Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hi There,
My tripod pup Rossi is missing his left forelimb. He is a 3 year old 50 pound Staffordshire terrier with a lot of energy. Unfortunately, we notice a lump on the side of his wrist joint, when imaging was done we were told he had tendonitis in the abductor pollicus longus and to manage with pain meds, supplementation and decreased weight bearing if possible.
Unfortunately now 6 months after the initial diagnosis he is having an increasingly difficult time walking and can only go a short distance before needing to take a break. Despite this he LOVES to play, and if a ball comes out will run on his leg regardless of the pain, and then cry from pain in the evening if we let him overdo it (but the bar seems to be continually changing as to where his threshold for "overdoing it" is).
All this to say we are at a loss for what steps to take next. His is very fear reactive when being touched by strangers, especially having his paw touched, and of new things, experiences or objects touching his body. We are considering trying a front wheelchair but are not sure he would even let us get it near him. I am just at a loss for what options we have to increase the longevity of his remaining limb and manage his pain.
Hi Anna and Rossi, welcome. Your future posts won't need to wait for approval so post away.
Tendonitis in a Tripawd is not uncommon, and it's tough to manage for sure. That happened to our Wyatt Ray in his remaining rear leg, so I get what you mean when you mention how the bar is changing for what constitutes overdoing it.
It does sound like you are managing his activity really well. I'm wondering if the reactive behavior is pain related. What medications is he on? How much and how often? And has he been seen by a rehabilitation / physio therapist yet? If not, that would be the next step. Tripawds Foundation can pay for your first rehab visit too. These experts are pros at figuring out the source of pain and how to manage it. Also, they can tell you if a wheelchair is necessary or not, and how to size one properly if so. Don't buy anything, a brace even, until you meet with one (especially since an ill-fitting wheelchair can do more harm than good). Let me know if you'd like help locating one in your area.
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