Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hi everyone, I've been meaning to give you all an update on how Missy and I have been doing since her surgery. I had to leave her in the care of my 20 yr old daughter and neighbor at 11 days post of for a trip and I was gone for 10 days. Needless to say I was a worried mother but her incision looked good and she was primarily not bothering with it with just one of those little airline pillows around her neck. I actually think she likes it because she never tried to take it off and would fall asleep with her head supported very quickly.
She got all of her staples out last Wed and she is looking good. It has been raining here so much we haven't gone out much mostly a block or so until today. No rain now since Wed so we ventured on our first trip back to the beach. I was amazed at how well she did. I had been thinking I'd get a stroller to take her down the ramp and back up again so that she could use all of her energy just having fun on the beach but after today I don't think I'll be needing one of those for awhile . She is 12 now though so she might need one in her future. I am hoping that I can attach a little video I made of her today. A videographer I am not this is from my phone and then edited in quicktime player.
Missy looks great! And she looks like she's having a fun time at the beach 
Donna
Donna, Glenn & Murphy
Murphy had his right front leg amputated due to histiocytic sarcoma at 7 years old. He survived 4 years, 2 months & 1 week, only to be taken by hemangiosarcoma at 11 1/2 years 6/12/17
Read about Murphy's Life on Three Legs
WHEEEE!!! LOOK AT MISSY GO!!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂 This is EXACTLY why we do what we do! Seeing Missy enjoying her life pain free....best video ever!!
Your dogs sure are happy dogs!! Looooove it!
Missy, you own that beach!!! Made my day! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Love!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah 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!
She is skipping with joy! Literally, skipping. So sweet. I can't believe she's twelve!
Meg, Clare and Elsie Pie xxx
Ruby, Staffy, born June 2022, became a Tripawd, November 2023, adopted January 2024.
Also Angel Tripawd Meg (aka The Megastar), who died in April 2023, aged 14, after seven glorious years on three, and Angel Staffies Elsie Pie and Bille. In the pawprints of giants...
She looks great! What a fantastic day!
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.
And a great time was had by all! Look at that happy face! You go sweet girl!
Aw, look at her!! What a joyful video! She is doing wonderfully!!!
💙
Lisa, Minneapolis
On October 27, 2016, nearly 6 months after amputation, and 18 months since his cancer likely started, we lost Pofi to a recurrence of Soft Tissue Sarcoma in his spine quite suddenly. His canine sister also succumbed to cancer on March 1, 2019 - we lavished her with our love in the interim, but life was never quite the same without her only real canine friend. Cliff kitty had to leave us, too, suddenly, in August 2019. Lucia kitty grieved all these losses, but helped us welcome two new Lurchers into our home and our lives, Shae and Barley.
Sorry it's been so long since I've updated here. Lost my pw had to redo etc etc. Anyway Missy is still doing great from her amputation but unfortunately now at nearly 13 yrs old she has developed heart failure. I know she had a mitral valve murmur but in Sept she started coughing all the time especially at night. She has had an echocardiogram to confirm that the enlarged heart on xray is indeed now in heart failure.
Long story short now that she is on lasix she is leaking urine. She pees outside like normal but still leaks. I want to put a diaper on her at night but can't seem to get one to stay on because of the missing rear leg. Anyone have any experience with getting something to stay on her?
Any advice is much appreciated. She still loves the beach.
Kathleen
Hi Kathleen,
It's nice to know that Missy is still doing well as a Tripawd- sorry about the heart failure though- the getting old stuff is hard.
I had the same problem with my rear amp Pug Maggie when she became incontinent- diapers will not stay on a dog with one back leg! I finally went the medication route but in hindsight I might have been able to attach the diapers somehow to her harness. Of course she hated her harness so I'm not sure that would have worked long term. I also ended up getting lots of those pads you use for people who become incontinent- not the diapers but the things that are like puppy pee pads. I like the ones for people because they are not scented and come in a variety of sizes.
A product from Handicap Pets might work for you, it's called Pet Suspenders. More or less the harness idea but made to keep diapers on.
Good luck and let us know if you find something that works.
Karen
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
I'm sorry to hear your news. My girl Pepper was lost from congenital heart failure. She took Lasix and Enalipril. She was a quad so I didn't have the problems you're having. I do however have a boy with incontinence issues. They make a "wrap" for the boys that work well. I have the disposable ones and the cloth ones. My point here is if you can get the panty high enough, maybe that cloth wrap can hold it in place. It velcros at the waist and is washable. I don't know if this will help you but I thought I would throw it out there to you. Good luck in your journey, heart failure is tough stuff. My thoughts are with you.
Jackie
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry 
Thank you for your responses and Happy New Year! I am thinking about getting regular toddler diapers to see if they are higher than the dog ones I tried for her that were for her weight. She has lost 10 lbs since her surgery date which we are coming up on one year this month.
I'm really having a hard time realizing I am probably going to lose her this year. My mother who is 80 yrs old also has an aggressive form of endometrial cancer so things are looking grim for 2018. I went out and got another dog in Sept because I'm going to need something to love on...Her name is Scout and now she is 9 months old and a pill. I forgot how much work puppies and young dogs are. It's been 10 yrs since I had one and that was Missy's companion whom I lost to lymphoma in June 2016.
Scout is 25% australian shepard, 25% Staffordshire bull terrier, 12.5% Queensland heeler and 12.5% German Shepard. The other 25% of her DNA they couldn't tell. I used the Wisdom 3 test. I started volunteering at the local Humane Society in July and that is where I got her from. She definitely has a strong herding mentality and is a velcro dog for sure.
Kathleen
Well first of all,we have a few things to celebrate!!
MISSY!! WE'RE STARTING THE HAPPY ONE YEAR AMPUVERSARY PAWTY RIGHT NOW!!! A milestone like that with a ...er....a "seasoned" gal deserves a pawty that lasts all month!! 🙂 🙂 🙂
And Missy still.loves the Beach too??? You KNOW we HAVE to have pictures AND video!! 🙂
Missy is on a good combo of drugs for her issues. I've had some seniors who did really, really well for quite a long time on that combo.
I'm really sorry to hear yiur Mos is facing challenges of her own. We're all going to be sending lots of positive and healing energy her way. She, Missy, Scput and you, have a good Guardian Protector at the Bridge in your pup thst transitioned last year.
I love that SCOUT has found a place in your heart and home!
I know since he's a youngster, he's bringing you lots of laughter. I'm sure Missy is enjoying having this young whipper snapper to train how to be a good companion for you
Okay, time to get out the ice cream and cake for Missy and get this paaty started!! And btw, you are doing an excellent job of lrove Missy superb care! She's not going anywhere anytime soon! She's having way to much fun being loved and spoiled...and teaching Scout all her tricks to get extra treats anytime! 🙂
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!
Good deal on the pull ups. I don't know if taping one leg would help or if getting a "belt" wrap like the boys disposable wrap would help. Just be forewarned, Mitch is 70 pounds and took an XL. The cloth ones come in three packs and are reusable. I thought he'd be a large, they seem to run small but the ones I'm returning for the XL size are soft and washable, I wouldn't recommend the dryer. Good luck, we're right there with you. Wish they made suspenders, wait.... can they patent that? I'm just kidding, I hope I got a smile ❤️😽❤️
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry
Kathleen, I'm just now catching up on your update. You've gotten such great tips in an area that I haven't had experience with, so yay.
I'm sorry about Missy's heart situation and your mom's too. I hope with all I've got that both gals do well for much longer than everyone expects. You just never know. This is one of those times in our life when all we've learned from coping with pet cancer (i.e., to Be More Dog ), can help us through the ups and downs. In the meantime know that we are here for you when you want to talk OK?
Give Missy and Scout (what a treat!)0 extra lovin' from all of us, and your mom too!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
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