Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Sadie is just over three weeks post-op. This weekend, she learned how to open the interior doors in my house, which have handles, not knobs. Not only that, but she learned to open them from the side where they open towards you. Which means she has to be rearing up, pawing at the handle and backing up. 
So much for any concerns about how she might get around on three legs.
Go Sadie!!
Lisa, Minneapolis
On October 27, 2016, nearly 6 months after amputation, and 18 months since his cancer likely started, we lost Pofi to a recurrence of Soft Tissue Sarcoma in his spine quite suddenly. His canine sister also succumbed to cancer on March 1, 2019 - we lavished her with our love in the interim, but life was never quite the same without her only real canine friend. Cliff kitty had to leave us, too, suddenly, in August 2019. Lucia kitty grieved all these losses, but helped us welcome two new Lurchers into our home and our lives, Shae and Barley.
Yep, you can't make any assumptions. My daughter asked whether we could start leaving food on the countertops now that Otis is a Tripawd. He answered that question pretty quickly.
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
YAAAAAAAAAY!! Such a DELIGHTFUL ppst! Grinning ear to ear over here!!
Good job Sadie! 🙂 You are one smart,and very determined, tripawd! You rock!
Hugs!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
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 job Sadie!!! 
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
The down side to this is that I have no way to contain her -- she doesn't like being crated and has actually popped the back off the wire crate I own. I don't trust her not to try and take out the baby gate on the stairs to get to me if I'm upstairs (dobies love to be with their people more than almost anything), so I'm back to sleeping on the futon in my office until I feel comfortable letting near the stairs, and who knows when that will be.
Caught her letting herself out of a closed room. She's actually using her mouth to turn the handle, not her paw. Let us welcome our new canine overlord, Sadie.
At three weeks, you can start giving her a little more leeway. Otis was jumping up onto the sofa then (although the surgeon had wanted that to wait until 1 month post-op). We kept the stairs gated, with the dining room chairs blocking the entrance (mine can also remove a baby gate like nothing). When you sense that she is ready for stairs (and I might wait a few more weeks), then try it first with her harness so that you can guide her and assist her if she has difficulty. Otis started doing stairs at 3 months out, although I moved the chairs and opened them up before. He spent about a week just looking. First time coming down was scary (for me), but now he handles them like a pro. Sadie is younger, I think, so she might get to it more quickly. Let her be your guide - just make sure that she doesn't overdo it. (I know, sounds kind of contradictory). I still sleep on the first floor, but remove the gate in the morning so that the dogs can be upstairs with me when I shower and get ready for work. (I am sleeping on my box spring and mattress - my fear is that the additional 6 inches of the bed frame would be too much for both Otis and Tess (cruciate repair last summer)). I use the gate during the day so that he is not going up and down unnecessarily.
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
In the next week or two, I hope to start practicing with her on my front steps. They're two sets of three steps, but broad enough to let me assist her, unlike my interior stairs when are fairly narrow and ten steps. (also need to put down traction strips on the steps). So far, she hasn't bothered the baby gates, so I'm hoping she'll leave them be while I'm gone at work. I actually don't want to put anything in front of them, because she might use that as a "step up" to try to jump the gates. She's already getting up on the couch. I have stairs for the couhc for the little dog, but no matter what I try, she won't use them. Too independant-minded, I swear.
Thankfully, she didn't get into any trouble while I was at work. I pretty much rushed home, only to find her sleeping on the futon in the office. The same office she lets herself out of. Looks like the gates are untouched. Phew. One less thing to worry about.
Probably nothing truly interesting up there if you aren't home😀
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
Okay, I know I shouldn't be laughing.....but I am! And I certainly shouldn't be tickled at her determination and smarty pants antics...but I am!
Okay, seriously Sadie, quit scaring your momma!! It's not funny...but it is!
Love!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
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!
Oh, Sadie! I'm also laughing, sorry! But I know how hard it can be with these stubborn dogs! 
Glad to hear that she's doing so well!
Donna
Donna, Glenn & Murphy
Murphy had his right front leg amputated due to histiocytic sarcoma at 7 years old. He survived 4 years, 2 months & 1 week, only to be taken by hemangiosarcoma at 11 1/2 years 6/12/17
Read about Murphy's Life on Three Legs
She is a hoot. I once caught her licking the dishes in the sink. For all the stress, I wouldn't trade her for the world.
Once? Only once?
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
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