Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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i have been sleeping on my mattress and box spring in the living room since Otis' amp. Although I want to limit his time going up and down stairs, he is doing great on them and could easily sleep upstairs again. I am considering taking the bed frame apart and moving back to my bedroom with the mattress and box spring. It is just so hard to move this mattress (I have had to move it down twice now for each dog's surgery), and with both Otis' osteo and Tess' knee, I wonder how long I will be able to stay upstairs. But, I miss being in my bedroom - would not want to spend the next 6 months down here.
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.
he is doing great on them and could easily sleep upstairs again.
You said it. Yes, move upstairs.
I know that it's hard when you have a split level home. You don't want to deny your recovering pooch the family time together at night, and I know I would feel guilty leaving my dogs downstairs during recovery. But as rehab vets have told us, you have to normalize the situation as soon as possible in order for the pack and the patient to get back to living life.
Rock on!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I say go for it. Don't steps help build core muscles? As long as Tess and Otis don't have to do the steps too often a day I would think it would be fine. Also might help you be able to assess them better if there ever comes a time when they're hesitant to do them. Kind of like if you're free feeding instead of meal feeding. If you're meal feeding you catch when they're off eating much faster than when you're free feeding. Maybe I'm wrong here so this is just me looking at the situation and we didn't have to deal with this issue but just throwing. my thoughts out there 😀. I'm sure others will chime in soon. Hugs!
Linda, Riley & Spirits Mighty Max & Ollie
I would agree that stairs can be good exercise when done with supervision and within limits each day. Maybe you could baby gate off the stairs in the afternoon then un gate them when you go up for the night?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Obviously, we are advocates for stairs!! 
Kidding - I know Pofi really pushed the envelope. But I say yes. Move upstairs and baby gate them off during the day to keep Otis downstairs and not climbing them unsupervised.
And save your pennies and watch for sales on a good air mattress for future use!!
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.
You are such a good Mom! 🙂
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!
Ditto what the others have said!!! i slept on the floor near Shelby while she was recovering since she was used to sleeping IN my bed and couldn't get up there and I couldn't risk her trying to get down in the middle of the night. Our new normal became her sleeping IN my room in her own bed... Win win for the both of us!!!
Shelby Lynne; Jack Russell/Shiba Inu mix. Proud member of the April Angels of 2014.
October 15, 2000 to April 8, 2014
Our story: Broke rear leg in June 2013 - non-conclusive results for cancer so leg was plated and pinned. Enlarged spleen in September 2013 and had it removed and was diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma and started chemotherapy. Became a Tripawd January 8th, 2014 and definitive Hemangiosarcoma diagnosis. Three major surgeries in 7 months and Shelby took them all like a champ only to lose her battle to cancer in her brain. We had 8 amazing extra months together and no regrets. #shelbystrong #loveofmylife
Ex husband came over and moved the mattress and box spring upstairs. Otis and Tess were acutely interested in the whole process. I had thought they were happy sleeping anywhere as long as we were together, but they really seemed excited about our moving back upstairs. Hopefully, we will all get better sleep tonight!
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.
Excellent! Glad you have that taken care of and it was decent of your ex to help out that way. I bet you all will enjoy a good night's sleep tonight.
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.
Congrats on moving back upstairs!
When quad pug Obie had his knee surgeries I put my mattress on the floor because he was used to sleeping on my bed. When he had his first knee surgery quad pug Tani was almost 13 years old and I had FINALLY gotten her to stop jumping off the bed. She couldn't even go down the bed side stairs I built, she would face plant. I was worried that after three months with the bed only about 8" high she would get back to her bad habit....but no! She waited for me to help her up at night and back down in the morning 
Karen
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
So, Tess and I are upstairs reading a book in bed. I feel a bit like a child - without the frame on the bed, my furniture seems so big. 😀. Otis is still downstairs on the sofa watching tv with my daughter. If his old pattern holds, he will come up in about an hour.
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.
Can't wait to hear how the night goes!
And Karen...your Pugs always have me laughing with their little quirks. A d that picture...too cute!! Tani jad you well trained! 🙂
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!
Woke up at 630 with Tess at the foot of the bed, Otis in his Big Barker Bed upside down, and my bedroom smelling like dog. Isn't life wonderful!
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.
otisandtess said
Woke up at 630 with Tess at the foot of the bed, Otis in his Big Barker Bed upside down, and my bedroom smelling like dog. Isn't life wonderful!
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.
I'd agree with that!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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