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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Aloha
Im so glad my friends neice who is a pet therapist in Cali, introduced me to your site.
Its been a rough week - After a months wait, we saw the oncologist on Friday - she wanted to immediately do Kenji's front leg amputation Saturday and felt it was emergent (abdominal ultrasound, chest X-ray and lymph node biopsy were all clear - so Im hoping its not osteosarcoma but another type of cancer, and moving fast we got it all.
Finding this site was so helpful, we were so doubting that we made the right choice, and feeling like we mutilated him and should have just let nature take its course.
Kenji came home Monday - after I insisted. Im a nurse and know that at home he would feel better and we could get him to start touching the ground with his hind legs, give him more round the clock therapy and comfort, spend the time to sit and encourage him to drink and eat - even if it took 2 hours - which I know they don't have the time to do.
I was so worried he hadn't peed since monday evening - and tuesday nite was on this site finding that many of your dogs have gone much longer. I don't have a straight cath - that would be the one thing I wouldn't be able to help him with.
Had to force feed him tuesday morning - he hadn't had anything since leaving the hospital - and there they only syringe fed him 1x. He finally took a couple of bites of cheese and a spoon of peanut butter by tuesday nite. trying everything figured out he liked ham and ham gravy baby food (not chicken, or beef, etc lol). then wedensday afternoon had the bright idea, lets try cold cut ham! Last nite - Thurs, was his first 'good' meal with 1/4 of his raw food diet and 3/4 chopped ham. I will slowly increase his raw food.
he started getting up and walking around, unsteadily so we run to guide him, on his own wednesday nite! I was so happy because we thought he had given up he was so down! and reading on this site- i wasn't expecting it so soon!
Our little girl Penny, was so depressed when he was gone - she is his little opihi. she visited at the hospital and was so confused! He came home and she was so happy, but knew he was 'different'. she's been so gentle and careful with him - not biting his tail and nipping his paws like before when she would constantly nag my old man (10yrs old) to play. now she wants to try everything I'm giving him - and getting her back on her food will be a challenge also. but I know we need to make sure she doesn't feel neglected either - she's such a sensitive 11 month old soul - and so emotional. Hubby and my 2 dtrs (17 and 19) say I spoil her - I agree, she's my baby girl (and doesn't talk back lol).
anyways - I got on here to ask a question, but guess i needed to share my experience, and say thank you sooooo much for your support and encouragement that you don't know you have given me for the last 3 days as I 'lurked' this site!
question: they are indoor dogs, and my 77 lb Kenji is very independent and doesn't like to be 'locked' in the yard all day - it can get hot in Hawaii (and humid), add rain is worse. so he likes to go in and out at will - they both, even Penny the 11 month puppy, do NOT make any mistakes in the house. But now with his front leg amputation - Im worried about him being able to, and getting hurt trying, to go through the doggie doors. Ive stayed home since monday - but eventually have to get back to work.
Have your dogs learned to navigate a doggie door? any tips? how long after they started walking did they do this?
Mahalo!!
Aloha! Welcome, and thank you for sharing Kenji's story. Your future forum posts will not require moderation.
Search these forums above, or search all blogs here , and you'll find various posts and videos with tripawds using doggie doors.
Here are just a few forum topics from a quick search (use advanced search above to refine results):
Front amputee and doggie doors
And here are "doggie door" search results from all blogs. Consider searching for doggy door too.
What therapy clinic told you about Tripawds? Please let us send them some free Tripawds brochures if they didn't have any!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
To me it looks like front leg amputee dogs and cats move the same with a little hop. My cat Mona has to go through two cat doors to get outside and it was never a problem. The video of Etta is exactly how Mona does it. She can even runs through it very quickly. All pets are resilient and figure it out.
In my opinion it may be best that Kenji does not use the doggie door until after the stitches are all out. You don't want them messed with in any way. Right now Kenji should be supervised going outside. He may not be happy with this. My cat Mona was a bit of a hellion being kept inside. I would take her out on the deck to get some sun and she loved that.
Do you have anyone that can help out while you are at work?
Penny sounds like a little sweetheart. Happy healing.
Kerren and Tripawd Kitty Mona
Although I don't have experience with a front Tripawd, I will say that Murphy had absolutely no problem using the doggie door once he was cleared by the doctor. Murphy's story is quite different than Penny's. He was a rear Tripawd due to an accident and ended up with a total hip replacement, so it was fully seven months after his accident before he was allowed to go in and out on his own.
Kathi and the .Turbotail April Angel...and the Labradork
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!
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