kitty who adopted me one summer evening. She had an injury to her front left leg and had to have her leg removed July 17th. She was only 3 or 4 months old at the time. Now she moves faster than some four legged cats!
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