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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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New Tripawd need help with exercise
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Member Since:
13 February 2010
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13 February 2010 - 8:58 pm
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Hi, im fostering a German Shepard who has his rear leg amputated, although they didnt take it all off, he has like half of it, above the knee so it seems to be weighing him down, he cant stand all the way straigh up.
I learned it was taken only three months ago so hes still adjusting, can you guys give me ideas on how to build his leg muscles?:???:

Las Vegas, Nevada
Member Since:
14 August 2009
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13 February 2010 - 9:38 pm
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Bless you for fostering!

That's really strange they didn't take it all the way off.  Is he young?

The best therapy if you can find a place is hydro therapy.  It's relatively cheap to do.  I go to a rehab facility and they have great therapists.  I think the cost is around $30 for an hour (in Vegas).

Lucky for you our admin has a shepherd that is a rear amp along with many others.

Her Retired AvatarComet - 1999 to 2011

She departed us unexpectedly  January 23, 2011 at the age of 12 1/2.

She was born with a deformed front leg and a tripawd all of her life.


Member Since:
13 February 2010
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13 February 2010 - 10:15 pm
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i know, i thought that was strange too. He is only 2 years old, they said he was in a car accident and they had to remove his leg. He also seems to have opened a sore on the amp since he seems to drag it along sometimes when he walks 🙁
ill check for facilities near home, im in san diego.
thank you

Oakland, CA
Member Since:
20 December 2008
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13 February 2010 - 10:50 pm
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Hey! Welcome to Tripawds!!!!

Lets hear it for fostering GSD amputees! Where are you and who are you fostering for? We are in California and foster for German Shepherd Rescue of Northern California. We have a foster right now--Travis Ray, and we fostered Codie Rae for three months until she convinced us to adopt her. We also fostered Wyatt Ray Dawg until he was adopted by Jim and Rene, Tripawds founders. All rear leg amps.

It sounds like the amputation was done properly but can you post a photo? I kind of doubt that what remains of his leg is weighing him down. It is more likely to be an issue of strength and coordination. How long have you been fostering him? Do you know what your foster's condition was before the amputation? Do you know what sort of excercise he has been getting since his amp? Is he overweight? Could he be getting too much exercise? How old is he? These things all play into what you are seeing now.

It definitely takes awhile for new amputees to adjust. Not only do they have to build up strength but the brain and body have to get reprogrammed to functioning on three legs. Take a look at this video, which shows Wyatt at three weeks and Codie Rae at three years post amp and you will see what I am talking about.   

Swimming is a great low impact exercise but dogs use their front legs much more than their back legs when swimming. As Cometdog suggests, a hydrotherapy treadmill would be good though. Hydrotherapy is really expensive where we liveCrying way more than Las Vegas.....Alternatively, straight line running is good exercise. That is how Codie Rae gained strength--we got her about a month after her surgery and I seriously had doubts as to whether she would ever be able to get around easily--it was so painful to watch her move. Again, I will refer you to the video above to see how she gets around now! We took her to the dog park every day and she ran the fence with little dogs on the other side. She was running a straight line, no twisting and turning. I think that is the best kind of exercise, at least it has been in my experience. Because, of course, with shepherds particularly, keeping that remaining leg and hip in good shape is of paramount importance.

Do you jog?Laugh That would be good exercise--it is way easier for rear leg amps to run than walk. I am totally out of shape but I try to jog a little when I am walking Travis so he can lope along with me. We just discovered he likes to chase a ball and that is good exercise as well, as long as you throw it so he is not jumping up for it, just chasing after it.

Bottom line--your foster should be slim. Exercise should be in proportion to his condition--don't overdo it as that can make them weak until they recover. Tripawds generally do not need as much exercise as 4 legged dogs. They do not generally have the stamina. The bigger the dog the more this is true. Try alternating amounts of exercise day to day. Codie Rae is a smaller GSD (~58 lbs) and she gets a 2 mile walk one day and a one mile walk the next. And she occasionally gets to romp with her brother dog or foster brother dog. That is enough for her. You have to walk a fine line between keeping them as fit as they can be and overdoing the exercise--and that is going to be individual for each dog. I would err on the side of caution at this point and just work on slowly building up your foster pup's strength. Today is Travis' 4 month ampuversary and it is just really in the past two weeks that he has seemed to really come around. To start with he was super clumsy (we got him about 2 weeks post amp) and had no strength or stamina. All of a sudden he is well coordinated and really seems to be gaining strength--he is good for about a mile walk now.

I hope this helps, please don't hesitate to ask more questions, and please post a photo or two of your foster pup!

Thank you for being willing to take on a tripawd foster. Alot of folks would not.

Codie Rae's mom Martha

Woohoo! Tripawds Rule!

Regulator of the Oaktown Pack, Sheriff of the Oaktown Pawsse, Founding member and President of the Tripawd Girldogs With 2 Names ROCK Club, and ... Tripawd Girldog Extraordinaire!

Visit Codie Rae's Blog!


Member Since:
13 February 2010
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14 February 2010 - 12:22 am
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YES! the video shows exactly how he walks! he like limps with his back legs.
You helped so much!! i was beginning to worry about him. I barley got him this afternoon so he is still adjusting, the only thin i know about him is that he was starved so he has a bit of aggression towards his food when its meal time, but hes a sweetheart, at his previous foster home he would lie on his back while puppies attacked haha. i have not received much info on his history, but im trying to contact the foster who had him last. He is about 2 years old, and hes not underweight but on the light side it seems? He also seems a bit depressed :/ he is EXTREMELY playful so i feel bad cuz he cant let out that energy jumping or running yet but weve been playing with his toys. Hes also a big cuddler, seems to think hes a lap dog 😀 Also, i have hardwood floors so hes slipping a few times but he walks over to the carpets we have to lay down. I live next door to a park so i will definatly be taking him on frequent walks, thank you so much for all your advice and help,
i will post a photo of him in the morning when he wakes up 🙂

Oakland, CA
Member Since:
20 December 2008
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14 February 2010 - 10:33 am
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Glad we could help! Hard wood floors can be hard for a tripawd to negotiate, throw some small rugs or runners around if you can. You can also try booties, especially on the hind paw--try a google search for dog booties. He will always "limp" but you will be surprised at how well he will be getting around soon.

Check out some more videos of rear leg amps--Gerry has a bunch, I particularly like this one. And you can see a bunch of Wyatt's videos here--scroll down to find Wyatt and start with the oldest and you will see the progression of his recovery.

Looking forward to those pix!

Martha

Woohoo! Tripawds Rule!

Regulator of the Oaktown Pack, Sheriff of the Oaktown Pawsse, Founding member and President of the Tripawd Girldogs With 2 Names ROCK Club, and ... Tripawd Girldog Extraordinaire!

Visit Codie Rae's Blog!

On The Road


Member Since:
24 September 2009
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14 February 2010 - 12:32 pm
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pamezcua1 said:

...can you guys give me ideas on how to build his leg muscles?


It could take a few more months for him – does your dog have a name? – to fully rebuild his strength enough to compensate for the extra weight, but he will always have that distinct Tripawds Hop, instead of his normal gait. Swimming is indeed the best therapeutic exercise. But it is most important to ensure he doesn't overdo it on walks or when playing. If he seems tired, reevaluate and cut back on the exercise routine for a couple days.

You might want to review our latest Tripawds Health videos – a three part interview with the founding doctors at California Animal Rehab in Orange County, CA. Complete interview posts will be coming soon to Jerry's News blog so stay tuned, but the videos include some great tips regarding exercise and stretching.

Welcome and thanks for joining! Can't wait to see pictures of your pup.

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

pamezcua1
8
14 February 2010 - 2:34 pm
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CesaerImage Enlarger

CeasarImage Enlarger
Heres Cesar, we took him to the park today, he had a lot of fun.  I will pick up some booties from petco today, i just hope he leaves them on.

The videos were all very helpful and fun to watch, cesar actaully layed down besides me and was watching them with me Sleepy

We had to take a few brakes when we were walking home so im learning how much he can take at once, like how long a walk or what pace he is comfortable with.  I was also thinking of putting some horse leg wrap that i have on the underside of his amp becuase he seems to drag it and he has created 2 open sores on it, should i cover it or leave his leg as it is?

thank you guys for all the help again,

ill keep you updatedLaughing

On The Road


Member Since:
24 September 2009
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14 February 2010 - 2:47 pm
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pamezcua1 said:

I will pick up some booties from petco today...


You can also get Ruff Wear Grip Trex and Skyliner dog boots in the Tripawds Gear blog? Check out our review and demo video featuring Wyatt! If that's the brand you're considering, you could always try them on at Petco, then order them here to support Tripawds . If you can wait for delivery, that is.

<end shameless plug> Anyway, Cesar is a beautiful happy looking boy! Thanks for posting his photos. Please remember to log in so your posts will appear immediately without requiring our moderation.

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

On The Road


Member Since:
24 September 2009
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14 February 2010 - 3:14 pm
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PS: Forgot to mention this recent Tripawds Nutrition blog post where Tripawds member maggie informed us about K9 Super Fuel for building muscle strength in working dogs ...

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

Las Vegas, Nevada
Member Since:
14 August 2009
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14 February 2010 - 3:14 pm
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He's a cutie! 

I wished I knew the answer on wrapping the sores.  That really needs an expert opinion.  Maybe Pam can answer for you (she's s vet).

For sure, I'd keep it clean with peroxide and a little antibiotic ointment.

Her Retired AvatarComet - 1999 to 2011

She departed us unexpectedly  January 23, 2011 at the age of 12 1/2.

She was born with a deformed front leg and a tripawd all of her life.

Portage Lake, Maine
Member Since:
8 December 2009
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14 February 2010 - 4:06 pm
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To Codie Rae's Mom....WOW!  Excellent, informative post!   Now I don't feel alone w/ my dog Maggie's rehab time since surgery(October 20th).  Maggie has alot of GSD in her, so she's long bodied and has quite a bit of angulation in her remaining rear leg.  She also has a low tail set.  I believe the way a dog is built has a LOT to do with how quickly they recover...I have seen video's of dog's that are more 'peg legged' in the rear(less angulation) and shorter backed and they seem to do far better and seems to be less of a 'job' to move around. 

Maggie is gaining in her strength/stamina but it's been a slow process....it being winter it one part of that problem.  I do have her on Super K9Fuel as "Admin" pointed out and her remaining rear leg has really gained in muscle.  I used to use to product on her when she used to do agility too so I know it can pack on some muscling on her.  I also use it in water for her after exercise and give her about a cup of it to fight off any soreness or fatigue.

The key seems to be short walks - no more than 1/2 hr. for Maggie now - and she had to work up to that...and she is 4 months post op..but again, winter has an effect on that.

She also does cavaletti's, figure 8's around two cones, balance board work and Rally-O moves which help with her strength.

I give her lots of rest time after a walk..cause even if she just does nothing but is up in standing postiion for too long she gets tired.

She's getting there....just take it slow with short walks and some of the other things I do with Maggie may help him too?

Tracy, Maggie's Mom

Maggie was amputated for soft tissue sarcoma 10-20-09

Maggie lost her battle with kidney disease on 8-24-13

http://maggie.t.....t-24-2013/

The Desert
Member Since:
29 May 2010
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13 June 2010 - 8:12 pm
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Are the Ruff Wear Grip Trex better at keeping sand out than the REI Adventure Dog Boots? We take our walks out on the sand trails here.

On The Road


Member Since:
24 September 2009
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13 June 2010 - 10:32 pm
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sungam said:

Are the Ruff Wear Grip Trex better at keeping sand out than the REI Adventure Dog Boots?


 

We're not familiar with the REI boots, so we can't really say. Anyone else?

We might suggest the Ruff Wear Skyliner dog boots since they have an elastic top that goes a bit higher up the leg.

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

The Desert
Member Since:
29 May 2010
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14 June 2010 - 2:29 pm
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Thanks, I am going to order the Skyliner's from here. The design looks better than the REI, and the description online says it keeps dirt/sand out.

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