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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Hi everyone, my Chihuahua Bella recently broke her front leg for the 2nd time. The first time it healed and was fine for about 6 months but now it´s just not healing so the vet recommended an amputation. From what i understand they will remove the whole leg evethough the break is just above her paw. i´m just stressing out but finding this website is giving me hope. I would love some advise and hear others experienses with this.
Thanks Maria
Welcome and best wishes for Bella! Your future forum posts will not require moderation.
A complete amputation is not required if you want to consider using a prosthetic, and are willing and able to proceed with with the investment of time, effort, and money required for fitting and rehab. Find MANY posts about prosthetics in the Tripawds News blog . This is something you definitely must determine and prepare for before amputation surgery.
While you wait for comments from others, use the Advanced Search above to refine your forum search results with specific phrases, and you're sure to find lots of helpful feedback. You can also search all blogs here . Or, consider downloading the Tripawds e-books for fast answers to common concerns and feel free to call the toll-free Tripawds Helpline anytime!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
BELLA IS ADORABLE!!!! SOOOO CUTE!!!!
For whatever it's worth, we've seen amputations be the end result of trying to repair damage legs with surgeries after long recoveries. Amputation is ONE surgery and the roughestmmpart of recovery is usually done in two weeks.
Have to head to work, just wanted to remind you we are by your side the whole way! YOU ARE NOT ALONE!! BELLA IS GONNA ROCK AS AN ADORABLE TRIPAWD😎
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!
Hello and welcome.
Yes, the thought of amputation is quite shocking when you first hear it! Back when my first Pug Maggie lost a back leg to cancer I don't think I had ever seen a three legged dog.
If you do decide amputation is the best route then it is best if the entire leg is removed unless you are planning on a prostetic as Admin guy said above.
I'm on my second small Tripawd although both have been rear amps. Maggie was a 17 pound pug and now I have Elly, a 15 ish pound Pug-mix. Maggie had trouble going up more than 3 or 4 stairs but she could go down anything. Elly flies up and down the stairs without a problem. I do have stools or stairs on all the furniture the dogs are allowed on (I also have a quad pug boy) although they don't always use them going down- I'm working on that with them. For Bella, if she did become a Tripawd, keeping her from jumping down on that one front leg will be critical.
I use a stroller or wagon for long walks or when I know that Elly might get tired. As a 3.5 year old she will go much farther than is good for her so I do try and regulate her activity level a little. We do lots of food games and puzzles and we are currently obsessed with Nose Work.
How old is Bella?
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
She really is a sweethart.
She turned 2 years in April. She is really small only 4 lbs so the good thing is that she can´t climb or jump up on anything by herself but she is an active little girl.
I have her mom and dad to and she was my little surprise, they are both bigger then her. Now i am worried because they do play kind of rough at times and now i wonder if i can ever have them together again but when she´s alone she cries. I have her in an crate right now with the splint so she can´t move around to much and her parents in an pen around her but they can go out through the doggydoor and then she gets so sad.
Are your Tripads able to play with other dogs? i´m afraid she´ll break her other front leg..... 
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