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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Hi there,
I have a 1yo chocolate lab whose hind leg was subsequently amputated after a tragic incident under veterinary care. The veterinarian's insurance company is offering a settlement due to the nature of the situation, but they are not keen on providing compensation for any down the line complications we might face i.e. joint and mobility issues. I was hoping to find some research articles related to the prevention of such joint issues, and what complications could realistically be an issue. Our sweet girl is very active, and we have a very active family and I worry all the extra stress on her hind limb may cause issues later in life. We want the best for our sweet tripawd and having the financial resources should any further issue arise is important to us. Can anyone point me to some related articles?
Sorry you find yourself here, but you have come to the right place for support and information.
Your post has been approved and now others will chime in for some additional input.
You are doing a great job of advocating for uour pip and make sure his joints stay healthy and he stays fit.
First suggestion would be to get an appointment with a Rehabilitation Specialist. It is so important to keep a Tripawd's core strong and his muscles and joints in tip tip shape. A consult with the Specialist will show you exercises to do, proper stretching, etc. And the good news, the Trupawds Foundation will pay for the first visit.
Some joint supplements we see used here are Flexon Advanced (sp) as well as Dasaquin Advanced. Green Mussles, Omega 3 fish oils are beneficial too.
Your pup can still do everything a puppy would do WITH MODERATION. You'll want to avoid high speed running with quick stops and turns, avoid high toss frisbee where he would jump high and land jard on his rear legs.
If you have hardwood floors you'll want nonslip scatter rugs for traction .
Some Tripawds are more prone to arthritis down the road, and some may be more prone to cruciate knee repair. Of course, this can happen with four leggers too, we are just extra aware with Tripawds. .That's why the supplements, the Rehab appointment, monitor excessive activity that would put pressure on the other three legs are all important.
There is no reason your girl can't live a full and happy life on three. She is very lucky to have you watch out for her
Others will chime jn, but just wanted to say "welcome".
Hugs
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too
Link to Tripawds Foundation .
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!
PS. Here's a link to " Mini Cooper` what had his leg amputated at seven mo ths and is still going strong at eleverm years young!
Meet Senior Tripawd Cooper, aka Mr. Independence
https://tripawd.....wd-cooper/
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!
Hi and welcome! I'm sorry your poor girl had the amputation.
Everything Sally mentioned is spot-on. Anecdotal evidence shows Tripawds are more prone to osteoarthritis at an earlier age, but there is lots that can be done to mitigate the effects. Since every dog is different and breed, size, personality, activity level, and the pet parent's adherence to veterinary recommendations all play into how being on three legs will impact their mobility, it's best to have her evaluated by a canine rehabilitation therapist to get a better idea of what her challenges could be.
Tripawds Foundation can pay for your first rehab visit so feel free to apply for assistance.
Many Tripawds who lose legs to something other than cancer will go on to have excellent quality of life. Our Wyatt Ray was one. Spree was another. As for studies, I can't think of any specific ones with documentation you can use for your case, but it's our long term goal to create a Tripawds Quality of Life impact study with Colorado State University's orthopedic medicine and mobility team. Just need a few million dollars to do it!
That reminds me, a discussion with a veterinary orthopedic surgeon can also give you a good idea of her life picture.
Oh some interesting tripawd talk podcast conversations you may want to check out:
https://downloa.....d-talk-85/
https://downloa.....gged-dogs/
https://downloa.....pawd-life/
https://downloa.....-tripawds/
Raising a young tripawd to be healthy for the long term is a special challenge. My tripawd, Loki, lost a rear leg due to trauma before she was 3 months old. She came to me at 5 months and has been with me for over 2 years now. Loki's mom was a Siberian Husky, so she wants to run, run, run some more, and jump all the things. She can almost jump my 6' fence.... with one back leg.
Balancing her natural energy and physical needs with trying to preserve her joints is a challenge. I know I don't always get it right. I often give her meals using a puzzle feeder to burn mental energy. We do nosework as a competitive sport (labs are great at nosework, btw). I let her run for short bursts in the yard. I very rarely leash walk her, but instead take her out in a dog stroller. She gets so excited when I grab her stroller! It lets her experience the world in a more relaxed way.
I give Loki two different joint supplements daily. She gets Cosequin Advanced with breakfast and fish oil with dinner. The cosequin was given to me after my friend's senior dog passed away. Prior to that I was giving GlycoFlex Stage 2. Loki loves the fish oil, but is iffy on every other joint supplement I've tried. She typically will eat them if I throw them in with the rest of her food, but won't eat them on their own. If I forget to add it to her food, a little peanut butter usually is enough to convince her to eat it.
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