Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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New here, introduction story, and looking for training tips.
My name is Boomer, and cancer took my leg. I'm a Greyhound-Boxer mix, though told I'm a Zebra-dog or Moose-dog all the time. I guess its due to my stripes and very large size. I used to hike mountains, kayak rivers, break into the occasional school tennis practice to steal balls if I got out of the fence.....don't judge. Im around 9 years old, yet there is nothing wrong with acting like I'm 2. After all, my dad is immature too...according to mom.
In late March of this year, my front leg formed a large knot, very rapidly, vet visit found it was cancer. Only way to survive was to become the 'tripod from hell'. It has slowed me down somewhat, but my motto is: "I may only have 3 legs, but I'll still kick your XXX!". I did ok in surgery, was up and adjusting the next day, annoying the vet staff for treats and sympathy pets. It's my specialty to this day. Who trained who?
So it has been about 2 months since the leg disappeared after that drugged nap ( glares at vet ). My 'solar flare' colored kickstand showed up this week! I took to the tripod-hop training quite well, but really not sure about this new contraption. If you other dogs in here have any tips I can relay to my hooman, it would be much appreciated.
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Hi Boomer and furmily, welcome! Your future posts won't need to wait for approval so post away!
You are so darn cute! And spunky too! With that kind of attitude, cancer is going to run away in terror lol 🙂
The support brace you got looks so snazzy and makes you even more handsome! For the best way to use it, we recommend seeking the advice of a rehab therapist. Did you know Tripawds Foundation can pay for your first rehab visit ? Do take advantage of the program so they can better evaluate your needs, and how you can make that device work as best as possible for you. Let us know how it goes OK?
Thanks, will do. Our PT visits are covered in the surgery and prosthetic purchase. But thank you for the information. I am glad people have that option from here.
So far he has only had his initial fitting and introduction visit which was the day he got it. His first full PT is Monday. But I was instructed by them to keep him working.
Going to share what we have learned the last 2 days so hopefully it helps others.
His prosty leg was originally set up via the vet and recommendations from the vendor. But we found it was too short to really help him other than "taps" as he did his tripod hop. It wasn't helping with load, balance, or mobility at all. It was about and inch-plus off the ground.
After joining and posting here, I went down the rabbit-hole of the internet. Spent many hours online that night.
A lot of other videos I saw had the leg pretty much touching the ground as the dog would stand still on all fours. Watching those dogs learn, and eventually gallop, convinced me to try and get his leg longer. They did state it will take time for them to adjust and figure out how to use it at that point, and not be surprised by them dragging it.
Well! IT WORKED.
Our first few walks around the yard found him adjusting and trying to figure it out. By the end of yesterday, he had walked across the street and put in a couple hundred yards of walking before getting tired.
Today we have gone on 3 short walks, about 1/4 mile each for the first 2, the last one not quite a half mile. He is beat, but I haven't seen him move like this since before the cancer. He even got up to a trot speed on his own. I think he gets it. The whole point of this was to get him back to his normal life as much as possible. He can smile, today I saw it when he figured out he can trot a bit.
Going to discuss with the vet and vendor to see if they have a 'ball' or air bladder foot to go at the bottom of the leg instead of the hard foot that is there. That would cushion the impact of his weight going down, and respond with bounce more like a real ankle. This would also lessen the impact of the brace against his body, enabling longer wear, longer walks, more comfort for him.
TIPS:
Prosthetic should be even with other leg and touch the ground when standing upright and still.
If there are 3 straps, middle strap most snug, it acts as a pivot point for the body brace. If there are 2 wide straps like Boom's, adjust based on watching movement. Both of his are about even snug, front one may be tighter as its about center of the brace. You want to see the leg swing forward as they lift their body and other leg.
Find a foot that has some give to it, at least for bigger, heavier dogs.
I may work on some video soon to show progress and help others. -Jason ( Boomer's Dad )
Jason thanks for sharing about the experience. I'm so glad you are working with a PT. Can I ask who it is?
Lots of people get supports like this without professional guidance, and a bad fit can do more harm than good over time. Your observations about the fit are spot on, and will help Boomer move better as you and the PT find a good fit for him. I'm not sure if there is a softer/balloon type foot attachment out there so let us know what you discover.
We would love to add Boomer's story to our Tripawds News prosthetics posts as time goes on. Looking forward to watching how he progresses.
You are most welcome. Add his story and hope to help others!
Our surgery and PT is done at Four Paws Animal Hospital in O'fallon IL.
They have been fantastic, and we get the impression that though they do a lot of limb removals, not too many patients opt for a prosthetic as well. So they are excited to work along with us to progress.
Their work with Boomer before the prosthetic has been amazing. They have that system down for sure. It involved water tank walking, obstacles, and more. I could see him using techniques they taught him during PT. Thinking, adjusting, shifting weight.
They are going to be quite surprised with him tomorrow for his first PT with it....HE RAN TODAY.
It wasn't fast, and wasn't for a long period, but HE RAN. I had to jog to keep up. I only wish I had recorded it.
He did it on his own during our walk, when I said "Ok dude, lets go home". It was our halfway point anyway, and all I meant was to start heading home, guess he was in a hurry. He is picking this up much faster than I would have thought. Now its down to practice and conditioning.
Wow that clinic looks amazing! I love that they have a dedicated rehab team. Boomer's one lucky pup to get to work with them. If you ever feel like showing some of his therapy exercises here we would love to see them.
SUPER happy he's progressing so nicely. What a great way to end your walk. Cheers to more exciting new and pawsitive surprises!
Made 3 videos. Maybe a running video soon as we are headed out for another go.
Day 4. I just started Running. Got him to replicate this morning's run ( about 50 yards ) during our last walk of the day. Dude is wore out, but a trooper for sure.
Boomer is a Tripwd Warrior Olympian Athlete. all rolled up into one!!
You have a beautiful bond with him and he clearly wants to please you and make you proud. And you have everyt reason to be proud! It's as though he's proud of himself too!
So glad you were giving him lots of "rest stops" and understood when he sat, he was tired. Takes a lot of effort to be a tripawd and a ,lot of effort to adjust to the prosthetic. Add those to rogether and aI have no doubt he's, as you say, "worn out"
Yes,l that was quite a fast paced run for this Trooper! Guers "home" is as big a motivator as "cookie".
Thanks for shari g the video and for chronicling so mich detail involving all the steps you jave taken to make this work. Bery informative.
Curious, is there any sort of "padding" ior cushion n the actual brace? And certainly makes sense to try and cushion the impact on the ankle. What's the bottom made of now? It sounds like it pounds hard on the pavement with no "cishion" at this point....maybe????
As impressed as the clinic mist be eith Boomer, they have to be impressed with your research, studying the videos, the gait, etc. I think you may have another career as a prosthetic maker😎
Thanks again for all the information. We look forward to following Boomer continuing to live life to the fullest!!!
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!
There is a foam padding liner all through the brace. My guess is its about 1/4" thick. There is an area in the brace for what is left of his limb to kind of move a bit, instead of being jammed up right against his stump. The bottom of the leg is a hard plastic with a rubber grip around it like a tire material. Its pretty stiff, which is why I am on the search for something with give to it to act like a natural paw cushioning the impacts. Tempted to also try a squeeky rubber human foot just to see if my wife tries to end my life or not. Let the bets begin!
He had PT today. Not sure on what they worked in yet, as they were slammed when my wife picked him up, so we do not have a detailed report yet. He then ran himself ragged at a family member's house visiting others. So he is pretty much a lump right now.
Tomorrow maybe a longer slow walk.
Was busy over the 4th, and it was hot, so today was the first time back at it.
New trick: He can hop up and down curbs now. I wasn't recording, because that wasn't in the plans. I didn't even know he would try it or could do it. When I went to steer him away from the curbs to use the ramps for sidewalk, he was like "Nah, I can do this!" 
Going to contact the vet techs to see if that was in Monday's training. Took me by surprise for sure. He also walked longer and farther than before, twice the usual output. Including a sidetrack visit to some high school basketball players working out. Guess he had to show off.
The Boom is back!
Curb Hopping for treats. He will do ANYTHING for treats.
I hope these videos help or inspire others that life can return to normal with their furry one. Share them with others or where needed.
In all honesty, this big lug being the alpha, I thought things were going to go south for him. That this would not be a happy experience for him post amputation. As of right now, the only changes have been speed and distance, and we are working on those. Will he ever hike hard mountain trails again with me? Probably not. But it looks like in the future longer walks and moderate hike trails aren't off the table.
As I’m considering amputation for my 122 lb 8 year old Great Pyrenees (bone cancer). I’ve been very worried about whether he could get around as he has some arthritis and is probably a bit overweight. I’m surprised I don’t see prosthetics used more. Did you have a partial amputation for him? What prosthetics company did you find that you were happy with? Any tips would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for documenting Boomer’s story!
Hey Eustacia! Sorry so late, been quite busy.
Complete amputation. His cancer was aggressive so they took almost all of it to be safe. He has a short stub left, and LOVES it to be rubbed during belly scratches. Had it not been, I was hoping to have down to the first joint to just do a partial prosty.
Our vet had an affiliation with AOC --Animal Ortho-Care, so we went with them.
We are happy with the prosthetic for sure, and with a larger breed like a GP, the sturdy body brace might be the way to go. The diet and weight loss would help too. Been slowly slimming Boomer down as well, just to make getting around easier.
Most prosthetics appear to run about the same price window from what I have seen.
Another option that really had my eye was 3dpets. Their body brace part is 3d printed, and has more flex, which may have suited Boomer a bit better since he is "Mr Active" most days.
Good luck in the upcoming days.
UPDATE FOR BOOM:
Finally back to doing walks and runs with the prosthetic! He had spent days not wanting to go, refusing to leave the yard.....had me worried.
Turns out it was "Hey its too hot to do this silly human". 
I bet hot for the feet too.
A cool front finally came through and also having free time again, we tried today. He bolted for the door. Didnt even need to bribe with treats.
Now that he knows the local high school kids are back practicing, he'll probably go more to to get pets and potentially steal a ball.
Fun Fact: He was once "jailed" by police until my wife could claim him. Got out of the fence, made his way over to high school tennis practice, found a way into the courts, stole balls as they were being hit!
The kids found it hilarious, their coach did not.
The cop was still laughing when my wife picked him up.
My BOOMer just had his right front leg amputated after sustaining a traumatic injury and the vet left his scapula, shoulder and part of the humerus intact. It happened this past Friday and I have to say I read your story about the Boom and not only did it resonate with me but it also gave me hope. I have already spoken with 3dpet to get things lined up. My BOOMer is 3.5 years old and also climbed many a mountain and loves to backcountry ski. I was wondering how the Boom is doing and if he is continuing to increase his distance and tolerating moderate trails?
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