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, i'm new and am looking for a little advice.
I will soon be taking on a pup born with a deformed front leg, she cannot use the leg as the elbow joint is fused with the leg tucked across her chest, what i am looking for advice on is, i am concerned for her good leg whilst her bones are still soft and growing, i have noticed that her good leg seems to have a very slight bow in it and she is walking right back on her foot, almost with her ankle joint touching the floor.....i am just scared for her that her one good leg is going to end up deformed as well. I dont want to go down the 'put a suport' on it as this i am sure will do her no favours in the long run.
So really i guess all i am looking for is for someone to say to me that she will cope as she grows and her leg strenghtens, or some advice on what is the best thing to do to help her, i am sure im worrying about nothing but this pup already means so much to me and i just want to do what is best for her and give her any help available to me.
PS, she is not quite 5 weeks at the moment.
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Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Oh my dog, oh my dog!
Do you have a picture? If so, can you post it??
OH MY DOG! My Comet has a leg that sounds exactly the same!!! Her shoulder blade was tilted that made the leg cross her chest a bit and her elbow joint was missing a joint. Her wrist had a joint so the paw was movable. She had no feeling in the leg to speak of. (vet squeezed it with a tool and she barely had any feeling when he went deep into the pad)
We got Comet at around 5-6 months old. She came from a dog hoarder in which 22 dogs were stuffed in a house and were neglected. So, I don't know how she looked as a baby. But I can only assume the hoarder people did nothing to help her.
When I first saw Comet in the shelter, she looked totally deformed...her hips looked crooked. But really it was just how she carried herself being three legged. We didn't amputate her bad leg because the day of her amputation, she was coughing so the vet cancelled it. And then she ended up with pneumonia and was really sick for the first 1 or 2 months after we got her. During that time, we saw she could move her shoulder and used the leg (bat a ball and knock stuff over). So, we decided not to put her thru anymore and let her just be a puppy. Needless to say, she kept the leg her entire life.
Long story short to answer your question...I had Comet for 12 years. She was sassy, fun and just a delight. She overcame so much and although her knees went out later in life, we had surgeries to repair them and she was good as new! She had a tremendously wonderful full life. I'm not even sure any 4 legged dog could have had a more full and happy life as she did. To sum it up....Right or wrong, she was my everything.
Please keep us updated. I'm dying to see this little girl! I really don't think you have to worry about the good leg. It may just be she is trying to figure out a way to carry herself. Rehab can really help with that. Maybe you can find a rehab vet?
Here is a picture of her as a puppy right after we got her in which you can see her deformed leg. And then a pic about 6 months before she passed away....so you cab see how beautiful she turned out:
Comet - 1999 to 2011
She departed us unexpectedly January 23, 2011 at the age of 12 1/2.
She was born with a deformed front leg and a tripawd all of her life.
Welcome to you and your pup. As soon as I saw the title of your post, I thought "oh, Cometdog is the one you need to talk to!" As you can see, Comet had a wonderful life as a Tripawd and I hope your pup will too!
We'd love to see some pics!
Jackie, Angel Abby's mom
Abby: Aug 1, 2009 – Jan 10, 2012. Our beautiful rescue pup lived LARGE with osteosarcoma for 15 months – half her way-too-short life. I think our "halflistic" approach (mixing traditional meds + supplements) helped her thrive. (PM me for details. I'm happy to help.) She had lung mets for over a year. They took her from us in the end, but they cannot take her spirit! She will live forever in our hearts. She loved the beach and giving kisses and going to In-N-Out for a Flying Dutchman. Tripawds blog, and a more detailed blog here. Please also check out my novel, What the Dog Ate. Now also in paperback! Purchase it at Amazon via Tripawds and help support Tripawds!
yes indeed, if you have a reincarnated cometdog...you are blessed!! pups are so adaptable, and it seems you are asking all the right questions. swimming is great therapy for all of our pups, if that's an option where you live. can't wait to see some pictures!!!
charon & spirit gayle
Life is good, so very, very good!!! Gayle enjoyed each and every moment of each and every wonderful day (naps included). She left this world December 12, 2011 – off on a new adventure.
Love Never Ends
As a tripawd mom who took on a pup with the same situation (born with a fused elbow/leg tucked across chest) with a rather large rowdy puppy I can say "hang in there"!. I worried constantly about Rosie when she was a little bitty pup, but she is almost 3 now and being born a 3-legger hasn't slowed her down in the slightest.Deep breaths.
Rosie then....
Rosie Now.....
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