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.
Join The Tripawds Community
Learn how to help three legged dogs and cats in the forums below. Browse and search as a guest or register for free and get full member benefits:
Instant post approval.
Private messages to members.
Subscribe to favorite topics.
Live Chat and much more!
Register
Log In
Members
Add Topic
Offline
Hope Pegz is better today!
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.
OMGosh Karen, my heart sank when I read your post title...I'm truly hoping that Miss Pegz is on the mend and feeling better! Lots of good information and support's been posted already, but I just wanted to chime in from one Plott mom to another...sending Pegz healing thoughts, and Xena's sending some extra "Plotty Pawsitivity" to a sister Plott Princess!
Hugs to you...keep strong!
Anita, mom to Xena & Roger and my angels, Spammy & Chloe
Don't have any advice, since we never had that situation with Abby, but hope Pegz is feeling better! Hope you get a solution figured out soon.
Jackie, Angel Abby's mom
Abby: Aug 1, 2009 – Jan 10, 2012. Our beautiful rescue pup lived LARGE with osteosarcoma for 15 months – half her way-too-short life. I think our "halflistic" approach (mixing traditional meds + supplements) helped her thrive. (PM me for details. I'm happy to help.) She had lung mets for over a year. They took her from us in the end, but they cannot take her spirit! She will live forever in our hearts. She loved the beach and giving kisses and going to In-N-Out for a Flying Dutchman. Tripawds blog, and a more detailed blog here. Please also check out my novel, What the Dog Ate. Now also in paperback! Purchase it at Amazon via Tripawds and help support Tripawds!
Sending prayers that Miss Pegz will heal super quick and you can find her a solution to her problem with her foot becoming raw. Hope she"s feeling better soon!
FYI, still thinking about you today. I know these paw pad injuries are so painful, so you probably won't see a lot of difference for a few days, but keep us updated!
Lisa
Zeus was a Husky mix diagnosed with Osteosarcoma at age 11. A visible lung met and suspicious spot on his liver meant a poor prognosis-six weeks was our vet's best guess. We decided to fight for our boy and his right front leg was amputated on 12/1/11. We did six rounds of chemo, changed his diet and spoiled him completely rotten. We were blessed with 10 great months after diagnosis. Against the odds, the lung met remained a single met and grew very little over those months. A wonderful furbaby with the most gentle spirit, he fought with a strength that we never imagined he possessed. We have no regrets...
http://zeuspod......pawds.com/
Miss Pegz is much better today...thanks to you all!
I stopped freaking out...she calmed down and got used to her bandage and only has another two days till "freedom". And I got MANY great suggestions for how to deal going forward.
I feel hollow sometimes thinking about what might be ahead. Sorry if I am repeating...but she is an older girl (10 or 11+) and has a seriously damaged back leg from whatever trauma took her front leg. So if an injury takes out the third leg...that doesn't leave a whole lot to work with. What haunts me is how full of life and brave and fun-loving she is...and what would I do if given all that...only one leg worked.
Love the Girlie Hound beyond reason...and worry about it all. 🙁
Hope she is feeling better! That is our worst nightmare with Bailey, that she will injure another leg...so much so that my boyfriend won't even take Bailey to a dog park anymore...so scary :/
Oh good!
I understand your fears. 11 years old was our turning point in having Comet. Up to that point, she was very puppy-like but then her body just couldnt seem to handle the hopping. She had done it all of her life. Plus, she carried herself in such a way, that she looked like she hopped on two legs and used the back third one for balance. I see it now when I look at the videos of her. She also had some neck disc issues at around 10 1/2 that really took its toll. The good news (if you can call it that) – although I worried myself sick about her mobility, she never got immobile before she died. The day she died she had even gotten a bath and was running around like puppy trying to dry off. (she loved being clean and she loved water) But later that night, something ruptured internally (most likely spleen) and she probably had cancer. So, all of the things I was actually worried about – didn't play any part in the end. (that wasn't very cheery was it?!!!!)
I don't want to be repreating this if someone has already written it, but water therapy helped tremendously. If you can find a physical rehab, it's really, really good for strengthening the bad leg. And if not, the weather should be warming up enough that you can buy a cheap Intex pool and do your own at home hydro therapy like we did with Comet. We did take her to therapy for a couple of months, but it was a long drive and the weather was good enough to do it at home. This is a pic of an Intex Pool. It's easy to set up and it cost around $99-129.
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.
Hope the paw heals quickly.
Gandalf has always dragged his claws, and so much so that his nails bled. I tried every type of dog boot known to humankind. I ended up with a working dog cover that was made specially for me. The sheep dogs here apparently wear them if they are going over a lot of rough terrain. They are basically a piece of leather that is laced on. The original had claw holes, but I got them just to make them without the holes. They worked and mainly stayed on. And then he couldn't do walking much...
I agree that the worst thing was finding something that didn't interfere with the dew claw.
I just found this:
http://www.dogb.....gboots.htm
(if anyone is interested in the other leather things, I am happy to follow up and take photos etc....)
Pats to Miss Pegz. She has an excellent pawrent!
cometdog said:
And if not, the weather should be warming up enough that you can buy a cheap Intex pool and do your own at home hydro therapy like we did with Comet.
I have Spirit Daisy's Intex that I will give to you if you want it
Spirit Samson was Spirit Tripawd Daisys four legged "brother" and ruled as the self proclaimed head of the Monkeybutt Federations East Coast Division. Lady Chunky Monkey stayed from Oct 2011 and left for the bridge in Apr 2012. Miss Perdy is left and has some big pawprints to fill.
Do you have what it takes to be a Monkeybutt? Find out more at the Monkeybutt Federation
Good news Pegz, I'm so glad to hear you're better.
I agree, if rehab therapy at a center is out of the question, a little swimming pool in the back yard is a terrific idea.
Thanks for your generosity Samson, that is a really sweet offer.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
You guys are SO amazing...I appreciate all the offers...Lylee girl, Samson.
SO very generous and loving!!
I decided to try both the therapaw and the Pawz boot (ordered today) because I can see a use for both in the coming months. And it is like a complete wardrobe of gear. 🙂 If one doesn't work the other may...and I am sure there are always tripawds who can use whatever we cannot. So I will keep you posted if something doesn't work.
This morning, when I took Pegz outside...I put on the plastic bag (as instructed by Vet) and witnessed two of the worst face plants I have EVER seen. She was so excited to get out on her own that I lost control of her harness and she got ahead of me.
Let me just say...I have been crying all day. Cold plus Icy plus plastic....does NOT work. I ended up putting one of my tennis socks on her and letting her go for it. I decided if I have to change wet bandages 100 times a day for the next few days it is worth it. I never want to see her sweet face in the muddy,crappy, slushy snow...EVER again.
My Warrior Princess RULES! <3
I soooo feel for you right now. I have been absolutely terrified of snow and ice all winter and I am so thankful for a mild winter so far. It is so hard to watch our babies struggle (whether they have three legs or four) but I think the added terror of no longer having a spare makes icy weather pure hell.
Hope tomorrow is better for you guys!
Zeus was a Husky mix diagnosed with Osteosarcoma at age 11. A visible lung met and suspicious spot on his liver meant a poor prognosis-six weeks was our vet's best guess. We decided to fight for our boy and his right front leg was amputated on 12/1/11. We did six rounds of chemo, changed his diet and spoiled him completely rotten. We were blessed with 10 great months after diagnosis. Against the odds, the lung met remained a single met and grew very little over those months. A wonderful furbaby with the most gentle spirit, he fought with a strength that we never imagined he possessed. We have no regrets...
http://zeuspod......pawds.com/
bless your heart!! i remember when gayle took a tumble or two - you feel so helpless and guilty and awful all at the same time...while our tripawd warrior princesses just want to get their faces out of the dirt (and never carry a grudge). hang in there, hope the new shoes help pegz (new shoes really did a great number for cinderella, so we're betting they will help pegz find her footing as well). hugs!
charon & spirit gayle
tap, tap, tap
Life is good, so very, very good!!! Gayle enjoyed each and every moment of each and every wonderful day (naps included). She left this world December 12, 2011 – off on a new adventure.
Love Never Ends
I'm late on this discussion...but THANK YOU for posting it!! I'm glad Pegz is doing better, but my heart goes out. As mamas, I think we all worry so much about doing right by our babies. Now that my boy is through the "worst" of the recovery, I find myself in a constant state of fear about that remaining front leg. I was so happy to read that I'm not the only one! I believe in my heart that our babies KNOW we are trying to do our best for them. Sometimes we won't get it right, but they love us anyway!
Sandy & Porter
1 Guest(s)
