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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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Heartbreaking Day
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Member Since:
9 January 2018
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9 January 2018 - 8:43 pm
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Hey Everyone -

This feels pretty surreal that I am on here posting. I have Jake, a one year old Weimaraner. He just came in to my life on Sunday. Kind of a strange story.  Someone was giving him away on Facebook and my oldest son’s girlfriend saw a post about him. She knew that my son had a friend that would love him. She went to pick him up and found out then that he had been hit by a car back in November. He was taken to the vet after the accident, but only minimal care was given to him. He was given to me on Sunday so that I could get him to my son. I quickly realized that this dog was having a lot of problems with his leg and didn’t need to be going anywhere. The leg muscle in the injured leg has about half the muscle mass of his other leg and he won’t bear weight on it. I took him to my vet on Monday and he referred me to a specialist. I have just come back from that visit devastated. She told me that his ankle is extremely unstable, has a fracture, a floating piece of bone, torn tendons and the joint is extremely infected. His ACL is also torn in his knee. She felt like the odds of his surgeries being successful were pretty slim. She recommended amputation. Even though I’ve only had him since Sunday, he has wiggled his way into my and my family’s hearts. I went with her advice and he is having his amputation surgery tomorrow. It looks like we have added a new family member to our house. As I sit here, the weight of my decision and what is to come is overwhelming as I’m sure you all know. 

On The Road


Member Since:
24 September 2009
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9 January 2018 - 10:36 pm
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Jake and family, we send all our pawsitivity to you for a successful surgery and a speedy recovery! You were destined to be together, he’s such a lucky boy to find you...and vice versa I’m sure. Please keep us posted on how it goes. 

We are so glad you joined us and look forward to an update. Your future posts won’t need approval so post away! 

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

SW OK
Member Since:
21 July 2016
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11 January 2018 - 11:35 am
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Oh, sweetie. 

Summer of 2016 we fostered, then adopted, Mikey. At only three months, he’d already required surgery from horrible injuries to his back left leg. Needless to say, he was also in need of a lot of love. 

It’s amazing looking back. We took short walks (also, seems like running is much easier than walking), played TONS of games to reduce boredom, gave him tons of good nutrition and CBD treats daily. 

Now it’s hard to remember that he is different from other dogs! He plays, jumps on the couch, runs (OH, how he runs!) and plays like any other canine. 

So, to put it all together, you have set him free from a leg that was holding him back. Yes, there will be recovery and work ahead. But you truly rescued him. 

God bless & prayers for a speedy recovery!

Mikey, 2/14/16, came to us as a foster the end of June, 2wks after rear left amp. Now, at 6mo, he's doing awesome! Perfect, except for wanting to play with 9yo kitty Pumpkin, who isn't interested.  At all.  

Love to all! Jo, Mikey and, reluctantly, Pumpkin.

Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
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11 January 2018 - 12:27 pm
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I'm so glad Jake found his way to you!!  He can now know what it feels like to be TRULY loved, to finally be pain free, and able tomlive his life to the fullest!!  Thank you for taking him jnto your heart!

Can't wait to see pictures!

Your Vet gave you great advice!   This is ONE surgery (although major) and, after a couple of weeks of recovery and good pain management , thstsw it!  Done!  No more surgeries, no risk of multiple surgeries, failed surgeries, and just one recovery period, etc.

Is Jake spending the night at a 24/7 clinic?  If not, I guess he'll be coming home the first night.   Most dogs are on Tramadol, Rimadyl, Gabapentin and an antibiotic.  Some come home eith a pain patch.  The first days and nights can be pretty rough.  I imagine mobility won't be much of an issue since he's already basically a tripawd.

Oh, and when you go to pick him up, don't even bother to look at the incision.  He has a new home, he's just had major surgery...he just needs you to tell him what a good boy he is and he is safe with you 🙂

The first two weeks, just potty breaks and rest, rest and more rest.  If you have hardwood floors, use non slip scatter rugs for traction .  Cheap yoga mats are good too.  Drinking and peeing are important.  He may not feel like eating much and may not poop for a few days.

Stock up on CHOCOLATE for yourself!  :-)It helps!

STAY CONNECTED!!!   YOU ARE. OT ALONE!!!   We are here with you the whole way!

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!


Member Since:
9 January 2018
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11 January 2018 - 7:11 pm
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Thanks for the responses, advice and encouragement. We are home!  He had his surgery yesterday, spent the night at the clinic and was released this afternoon. He seems to be doing well. He’s walking tentatively, wagging his tail and the kisses are flowing. He has been resting in his crate since we came home. We did come home with a bag full of meds as you already know. It seems overwhelming, but feels better to have him back here and doing ok. 

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23 December 2017
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12 January 2018 - 8:08 am
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So glad to hear he is resting comfortably at home now!   Take it day by day with him and give him lots of love 🙂

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1 October 2017
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12 January 2018 - 8:37 am
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You have come to the right place for caring, solid advice. Thank God you found each other, or he may have spent the rest of his life in pain, or worst off euthanized for somebody else's neglect.

Huckleberry was a stray feral cat that decided he liked to hang out in our yard. When we arranged to have him trapped, neutered, and released he disappeared. He came back a month later dragging one of his rear legs. We trapped, neutered, recovered him and had to have that leg amputated because it was injured beyond repair. He is now a happy, comfortable, sweet boy loving life on three. He is domesticating and will be a forever indoor cat... so much for not wanting to adopt another cat lol. 

I am just saying this because I want you to know that you are not alone. People come here for many reasons. Welcome and stay tuned! If you have any questions or problems please don't hesitate to throw it out there winker

Jackie and Huckleberry

Hugs,

Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry

Huckleberry's Blog

Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
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12 January 2018 - 10:38 am
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WELCOME HOME JAKE!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂   

And he's already shown he's ahead of the game with his mobility!   Sloooow and easy Mr Jake! 🙂

Rest js exactly what he needs for now!.''he still has some hospital pain meds in him for another dayish, so you may see a vit of a crash.  No worries.  It's "normal"

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!


Member Since:
9 January 2018
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13 January 2018 - 10:25 am
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Jake is doing well 🙂 He has finally started drinking normally. AND he pooped! 🙂 You can tell that he is starting to feel better and wanting to move around too much. On his last potty break, one of our other dogs started to run and if he wasn’t leashed he would have run after him. We have been keeping him crated except for potty breaks and a small amount of walking around to stretch his legs. Our biggest problem right now is that he has fallen on our hardwood floors a couple of times. Our whole downstairs, except for our bedroom is hardwood. I have put down a few yoga mats, but he doesn’t want to walk on them. I did order the Ruffwear harness to help with assisting him. Have any of you come up with a solution other than rugs or yoga mats on your floors? I saw Dr Buzbys toe grips, have any of you tried those or have a different suggestion? I am so scared of him falling on these floors and hurting himself. I can tell he has already gotten nervous to walk on them. Once he’s recovered, I want him to feel safe and not afraid in our house. 

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1 October 2017
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13 January 2018 - 10:31 am
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I ended up getting inexpensive rug runners for the places that they travel the most. I also have smooth laminate floors and the runners have helped a great deal. I just went to Big Lots and got half a dozen of them and placed them around the house. Mitchell (our dog) doesn't mind them at all so maybe that is something to think about?  So glad he is doing well clap

Jackie and Huckleberry heart

Hugs,

Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry

Huckleberry's Blog

On The Road


Member Since:
24 September 2009
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13 January 2018 - 10:56 am
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thmmom said
Have any of you come up with a solution other than rugs or yoga mats on your floors?

Visit any of the highlighted traction links for the best recommended traction solutions for Tripawds.

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

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