Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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My Golden Retriever, Henry, is about 5 weeks post-op and is doing great. He is very much himself again and gets around really well. However, he has trouble getting in and out of my car. I got a ramp (heavy duty plastic, non-slip surface, folds in half) but he refuses to even step onto it. I tried using it in the house and lining it with treats (he went around the ramp and ate the treats). Any suggestions? He weighs about 80 lbs, so it's hard for me to get him in & out of the car without help.
Can it be made to lie flat? If so, try that with treats see if you can start by just getting him to put one paw on it and hand him a treat.
Lisa, Minneapolis
On October 27, 2016, nearly 6 months after amputation, and 18 months since his cancer likely started, we lost Pofi to a recurrence of Soft Tissue Sarcoma in his spine quite suddenly. His canine sister also succumbed to cancer on March 1, 2019 - we lavished her with our love in the interim, but life was never quite the same without her only real canine friend. Cliff kitty had to leave us, too, suddenly, in August 2019. Lucia kitty grieved all these losses, but helped us welcome two new Lurchers into our home and our lives, Shae and Barley.
I tried it flat, with treats. He was pretty quick to go around the side. I will try it again, blocking off the 2 sides so he can't go around. But I think he will still be afraid to use it to get in the car. So maybe there is a better way to get him into the car...steps?
What worked for us was getting my partner in the car and call her enthusiastically and she would just jump in eventually
Could you get some special treats inside and get him to jump in?
Is your car too high for Henry to jump in?
In our case and because she weighs 142 pounds we couldn"t imagine getting her in the car without her total cooperation ...
Also, we have a ruff wear harness and that helps getting her out of the car and she is well aware of it so it builds her confidence.
Sending you a big hug and cuddles to Henry 
Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-)
He wants to get in, but it's a sedan and it's just too high for him to jump up onto the seat. So far, I have gotten in the back seat with treats, and my husband helps him get in, mostly using the harness. I would like to be able to take him in the car by myself, without help, so I imagined he would just love the ramp and just walk right up. Ha! So far, he is having no part of it.
When we taught Murphy to use the ramp, we laid it flat next to a wall and then guided him onto it using his harness. He got to the point where he would go up with no problem at all...as long as he was wearing the harness. We also used the ramp for loading in and out of the travel trailer, as the stairs there are not really Tripawd friendly.
Kathi and the Turbotail April Angel...and the Labradork
Murphy is a five year old Lab/Chessie cross. He was hit by a car on 10/29/12 and became a Tripawd on 11/24/12. On 2/5/13, he had a total hip replacement on his remaining back leg. He has absolutely no idea that he has only three legs!
UPDATE: Murphy lived his life to the fullest, right up until an aggressive bone lesion took him across the Rainbow Bridge on April 9, 2015 and he gained his membership in the April Angels. Run free, my love. You deserve it!
Wow. Great videos. Henry wears a harness all the time and he loves going in the car. I just didn't imagine he would be freaked out by the ramp. I will try it flat, next to a wall, with obstacles on the other side, so he can't go around. He is a serious chow hound so I think I can lure him with some special treats. Or maybe I just need to start working out myself so I can pick up my boy myself!
Walk next to him, holding on to the harness and coaxing him ahead with treats.
Kathi
Murphy is a five year old Lab/Chessie cross. He was hit by a car on 10/29/12 and became a Tripawd on 11/24/12. On 2/5/13, he had a total hip replacement on his remaining back leg. He has absolutely no idea that he has only three legs!
UPDATE: Murphy lived his life to the fullest, right up until an aggressive bone lesion took him across the Rainbow Bridge on April 9, 2015 and he gained his membership in the April Angels. Run free, my love. You deserve it!
I will try that, leaving only enough room for me, so he can't go around. I will also try getting him to jump in and out while I hold onto the harness (instead of having my husband do that job)
So glad Murphy's Dad is helping you with the ramp and getting your boy in and out of the car by yourself you will get there for sure !
Big hug and cuddles to Henry
Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-)
Kathi - those videos are great - very helpful!!
Lisa, Minneapolis
On October 27, 2016, nearly 6 months after amputation, and 18 months since his cancer likely started, we lost Pofi to a recurrence of Soft Tissue Sarcoma in his spine quite suddenly. His canine sister also succumbed to cancer on March 1, 2019 - we lavished her with our love in the interim, but life was never quite the same without her only real canine friend. Cliff kitty had to leave us, too, suddenly, in August 2019. Lucia kitty grieved all these losses, but helped us welcome two new Lurchers into our home and our lives, Shae and Barley.
Awww...dear sweet Murphy. We love you sweet boy.
So glad to hear Henry is doing well. Great news!
I'm sure you've already thought of this, but make sure the front seats are .oved forward as much as possible so he can step up onto the foot/leg area. From there, maybe he can get in the back seat itself with very little assistance. For my Happy Hannah (125 lb rear legger), I used "pallets" that she could step up onto very easily, and then, from there, step very easily into the floor of the backseat.
Henry..keep in getting those treats good boy!''You deserve them! 🙂
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!
It turns out that I didn't need to get him a ramp or stairs. I just needed patience. Henry is now jumping in and out of the car himself. It's pretty incredible how quickly a dog can adapt. His is himself again! Yay for Henry!
Well done Henry, what a clever boy 
Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-)
Aww, Henry is getting the hang of things. As long as your car isn't too high off the ground (is it a sedan?), he should be OK. Rehab vets tell us we really want to avoid jumps from anything higher than a low passenger vehicle though, so watch for signs of stress or injury.
3-paws up Henry!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
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