Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hi, our 2 year old rescue Akita Takeo went thru rear leg amputation surgery on 2/20/17 due to a knee abnormality that couldn't be fixed with previous surgeries. He's a result of a USDA certified puppy mill breeder. My question is he's showing weakness in his remaining leg and we'll be swimming him soon. What can we do at home to strengthen that leg?
Thanks
Mindy
Hi Mindy, thanks for joining and registering. Your future posts won't need approval so post away!
Sorry to hear about Takeo's surgeries, it sounds like he's been through a LOT. It hasn't been long since his surgery. By any chance has your vet recommended rehabilitation therapy? I have a feeling it would be SO beneficial for him so that he can swim again. You really don't want to put him in the water until he has built up enough endurance (and has a K9 Float Coat if he doesn't already). The best part is that the Tripawds Foundation may even pay for your first rehab visit!
The place to begin getting a Tripawd strong isn't necessarily building up leg strength, but rather core muscle (abdominal) strength. Just as humans need good core muscles to keep us upright and help us balance, animals do too. Our Tripawds Gear blog has lots of information about building core strength , as well as our e-book, Loving Life On Three Legs .
What are his daily activities like? Just curious to see if maybe his activities should be curtailed a bit.
Can't wait to see photos of your big fluff ball! I had no idea Akitas even liked swimming! Sounds like he's got a fun summer ahead.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hello and welcome!
I'm sorry Takeo lost a leg but you will see how amazingly resilient our Tripawds are! That being said he is only 3 weeks out from surgery so weakness in that back leg is not uncommon. Even if he was limping or holding his bad leg up before the amputation it still takes time for our pups to get used to being on three.
Jerry gave you some great links. My Tripawd Elly is a little pug mix who lost her right rear leg after being hit by a car at 7 months old. Elly turned two at the end of December so is about the same age as your boy. We spend time every day on Elly's core strength and balance with food games and puzzles, balance exercises, obedience training and other games. We alternate activities day to day and I like to keep them fun and challenging. It's amazing how challenging their brains with games and puzzles really tires them out! We are currently learning Nose Work and so far it is a great activity for her.
You can look at Elly's Blog to see pictures of some of our activities.
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Yes he has. He was diagnosed at 1 year 1 month with bilateral luxtating patellas. The left was a grade 4, right is a grade 1. Surgery was needed on the left. After 9 surgeries (involving deepening the grove, pinning the patella down etc), the knee went right back to where it was prior to the first surgery. This was done over a years time. It was decided to amputate as there was no way to fix the patella (the piece the patella sits in, the one side didn't exist which was what the issue was). Now he's out of pain but now he's showing signs of weakness in the right leg.
I will research on this site and get him in to the CCRT (I'm calling tomorrow). I'll hold off the swimming until we see her.
As for swimming, Takeo LOVES to swim!! We took both of them to a local park here and he just hopped right in, went under and kept swimming! No help or requests from us! Our girl (Cheyanne) not so much!!
Thanks for all the suggestions. I feel positive and we're on the right road to recovery!
HI Karen! Thanks for the welcome! I'll be here alot while we both learn and make sure we do this right so he recovers correctly. I'll check out the link you put there and I appreciate the help!
Mindy
I second both the recommendations of going to rehab and using the Ruffwear Floatcoat. Our Murphy was a Lab/Chesapeake cross, so you know how much of a swimmer he was. We had him in the Floatcoat every time he went swimming after his amp and subsequent hip replacement. He was also a rear legger. The Floatcoat has flotation all the way around, rather than just over the back like regular dog life jackets. It is a huge help, even for strong swimmers. Murphy would literally stay in the water for hours, sometimes swimming and sometimes just cruising along in the shallows. He swam every bit as fast after becoming a a Tripawd as he did before.
Please keep us posted on Takeo's progress. And, oh yes, we love pictures and videos.
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!
As folks have mentioned, consulting with a rehab vet is a perfect plan! As for swimming, yes, many dogs are helped but, in all honesty, the time spent swimming is minuscule compared to the time spent out of the water (unless you are a water dog!!!). Some breeds take to the water and others- ahem, cough, Great Pyrenees (and maybe Akita?)- find the water/treadmill to not be to their taste. However, even without water/treadmill therapy, there are many, many exercises and courses of treatment to strengthen the remaining leg. Best wishes, hugs, and PyrPaws all around (I mention this as sometimes, more energetic or active breeds do well in physical rehab so it seems as if ALL dogs should be considering the same path. You know your Akita better than anyone! Trust your instincts on this!!!)
Thank you everyone! I have an appointment 3/23 with a rehab vet and I'm looking forward to help Takeo as much as we can. As for swimming, as I mentioned in the previous post, he LOVES to swim (as odd as that may sound for an Akita). We'll pick that up as soon as we get into a routine of rehab. I'll post some pictures soon!
Mindy
Gosh! Just catching up!! You and yiur precious Ta@eo jave been through sooooo much!! You jave now removed his pain with one surgery!! No more of either!!!
You've gotten great advice and sounds like you are moving forward in a way that will benefit Takeo.
Just to pick back up on Jerry's question, how much activity has he been doing these past several weeks? Three weeksish is still very early in recovery. The first two weeks should basically be short potty breaks and the third week not much more. No jumping, no long walks, no stairs, etc.
Cannot wait to see pictures of your handsome boy!! So glad he has his furever home with you! 🙂
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!
Hi everyone! Sounds like he's doing too much based on all the comments. Short walks but he loves being downstairs in the basement so yes, he's been doing stairs for the last week or so. We do let him out back but we're right there to keep an eye on him and bring him in as fast as we can (course they're Akita's and love this cold weather). Otherwise we haven't really played or allowed Cheyanne to start any type of play with him. We've kept visitors to a very minimum so he doesn't get up and down.
I'm worried that we screwed up and it's too late. I'm going to call tomorrow to get him in the rehab vet sooner than next Thursday so we can start going down the right path.
Thank you for all your nice comments. This has been very helpful for me!
MIndy
You have NOT screwed up at all!!! When a dog like Takeo feels so much better after having that painful leg gone it's hard to slow him down! And just the fact that he has been bounding up and down stairs already shows what a spunky boy he is!
And, on top of that, many rear leggers never even master the art of going UP stairs. My Happy Hannah didn't! It just requires too much strength in that one back leg for some.
You're doing an EXCELLENT job! Takeo in no way has "injured" himself. He needs to be able to get back to normal routines as soon as he can. Just check with the Rehab Specialist and see what exercises he needs to do to strengthen his core and to ease any potential stain on his rear leg.
Look forward to ccelebrating the many upcoming victories Takeo will be achieving!
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!
Mindy don't beat yourself up, OK? I promise, we have all been in your shoes and know how hard it is to balance what our Tripawd wants to do versus what they should do at a given point in time. You are doing great just by asking questions here, really!
I think getting him into the rehab vet sooner rather than later is a good idea. You'll learn so much and never forget that all of us are still learning as we go. Really!
Keep us posted OK?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thank you everyone! I moved our appt with the rehab vet to Monday so we'll be working on getting that core of his strengthened. Thanks for all the support, I feel better! 
Mindy
I think Pofi was doing stairs on day 3, so you are not alone. It is best, however, to moderate the activity, especially in the first couple of weeks. The rehab vet should be able to give you lots of ideas on how to keep him stimulated, and maybe they have a pool. . .
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.
HI everyone, been away for while. Vacation then lost my father this past Friday. I had to cancel the original rehab appt and I'm scheduled for 4/25. I'm concerned about Takeo always dropping his butt or hunching his back to get around. I'll try to capture some video and post it. Hopefully he's ok and the rehab work will help him.
Hope everyone is doing well.
Mindy
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