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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Wow that cone is substantial! Looks like he could pick up tv and radio signals with that thing 🙂 Pofi is a cool looking dog! (Part Saluki or some kind of sight hound? Bet he was a rocket in his prime!)
boomer had a low key day today which was fine by me. He joined me out in the patio on his bed for a while and then he wanted to lay in the grass (I put a clean blanket down for him) then got him a collection of sticks that he turned into mulch for me while giving a squirrel at the bottom of the yard the evil eye!
Fentanyl patch comes off tomorrow and today we started putting heat on the wound in lieu of cool packs as the swelling has pretty much gone and just the bruising remains which is pretty incredible.
I know, the cone is ridiculous, but he had an issue with a toe on the now amputated leg and with those long legs.....
Yes, it is my belief Pofi is a sled dog mix that from a line that have Saluki and Greyhounds in the mix. Those who know the breed will often see Saluki right away in him, but I usually say he is a Malamute x Greyhound just because everyone knows what a Greyhound is. And he was - a rocket!!! People just used to get silent and watch him run at the dog parks.
Boomer is making such progress! A quiet day is good - Pofi enjoyed a lot of time lying on a blanket in our yard in the early days. It is healing for body and spirit!
Lisa, Minneapolis
On October 27, 2016, nearly 6 months after amputation, and 18 months since his cancer likely started, we lost Pofi to a recurrence of Soft Tissue Sarcoma in his spine quite suddenly. His canine sister also succumbed to cancer on March 1, 2019 - we lavished her with our love in the interim, but life was never quite the same without her only real canine friend. Cliff kitty had to leave us, too, suddenly, in August 2019. Lucia kitty grieved all these losses, but helped us welcome two new Lurchers into our home and our lives, Shae and Barley.
So day 5 post surgery was relatively uneventful. Fentanyl patch came off, and he had his last antibiotic. So now just on the gabapentin and Previcox. His wound really looks fantastic. No swelling left at all and the bruising is going away already. I'm actually shocked at how good it looks.
He was sleepy most of the day but by dinner time he really wanted to come up the stairs. (we've been camped out in the basement). So we put a bunch of rugs in the kitchen and he sat and watched us prep dinner. After dinner he had a nice snooze out on the screened in porch and before we settled in he really wanted to take a walk down the street to check his 'pee-mail'. (he had 5 days worth to check!) I let him go 4 houses and back but he wanted to go further!
boomer01 said
I let him go 4 houses and back but he wanted to go further!
Pawesome! 
Just remember, walks don't build strength, only stamina. Be sure to focus on core conditioning, strengthening exercises and balance work, before taking on any longer walks and "explosive" activities like fetch and free play. Find complete details in Loving Life On Three Legs
, and review these posts for more information...
Why longer walks won't strengthen a tripawd's leg muscles.
Why Core Strength Matters for Tripawd Dogs
Search all blogs here for even more!
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Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Knocking on wood over here, but Boomer really does seem to be having a flawless recovery! I love that he is up for checking out his "pee-mail"! Seeing them revisit some of their normal routine is so uplifting!
Keep on keepin' on Boomer!
Hugs ro all!
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!
The muscle tone he has in abundance (as a Pitt bull he has thighs like Lou Ferigno😜). The balance, well that's what we need to work on!
The balance, well that's what we need to work on!
Ah, there's a tool for that when he's healed 😉
FitPAWS Disc Strengthens Canine Core Muscles
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
So boomer continues to excel in his recovery on Day 7. Mobility is great, wound looks fantastic and we're starting to see his personality return.
Bummer is that the biopsy results came back today and confirmed what was expected.. Osteosarcoma. Focusing on the quality of the time.. not the length.
Yeah, the "diagnosis" sucks, but you jave the right attitude to get on with enjoying Boomer living life to the fullest pain free!!
Boomer doesn't give a rip about a stupid ole diagnosis and doesn't count days on a calendar! He absolutely does NOT have a timeframe stamped anywhere on his butt!
All that matters is NOW! Stay fully present with Boomer and let NOTHING rob you of your time together! He sure isn't!
BTW. We are ccelebrating with Nitro today as he celebrates his TWO YEAR ampuversary after amputation for osteo. Just thought you'd like to know that today!
Glad Boomer's sparkle is coming back! And it gets better! Oh yes it does!!
Lots of 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!
Boom! Boom! Boomer!! Bravo!
OK, you're right, the diagnosis sucks. But you have SUCH a great attitude. Every day is a gift, treat it as such and cancer never wins.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
So boomers progress hit a small roadblock this afternoon. The meds eventually caught up with him and he had the runs real bad and was pretty lethargic. Called the vet and she gave us a prescription for metronidazole for an inflamed bowel. She says it's quite common when they start to come off meds (As its a drug prescribed to both people and dogs I could pick up at your own pharmacy which was weird)
Anyway I digress. He's had one dose of it and he's still lethargic but the runs seem to have abated. Doing some research on this drug it's pretty heavy duty with some serious potential side effect like seizures etc. so watching him closely. wanted to know if anyone has any experience with this drug for their own dog before. Thx.
It's just Flagyl - it's a pretty common antibiotic.
You can also try canned pumpkin - not the one with all of the spices already in it, the one that is just plain. A couple of spoonsful every day should help. It's high in fiber (also great for constipation lol)
Donna
Donna, Glenn & Murphy
Murphy had his right front leg amputated due to histiocytic sarcoma at 7 years old. He survived 4 years, 2 months & 1 week, only to be taken by hemangiosarcoma at 11 1/2 years 6/12/17
Read about Murphy's Life on Three Legs
Many of us have used it in conjunction with chemo. I think we ended up using it with the first and second chemo rounds, for forty-eight hours each time and no negative experience.
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
Sorry for the diagnosis and the intestinal distress roadblock. How is Boomer feeling today - is the metronidazole working to get him past it?
Lisa, Minneapolis
On October 27, 2016, nearly 6 months after amputation, and 18 months since his cancer likely started, we lost Pofi to a recurrence of Soft Tissue Sarcoma in his spine quite suddenly. His canine sister also succumbed to cancer on March 1, 2019 - we lavished her with our love in the interim, but life was never quite the same without her only real canine friend. Cliff kitty had to leave us, too, suddenly, in August 2019. Lucia kitty grieved all these losses, but helped us welcome two new Lurchers into our home and our lives, Shae and Barley.
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