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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Hello everyone in the Tripawd Community!
What a wonderful website, I'm so happy I came upon this. We have a 6 month old mixed breed, Minnie, (some Staffordshire Terrier, Border Collie, Lab possibly? anyone's guess). At 2 months, she was a shelter pup, and was playing rough with a very large dog! She ended up dislocating her front left wrist and fracturing her growth plate. She was in a cast for about 4 weeks, and in September things were looking really really good. Unfortunately, she started to limp about a month and a half ago, and while we were at our vet getting her spayed, we had an xray done. Bad news. Amputation was suggested as a first option, but surgeries such as an ulnar ectomy were also brought up.
To make a long story short, we're having her leg amputated on Tuesday.
It makes me so sad everytime I think about it, but we knew what we might be getting into when we took her into our home. I know that she will recover well, since she's young and fiesty, and basically only uses her leg about 60% of the time, but still it's hard to knowingly do this to such a sweet thing.
Anyways, I just wanted to say thank you to everyone out there, I've been reading all sorts of threads, and they're very helpful. I'm glad this exists, it's been nice to read what so many people have to say about the recovery period and life on three legs.
I am looking forward to Minnie being pain-free, but until then I think I'll be a bit of a mess!
Thanks for joining! Is Minnie a low down hoochie koocher? 
We're sorry to hear about her troubles but glad you found us. Don't be sad, as a pup Minnie will grow up never knowing she was supposed to have four legs.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I agree--she's fortunate to still be very young and there's every chance she'll grow up to be a normal girl. The only thing I'd watch is that with her being a puppy she may want to move faster and romp more than advised during recovery so she will need an extra watchful eye to make sure she lets herself heal well.
We want to express how sorry we are to hear of Minnie diagnosis. Minnie may have been dealt a bad hand with her "romp" at the shelter, but she seem to have found a loving home with a family who will give her great care. You will find in the community at TriPawds.Com a group of wonderful individuals who will share all their experience and provide enormous support. I am sure that Minnie will amaze you with her ability to adapt and have a very full life.
We normally post a series of suggestions to help deal with recovery. We would suggest Jerry's postings:
What to Expect Part 1: http://tinyurl......tToExpect1
What to Expect Part 2: http://tinyurl......tToExpect2
Also, remain as positive as possible around Minnie. She will pick up on your feelings and if you are down, it will only make it harder.
Paws Crossed and Sending Pawsitive Thought – Especially on Tuesday!
Bob & Cherry
Hi Minnie and Family
Gosh - I did not know that playing rough could result in a fracture. That is some kind of rough! It is really unfortunate for Minnie and you. But, there is every reason to expect that she will do fine and live a long and active life.
We all know what you mean about it being so hard to knowingly take their leg away. We all struggled with that before surgery and sometime after surgery. We know there was no other choice, other than to let the dog live in pain and continue to have other problems. Once she is happy and hearty again, that nagging feeling will disappear.
Susan & Tazzie 2
I am sorry that there is a need to amputate Minnie's leg but she will adjust so fast you will be surprised. Her first week or two could be a little hard but after that she will be a playful and painfree happy puppy. 
Jo Ann and Tasha
Tasha 8 years old, First cancer diagnosis 6/26/09, Last cancer diagnosis 9/26/09, Amputation 10/01/09, Loving our girl moment by moment.
Tasha lost her battle and became my Angel on May 4 2011. Forever in my heart….
Unlike some here, we didn't struggle with the decision to amputate. We knew it was the only way to get rid of Jack's cancer tumor completely (be glad you don't have to deal with cancer along with this!!!) and I somehow knew that he would get along just fine on 3 legs. Now, I'm considering having another leg removed so he'll slow down a little bit (haha! just kidding! kind of...). Minnie will do fine on 3 legs and considering that she will be learning everything for the first time, she's lucky that she didn't have to learn how to do things the 4 legged way first and then re-learn them 3 legged! The hardest part will be the recovery period because she will probably want to wiggle around and be cute, and you will have to make her stay calm. Good luck!!!
<3 Laura and Jackers
Thank you everyone for the encouragement. I know in my heart Minnie will be fine. She is such a resiliant dog! The info on what to expect from Jerry will be very helpful to us. She is a little wiggler, and keeping her quiet will be a bit of a challenge, but I know she'll have her cute little wiggle even if she only has 3 legs!
Love Minnie & Colleen
Let me join with others welcoming you to tripawds.com. What can a three legged dog do? Anything and everything! I think you will be surprised by how well Minnie does, especially since she has not really been using the leg anyway. Good luck with her surgery. The first two weeks can be a challange but ultimately I think Minnie will surprise you. Let us know how the surgery goes. You and Minnie are in my prayers.
Debra & Angel Emily
Debra & Emily, a five year old doberman mix, who was diagnosed with an osteosaecoma. She had a right rear leg amputation on May 19, 2009. On November 10, 2009 she earned her wings and regained her fourth leg.
Welcome Minnie! Sorry to hear that you are having to lose that leg at such a young age, but our Chuy was 4 months old when he lost his due to an accident. There's no slowing them down once they get used to doing that Tripawd hop! Chuy dances circles around our other dogs.
Minnie will do great, it's just a matter of recovery and her learning to balance herself. Then look out world!
Chuy, showing everyone that Tripawds do everything 3 times better than regular dogs!
I hope Minnie is doing well! Bless you!
I've had Comet since she was 4 months (crippled deformed front leg from birth - we assume). She's now 11 years old. Has it been hard? Yes. But I wouldn't trade anything for the life I have with her. She is my world and I have tailored it around her. She had the disadvantage of being a 'hoarder home' dog to her deformity. So her disability isn't from her leg, it was from her inability to trust humans.
I will offer up this advice and I wished I had done it sooner: Make sure she has no tile or hardwood floors to romp around on - ever!
For the kitchen tile (the largest area of tile), I bought a bunch of rubber backed throw rugs at Walmart that were all the same but different sizes (runners, big and small sizes, too). I have them neatly and symmetrically laid on the floor so it doesn't look so bad (a berber type style that matches the kitchen). I also dotted the corners of each rug with a glue gun. (the glue will come up just fine on tile) That way they stay in place and I don't have to remove them each time I vacuum the floor.
Minnie will do just fine! Oh sure, it's going to break your heart when she falls and skids her nose a few times. But Comet has never let her physical disability stop her from being a dog!
Comet - 1999 to 2011
She departed us unexpectedly January 23, 2011 at the age of 12 1/2.
She was born with a deformed front leg and a tripawd all of her life.
Looks like Minnie is doing great! Thanks for the photo, she makes a great addition to Jerry's Tripawd Pals gallery.
FYI: We created the new and improved Tripawds Blogs to give members an easy way to upload and share photos here.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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