Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat

Hi Connie!  I’m glad to share.  I have received so much help from this site, so anything I can do to help others is my privilege!  I’m copying the exercises again here so that folks who are following Griffin’s Journey will see them, too.

I’m also linking an exercise chart that I created to track Griffin’s exercises.  I was told to choose 3 exercises to do twice a day, but I’ve decided to vary them, doing all 9 exercises twice over 3 days (6 exercises per day) followed by a day of rest.  You should be able to download the tracker to personalize it for your pup.  I highlighted in green the exercises that we completed.  Crawling is in yellow because that is not a skill that Griffin has mastered yet, although we are working on it!

All exercises should be performed on a non-slippery surface (carpet, grass, yoga mat, cement, etc). Choose 3 exercises to perform per day. Remember to vary them regularly. There should be one-two days of FULL rest per week with no exercises other than massage, Passive Range of Motion (PROM) and leash walks to do his business.

MASSAGE: Begin by kneading with your fingers to pick up the loose skin around the neck. This is a great way to relax Griffin and signal the start of your therapy. Use firm but gentle pressure to massage along the spine. Use circular motions with your thumbs on either side of the spine or cusp your fingers and run down along the back. Begin at the neck and move down towards the tail. You can also continue your massage through the limbs. Focus especially on the triceps (muscles behind the bone in the front limb) and hip flexors (muscles in front of the bone in the hind limbs). If his muscles are tight, you can begin by applying a warm compress for 5-10 min the the muscles. A warm compress can be a moist towel (place in microwave for 15 sec and test on yourself to make sure it’s not too hot) or a heat pad on low setting.

PASSIVE RANGE OF MOTION (PROM): Griffin should be lying on his side. Take each joint through a full range of motion (wrist, elbow, shoulder, ankle, knee, hip). Keep the leg parallel to the ground and do not pull on the paw. Place one hand above the joint and one hand below. Gently flex and extend each joint. Pulse intermittently to improve the range of motion and hold each stretch for 10 sec. Do this for 3-5 min. Instructional Video: http://www.yout.....habFitness [Forelimb Range of Motion and Hindlimb PROM]

CRAWLING: Start in a down position. Take a treat to Griffin’s nose and encourage him to stay in a down position while moving the treat away from him. Griffin should crawl towards the treat. Have him crawl for ~3-5 feet. Rest and repeat 3 sets twice daily.  Instructional Video: http://www.youtube.com/user/AMCRehabFitness [Crawling]

GIVE PAW (WAVE): Ask Griffin to wave to prompt him to lift his left forelimb. For extra elbow flexion, gently push the leg towards his chest so the elbow achieves full flexion (elbow should touch the chest). Repeat 5 times twice daily.

DECLINE STANDING: On a non-slippery surface, raise Griffin’s hind feet ~ 6 inches- 1 foot and allow weight bearing on his front leg. Time for ~ 1 min or until he tires. Rest for 30 sec. Do three repetitions twice daily.

ELEVATED STANDING: On a non-slippery surface, raise Griffin’s front foot ~ 1 foot and allow weight bearing on his hindlegs. Time for ~ 1 min or until he tires. Rest for 30 sec. Do three repetitions twice daily. The higher you raise the front foot, the better hip extension and the more challenging the exercise.

DOWN-TO-STAND: Start in a standing position. Take a treat from Griffin‘s nose to the ground and encourage him to bend the elbows. His hind legs can stay elevated as in a Play-bow posture. Then ask him to STAND or COME to make him get up. Repeat 3-5 times consecutively twice daily.  Instructional video:  http://www.youtube.com/user/AMCRehabFitness [Push ups]

SIT-TO-STAND: Have Griffin SIT, then immediately ask him to STAND or COME to make him get up. Repeat 5 times consecutively twice daily. Ensure it is a proper sitting posture with both legs squarely tucked at the sides (the knee should be in line with the toes). This improves hindlimb muscle strength. Instructional video: http://www.youtube.com/user/AMCRehabFitness [Sit-to-Stand]

BALANCE ON PHYSIOEQUIPMENT: Place Griffin’s front foot on the fitbone and his hind limbs on the physiodisc. He should be standing as squarely as possible. Have him balance in a standing position for up to 1 minute. You can add extra challenge by gently pressing on the equipment to move it slightly. Rest for few seconds. Repeat 3 times twice daily.

CROSSED LEG STANDING: In a square standing posture, lift left hind leg off the ground. In order to prevent weight bearing through your hand, the raised hind leg should extend backwards towards the tail (hip extension). Hold posture for 15-30 sec or as long as tolerated. Rest for 15 sec. Repeat 3 times twice daily. This exercise helps to build core strength as well as strength in the weight bearing legs. Instructional video:  http://www.youtube.com/user/AMCRehabFitness [3 Leg Stand]

BEG: In sitting position (in a corner is easier), Griffin should elevate his body by raising his front leg to chest level into BEG position. His hind limbs should remain in the seated position. Hold for 15 seconds or as long as tolerated. Rest 30 seconds and repeat 3 times. This is a core strengthening exercise.