Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Reece's leg was already toast when she was pulled from the shelter more than six weeks ago. Final diagnosis is total shoulder luxation and a shattered elbow. She had been doing really well as a four-legged tripod, but had a painful episode last week while doing normal dog things so the leg has to go for her to be adoptable.
Reece is some sort of terrier mix, about 26 pounds, long and lean (and keeping her lean!). She was spayed three weeks ago.
Surgery is scheduled for Tuesday, April 25, a week from today.
I've been reading here and I'll keep reading, but can use all the help anyone wants to offer about non-cancer recovery. We have experience with FHO surgery (2 dogs, 3 surgeries) and cruciate ligament repair but nothing about front legs. At least Reece is small enough that I can pick her up (having had my own left shoulder replaced last August).
I'm just rambling here because I'm still processing. Everything I've read online so far tells me this is the place to be, not only for Reece's recovery but for my own handling of it. The kicker is that at the end of the recovery process, we get to give her up.
That's Reece in the avatar, but I live with Shibas. I'm guessing that explains quite a bit.
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Hi Wendy! Thank you so so much for fostering Reece. Fosters are in short supply right now so what you are doing to help her find a new home is just wonderful 
If you've had experience with those surgery recoveries, amputation recovery will be a breeze! It really is easier! I recommend reading our What to Expect articles , there's lots of tips in those pieces, as well as our Tripawds Recovery Shopping List .
What is the clinic situation like? Will she stay overnight and if so, will someone be there with her all night long? If she will be left alone for several hours, it's best to bring her home same day. That's not easy but it's do-able.
Check out our pain management articles for info on pain medications after surgery.
How is your house? Is it Tripawd-proofed? Traction on slippery floors is key. Also make sure she has a safe recovery area. Not necessarily a crate but just a room where she can't get into too much trouble and overdo activity. An x-pen set up in the living room is often a good move for many dogs.
Many people here have joined Tripawds for reasons besides cancer, just check out our Adoptions & Accidents Forum topics.
Let us know what kind of questions you have, we are here to help!
Jerry, thank you for those links. I will go read. I should note that Reece is apparently also part goat. We've had several discussions about not eating the rosebush and she just brought me one of our newly blooming iris flowers. *sigh*
She's being doing really well on the hardwood floors but we will make paths as necessary. She's such an active little creature that I think the greater challenge will be keeping her slowed down. We have crates, including a huge one in the living room, so we're good there.
She'll go Monday afternoon for the application of her fentanyl patch and we're going to let her stay overnight at the rescue facility on-site clinic. We live 45 minutes away and don't want to risk her "missing the bus" because we got hung in a traffic thing or risk having the visiting beagle messing with the patch. We're to pick her up the afternoon of the surgery.
Reece is used to sleeping in a crate in my room at night, so the plan is to set up a side-loader crate in my bedroom in her usual place. She's small enough that I can carry her up and put her in.
We already have her gabapentin and carprofen and she's allowed to take some of it now since she's sore from yesterday's examination. How she manages with a dislocated shoulder and "shattered" elbow is beyond me.
That's Reece in the avatar, but I live with Shibas. I'm guessing that explains quite a bit.
As someone who has adopted a rescue dog post-amputation, I want to sincerely thank you for fostering Reece. It takes a special person to foster rescue animals, but taking on medical and other special needs cases is another level entirely. Without people like you, I wouldn't have my Loki. Whoever adopts Reece will be extremely grateful that you were there for her when she needed a human to love and care for her.
Awww she wanted to bring you fresh flowers, how sweet! 
Silly girl. They must taste yummy!
Yes it IS hard to keep younger dogs mellow during recovery. interactive brain games and very basic obedience are awesome ways to pass the time and tire out a dog's brain (which is even more valuable than tiring out their body!).
Glad she's on some pain control. Keep in mind the first night after surgery can be rough. Most dogs come home dysphoric and wonky, anxious, restless, that sort of thing, while the anesthesia and surgery meds work their way out of the body. Make sure she has really good pain management so that you both get a decent amount of rest that night. Being on pain control before surgery is definitely helpful so good job there!
Keep us posted on how things are going and if you have other questions.
P.S. Couldn't agree more with what Loki's mom said about fostering medical rescues. THANK YOU!
Thank you everyone for your kind words and support. I just learned that Reece's surgery has been moved up to tomorrow. So glad I went ahead and ordered those t-shirts yesterday.
With this foster group, I'm not in charge of anything. In fact, I don't even know what vet is doing the surgery (although I'm angling to find that out).
I think I'll be spending quite a bit of time here tomorrow taking the cram course. So glad this resource is available.
That's Reece in the avatar, but I live with Shibas. I'm guessing that explains quite a bit.
AH! Well good luck tomorrow! I know you will be a great advocate for Reece. Ask any questions. Let us know how it goes!
We've been home about two hours. The surgery wasn't quite as extensive as I'd expected and the incision (staple version) looks good. Reece the goat had a few tiny pieces of strawberry and I got a little water in her using a Metacam syringe. The moisture seemed to help her. She's just lying in the crate, being half out of it, and whimpering.
Given that I have zippity doh dah for instructions, should I offer her food tonight or wait until tomorrow morning? I know y'all aren't veterinarians, just asking about what your vets told you at the time.
That's Reece in the avatar, but I live with Shibas. I'm guessing that explains quite a bit.
I adopted my tripawd after her amputation... When my other dog had minor surgery, the vet told me to give her a half portion for dinner the day of surgery and return to normal meals the following day. I don't know if those instructions would be valid for more major surgery. My instinct would be to offer Reece a small portion. If she's not interested, don't push it. If she's ravenous, maybe give her a little more.
Thank you for that. I did see it a couple of hours ago (it's been a long evening). She ate eight pieces of kibble in addition to her strawberry bits and water.
We had to move her from one crate to another (this puppy grew in the last week!) and it seems she'll be moving around just fine in a few days. She's already trying to convince us that the real problem is the collar.
That's Reece in the avatar, but I live with Shibas. I'm guessing that explains quite a bit.
Well it sounds like she is doing pretty good! Eating already? Wow! I agree with @mischief, offer a small portion and see how it goes each morning. Food isn't the big deal right now but staying hydrated is. You probably know this already but use care with the syringe, since there's a risk of aspiration if it goes down the wrong way. Insert the syringe in the side of her mouth along her cheek, not inside. You may also be able to tempt her into drinking by spiking her water with no-salt broth, Gatorade, pedialyte, or even tuna water.
She will probably be super tired tomorrow and over the next few days (or maybe not considering her age). You may have more of a challenge keeping her mellow and resting. Let us know how it goes, and welcome to the Tripawd life!
We had quite the adventure in the yard last night. Reece went down the five steps by herself and finally took a looooong pee. She managed to wander deeper into the yard and may have pooped, although I doubt it. Then there was the whole "stuck sitting here staring at the base of the birdbath" thing. She finally got herself out from there and tried to settle in the for night partially under a forsythia bush, at the far back of the yard. At that point, I got a towel to help me do "grab and wrap," picked her up gently, endured the screaming and got her into the big crate downstairs, with a small, flat bowl of water in the corner. As I had hoped, once it got dark and quiet, she finally went to sleep and stayed there until morning.
While Reece still has a good bit of the anesthesia wonkies, she ate breakfast like a champ and the morning medicine went down with it. She also got a decent drink of water. The pee ended up on the couch, but that's life with dogs. After more time out in the yard, she came in and after some slow wandering around, finally went into her crate voluntarily where she's resting now.
Taking the cone off has really seemed to help her orient and be less stressed. I'm watching closely, but so far, she's leaving her incision alone.
This is one brave, tough little girl.
Rene and Jim, the email with the link to "Be More Dog " was most timely when it came in last night. I put on my "think like a dog" cap and let Reece be a dog, in the yard, when she needed to do just that. What matters is safety, water and food and, for a dog like Reece, being with her pack. The Beagle has been careful with her and we let him sniff, let her growl/snap at him when he needed to know the limits, and just let them generally normalize their relationship. Reece is now crashed in the big crate and the Beagle is lying on the dog bed closest to her.
Her incision looks great. I'm somewhat confused that they didn't take the dislocated shoulder, but I'm told they like to leave a stump to help protect the lungs. That makes sense although I'm still concerned about future pain from there. It's frustrating that I wasn't able to talk to the vet and only got the briefest of instructions from the tech, but such is life in foster land.
That's Reece in the avatar, but I live with Shibas. I'm guessing that explains quite a bit.
Reece wanted out of the crate for a few minutes, so I've let her. She's under the table shredding cardboard (one of her favorite activities which also saves the furniture). You just can't keep a good goat down!
That's Reece in the avatar, but I live with Shibas. I'm guessing that explains quite a bit.
Well that is a really good night overall! She's one resilient little pup, I'm so in 
with her attitude and spunk!
You are doing so great. I'm glad you found the email useful, thank you for that feedback 
That's an interesting reason for leaving the stump, haven't come across that one yet but hey I'm not the surgeon so OK sounds reasonable. If Dr. Pam is reading maybe she'll chime in. Otherwise unless there is actual stump left it shouldn't give her any issues.
Watch her realllly close as the incision starts drying, that's when most dogs start messing with the incision. You can also put a tiny shirt on her to put up a barrier, but again, watch her closely.
I hope today goes just as well as last night!
I had bought the ten pack of the t-shirts the day before and they're washed and ready. She really is a resilient little beast. As the anesthesia effects wear off, she's ambulating really well. She had been functioning as a four-legged tripod for more than six weeks (we don't know how long) so she's finding her balance very quickly.
There is an actual very short stump and I'm concerned about it, but I'm not a vet so what do I know? Looking online I see there are other dogs out there with that kind of "stump." I'm sure it's more prominent right now because of post-surgical swelling.
That's Reece in the avatar, but I live with Shibas. I'm guessing that explains quite a bit.
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