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
Hello everyone! I have been gone a long time but need advice. I have had my sweet tripawd girl Bailey since 2011, she has been a tripawd since then. She is about 13 and a half which is pretty ancient for her size. She got sick a few weeks ago and had a horrible UTI and was on antibiotics not eating. Luckily her appetite is back and we have to retest her urine and make sure that she's okay and the UTI is gone but it seems to be gone - since she was not eating and so lethargic her back remaining leg has been giving out once in a while.
Any suggestions on what to do to help this? I took her for a walk today and you could tell it was a little weak, doesn't seem painful though. I don't want to push her into walks but it's her one enjoyment and exercise but I don't know if I'm doing the right thing. Wobbly is the best term to describe the leg. Any advice would be so appreciated.
Hi Rachel and Bailey, welcome! I'm so glad things are better and she's on the mend from the UTI.
it sounds like Baileys weakness is unrelated to the UTI.
Do the wobbles happen on walks only or all the time?
Is she on any kind of osteoarthritis medications? Has she been seen by a rehab therapist?
Sorry for all the questions, just trying to get a bigger picture.
At her age, it's not unusual for the wobbles but there are exercises and gentle massage and stretching that can be done to help her feel better and stay as strong as possible. If she is otherwise healthy there's no reason why she can't continue to enjoy life as a senior dog. A rehab therapist can evaluate her and show you the best things you can do for her.
No, it also happens just moving around to go outside, etc. She was on dasquin but when she stopped eating for a few days she didn't take it but we are getting back on track with that. This has only been going on about a week so we have not seen anyone yet. I planned on calling her regular vet to see if they have suggestions. Like I said, she is a very old lady so I want to say it is something that was just going to happen, and like I said does not seem like she's in pain just slower than she was.
What kind of osteoarthritis are out there for dogs? I will have to look into that. Thank you
Welcome back! Bailey is quite an inspiration!
My little Pug mix Elly has been on 3 since she was 7 months old, she is now getting close to 9.5 years old. Elly lost her back leg to a car accident.
She was fit and strong and having no mobility issues until a freak accident about 2 years ago, she badly strained the iliopsoas muscle in the remaining back leg. Honestly I though she blew out her knee- she would scoot but not walk for a few days.
We had to wait several weeks to get into a rehab vet but it was definitely worth it. She got laser treatment and they recommended supplements and we got an at home exercise program. She got better but never back to where we were before. We do the sport of Nose Work and last fall she was losing interest in the game so we went back to the rehab vet and they modified her exercise program, added a medication and recommended chiropractic adjustments.
Between the medication and chiropractic adjustments we saw great improvement! Still not back to where we were- we were cautioned by both rehab vets and our primary vet that this injury will most likely be a chronic problem. But she is enjoying Nose Work class again and gets out with us most days for a walk/stroller ride. And she LOVES her exercise routine. I have two dogs again, the newest is a quad Pug mix. We do the exercises together - they take turns!
A supplement you should ask your vet about is Myos, there is a non-prescription version you can get on Amazon. It's a muscle building supplement which has really helped Elly. She also gets dasaquin and fish oil.
The medication she is getting is Adequan, we do the injections at home. We did a loading dose and now are doing monthly shots. I have also used Adequan with my last two Pugs. One had mobility issues due to a brain injury and she had terrible arthritis. I was close to making 'the decision' before we tried Adeqaun, it was part of why we got 2 more years with her. My other Pug boy started Adequan when he was 14 or 15, he lived to be just over 16 years old. Besides the success I've seen using it I like Adequin because it helps support the joints and I can do the injections at home. Elly has anxiety issues and every vet visit is a trial for her.
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls and Boy
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Hmm, yeah I would definitely have her checked out by your vet. Figuring out pain signals on an older dog can be tricky, and "slowing down" is often a sign that a dog is hurting. Your vet can best guide you on what is normal mobility for her and what isn't, and of course how to help her be less wobbly.
By the time many Tripawds are your dog's age, they are on additional mobility treatments to help them get around better. Karen's suggestions are spot-on. Being older doesn't have to be accompanied by pain. Call your vet and let us know what they recommend.
Thanks guys! She does regularly see her vet and I will be making an appointment tomorrow. I may add in fish oil and I will ask about the other supplement Karen mentioned
Bailey also lost her leg to a car accident.
I'm pretty good at knowing Bailey's pain signals but obviously this is not normal behavior and she will be looked at by the vet. She's also due for a follow up on the UTI and tick medication so we will get her in soon!
Thank you for all the suggestions guys and I will keep you posted ❤️
1 Guest(s)
