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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When we got Buddie in early January he was just a few weeks post amputation after being found in a hunters trap. At the time we were told that he was about 3 years old full grown and was slightly under weight at 55 lbs. Well he was really just around a year, a puppy. In the last several months he is blossoming into a wonderful friend. We got a trainer who specializes in rescues who have been traumatized. We've fed him with high quality food and love. He has grown in inches and weight. He is at a healthy adult weight (with adjustment for limb loss) at 170. He loves to run after balls and sticks, which we happily oblige a couple times a day.
Here's the problem: he loves to walk becomes exhausted after 15 minutes. His hips are sore sometimes afterward, He needs the exercise and as he is a front amputee I'm wondering the traditional walk should be forgone I place of other exercise or if this is an issue of stamina and 5 or 10 minute walks should be gradually built up..and I mean gradually.
Do you have access to a veterinary rehab facility? Our Murphy made great strides during physical therapy. It also sounds like you may want to check out the core strengthening exercises which are so important for tripawds. He may also benefit from some sort of supplements for his joints.
I'm sure that you will have others chime in here who have more experience with the giant breeds. Murphy is a Lab/Chessie cross who weights in at about 100 pounds less than your Buddie.
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!
Wow, they really got the "full grown" part wrong huh? That is one big puppy lol! My Jake was a front amp but only 50lbs. He tired out pretty quickly too. I met a lady at a pet expo the other day who had her pup in a wagon b/c she said he tired out really easily (he was also a front amp), so I'm thinking it might be a front amp thing. I agree with Kathi about a pet rehab place. Do you have access to a doggie pool? You might have to bring your own XXL life jacket but that might be an option too.
Mom to Tripawd Angels Jake (2001-2014) and Rosco (2012-2015) and Tripawd Tanner. “Whatever happens tomorrow, we had today; and I'll always remember it”
Oh my goodness he's a big boy, and a cutie too! I have no real advice about the best way to exercise him, I'll have to defer to the experts on that. It seems like therapy and swimming are good options though.
If you decide you need a wagon for certain situations, I want you to know about one that will work for your guy. We got one for our yellow lab and were impressed by how big and sturdy they come. Go to http://www.dura.....letoys.com to see the options they offer. Our wagon doesn't look very big in the picture below but it really is. It's 24x48, has huge all terrain / beach wheels and carries up to 1000 lbs! That's not big enough length and width-wise for Buddy but they make them even bigger. We measured the length and width of our yellow labrador while she was lying down and added a few inches for comfort. Voila.
Claudia and Angel Jersey Girl
It certainly takes some time to build up to a longer walk. Slowly, over time we've built Mav up to a 4 mile walk!
First: always listen to what your dog is telling you: when it's time to rest then take a breather and restart your walk when he's ready. I like to take a day pack with me even on short walks so I can carry a water bottle, bowl, bags, and a quick protein-packed treat to give Mav an extra boost on his walk. Even though Mav is smaller (26 pounds) it still took some time to get his stamina up.
Second: physical therapy is one of the best thing you can do! A certified canine physical therapist can give you exercises to build up the core strength which dramatically improves stamina. Swimming is another great way to help build up stamina if you don't have access to a PT.
Third: keep in mind the weather. Even though Mav can go for miles in the cold, a little heat and he's done after just half a mile! Every dog has a different temperature tolerance so keep that in mind as well.
Fourth: try to walk on soft sand or loamy soil. I notice a dramatic difference in how Mav handles soil versus asphalt. The softer the ground, the less impact on the joints. I no longer take Mav out on pavement because it both destroys his paw pads and throws his good shoulder out of alignment.
Lastly, massage is one of the best gifts we can give our canine friends to help them feel better. Massage is easy to learn and hard to mess up so it's a great choice for someone who can't reach a trained professional 
Mav loves his massage at night since it gets him a little extra mommy time!
Hope this helps! Good luck,
Mandy and Maverick
Maverick is a wonderful miniature australian shepard born with a malformation of the front right radius/ulna, amputation performed on 11/4/13 at 6 months old. Follow his story at mavericksjourney.tripawds.com.
I was wondering that, too. Didn't quite see how a pup could have grown over 100 pounds in just a few months, but I guess I didn't notice it at first.
What kind of dog is Buddie? He looks like he has personality plus.
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!
Good questions! Kudos to you for being so conscientious about his care, you'll have a great life together!
"Only 70" ... spoken like a true big dog person!
To me this sounds like he's physically not strong enough to tackle any kind of real walks yet, but that doesn't mean he'll be reliant on a cart or stroller the rest of his life (although they do come in very handy for times when you want to go on really long walks, even after he gets strong). He will get there with your help.
Keep this at the forefront of your mind; Walks don't strengthen. Just like it's important for humans to have strong core muscles, it's the same for dogs, so it's time to start building those up and you get there with strengthening activities, balance games, etc. He'll get there with your help! As you can see, front leg Tripawds in top shape like Bart and Mandy's Maverick can do amazing things!
Bringing rehabilitation therapy games and activity into the picture. We have a ton of great resources here and you can start with these:
Veterinary Rehab Therapy Benefits for Three Legged Dogs
Best of Tripawds Gear and Fitness Tips for Three Legged Dogs
Loving Life on Three Legs: This 115 page interactive PDF includes the professional advice of veterinarians and certified vet rehab therapists, along with hundreds of direct links to articles, forum topics, interviews and how-to videos for exercises you can do at home with your three or four legged pup.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thanks every one. I just had a knee replaced and am having the second done in a few weeks. We both need a balance disc. I have the massage down. I watched you tube sessions and started them with Buddie right away. It's a nice time for both of us. I'm sure our balancing sessions will be too.
Ouch! Well you can both be on the road to recovery together. Glad to hear Buddie is benefitting from the videos, good luck to both of you and keep us posted OK? We'd love to hear about your progress.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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