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
Hi Tripawds family,
Today Jersey Girl swam for the first time as a tripawd! Day 24 post surgery. I'm so excited I had to share the video right away. We're in the RV on our way back to Los Angeles from the Denver Broncos game and decided spur-of-the-moment to find an RV park on the California Delta for our last night away from home. Whaaaat??? I thought river deltas were only in the Southeast. Well what do I know? Apparently nothing. This special place is the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta (72 degrees today). Thank dog Papa Bear is a native Californian or we would have missed this fun adventure.
More updates and some learning from the road to come soon.
Claudia and Jersey Girl
Huh, video doesn't seem to be working. Bummer! I'll have to figure out why. Check back later, please.
Yay for you, JG!!! Just wish we had been there at the same time as you were. Wouldn't that have been a sight to see two Tripawds, one yellow, one black, both swimming together? You keep up the great work.
Murphy and Kathi
PS. Mom will now be rooting for the Broncos.
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!
So glad for your Jersey Girl!! Enjoying life to the fullest is the best medicine possible!! 
Bonnie & Polly
YES, it would be wonderful to have our 2 tripawds swimming together!
Thanks for rooting for the Broncos next week! I'm sorry your 49ers didn't make it, I was rooting for them.
Hey, by the way, does Murphy watch TV? Jersey Girl could care less but our 4-legger Hitch gets GLUED to it, especially nature shows with wild animals. Just wondering if other dogs do this or if he's unique.
Claudia
Thanks for the well wishes Bonnie and Polly!
Miss Polly, I've been meaning to tell you - You have such a precious face, I just want to kiss you all over!!!
Murphy will look at the TV briefly, but Gus is the TV watcher in our house. He actually learned how to dock dive by watching the dog shows on TV. Did the leap perfectly the first time off of a floating dock. Murphy, on the other hand, watched Gus jump in and promptly did a face plant into the water. It took a long time before he would jump in from the side of the pool, and then he was no distance jumper.
Kathi and Murphy
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!
Clearly this isn't working. Hmmm. Anyone got a recommendation? I'm hosting the video on photobucket, copying the html link and using digital flash.
Kathi -
That's hilarious! The first few times Hitch jumped into the pool he was awkward too. He sort of put his front paws out like he wanted to dive but then just tumbled in. Jersey Girl, on the other hand, was a pro belly flopper from the beginning. Hahaha.
I'm going to put dog shows on tv and see what Hitch learns. Thanks for the tip!
Claudia
You're in LA, right? Have you been to 4 Paws/2 Hands (or it might be the other way around). they have dog swim nights and also PT for doggy swim w/a treadmill. She might enjoy that. When Shelby gets a bit stronger (she's only day 18) I might consider once a week for her there to strengthen those other legs. She isn't a huge fan of water if it's moving quickly (like the ocean) but she did well in the treadmill.
Also, there is the Long Beach dog beach that lots of dogs can go to and go swimming. Shelby and I used to go all the time (to sit or play) but I've seen lots of 3-legged dogs there having a blast!
Shelby Lynne; Jack Russell/Shiba Inu mix. Proud member of the April Angels of 2014.
October 15, 2000 to April 8, 2014
Our story: Broke rear leg in June 2013 - non-conclusive results for cancer so leg was plated and pinned. Enlarged spleen in September 2013 and had it removed and was diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma and started chemotherapy. Became a Tripawd January 8th, 2014 and definitive Hemangiosarcoma diagnosis. Three major surgeries in 7 months and Shelby took them all like a champ only to lose her battle to cancer in her brain. We had 8 amazing extra months together and no regrets. #shelbystrong #loveofmylife
Here is a photo of (then) two year old Gus learning how to dock jump.
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!
Oh too cute! Great pics!
I'm so hoppy to hear she got to swim! How did she do?
OK I'm so sorry, I was offline all day and just got your email asking about embedding photobucket movies. Unfortunately I don't believe you can do that with a Photobucket movie (or Facebook for that matter), only YouTube and Vimeo. The good news is you can just paste the URL of the video here on a line by itself and a clickable like should appear. Hope this helps.
Oh and the rehab swimming place in L.A. is called Two Hands Four Paws. They're a great bunch.
P.S. Yay for the Broncos! That must have been a blast for you guys!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Okay...I'm gettng weirded ou c.....we-ve got a dog watching tv and learning how to dock jump? R U KIDDIN' ME??????
Quick! Change the channel to "Dancing with the Stars", dress him up in a sequined outfit and sign him up! Yo've got a gold mine right there!!:
(Don't let him watch "Kujo" though!)
Okay Jersey Girl, can't wait to see yojr video!,' I'm beaming with pride already!
Shelby, yoh look lovely in your bathing suit "swimming" along! Sweet Shelby!
A banner will pop up every now and then of RUSTY on a float in a pool. Have no idea hw to f d his video, but he was a tripawd wh SURFED in hs pool.
WAIT! I know so eone who can find it!!! 1800-RENE!!!
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!
Haha you mean this one Sally?
Oh Rusty, how we miss you!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
OH MY GOSH!!!!
Kathi - LOVE IT! That's exactly what Hitch looks like when he watches TV. I'm dying to see if he can learn anything!
Alison - So funny you mention 2 Hands / 4 Paws. I found them about 6 years ago when Jersey Girl was first diagnosed with bilateral elbow dysplasia. At that time the owner (Leslie) was running the business out of her home. I ended up having JG swim somewhere else but I can't remember why because I really liked Leslie. Anyway, I haven't thought about them since but I'll definitely do it now. THANK YOU for the idea! And Shelby looks great on the treadmill!
Sally - You always crack me up, you're so fun and loving! Dancing dogs would indeed be funny. I just can't wait to see what I can get Hitch to learn.
Jerry and Sally - LOVE LOVE LOOOOOOVE the video of Rusty! My dog he's talented!! Jersey Girl was never that good, perhaps because she's quite a bit heavier I don't know. Pretty cool though. Ok getting ready to try and load JG's swimming video again. THANKS for the instructions Jerry!
1 Guest(s)
