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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On October 5th we got the bad news that our 6 year old Boxer had Cancer in her rear leg! On October 14 she had her back leg amputated. It has been a roller coaster w/her since then. The first week she did great... Went up stairs, ate good, slept well and seemed in less pain then before. However, about a week after she started having screaming fits (Usually in the middle of the night)! That went on for almost 3 weeks. We tried a night light, anxiety meds, composure and pain meds etc. Although she then went 2 weeks w/out crying out a night. So we hoped that that stage was over... but two nights ago she started again?
And to top things off about 4 weeks after surgery her other back leg has been giving out on her! It seems to buckle on her and not straighten? Therefore, she drags it... She will run around outside in the morning to go to the bathroom and again around 4 when I get home from work! But then she comes in from outside and can no longer walk on her back leg! I feel that she is getting worse instead of better? What are we doing wrong and what can I do to help? We did this to her to help her quality of life... Not hinder it!
Please... Need advice
Hello and welcome. Your future posts won't require moderation so post away. Hope you don't mind I moved your post here but since this is about a mobility issue, this area is a good place to talk about it.
I'm sorry to hear about your pup. What's her name? And what kind of cancer are you dealing with?
It sounds to me like your veterinarian didn't send her to any kind of post-op veterinary rehab therapy? If not, now is the time to get her in there. It's so important for us to learn how to manage our dog's activity, help keep them limber and what kind of techniques can alleviate things like phantom pain (which is what the crying out sounds like to me, click on the link for more info). Your vet should be able to give you a referral to a qualified CCRT or CCRT vet rehab therapist. And keep in mind our Tripawds Foundation is still doing rehab therapy reimbursements so we hope you'll take advantage of the program:
http://tripawds.....bursement/
What kind of activity is she getting? Her symptoms of the leg collapsing isn't unusual, and it's not so much supporting the leg that she needs help with but helping her to strengthen her core muscles. This post will explain why it's so important;
http://gear.tri.....g-muscles/
I also recommend checking out our e-books, especially Loving Life On Three Legs , which is all about staying strong after amputation.
Ask your vet for a referral to a vet rehab specialist. After just a few visits you'll see a big improvement, really. Hang in there, more folks will chime in soon.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thank you for the advice... I am going to look in to finding a rehab center. I also wondered about a leg brace or harness?
My beautiful Boxers name is Layla. The vet said she had torn ACL and then a few months later took x-ray and said bone cancer. She had been limping around for months while we tried to save money for ACL surgery. When she continued to get worse we took her back to the vet and he took x-ray and found cancer!
The last three months have been very difficult...
Thanks, Sarah
charmedxt6 said
I also wondered about a leg brace or harness?
Orthopets makes the best custom orthotics and braces. Watch our video interviews with the founder for more information and follow the links to contact them directly. They can work with your vet remotely for fitting and adjustments.
A harness will not offer support on its own, but it will greatly help you provide support as needed. the Ruffwear Webmaster is the most popular all purpose harness we recommend for most tripawds, and you can review all harnesses here.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Our Sketch, like your Layla, had trouble with his remaining rear leg supporting him...one week post surgery it simply collapsed and he was dragging himself across the floor on his butt. I had followed all instructions to keep him on lead outside so he couldn't try to run and to limit his movement to just doing his business and then back inside, no stairs, and when inside he was confined to a gated off portion of the bedroom that was approx 8x10'. He has low level HD in his remaining hip and that leg/hip was just not coping with the sudden extra load. So our vet gave him a cortisone shot in that hip, instructed me to keep him on the same limited movement routine for another 2 weeks and then very gradually adding short walks around the yard to his routine. Between the cortisone shot to help take out any inflammation/discomfort that had developed in his remaining hip/leg and a very gradual increase in his movement it took another 3 weeks before that leg was consistently supporting him without trouble.
Layla may have overdone it following the amp surgery, not giving her remaining rear leg time to adjust to the added load. Our vet had mentioned a leg brace if Sketch ended up needing one, but by following the limited exercise/gradual increase routine along with the cortisone shot his leg has strengthened well on it's own. However working with a qualified rehab therapist for Layla would be a huge plus if you have one in your area.
Wishing the best for your Layla.
Trini and Sketch
Murphy did many sessions of rehab therapy following his amp and subsequent total hip replacement (he was hit by a car). The difference it made was astounding! There were still times that his remaining back would buckle, particularly on quick turns, but he just regrouped and kept going.
His YouTube channel, Murphy the Three Legged Dog, has a number of videos showing his progress through recovery, rehab exercises, and life in general.
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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