Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Greetings to this wonderful community. I have been following the postings for many weeks now, but this is my first posting and I'm hopeful for some advice.
Rico is a nearly 7-year-old German Shepherd who prior to amputation due to OST on 6/30/20, was an extremely active dog: hiking and walking for miles daily, chasing balls, jumping into rivers, roughhousing with others constantly. I will always regret not taking him into the vet sooner after he first started limping, because it never seemed serious and he always "shook it off" and carried on as his usual inexhaustible self. What a shock diagnosis this was. However, here we are, and I find comfort in behind surrounded by so many others that unfortunately are in similar situations. Luckily, we are in the ELIAS clinical immunotherapy trial and we are trying to do the best we can for him.
My question is about physical activity, diet and sleep. It has been a big transition for Rico going from super activity to now hopping around. He was still using all four legs equally at the time of amputation (right front) so our progress on three legs has been slower than usual. We are keeping his activity capped at about 15 minutes or so at a time, perhaps 3-4x a day. He doesn't know his limits now and will sometimes work himself too hard, which must be confusing to him and painful on his joints. That being said, he is not getting a great workout overall, and when not moving around is extremely restless, anxious, and sleeps poorly. The worst thing is the poor sleep - he gets up all the time at night now and can't go back to sleep. This has never been a problem before.
Another thing Rico has begun doing is eating grass - a lot of it. He doesn't spit it back out either. We have added more vegetables to his meals (kale, broccoli, and carrots) to increase the fiber but he is a really picky eater and if there is too much he won't eat it at all.
Grateful for any thoughts and ideas from the group. - Sam
Hello and welcome, your future posts will not have to wait for approval.
I'm sorry cancer and amputation have brought you here although I'm glad you decided to post!
Have you thought about taking Rico to a rehab vet? The could help design an exercise program that you can follow at home which would help burn some energy. And we have a program here that might reimburse you for your first visit if you see a certified practitioner.
I have a little rear amp Tripawd (due to car accident) and we spend some time every day practicing obedience or tricks, playing food puzzles or games, or doing balance and strength exercises. These activities challenge her mind and burn up some of her energy. I find Nose Work or Scent games to be really beneficial. I got Elly when she was 10 months old, healed from her amp but full of puppy energy, she is 5.5 years old now. I try to make everything we do fun for her so she is always engaged and eager to play. Her first year with me she got her breakfast in a food dispensing toy. Just be sure you account for the extra calories from treats!
Another idea is to get a stroller or wagon for Rico. That way he could spend more time outside on the trail but allow for rest periods, and it's great exercise for us two leggers!
As far as grass eating- assuming there is no diet issues it could be a sign of boredom or stress. Elly eats grass occasionally but pretty much only when she is worried about other dogs or people she can see at the park, she never eats grass at home. I should add that Elly has some fear and anxiety issues so I was able to correlate the grazing times with what is happening around us.
Here is a video I put together of just some of the games and puzzles I do with Elly. You might need to modify a bit for a front legger but maybe you will get some ideas.
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
Rico sounds like an incredible athlete and, obviously a well loved athlete.♥️
Ditto Karen's always sound feedback.
Many of us didn't immediately jump to a "proper" diagnosis at first. A limp would come off and on; a Vet would treat as a tweak, or as arthritis; Rimadyl would appear to make "it" better, etc. Often it's many months before the real cause is uncovered.
As far as the sleep issues, it may be a sign that he has some pain and is restless and uncomfortable as a result. Check with your Vet and see if maybe a dose of Gabapentin before bedtime could help. Some dogs stay on a low dose pain med for quite awhile. If he is overdoing it sometimes, he probably will be sore and have tightness in his muscles. Try a lot of good massage before bedtime....up and down his spine, his neck and shoulders, etc.
Another thought, on his walks ,aybe take some treats and hide them. Sogs love sniffing out surprises. Actuall sniff around is a very imp part of the walk for dogs....not how far or how fast they go.
Keep is posted, okay?
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!
Hi Sam and Rico, welcome. I'm really sorry you found yourself here, but so glad you chimed in. It's clear how much you care about Rico and pay close attention to his needs. At a time like this, knowing what he wants and needs is so tricky. It's all new territory but you have it in you to manage things well and help him live a great life on three.
The insight that Karen and Sally have given you is spot-on. The restlessness could be pain signs that he's only now showing as his body adjusts. A rehab therapist is the best person to help determine what exactly might be going on. For new Tripawds, it's usually a matter of the body getting used to moving in new ways and compensating for the missing limb. A therapist can show you techniques to help him develop good movement habits that minimize the impact. I do hope you'll take advantage of our rehab reimbursement program.
As for the diet, boy that could be anything! Our Wyatt Ray goes through phases of grass eating. Our vet said "Well, he's probably just hungry!" because we keep him lean to help his mobility. His advice was to do exactly what you did: add fiber rich veggies to his regular meals. It's definitely helped.
P.S. when you wrote "OST" did you mean osteosarcoma? I've never heard it referred to as that, but have seen it shortened to OSA before.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I also have a front leg amputee due to Osteosarcoma, 10 weeks post op. He now seems to be having issues with his hind legs and more weakness, so yes anyone with exercises other than walking would be helpful! Thanks
Hi and welcome NCgirl.
Please consider starting a new thread so you can tell us about your Tripawd and so we can help with his individual needs. Also please consider registering as a member- it's free and in addition to being able to access all the resources on this site your posts (after the first one) won't have to wait for approval.
As far as exercises for your boy- have you had him evaluated by a rehab vet? That is usually the best place to start especially if he is showing weakness. Core strength is critical for Tripawds so I focus on that with my little rear amp Tri.
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
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