Well Beetle is a lucky pup to have you for a pawrent! Sure sounds like you have good experience in coping with medical issues and such. Hopefully she won't have any issues. Did she have any after-effects from the car accident like nerve damage elsewhere?

So about swimming...yes, Tripawds can swim! Whether they're missing a rear or front leg, they can definitely do it. But in our experience and in talking to rehab vets, there are things to keep in mind:

• Swimming builds endurance, and of course it's summer so go out there and have fun! But keep in mind that it doesn't build strength, which is what you need for longer times in the water. To get a Tripawd strong, you need to focus on core strengthening activities and balance games. Here are some rehab and fitness tips for Tripawds.
• K9 Float Coats are so helpful. Are they necessary? For most dogs, not really, they can swim without them usually. But they DO help. We noticed a huge difference with our Jerry when we started using one on him. He swallowed less water and was able to stay in much, much longer. And for Wyatt, a rear-legger, he can also swim better and longer with it. A float coat is real piece of mind and our favorite that we've tried is the Ruffwear model.

When Beetle does start swimming, go slow and try to do it where the water is warm. If you're thinking of swimming for rehab and conditioning, here's a blog post about choosing a rehab practitioner for hydrotherapy.

I hope this helps! We can't wait to follow your adventures!