Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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I scanned the forums for something on this topic but didn't see anything. My Wiley lost his left rear leg last week, he has not sat since. Was wondering if dogs with one rear leg are able to sit, or is there a balance problem since they are lopsided? Not enough junk in the trunk to hold him steady now LOL.
Tyler
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Hi Tyler:
Tika was a bit the same way, I think it's a combination of finding out the new center of gravity and the pain meds.
Tika is a rear amp, completely removed at the hip socket. I can't say for sure when she started sitting normally, but it was a few weeks, and it was over a month before she figured out how to lay on that side.
Here's a video of Tika taken July this year, 7 months post-amp.
She can pretty much do anything except jump into the truck (which she tried once 
), oh and scratch behind her ear on the right side.
It took her about 4 months to figure out that she could still use the other leg to scratch.
If Wiley is still hesitant after another week or so, you might need to work with him and build his confidence back up a bit. But I bet he'll figure it all out himself. For Tika it was, OH, HEY! I didn't realize I could still do that!
Wiley seems to be doing well, don't forget to take care of yourself dad!
–Kim and Tika
PS–Don't worry, it's not uncommon for you to question every thing and fret about the tiniest things, we've all been there.
Kim and Spirit Tika http://www.tika.....ogspot.com
Too funny about the junk in the trunk... 🙂 Riley will certainly be able to sit up. He probably just doesn't want to yet since he is on the mend. It is still very early, he is sore, and likely stoned out of his gourd on pain meds.
Wyatt's introduction video shows him sitting (and running) just fine about a month after his amputation.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Tyler,
They can sit just fine, and they like to sit on the "remnant." Wiley just needs to heal, and that could take a month before he is comfortable. At one week he is still dealing with pain. Once he is pain free he should be fine. There are pictures on this website of Wyatt Ray Dawg (in the Gallery) and Codie Rae sitting that will show you they like to sit on the remainder. They learn just how stable it is to sit that way. A little more time and he will sit like a champ.
Ralph
Hang in there, Wiley will find his perfect balance too!
Wyatt Ray Dawg . . . The Tripawds Leg-A-Cy Continues!
Read all about my adventures at my Tripawds Blog
My tri pug Maggie also lost her left rear leg. She spent most of the time at the beginning lying on her right side. She has a bit of her femur left so I think that was really sore. Now she sits just fine, and actually sits on that side most of the time. Her sitting balance issue came up because she learned how to shake hands with her left paw, but without her left rear kickstand she couldn't lift her paw. But she figured it out- now she just shifts her weight to her right side and shakes like always. That is when she feels like it- she is a pug and has her own agenda...
A week in is pretty early. Once he is off the pain meds and the sutures, staples, drains or what ever are all out he will probably figure things out pretty fast.
Karen
Rita
had rear leg and partial hip amputaion... so she only has one butt cheek.
At first she couldn't do anything but lay down, then a few days after the surgery she tried to lay on the amp side..... wow that hurt, so I would help her shift to her leg side to lay down so she wouldn't aciddently land on the sore side. She sits just fine, just a bit tilted toward the butt cheek side. She got sitting before she got that it didn't hurt to lay on it. Now when I see pictures of rear leg dogs with the hip, I think it looks strange. 
Like everyone else said, they figure it out! Chloe is a rear amp and she sits a bit lopsided sometimes, but she sits up!
-Chloe's mom
Chloe became a rear amp tripawd on 7-29-10. Another tumor was removed on front leg 2-20-14. Found 3rd tumor on neck 2-2015, but she's still kicking cancer's butt at age 14. Chloe's blog
It took Maggie a long time as well to be able to sit. I think at first, it partly was freaking her out being out of balance trying to sit. But now that I have rewarded her for sitting so much, it's her 'default' behavior 
She'll offer sits all the time now! Like Chloe's Mom said, it's just a tad lopsided now...Magige doesn't seem to mind anymore! 
Tracy, Maggie's Mom
Maggie was amputated for soft tissue sarcoma 10-20-09
Maggie lost her battle with kidney disease on 8-24-13
Tyler and Wiley,
Actually, there was such a discussion on this topic for front amputee, and it is about time that such a discussion was started regarding rear amputee. I would have to agree with one and all the inputs above – it is all about learing a slightly new balance. Actually, I have known dogs that sat in more of a "side saddle" position (more on the hip than the butt) even when they had all four legs. It looks very similar to Wyatt Ray above. Note the position of the fore legs and the lower body.
Based upon Miss Cherry's and Cemil's experiences, it is different for front amputee. Here the dog is used to placing the two fore legs down on either side and bracing. With only one fore leg, the dog has to place the remaining leg in the middle, literally twisting the body. While they do learn how to do this in time, Cherry did not, and Cemil does not sit as often. To them it was much more comfortable just to go from the standing position to a total down. Point here is that Wiley will learn how to sit, but may not do it as often as previously. It will all depend upon just how "comfortable" this new postion feels. We know that you will feel good when this re-learning is complete but if Wiley does not feel as comfortable in the sit, do not try to read too much into his desire to lie down and watch the world pass from the reclined position.
Thanks again for starting this discussion point.
Spirit Cherry's Dad
Holly also prefers to lay down over sitting. She will sit on carpeted surfaces, but slippery surfaces are still tricky for her. I think she has a hard time keeping her one rear leg in place on a slippery surface so finds it easier to lay down. But, she can mantain a sit on a slippery surface long enough to get a treat!
Holly joined the world of tripawds on 12/29/2009. She has a big little sister, Zuzu, who idolizes Holly and tries to make all of her toys into tripawds in Holly's honor. And she's enjoying life one hop at a time!
http://anyemery.....ipawds.com
Roadie had a left, rear leg amputation three weeks ago.
I have the opposite situation in that all he does is sit up.
He won't lay down at all.
It's sad b/c you can see he is nodding off because he is so tired, but when
you lay him down (show him how), he just pops back up again to sit.
Hoping your sweet dog will be sitting up again for you soon.
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