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Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat

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Tripods in Snow and Ice
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Member Since:
24 May 2020
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28 September 2020 - 11:23 am
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Hi all,

I know it's barely October, but we've already started to think about Tabitha the Grey(t) tripod getting around in the snow and ice.

When Tab became a tripod, we had hardwood floors which now have runners of non-skid bathroom mats throughout our downstairs (I'm sure Amazon thought we had gone around the bend ordering so many non-skid bathroom mats).  If Tab gets more than 2 paws off the mats she slides.  This has me a bit worried about winter - last year we had terrible freezing rain during a large part of December - it was hard for her with 4 paws then!  She also has trouble (as do most dogs) with the salt they use on the roads.  I used to bring a towel and wipe her paws off when they bothered her, but that will be hard now.

We already thought we could use tarps to keep part of our lawn snow/ice free (that might be challenging of course).  We have slings that we use to help her up and down stairs and the Web Master Plus harness (we don't use that unless we're going for a longer walk, but might be necessary for any outside trip in winter).

Other ideas?  I want to keep her safe outside in the snow and ice!

Thanks!

JoAnn, Bill and Tabitha the Grey(t) Tripod 🙂

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New York, NY
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24 March 2020
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28 September 2020 - 11:50 am
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Hi JoAnn!  It's never too early to prepare, so I was glad to see your post today.  I am planning to use dog boots that I previously purchased for Griffin.  The ones I linked are no longer available, but it seems that similar ones are, and I found them to be sturdy, easy to put on, and secure on his paws.  I bought those a few years ago when Griffin badly cut his paw pad and needed protection outside (he wore a non-skid sock inside).  In addition to providing traction , the boots protect from salt and ice balls that form between the pads of his paws.  Griffin does not love wearing them, but will tolerate them and seems to forget he has them on once outside.  I did a quick Google search and there seem to be Greyhound specific booties (I guess to better accommodate their long slim legs?), so hopefully that is a good place to start.  For indoors, have you considered using nail caps?  I used them with Griffin over the summer when we were visiting family whose house had no rugs on the hardwood floors.  They worked well in terms of preventing slips and making it easier for him to get up after laying down.  I found them easy to put on (make sure to trim them enough so that they do not touch the base of his nail) and they stayed put for a few weeks.  I used the rounded end of a nail cuticle tool (the part to push back your cuticles) to easily remove them.  ~ Stacy

Griffin lived an amazing life for 11 years! Diagnosed with osteosarcoma on March 17, 2020, Griffin's right forelimb was amputated on April 2, 2020. Ten days later he was running and playing fetch! Lung metastasis discovered in July 2020 did not slow down Griffin and he lived joyfully for the next 7 months, passing peacefully at home on February 11, 2021. https://griffin.tripawds.com

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28 September 2020 - 12:08 pm
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Thanks for the ideas, Stacey!  I take your and Griffin's recommendations very seriously since the bed you recommend is rated 5 stars by Tabitha the Grey(t) smiley10smiley10smiley10smiley10smiley10

I was thinking booties too since ice balls are ALSO a problem, but I don't know if Tab will tolerate them (which is why we never got them before and just used a towel).  Maybe I'll try a "cheap" version (non skid socks or something similar) to see if she'll wear them.

JoAnn

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On The Road


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28 September 2020 - 12:25 pm
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Suuuper duper smart of you to prepare now! Great job!

Boots are great if your pup will tolerate them. Many dogs don't. You can test out Tabitha's tolerance for shoes by trying Pawz Dog Booties. They're great for outdoor use on snow and ice, and low cost enough so that if she hates having things on her feet you aren't out a ton of money.

Our other best idea for traction on snow and ice includes Dr. Buzby's Toe Grips (they allow a dog to more easily grip slippery surfaces, we think they're pawesome!). The rubber material they are made with are incredibly durable and slip-resistant. Our Wyatt Ray wears them all the time.

You can also get a pair of Ruffwear Grip Trex or Summit Trex and just put one on the remaining limb opposite her amputated limb. If she'll tolerate one boot, odds are she will tolerate all 3. I highly recommend Ruffwear's boot liners (see boots pages I linked to) to help the shoes stay on better.

You'll find the Ruffwear Webmaster harness super helpful in snow and ice too. That handle on back is a life saver!

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

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Virginia



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28 September 2020 - 4:06 pm
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Yes, snow and ice...especially  ice....cause a lot of anxiety in us hoomans for our pups.

For the ramp, and I have a "relatively" long run, I also throw down CHEAP runner type rug I can find.  I go out and throw them down over the ice and snow.  Depending  on how non-stop the snow and  ice are, I may have to put them down before a potty trip,  and pick them up and put them down again  several times to keep them from being covered.   

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!

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