Hi LaceyK, welcome! Your future posts won't need approval so post away.

We'll do our best to help but first, what's your dog's name? Breed type? Age? Why did she lose her leg, and when? Sorry I know, lots of questions!

Tell us more about the hikes. How far does your dog go? Oops, more questions!

It sounds like she is in great shape overall. For a rear-legged Tripawd not to have issues going up hill is a good indicator that she's doing well, since going up is a lot harder than going down for most rear-leggers. The reason I'm asking so many questions is to get a better idea of the overall situation, and I think I'm going to go out on a limb (haha, Tripawd humor!) and say that before addressing the stump protection challenge, you may want to consider having her evaluated by a canine rehabilitation therapist if she has not seen once since her amp.

This is only a guess, but it sounds like the hikes may be too long for her, and the reason for her sudden braking and sliding is that she is too tired from the hike up to come to a proper three-legged stop. I'm making that assumption that based on what a rehab therapist told us long ago: anytime a dog sits down on a walk, it's a sure sign that the dog has gone too far and the walks should be shortened. I could be totally wrong, so forgive me if so. 

Our Wyatt Ray , also a rear-legger, sometimes slides on his rear stump when he is playing hard or doing a fast turn while running (that rapid turning motion we try to avoid to protect against a cruciate ligament injury, something very common in Tripawds), but the stump spot that hits the ground has never shown signs of abrasion. 

A consultation by a canine rehab therapist will be invaluable, so that you can continue enjoying the outdoors together but not put her at risk of long-term joint stress and muscle injuries. As enthusiastic as our Tripawds can be when it comes to playing outside, it's up to us to make sure we moderate their activity so they don't overdo things. 

The rehab therapist can show you where her strengths and weaknesses are, and how to help her get strong so that she doesn't need any kind of stump protection (which isn't something sold/available as far as we know).  The best part is the Tripawds Foundation may even pay for your first rehab visit !

To learn more about canine rehab therapy check out our latest podcast,

All About Rehab Therapy for Tripawds

I hope this isn't too much information all at once. Let us know what questions you have OK? We're glad you joined us and look forward to learning more about your girl!

P.S. I'm in the Tripawds Chat room for a bit today if you want to talk.

Lena...what a great name! Too cute!

So thanks for the background info, it does sound like you are doing a great job with her. She's lucky to have you.

Many dogs who lose a leg at a young age like her develop skeletal issues as they grow. I would also consider having her evaluated by an orthopedic vet just to get a baseline for her current status in that department. Over the years, periodic ortho checkups are helpful to find out if and where issues are occurring. Perhaps her inability to stop herself may be related to an underlying skeletal issue? Maybe not. I'm no vet. But an ortho vet can answer that.

Yes, a therapist can be SO beneficial. And if you find one in a larger referral clinic they may already be working with an ortho vet, so there's a bonus by choosing a practice like that. If you cannot find one near you please let me know and I will help point you to the nearest provider.