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.
Join The Tripawds Community
Learn how to help three legged dogs and cats in the forums below. Browse and search as a guest or register for free and get full member benefits:
Instant post approval.
Private messages to members.
Subscribe to favorite topics.
Live Chat and much more!
Register
Log In
Members
Add Topic
Offline
Super Stu! said
tinsch said
Stewie, dude!No trippin', ya hear?! Listen to me dude, I've been having issues like that for a while now. I lose my footing, especially with the only front leg they left me with. And then I hurt meself. I yelp. I sprain a shoulder. I sprain my neck. Sucks, dude, big time!
Manni Dude!!! Let me tell you, I feel for you! Here I’ve been hopping around right merrily and then bloody boom! I thought my hurtin’ ‘daze’ were over!!! My Mum kept in telling all of us to watch out and be careful, but sheeeesh, we’re dawgs right?!
Get some medsies in you, rest some, have the folks give you a few neck massages and if that doesn't help, go see the nasty dudes in white.
Mum has this new squirty medicine bro and let me tell you.... I am soooo not hoppy about that 💩! I absolutely refuse to take it with the same dignity as those nice slippery Gabas! I Ruv licking the oil up afterwards! As for seeing those nasty fellas in white... I kinda miss my Dr. Laurie... if I need to go back I won’t mind, so long as she’s there!
Take care, buddy, no more trippin'!!
Is it me dude or the drugs ‘cause I thought you just said lots of meds to make me feel good.... doesn’t that mean more good trippin’?!
your bro
Love you too Bro! ❤️
Remember...“live in the moment!“
jerry said
May that Tripawd bandanna surround him with healing power! Glad to hear that he's doing better.
Do exactly what you're doing by limiting his activity and taking it easy for a few days. He's on the mend and that's awesome.
its working already! Thank you!!! He is a lot better, but not back to himself yet. He is back to potty breaks only outside and is closed into a small space at night. I don’t want to take any chances. If I can rest him fully over the weekend, see what the vet says about the pain management and go from there. I will be in touch with my clinic over the next coup,e of days, just to monitor his day to day progress.
I watched the video at least 3 times to try to figure out when it happened but I couldn't see anything at all. He did shake his head pretty hard before he took off running. So maybe it happened before he even did that little sprint?
I thought the same thing with his head shake (in hindsight of bloody course!). It’s a common thing for him when he is telling us something... so double crap really! But this still doesn’t explain why the back leg was so affected? He absolutely could not put weight on that leg! Anne had to support him by his harness while I support
At the end of replying to everyone’s very kind messages, I am going to add another short video. It is just a couple of minutes before the ‘incident’ video. Could you keep an eye on that back left leg and see if you can see him slightly favouring it? Or is it just paranoid Mum seeing things?! Hi
per his rear end, just to get him to the truck! I can’t recall a point that he has actually traumatized his rear left limb?! His neck is so very much better today, not perfect for the range of motion, but hugely improved. He isn’t limping, but he hadn’t been limping until 4 weeks prior to his amputation either!
Hard to say. A rehab therapist may be able to tell. My guess is that he had some neck aching going on before the sprint and it kicked in once he got active. I'm betting it has nothing at all to do with the cancer so please try not to make yourself crazy over that OK?
I will try super hard not to worry over the next few days. I see that all Tripawd Parents go through their ‘first traumatic’ injury with the same horrific outlook, but I have also made some very special acquaintances such as Rocky and Draco... Pawsitive thoughts brings Pawsitive outcomes!!!
Im already a little crazy! But we can all relate to that can’t we?!🤪
Remember, dogs are just like us. Sometimes we wake up and we have an ache and over the course of the day it hurts a little more as we move around. With R&R, massage, some gentle stretching, it goes away. Stewie will get there too!
Yeah, I know those ‘little’ aches and pains all too well! Stewie is a Super Stu! Super Hero’s have no problems getting through silly things such as a few pulled muscles! Pffffff! R&R, lots of massages (& belly rubs!) and gentle stretches... We so got this!
Thanks a million!!!
From your new Tripawds geek, Petra! 🤓
teri said
You rest and sucker your mom out of all the treats you can!
Oh yeah! I am soooo on that Roxinator! Everypawdy misses my bushy fur ‘cause it’s all about my eyes... my eyes are secret charmers to opening the treat jar! I just give them the eyes, grumble sweetly and the next thing you know... bam! Treat in mouth! Especially when Mum’s not around!
It does sound like he zigged when he should have zagged so try not to worry. (like I don't remember that's not even a remote possibility).
Hehehehe! Yeah, we’re are all good at preaching what we don’t practice, but I do appreciate having the reminders! My mantra for tomorrow... try not to worry, try not to worry... if I keep saying it, I won’t have time to worry about it! Ha! An Ahha moment!
Hugs and more hugs for you both!
Teri, the Roxinator and Angel Isa
Thank you Tina! Assive hugs to you, a shake of the paw to the Rox and spirit kisses to Isa!
Here is the video of Stu a couple of minutes prior to his ‘incident’. Is he slightly favouring his back left leg?! Am I being overly sensitive now, or do I see him preferring to stay more so on his right leg?! Or is he just hopping like a front end Tripawd?!
Thanks to all of you!
It's hard without seeing many videos of his normal movement to have to compare to. He looks ok in this one, maybe a little stiff? But that might just be his normal. Nothing jumps out and looks like trouble. I could see it in the other video when he zigged the wrong way. It was so brief, just looked like he turned the wrong way. I am glad to see that rest is doing him well. You're all over it mama, he will be back to his silly Stewie antics in no time flat
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry 
Nop. Can't see anything here. It's as Jackie says, we don't know how he normally is whilst hopping and also this video is too brief.
Most likely, all he needs is rest ... and love.
And you and Paul are experts on the later, right? 😉
😘🐮💫✨🌟🌹
Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-)
I guess I'm going to break with the crowd... it does appear to me in both videos that he is 'carrying' his left rear leg. HOWEVER- it is hard to say for sure without seeing his normal Tripawd gait.
Has he ever had problems with his knees? It's good that he is better with rest. I know in small dogs there are some knee issues that seem to come and go- the dog will hold up it's leg and hop- not able to put weight on the leg, then a few minutes late is walking normally. I haven't heard of this issue in bigger dogs so much (luxating patella) but it would be worth having his knees checked.
And don't beat yourself up about not seeing a problem earlier- remember how good dogs are at hiding their pain! And with a Tripawd gait it is extra hard to tell there is an issue since they can't really limp.
I hope he keeps getting better!
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
I agree he seems stiff but like I said hard to see what his normal gait is. I'm sorry, wish I could be more help.
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry
Many thanks to everyone!
yes, Stewie has, as long as we’ve had him, (coming up 3 years in January) had an odd sort of gait. He has tended to run with his back legs closer together than I have seen in any dog before. This seems to be slightly different. I think Karen & Jerry’s thought is correct in suggesting that maybe he was having problems before... i just still don’t get how the neck is involved, both when his front leg hit him and now his back!
i am cautiously moving forward, slowly... Stewie appears to be doing better, brilliant news to share! He seems to be resting comfortably when needed and is up and about for treats when called! (You’ll be super hoppy to know Thally!) We Are going to be babying him (ha! Like we haven’t before!) our boy for the next few days and monitoring him very closely.
i am continuing his Gabapentin at 1200mg per day, plus his Meloxicam (5ml/day) over the next few days. I will talk with the clinic on Monday and see what we do from there...
Thank you all for your support and thought of healing power... Tripawd Power at its best!
Stewie sends lots of slobbery kisses
Just catching up, and I am sorry to hear that Stewie has been having these problems, though I am thrilled that the babying is working and he seems to be doing better. I totally know how stressful it is to know your dog is in pain but not to be able to pinpoint exactly whats wrong. I've watched the videos several times but I find it is very hard to judge, being unfamiliar with his normal gait. He does look a bit uneven in the back legs (I think???), but I am HOPELESS at judging these things even in my own dogs. really, I just seem blind to it. I even find it hard to see which leg my dog's limping on. In the light of which... have you tried playing the videos in slow motion? It's easy to do this if you have iMovie, for example (and other software too, for sure, it's just that that's the one I know.) When my four-legger, Elsie, was limping last year, I filmed her walking along a pavement directly towards me, but I still could not tell which of her front legs was the problem, until I slowed the footage right down, and then it became obvious, even to me.... Just a thought, if you wanted to give it a go.
Sending love and healing thoughts to you all,
Meg, Clare and Elsie Pie xxx
Ruby, Staffy, born June 2022, became a Tripawd, November 2023, adopted January 2024.
Also Angel Tripawd Meg (aka The Megastar), who died in April 2023, aged 14, after seven glorious years on three, and Angel Staffies Elsie Pie and Bille. In the pawprints of giants...
Thank you Clare
i am more thrilled to hear that Meg-a-Star is doing so much better! It sounds like Elsie Pie is feeling a little left out too... never mind you and I... do you think old age is getting the better of us?!
Yes, Stewie is looking even better today. He is still soaking up the love and treats, but was not happy when Hedgie was put away!
When I see my techie brother sometime this month, I will ask him if he knows how to slow down video... thanks for the tip!
Hugs and love to you and your beautiful girls!
Petra, Stewie and gang
Remember, little steady improvements are BIG HUGE IMPROVEMENTS when you're a tripawd!
Soooooo glad you are seeing improvement!! 🙂 🙂 🙂 Keep it up Stewie!
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!
Good morning to everyone!
i am super hoppy to report that Stewie is doing so much better! He is still on house confinement, as bed rest isn’t happening with a super hoppy puppy! The last couple of days has shown a huge improvement, not only in his pain levels, but also in his whole demeaner
i am watching him like a hawk and truly I am super pleased to see him a lot more like himself! I still have him on The Gabapentin and the Meloxicam at night. I will be talking with our vet clinic tomorrow and get some direction in his pill regiment coming down. I have a feeling that we will keep him on the Gabapentin, but at a lower dose... but I’m not sure what the benefit will truly be. Dr. Laurie had suggested it because of his Phantom Pain episodes. Any opinions as to whether the Gaba will do him any benefit to stay on? I see a few people do maintain with Gaba sometimes.
Ne is going in for acupuncture and Ortho-Bionomy treatment on Wednesday. I will ask Ms Leslie to pay very special attention to him this week. It’s funny ‘cause I am going in for treatment too, so we will both be flat on our backs (okay, I’ll be on my tummy & Stewi will be on his side!) totally relaxed and loving the peaceful spa moments together!
Thank you, Thank you and Thank you a million times over for your support and your thoughts! It puts things into a better perspective for me. Stewie is forever grateful that you guys have his back!
Have a very Hoppy day you guys!
SO GLAD TO SEE RHIS GRRAT UPDATE!!! SOOOOOO GLAD!!!!
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!
1 Guest(s)
