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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PEPITA, you are a naughty boy for ripping off that cone! I know you were quite proud of yourself though! So glad to hear how well he is doing and this is still very early on. It gets better and better.
agree, that was an interesting observation about the con possibly causing the vertigo or dizziness while he’s eating. That’s something we’ll have to put into our toolbox of possibilities. Just the way cones are shaped it could mess with the equilibrium in their ears with changing the pressure. I don’t know, just threw that out there.
Keep us posted on how the vet visit goes as far as the stitches etc. Hopefully it’ll be smooth sailing.
Higs
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!
Wanted to hop on and give everyone an update! We went to the vet again today to get the rest of Pepita's stitches off. Thank God, they also didn't find any evidence of infection. Pepita is so happy not to be trapped in his cone anymore! I've been letting him walk around my small apartment more freely, which he's been enjoying. I feel so much lighter, and I know he does too. Like, now that the stitches are out, it feels like he's one step closer to his new normal. I've still been giving him his pain meds, but I'll double check with my vet tomorrow to see if he still needs them, I think. Either way, I'm feeling really content with where he's at.
Thanks again everyone, and I'll update soon.
I feel so much lighter, and I know he does too
Thats a great way to express your current "state of being" and his too.
I'm feeling really content with where he's at.
That's called living in the now....being more dog ....loiving in the present Good job of getting the lesson all our dogs mastered the day they were born
Thanks so much for the update. The infection is gone mand Pepita is cone free.....YAAAAY!!
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!
You are both hopping into your new normal!! Im so glad the worries and the weight have been lifted.
NO INFECTION and NO CONE. WHOO HOO!!!
Pepita gets to be a cat again!
Thanks for this lovely update!
Give Pepita a smooch for us, please!
Hugs
💝💝💝
YIPEE! You've both made great progress!
One thing to remember is that your vet doesn't see Pepita every day. So while they can certainly give guidelines about when to stop pain meds, they aren't there to see him on a daily basis. Just be sure to stay up on any pain signals he may be giving, sometimes the additional activity causes a new Tripawd to have small pain episodes as the gain more freedom.
CONGRATS on getting on with life!
Hi everyone - life has still been going incredibly smoothly with Pepita. Moving forward, I wanted to ask the most general question ever lol: what comes next?
Now that I've done all the research on how to get a cat through an amputation surgery, I need to figure out what kinds of adjustments I should make moving forward. What sorts of adjustments have you made around your homes to accommodate your pets? I currently live in a one-story apartment, but how should I go about it if I move into a house with stairs in the future? What kinds of cat toys do you guys recommend for tripawd kitties? Should I bring him to the vet more frequently now than before his amputation? If I want to take him to get groomed (which I absolutely do, he's had one hell of a time this past month!), will any pet spa do or are there special places for disabled pets in general? These are all just the main questions in my head at the moment, but I don't need answers to all of them right away.
I know there are a lot of resources on this website of course, but I would greatly appreciate some guidance on where to start. Especially since a lot of what I've found so far is related to getting your kitty through surgery, which has been instrumental and amazing! But now I'm like, ok, now what lol?
Thank you to everyone in advance! 
It's brilliant to hear Pepita is doing so well. Whoo hoo!!
We have modified Purrkins litter box for years now we have one we don't need to cut out the front; it's made that way. To help him get in and out easier (front leg amp)
We put rugs and rug runners down for traction for Purrkins. We added carpet stair treads on our stairs. We added pet steps to any of Purrkins favorite lookout spots and any of his normal places that would have required a jump up or down to protect that remaining front leg. We moved furniture closer together to help him hop from the coffee table to the sofa. We have raised food & water bowls. We added a door to our kitchen to prevent Purrkins from jumping onto the counters and kitchen cupboards when we were not home & at night. We added little Wyze cameras to keep an eye on him when were not home. All of these things took years to do and dial in the house for Purrkins.
We take Purrkins for acupuncture and chiropractic adjustments after surgery and do tune-ups every 6-8 weeks, depending on how he is getting around and doing.
We added a joint supplement and high-quality fish oil for his joints. We put Purrkins on a diet and got 5 lbs off since the amp. That took years to do. Purrkins was OVERWEIGHT, obviously.
Toys are the same; there is no change there for us.
Vet care "routine for a normal kitty is below.
We saw an oncologist every six months for 3-4 years for rechecks, lab work, and chest xrays. We did ultrasound for a few years as well. Since things were stable, we continued the testing through our family vet and now a feline-only vet who does all the same testing.
I don't take Purrkins for grooming, so I can't say with any experience.
The main focus is protecting Pepita's remaining leg by any means you can, including steps, ramps, and or boxes. And ensuring he has traction . I'll have to think about what I left out, but those are the main things WE have done.
I hope that helps; ask any questions you have; thats why we are here.
Give Pepita a chin scratch from us a smooch, please
Hugs
💝💝💝
As always, Holly’s insight is invaluable and based on so much first hand knowledge and research.
Thrilled to hear how well Pepita is doing.👍👏
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!
Basically the adjustments you make are ones that you would do for any senior cat. So, perches to help get up to see out windows, and on furniture. Low sided litter box. Traction. Things that make your home comfortable for a cat who just needs a little more help.
Should I bring him to the vet more frequently now than before his amputation?
The usual check-ins are fine. What you want to watch is how Pepita moves, and check in with a rehab therapist if he's showing pain signals . Over his lifetime it's helpful if you video from all angles about every 6 months, so you have something to compare his movement to if you suspect he's showing any pain signals . Honestly I saw a rehab therapist more than the vet with Wyatt Ray , just for occasional check-ins and "tune ups" as Holly calls 'em
This is a great idea for a blog post! I'll try to write one soon.
I did forget one - our cat tree. We got a tripawd-friendly one for Purrkins. It has steps going up to it.
Vet visits, how often we go, and why the amp was needed differ, Cancer vs accidents, injury, etc. It is different per individual, how your vet guides you & what other issues the furmily member may have.
Any cat should at least go to the vet every six months. Depending on age and issues.
Scratches to Pepita, please
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