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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Panchito is one month post op and doing so brilliantly. He is so happy and hoppy and not at all like a 12 year old more like a puppy ! He can get downstairs but finds upstairs too hard. We bought him the harness with the handle but he's always hated harnesses and when we put it on him he just sits down and won't move! Maybe he just won't be able to get the strength in his back leg ( he is a hind leg amputee ) but we'd be very grateful for any advice! Also we heard from our vet that his cancer is a histiocytic sarcoma and malignant. They say it will metastasise but we are so happy to have him well and pain free at the moment. Anyone have any experience of this type? Thanks so much ! Xx
Shelby was a rear-amp... she handled the stairs (both ways) pretty well. I can't remember her really having a problem going up. Is he small enough you could just pick him up and carry? He looks pretty small. I understand you want him to move but perhaps that is what he prefers.
However, there are things you can do to strengthen their remaining rear leg. Lots of core work. Shelby did a few rounds of PT. Perhaps that would help?
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
Murphy is also a rear amp. He has gone up the stairs in the house exactly two times since his amp a year and a half ago. He will go up stairs outdoors (at the vet's office, at the beach), but refuses to go up the inside ones. The outside stairs have all been quite a bit wider than our stairs are, but he's just using his stubborn Chesapeake brain and saying NO!
Kathi and Murphy
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!
Hmmm. In general rear-leg Tripawds have an easier time going downstairs than up, so I'm wondering, are your steps carpeted or slippery? Are they open on the back? Our Wyatt Ray , a rear leg amp, had a hard time with going up stairs for a while, just the open ones though, others he would do fine on.
Have you seen our Tripawds e-book, Loving Life on Three Legs? Lots of good tips in there about strengthening and building confidence, sounds like with just a few minutes a week he could get there.
As for histiocytic sarcoma, the prognosis is depressing but it's not always a textbook case. We have quite a few members here who have gone way beyond the odds, including Barney from Houston, a SIX year survivor. A search for "histiocytic sarcoma" here reveals a lot of results.
You have a great attitude, keep it up!
p.s. As for getting Panchito used to the harness, here's a great post for ya:
How to Make a Good Introduction to the Ruff Wear Webmaster Harness
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
My pug Maggie was a rear amp too. She was only about 12 " at the shoulder and 17 pounds. She never could go up more than 2 or 3 stairs, maybe 4. A single stair was taller than her so it was a pretty big jump off one back leg. I didn't push it with her, I only had a couple of stairs anyway. She got carried up stairs when there were lots of them. I didn't think it was worth risking a strain or worse on the one back leg.
Mag has a Ruff Wear harness
but didn't like it much, but she would wear it.
Karen and Spirit Maggie
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Hello
My dog, Obi, is a patterdale terrier so similar to yours (small) but chunkier. He had his back right leg amputated in March this year and was instantly ok on it, I think because he had already been hopping about on the bad leg. It is also due to sarcoma and we were told that it was likely that it had already spread to his lungs - gutted is an understatement. I shouldn't be writing this now because I am at work, it hurts. Anyway, getting on the positive. He was given worst case scenario 2 months, it is now 4 months. He has some good days and some bad days. One bad day was because we walked him too far and in hot weather. He couldn't get out of bed the next day. A lot of this seems to be about us learning to get used to what he can and cant do. He trots on really well around the garden and the house but is definitely not walking as far as he used to. We've gone for the homeopathic route so see what happens. I've also got him some chondroitin and glucosamine tablets for his joints. I also found some waxy stuff to rub on his pads as I noticed those got rough and I read that they can crack easily on tripod dogs. I give him a massage, he loves this and I think its not only good for his body circulation and muscles but also for his mind. We are really positive with him constantly praising him, I think this helps too. I keep meeting people who say "poor dog" "oh that is sad" and I think animals and living things pick up on that stuff. So I focus on positive, strength and even some reiki imagining his body free from disease. Why not.
Yesterday I took him for a short walk form the house to the woods, not far, and he was panting on the way back. He refused to go upstairs even though I know him can jump a fallen tree if he wants to. He was definitely upset about not being able to come up because he was wining. We tried lifting him but he hates being picked up and we tried a sling that I bought from amazon and that was ok but not ideal. I am trying to stop him from coming upstairs as much because I don't want him straining his remaining back leg unnecessarily.
My concerns now are trying to find an adequate hoist so that we can lift him (my husband drives a 4x4 - truck) and to get him upstairs because he hates sleeping alone and then my other concern is him getting adequate exercise when he seems to not be wanting to walk as far.
Its really good to be talking on here. I had no idea this site existed until today.
wishing you lots of luck for your lovely dog too.
Jules we are so glad you joined us! We've approved your other posts.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi Jules
This is an amazing site isn't it? I don't know how we'd have got through the op and decision making without it. These guys really held our hands ( and a paw or three) during the dark days. The kindness of strangers is quite humbling. Really glad you found it and hope you find the same support, encouragement and inspiration we have found! And much luck and love to your pup! Xxxx
He looks pretty little. Are the stairs far apart? Did he have trouble navigating them before the amoutation? I had a lhaso apso (was not a tripawd though) who had trouble with stairs because they were so much taller than him. Perhaps he just needs to build up some muscle to get the spring in his back end strong enough to propel him. Has he attempted it at all? He might also be hesitant because he doesn't know if he can?
Tina and Smore
(with the spirit of Pebbles watching from the Rainbow Bridge)
Smore is my tripawd kitty who adopted me one summer evening. She had an injury to her front left leg and had to have her leg removed July 17th. She was only 3 or 4 months old at the time. Now she moves faster than some four legged cats!
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