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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Hello again Coopers dad and family,
Well I am sure there are lots of newfie mixes out there, it is just so odd we would run into each other here. Sammy had cancer in his right leg, just above the "ankle" area. It was pretty much the ankle. My boy is 8, will be 9 in April. I have read around here that cancer can run in genetic lines, whole families can get it. But unless the mom was having litters indescriminately around the country, our pups may just be "brothers from another mother" so to speak.
Cooper is sure handsome. Congrats on the poopie party!
Elizabeth and Sammy
Diagnosed with osteosarcoma in the right front leg 8/23/10,
leg fractured 8/27/10,
leg amputated 8/30/10
http://sammyand.....pawds.com/
I couldn't begin to say how special Sammy is to us. Living and laughing with and loving this wonderful boy is priceless.
Hello Cooper and Cooper's Dad! Cemil is another of the Big Dogs here (148#) and one with a pretty low energy level. Lying around and watching over everything are Anatolian Shepherd normal activities, not requiring a huge physical effort. So he took a little longer to get to the main milestones, but he eventually did. He just had his 21-months ampuversary and is doing everything he did before except stairs and the dog door (although he did go out and come back in once).
Here's something you can do to make the t-shirt work better: pull it up from his back so it's snug on his belly and put a rubber band on to hold it like that. It makes a sort of pony tail in the middle of his back, but you can tuck it under so it doesn't look so silly. Cemil lived in a t-shirt for almost a month.
Cooper sure is handsome. Sorry you had to end up here, but we're glad you're here too.
Mary and Cemil
Cemil and mom Mary, Mujde and Radzi….appreciating and enjoying Today
wow!! 148# that is a lot of dog! I have heard from many here that they all advance at different rates, and I see that is true. It is my main goal (after taking care of Cooper) to keep it all in perspective. Even though it seems likes a year since Coop had his amp, I have to remember it is only days. And in days he has been ABSOLUTELY remarkable!! you mentioned that Cemil doesnt do stairs, do you mean at all? or does he do them with help? we live in a split level ranch and there are stairs to the basement and stairs to the living area, so ideally Cooper will be able to negotiate them one way or the other, I dont think that life on a 36 by 72 landing is quality.
Thanks for the tip about the t -shirt, I have been cutting and using smaller ones and everything else. The hole that opened up on Cooper wasnt on his incision, it was near it, the stitches all held well and are healing fine, the hole that opened was a thin area of tissue that died near the incision. we go in the morning to have that addressed. Today per Gayles prescription we both had a mega dose of medicinal napping. Cooper went out this morning and did his second poop, so we are good there and he did his second pee this afternoon and laid in the sun for an hour and a half. other than that we kept a pretty low profile. I will be so gald when the wound is entirely healed and we can work a little less tentatively! We are sorry we had to end up here too 🙂 but since circumstances led to it I cant think of a better place I would like to find myself while dealing with this! you folks and your tripawds are all great!!
Coopsdad/ Kenneth Blackburn
http://cooper.t.....ipawds.com
the monkeydogs only THINK they have invaded the tripawd state
Hi again Coops
Yes, Cemil was an earlier member of the intransigent block of cement Club, arriving about a year before me. The ability or will (or owner's tolerance) to do stairs varies greatly. I live in a house with many steep stairs. Tazzie pretty much did them as well as he ever did on four legs. The indoors steps were carpeted but the outdoor were not. Even so, he would even hoof into the attic if someone left the door open (I did not like that!), where there was no carpet on the steep stairs. Tazzie was a pyrenees x collie cross, about 80 lbs pre-amp, so a bit lighter than your dog, but with a very long torso.
On a daily basis, he bounded down the set of 15 or so steps, two or three at a time, to greet the mail carrier. Life didn't change all that much after amputation as far as those things were concerned. Even the first week, he was doing steps from the main floor to the basement, or from the deck to the grass. Of course, some people might prefer to curtail such activities, especially at that stage of the game.
Once he heals, I'd take Cooper's lead when it comes to these things. I remember watching videos of Niki, a large rottie, doing steps of the sort you are describing very early in the game (was it her first week?).
Tazzie hardly ever peed or poo'd when I was watching. But eventually I'd catch glimpses of him hopping off to the side of the yard to do his business. Sounds like Cooper is doing fine in that department now.
Hi Coop's Dad again,
Check out this link to our founder Jerry doing stairs (there are actually lots of cool videos there of Jerry doing all sorts of things). You will see him wearing an early version of the Ruff Wear Harness. Many here use some type of harness, but some pups do fine without one.
My pug Maggie could only go up a couple of stairs, but mostly because she was so small- just about 12" at the shoulder. It was just too hard for her to go up a flight pushing off one back leg. She would go down just about anything. As a rear amp I think going down was easier for her. She turned into a long term survivor so I did limit her ups and downs a little as she aged.
Karen and the pugapalooza
Comet is only >40lbs but she has always done stairs UP and DOWN with ease! It's her mom that has trouble on the stairs! 
She's 12 years old and has had surgery on both back knees and she just jumped on the couch last night!
So, don't worry too much about it now!
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.
About stairs...we live in a one-level house so the only steps are 2 down to the garage and 2 from the porch up into the house, which Cemil does fine with. Because flights of stairs aren't part of our experience, even as a 4-legger, he was a little nervous on them. But I've actually been thinking of teaching him how to negotiate them in case we ever have to. I'm sure if Cooper is used to going up and down flights of stairs, he'll be able to do it again.
Cemil and mom Mary, Mujde and Radzi….appreciating and enjoying Today
hi all Cooper went to the vet this morning. Actually -what caused the opening was the end of the bone that was left. There was no infection and everything looked good so the vet put a big padded wrap on it and wants to monitor it every 2 days. On a bright note, when we got to the vets - Cooper was actually excited to go in and see everyone, so he so far hasnt put the surgery and the vet together as bad. The vet didnt want to put Cooper under this soon , he was afraid that this soon it would be too major of a set back. so on thursday we go back and see how things are healing. the kind of opening we experienced is experienced by like 5 % of the dogs with this surgery. wishing that Cooper hadnt been one of thos "lucky" 5 % but he seems to be feeling good, he was a little worked up when we got home ( first day both mom and dad back to work. I will be running home at lunch to check on him for at least a few days. we will keep everyone posted on his progress! he is still showing great strength and determination! dad is a wreck cause we are still seeing blood..... HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH???
Coopsdad/ Kenneth Blackburn
http://cooper.t.....ipawds.com
the monkeydogs only THINK they have invaded the tripawd state
We hope it is still far too early to be asking questions like that. Cooper seems strong. Hang in there and keep us posted.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Oh glad he saw the vet and there's no infection, that is a huge hurdle. Lots of healing thoughts are coming Cooper's way. You'll all get through this, you'll see. Let us know how we can help OK?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Regarding stairs, here is Charlie on his 2-month ampuversary (at about 95 pounds). I don't recommend getting them this excited (I wasn't there) but if they did it before, they figure out a way to do it.
Best wishes and welcome to the site!
"I don't know where I am."
[Image Can Not Be Found]
Coopsdad/ Kenneth Blackburn
http://cooper.t.....ipawds.com
the monkeydogs only THINK they have invaded the tripawd state
What another great picture of Cooper. He looks very happy and it's great that he seems to be adjusting so well so far. We will be keeping our paws crossed that everything turns out ok, which it sounds like it will with Cooper's determination and strength! Keep us posted.
VQ - I always remembered this video and was always so impressed by Charliie's energy and how well he mastered those stairs and the car. Bundle of energy. What a great video! We are thinking of you.....
Kami, Mackenzie and Kobe
My sweet golden Mackenzie. She became my angel on Dec 29, 2010 at the age of 8 1/2 although she was always my angel from the time we brought her home. She was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in Sept 2009 and officially became a tripawd (front leg) on Nov 5, 2009. She will be forever in my heart and now she's running free with all of our other tripawd heroes. I love you Mackenzie!
hello everyone... Coopsdad here, Cooper went back to the clinic today, I came home from work at lunch today to give him water and check on him and when I came in the door I smelled a bad odor. Checked his wrap and it smelled pretty bad, called the vet and he told me to take the wrap off to get it back in the air and bring Cooper in tomorrow for his scheduled appt. I cut the wrap open and the smell was awful! I called right back and told him he needed to look at Cooper today, he met me at the clinic and looked the opening over, and Cooper is in right now getting antibiotic injections and he has to go back to surgery in the morning. Most likely the rest of the leg will come off. I would appreciate all your thoughts and prayers! I will update everyone as soon as we know anything.
Coopsdad
Coopsdad/ Kenneth Blackburn
http://cooper.t.....ipawds.com
the monkeydogs only THINK they have invaded the tripawd state
Sending positive thoughts your way. It's tough to have to have another surgery so soon. Hopefully this will clear up in a hurry and Coop can get back to recovering.
Karen
p.s.- if it doesn't cause you too much stress you might think about starting a new topic on this phase for Cooper- maybe in the Treatment and Recovery forum. It helps other members to know where you are on this journey. Of course you can keep posting here if it works for you.
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