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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Lola is new to the tripawd world. She was just recently diagnosed with a slow-growing cancer and had a front limb amputation. All of her tests and lymph biopsies have been negative, so I feel optimistic about the future. She is eight years old. She has always choked herself wearing a collar and I have to use a harness. Can a tripawd (front limb) dog wear a regular harness? It's too soon past her surgery to try hers on. 
Here's her Fbook page in case you'd like to send a friend request:
Hi Lola and family, welcome! You are the second Tripawd Dal to join us this week! Check out Victoria's story.
My apologies for taking so long to approve your first post. All others will post automatically.
Yes, you bet a front-leg Tripawd can wear a harness? Have you been to the Tripawds Gear blog ? Here are some posts for ya:
How to Put the Webmaster Harness on Front Leg Tripawds
Web Master is a Front Leg Tripawd Harness Too
Convert Walking Harness Great for Front Leg Amputee Dogs
I'm really happy to hear that she has a good prognosis. Sounds like you two have many great days in store. Thank you for joining the community so we can come along for the ride!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thanks Jerry for your reply! I actually know Queen Victoria and Molly! Have known them since Victoria became a foeva foster! Glad to see them around. 
Regarding the harness question, I was wondering if a front limb tripawd can a regular harness meaning the one she wore before the surgery. Same goes with a life jacket. Can she wear them or will she HAVE to get special gear?
I think your best bet is to wait until the staples are removed and then try them on. We loved the Ruffwear Webmaster Plus harness, it gave extra support to assisting Otis in and out of the car and to get up after long 'walks' laying in the neighbor's grass.
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
Oh I'm so hoppy you know Victoria and her people! That's neat!
OK now that I get your questions, the answer really depends on the type of harness and float coat she already has. In general you'll find they can still work well. Remember, there are no harness or float coat products (that we know of) made only for 3-legged pets. The ones we recommend are the ones we've discovered that work best for 3-legged pets. But if she already has gear, she will likely be able to continue using it. Give it time though, wait until stitches are out before trying.
Does that help?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hello beautiful Lola! Not on fb so couldn't see the pictures, but her avatar is gorgeous! Can't wait to see more!
Keep us posted in how she's doing. Recovery is no picnic for a couple of weeks. Oh, and if she "pulled" vefore, she'll do it more now! Tripawds need to go at a little faster pace to help keep their balance.
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!
Hey all....Lola's staples were taken out on April 3rd, but she just wasn't ready to try things on. But she did get in the pool yesterday only on the top step. She loves blowing bubble under water. I put her life vest on and it's way too big. I do love that Float Coat
and will put it on a Wishlist for her. She has access to a pool all summer and loves to swim. And I like that EzyDog Convert Harness too. 
Oh gosh!! We have to have video of Lovely Lola in the water blowing bubbles! 🙂 🙂
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!
Lola is gorgeous, beautiful name for a beautiful girl. Hope she is doing well. I think a video of her blowing bubbles would be awesome!
Thanks! I love the name Lola too. Video of her blowing bubbles....that's a hard assignment. lol I'm so proud of her. She's a waterbug and has been swimming in a friend's pool a lot lately. My friend thinks her husband can reinvent her life jacket when they are back from a cruise. Today I couldn't believe it! She jumped in the pool before I could suit her up and swam with no floatation added. She swam out and fetched her frisbee a few times short distances. I notice she starts to circle towards her left side where the amputation was. However, she swims very straight with her life jacket on, but I have seen her start to pull left when she's tired.
Welcome to you and Lola, she is gorgeous. I've already had my harness on Ginger as a way to help hold a shirt over the incision area so she won't get to it and doesn't have to wear the cone. I found it fits well and works just as fine as it did before, and a lot easier to put on :). Good luck, we are hoping to move towards getting in the water soon as well.
Joined forum after Ginger, 2 1/2 year old German Shepherd, had front leg shattered by car on 4/1/17. Front leg amputated on 4/5/17. Still learning to be a tripawd mom.
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