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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Chili Dawg got tired after walking. He would take a few steps and have to rest. I think part of it was getting used to being a tripawd, even though he had already been walking like that before surgery, but part of it is also from the medicine. It definitely throws them for a loop! She will adjust to it and she will build up her stamina for walking, she may never be able to go run a 5K or anything but she will be able to go to Hammel woods again and go for a walk 🙂
hang in there, you are doing great! Get some rest too.
Jenna & Spirit Chili Dawg
Diagnosed with OSA: 5/2/2011 Ampuversary: 5/11/2011 OSA returned in hip: 8/26/2011
Chili Dawg crossed the Rainbow Bridge on 8/30/2011 & is now pain free. He was my heart dog, and I miss him every day.
dixiekicks said:
Lastly - how do you post pics?
Thnaks for asking! Here are instructions for adding pictures to forum posts. If you don't already share photos somewhere online, the easiest way may be to start a blog so you can upload them to your Media Library. If you have further questions, post in the tech Support forum and we'll be happy to help.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
My husband slept next to Tate for a few nights, a lot of people do it so don't feel guilty. Do what feels right.
If Dixie doesn't like the sling, then don't use it! We used a towel but Tate didn't like it so we abandoned it. It took a few days for him to get kinda mobile but that was okay because we wanted him to be resting anyway.
You're taking everything quite well! Expect more/different weird, you probably won't be able to figure everything out but as long as Dixie is resting and healing, you're good. She'll be SO much better once she's off the pain meds. They are a necessary evil.
Jan & Tate
http://tate.tripawds.com/
August 16, 2006 to November 28, 2011
TATE ~ Forever in our hearts.
OMG! YAY! Dixie is home and up on her feet! (not that you are excited about that but...)
Well, if the bad doggie pawrent police ever starts writing tickets for sleeping with your dog after surgery, they'll be knocking on my door since I can't imagine not sleeping with after surgery!
I learned a little trick with my Comet after a knee surgery when I knew she was seeing pink elephants and crying. I would talk to her about all the food she loved! We sat up all night after a knee surgery and I told her all about the cookies and donuts she was going to get when she got better! I brought some over but I knew she wouldn't eat them. But me talking about them since she knew all the of treat words, distracted her and calmed her down. She just listened to me and felt better. It kept her from crying all night.
Sending you lots of healing wishes!
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.
I think all of it sounds pretty par for the course, unfortunately. I slept with Sammy for about a week on the floor. I didn't know we weren't supposed to... who said we aren't?
On youtube under tripawd Sammy is a video of when he was learning to walk. He would stand, do two or three steps, then sit or lay down for awhile.
Is Dixie on Gabapentin? If she isn't I would recommend it as soon as possible. Sammy went through really awful phantom pain episodes after his fentynal patch was taken off. It helps lessen the nerves reacting to the missing limb.
Every dog is different so their reactions and feelings will be more or less then others. Let us know how she is doing when you can.
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.
We also slept on the floor. We pulled our mattress off the bed and slept on it next to her doggy bed. Before her amp, Abby always slept in the bed with us, but we didn't want her that high up with us anymore, worried that she would try to jump down. So we slept next to her so that she could still get in bed with us if she wanted to. (but we are not known for any tough love around here... They don't call our house the Doggy Spa for nuthin!)
Abby was very aloof during her recovery, which is not at all like her normal personality. She did NOT want to be confined. She wanted to go be in th yard by herself. She would 'hide' behind our big potted plants. So don't be surprised if Dixie really isn't herself for a while. It will get better, usually around day 10-15.
Hang in there!
Jackie
Abby: Aug 1, 2009 – Jan 10, 2012. Our beautiful rescue pup lived LARGE with osteosarcoma for 15 months – half her way-too-short life. I think our "halflistic" approach (mixing traditional meds + supplements) helped her thrive. (PM me for details. I'm happy to help.) She had lung mets for over a year. They took her from us in the end, but they cannot take her spirit! She will live forever in our hearts. She loved the beach and giving kisses and going to In-N-Out for a Flying Dutchman. Tripawds blog, and a more detailed blog here. Please also check out my novel, What the Dog Ate. Now also in paperback! Purchase it at Amazon via Tripawds and help support Tripawds!
Sounds like things are moving along normally. Valentina would only walk a few steps and then lay down to rest. We could barely get her out the front door and onto the grass before she needed to lay down the first few days. She was more awake and alert the first and second day but she was really lazy and didn't want to get up off of her bed. When it was time to go out we had a very hard time trying to get her to want to get up. She is 150lbs so if she didn't help in some way we had to try again later. I had to kind of put the sheet under her some and lift her head to get it under to the other side and then I would pat her butt and say "get up" and somehow that made her get up and then my husband and I could use the sheet to help her get up all the way. Each day got a little better with her being able to get up and to walk and be able to squat to got potty. But after the first two days she was much more tired and slept most of the time. Her most awake times were in the middle of the night for some reason. And I too slept beside her on a blow up mattress. I just wanted her to know that I was there for her. Those drains can be a very messy thing. I confined Valentina to just the living room and I put down large comforters to cover the entire floor to catch the drainage wherever she decided to walk or lay down. I also used those medical lap pads with the plastic backing to put right under her where she was laying because Valentina had alot of drainage. I also put a towel around her neck secured with a ponytail holder and that soaked up some of the drainage and kept her from licking it. I changed the towel twice a day. Some people put a Tshirt on their dogs but with the amount of drainage that Valentina had a Tshirt just wouldn't cut it. That towel was a big help for me because she really wanted to lick it alot! Hope Dixie's recovery continues to go smoothly and she is back to her old self super quick!! 
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