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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I didn't realize he didn't have a fentanyl patch.
In my humble, non vet, opinion tramadol is not enough after a knee surgery. While not as invasive as a TPLO surgery they still have to drill holes in the bones- and as we know here bone pain can be really bad!
Obie's pain was well controlled for the most part but he did have a fentanly patch. He was on tram for a few weeks- but he had additional bone cutting due to his knee cap problems.
Thanks for the kind words about Maggie- you made me smile! But I wouldn't expect anything else from you- with you hands full of loopy Tripawd you are still here helping others! Remember to take time for yourself and get some rest!
Karen
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Sally, here's an icing trick I learned from a physiotherapist - she'd ice one of my joints and at the same time put a heat pack on my belly. I didn't notice the ice but enjoyed the heat. I did the same with Mona after her amputation and she seemed to enjoy it - cold cloth on her amputation site and warm cloth at the base of her tail. But then she loves all kinds of attention.
Hugs to you and Frankie,
Kerren and Tripawd Kitty Mona
Hi Sally & Frankie ... & well, everyone!
Sweet Sally - as much as I *hated* the fentanyl patch Izzy came home with (it made her restless and whiny, which made me think she was hurting non-stop), I'm with Pam ... can't believe Frankie came home on just Tramadol. Izzy wanted NOTHING to do with standing on her leg after surgery. She had a similiar (same?) procedure and since she'd gotten used to running on two legs (at 13 years old, mind you), she just kept on with that for a bit. Because I am me, I was panicked about her pain level and gave her Tramadol (w the vet office's blessing) while she had the patch on ... it made for a scary night. My old girl was saved by her appetite that night, I believe!
I'm sorry that I haven't been around a lot. I would have warned you more sternly to be prepared for a totally different (harder) recovery than amputation. The good news is, he WILL keep getting better and before long he'll be good as new. I was looking at video of Izzy in the months following her knee repair and realized that she really did hang tough. She never really got back to full steam, but she also had another cancer to deal with and I'd forgotten how well she did once she made it over the initial hump after the knee surgery. Given Frankie's youth and exuberance, he'll do great. (Just getting over the hump really stinks)
Izzy was greatly helped by icing her leg. I don't quite remember the "rules" but I bet I could find them in her discharge summary. She bruised up pretty severely - not a huge surprise for such a pale pooch - but once I got her on the ice/warm routine, things improved more quickly.
I know it's a struggle to help him around and I wish I could be there to help. I was lucky enough to have Izzy's poppa come stay for the first few days - I could always carry her (except that time I fell down the stairs with her in my arms), but couldn't bear to do it if she yelped. You, my sweet friend, are amazingly dedicated and strong ... but we are all here for you if you need a shoulder to cry on.
Sending you love,
Amy & the prettiest pink-winged angel hog in heaven, Izzy 
Momma to the world's most beautiful American Bulldog, Izzy!! Lost her front leg to OSA 9/18/15. Diagnosed w MCT in June 2016. Celebrated her 1 year ampuversary with knee surgery on 9/18/16! MCT recurrence in Dec 2016. Happy & hungry til nearly 14, earning her wings on 7/31/17.
Sassy came home with 2 fentanyl patches for 138 pound Rottie for her amputation and then added a tramadol the 2nd day because she was whining. (that made her rest easy). Like I said when we were talking it's like a human if you get behind that curve on pain then it's heck to get it down again. You are doing a great job Sally
xoxoxo
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."
Just checking in, and I am DELIGHTED to learn that Frankie sat up on his own. This is a major, major victory, and it shows that he is on the road to recovery, and getting back to his crazy, cool dawg self. Each day you will notice further victories, further steps on the road.
But if this trio of a 70 lb three legged COOL DAWG, a decrepit old bat for his hooman, and a very needy and jealous 130 lb Merry Myrtle can master thisrecoveryw, ANYONE can!
This made me laugh. I love your humour and your spirit. This is a great strength to have in difficult times. Merry Myrtle and Elsie are two peas in a pod, except that the peas are unevenly sized. In fact Merry Myrtle is more of a pumpkin to Elsie Pie's little pea (a very elegant pumpkin), and presents a rather more substantial obstacle when she positions herself between you and your patient. I LOVE that she snaffled the Tramadol. Made me hoot.
Just to add my experience on painkillers. After Meg's elbow replacement, she came home with a Fentanyl patch, Metacam and an antibiotic. She was also in hospital for five days, so I didn't see her at this stage of recovery. When she did come home, she did not appear to be in any pain.
Sending love,
Meg, Clare and Elsie Pie xxx
PS I just checked through Meg's records (which, as you know...) and this was her pain control in hospital too. They report that she "refused to walk at all" and was "aggressive when handled". That's my girl
Ruby, Staffy, born June 2022, became a Tripawd, November 2023, adopted January 2024.
Also Angel Tripawd Meg (aka The Megastar), who died in April 2023, aged 14, after seven glorious years on three, and Angel Staffies Elsie Pie and Bille. In the pawprints of giants...
KAREN, KERREN, AMY, CLARE, MICHELLE! As I always tell people here, theres no better place for understanding, support and INVALUABLE FIRST HAND INFORMATION from those who have been through it!! To hear about HANDSOME PUG PAL OBIE, UNSTOPPABLE BLOOMERLESS MEG, PRETTY LITTLE PEA ELSIE PIE, PRETTY IN PINK IZZY WITH MORE ANGEL NAMES THAN THERE ARE ANGELS, IRREPRESSIBLE QUEEN KITTY MONA and MICHELLE'S ROTTIE BUDDY DOC, and of course, DR PAM'S GRACIOUSNESS TO SHARE ATHENA'S EXPERIENCE........INVALUABLE!!!!
AMY, I DID go back and look at some of PRETTY IN PINK IZZY'S ppsts and it was extremely helpful! ''That gal is STILL reaching out and touching lives!!! And I remember you "chin episode" all too well! .ost of all, I remember her INCREDIBLE SPUNK and the TRULY UNBREAKABLE BOND YOU TWO SHARE! She will show the world what SENIOR TRIPAWDS can do for an eternity! 🙂 🙂 It was such an honor to meet her in person.....And her hooman too!! 🙂
Kerren, great input on how you iced Mona by warming her belly.
I was just TRYING to sneak in a bit of icing with Frankie while he's semi- sleeping. Cannot believe how obnoxious he is about this! Too tired to push it right now. Set the frozen bag of corn down at least BY his leg for my own potty break. Pumpkin Merry Myrtle had the bag on her ved proudly tearing it to shreds 🙂 She had the audacity ro ask me to go get her some vutter for her corn!That dog and food! 🙂
OKAY, WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY, I HAVE ANOTHER VICTORY TO REPORT!! 4:00 a.m. I hear Frankie moving aaroun and whining a bit. I had the audacity to try and sleep on HIS couch and not on the floor next to him tonight. Before I had time to get up....HERE'S FRANKIE, RIGHT NEXT TO ME, TRYING TO GET UP ON THE SOFA!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂 OMD!!
That means he GOT UP from laying down on his own without any excessive yelling!!! He was hell-bent on getting up on that sofa and pushed his chest and thst magnificent front leg up in it and waited for me to haul his butt up there!!!
So he's in the sofa, and I'm on the floor sleeping with Merry Myrtle and rolling around on a few remaining corn kernels! 🙂
Making progress on getting his pain managed too!'' He is NOW on GABAPENTIN, Tramadol, Rimadyl and an antibiotic. The combo with the Gaba (he's only had the Gaba a day and a half now) has made a big difference in his comfort level as far as not crying quite as much with every movement!! YAY!! 🙂
OKAY FRANKIE, WE'RE GONNA GET THAT DANG PAW ON THE GROUND IF I HAVE TO TIE AN BLOCK OF CEMENT TO IT! YA' HEAR ME COOL DAWG!!??
Alrighty, that's where we are in the wee hours of the morning in Virginia! 🙂
WITH LOVE AND NEVER ENDING APPRECIATION
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
PS JACKIE!!! YOUR INPUT WITH ALL YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH CRUCIATE SURGERY HAS BEEN EXTREMELY REASSURING TOO!! THANK YOU FOR THAT!! 🙂
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 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!
Pull up the Big Barker Sally
Really glad to hear things have improved and thats huge Frankie insisted on being on the sofa and got up on his 2 with less yelling.
Determination & another victory YAAAAAAAY 
will take the VICTORIES!
Relieved to hear the Gaba is helping less yelling - less pain!
Things are turning around and will be glad to read the yelling/crying has stopped! I’m not as anxious for him to use the leg now that I see its normal that will come & as we have seen several times they amazing can get around on 2! Frankie will be back on 3 soon.
Get some REST when Frankie is resting and hopefully Myrtle will clean up the corn for you when it thaws!
Oh Sweet Frankie hang in there buddy your on the sofa things will get better soon!
Myrtle take care of Mom & Frankie please
Much love and pawsitive healing thoughts continue to come your way!
❤️
Oh that looks like SUCCESS!! I am relieved for you/with you. You are going to need to rest too! Now that he has found his comfy spot maybe mama can get some shut eye. 
((((Big hugs)))) Things are starting to turn in the right direction.
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry 
Good morning Sally!
wonderful news to wake up to over here in the West! Merry Myrtle is definitely keeping you busy! She thought that it was leftovers!!
Frankieeeee! You gooood boy you! How lovely that your showing your Mum that you are getting stronger everyday! So glad the drugs are helping you buddy!
Hoping for more huge successes Sally! You’re doing great! Hehehehe, a little extra work has been created for you, but I’m sure Myrtle will look forward to helping you out! Love to you!
Tina! I am soooo sorry.... I blundered when I was trying to say something thoughtful to you in my previous post... can I just say that Manni is still shining all around you and he doesn’t have to be a mega star. He’s a star in his own right and his spirit is obviously strong with us all right now! I’m a little off my rocker right now so I am seriously sorry for the mix up of two beautiful pups!
Clare and Meg, I also apologize to you too... Meg, you are the Meg-a-Star! I wonder if Manni popped in to say hello to you too?!
hugs to you all!
From Plodding Petra!
Remember...“live in the moment!“
I know I'm kinda grasping at straws looking for VICTORIES, but I think I found one. See the picture how he's holding "that"'leg a little straighter while laying down? VICTORY!! 🙂 🙂 YAY!! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Day four (not counting surgery day): Not avle to get up on his own. Can only scoot himself into a sitting position (and that's good) and holds his leg up so it's not a very good position for trying to stand.
Not using that leg at all. It's still early though.
Little bit of a scare this morning. I HAVE to have his help hauling him from a "sitting"' position to a stancing (still only TWO LEGS). He couldw seem to get himself in a sitting position so I had to strat from the laying down. He REALLY needed to go out and was getting wuite anxious, but it was hurting badly him as I was trying to get him up. I NEED HIS TWO LEGS TO BE STRONG and that's a lot to ask right now! I had auch fear his rear leg wasn't going to be avle to help. I even hate writing thst sentence dow !
GOT THE FRANKIE BOY UP AND HE WENT OUTSIDE AND DID HIS PEE BUSINESS ON TWO!! It is true MAGIC how he does that!
It's hard on him though, really, really, really hard. It EXHAUSTS him. His sparkle and his joy are a bit off temporarily and that breaks my heart.
He didn't want yummy food this morning and that concerned me a little. And I don't even know if he's pooped yet!! He heads under and vehind bushes and stuff and I can't run fast enough (or at all) to see what he's doing! I now he wontw lay down and go, so I need to get a handle on the poop situation and make sure it's happening.
As hard as it is to velieve, he does better without my trying to hold the harness. He needs his speed (and boy is he speedy) and he goes too fast for me to help him...I'm more of a hindrance at that point. The routine is I get him up, hold I to the harness to get him out the door, help him turn in the direction of the ramp, help him for a few feet, then he uses his momentum to speed walk on two!
pain management seems okay, except when he does any motion with that leg. But that means it's not hurting him too much when resting, so that's good.
OKAY FRANKIE!!! LET'S GET THAT PAW ON THE GROUND!!!!
Oh....I thiught a Vet Tech could come help with some GENTLE range of motion, but auite frankly I think she is a little fearful and that didn't help my confidence level at all!! 'p. But I'm gpi g with what Dr Pam said and not to worry about that too much right now until he starts showing. some flexibility. And hearing Meg and Izzy and Obie took awhile to walk on that leg is reassuring. And heari g about our beloved Tina's Portugal dawgs was helpful too.
MY GRATITUDE TO EACH OF YOU CAN NEVER, EVER BE ADEQUATELY EXPRESSED. Juat know you each mean the world to me!
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!
HOLLY! So glad you mentioned the Big Barker Bed ! My head has really gotten loopy with everything! Yes, I hauled it downstairs last night and Frankie IMMEDIATELY tried to scoot over to it!!! I added a bit of harness help and he IMMEDIATELY was more comfortable and secure because it is so stable!
And it's big enough for his Nurse Myrtle 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!
Awww, he's looking more comfortable thank goodness! I think it was a good week before Mitchell started using his leg after his surgery. He favored it for quite a while. And as his leg started to feel better he carried out lower and little by little started bearing weight, and then more weight. It was a process. I was shocked when you said he hopped up on to the couch! How are you doing? Getting any rest? Thoughts are with you all!
❤❤
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry
I guess because Frankie just has two, it keeps me in a very IMPATIENT state of mind!!
It's reassuring ro hear avput Mitchell though. So I just need to remember he's I guess recovering sommewhat "normally" and just because he only has two good legs, Mr Recovery doesn't care! 🙂
NOOOOOOO....HE DID NOT HOP UP ON THE COUCH!!! I WISH!!! He's such a determined "Do-it Frankie's -My-Way-Guy and he wants sooooo badly to have his routine back...which includes getting on the couch! So with the helpmof his harness and his gritty determination, I got him up on the coudh. He YELLED, but then he wagged once he settled in for a seco d. He was so proud!
Nope, very little rest, but that goes with the territory. He still whines quite frequently through the night when he needs to change position and I help him settle down. It may be a little It of pain k. Those circumstances, but mostly it's his frustrw for not being able to turn over. The poor dog can't even turn most of the time.
Love to you and all the pack.
PS....quick question for anyone with similar issue. During this time I have NOT been able to do range of motion and VERY,BERYVERY LITTLE ICE. Were you all avle ro do range of motion during this time?? I almost feel like the leg is going to scar over snd freeze in this position!
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 was getting a little nervous with no update you know how we are!🙄
I’m glad I had something useful for you we haven’t had a dog for 8 years now.
Have you tried some warm chicken, or burgers anything at this point to stimulate his senses? Liver which I hate the smell of but the dogs always loved it. Any of his favorite foods ? Or your favorite ice-cream? Interested in any of those things ?
Have you tried warm compresses yet? I know they iced Purrkins for 3 days in the hospital so I didn’t do that but I did have instructions for the warm compresses for 3-5 days.
2 -3 times a day and Purrkins loved those! What we were instructed to do was to heat a moistened washcloth in the microwave for 20-40 secs or so test it of course. If you don’t have a micro you have a teapot warm the water and put on the wash cloth. Place in a sealed ziplock bag and apply to the incision for 10 minutes at a time. That shouldn’t be too heavy on Frankies leg and he might enjoy the heat? I would try the heat at this point I only suggest it and feel comfortable suggesting because that was our instructions.
Frankie is his own warrior and thank dawg not a cancer warrior but a warrior none the less. He is up that is amazing and if he does better on his own, what choice do you have? I don’t see one, does it help if he has a really long lead or that might still screw him up? I’m sorry I have asked more questions then given any answers.
I hate he is still uncomfortable ! Anyway to increase the Gaba? All with permission of course 😉
I would hold onto what everyone else has said it sounds pretty normal that he is not using the leg it just makes it worse when we only have 3 and on 2 but he is doing it!!
We are thinking of you and will continue sending pawsitive healing thoughts and love your way!! Rest when Frankie does please try !
XOXOXO
❤️
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