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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Good evening my new family.
Today My baby girl Squishy Front left leg was amputated. I didn't think it was going to be this hard. But its crashing me emotionally..
I want to make sure I follow any helpful tips and help her recover fast and well during her healing process...
But Im more worried about after recovery period.. is there anything I should buy to help her balance, and walk again?
Vitamins, harness, or wheelchair ?
I just want her to be happy !
Thank you so much !
Hi and welcome! Your future posts won't need approval so post away. I'll be back with some helpful feedback and stay tuned for thoughts from others too. Meanwhile check out the Tripawds What to Expect articles and Tripawds Recovery Shopping List , and oh Jerry's Required Reading List too!
Back in the AM with some thoughts.
Hi, I'm back!
But Im more worried about after recovery period.. is there anything I should buy to help her balance, and walk again?
Vitamins, harness, or wheelchair ?
So I would say don't go too crazy. Whatever you do, don't get a wheelchair just yet. Most Tripawds don't need them right away, if ever. The best way to know if she will need one is to have her evaluated by a canine rehab therapist. The Tripawds Foundation can pay for your first rehab visit so you have nothing to lose!
She won't be able to go home until she can walk, stand, drink, and urinate. Most dogs are doing that within 24 hours. As a small dog, she'll have it a little easier when it comes to mobility, so she should be able to do those things soon after surgery.
Don't change her diet or start anything totally new right now. Keep things as calm and mellow as you can and let her rest so she can recover and heal.
At home the biggest thing you can do is make sure she has plenty of traction . No-slip flooring is #1 priority, you want to make sure she doesn't slip or fall on flooring.
Do you have other pets? Make sure she has a quiet recovery space too. Baby gates and x-pens are your friend!
When does she come home? Keep us posted!
Love the name SQUISHY!!!!
You'll feel more reassured after reading the links and reply Jerry gave you. It is a scary time at first....we get it. But we also known you''ll adjust pretty quicklymto the recovery process as ypu see Squishy adjust. Yeah, it's major surgery and she needs recovery time, just like a hooman would. Within thirty days she'll have adjusted to her gait as her new normal. The hard part will keep her from overdoj g things because she's so glad to jave that bum leg gone!
When you go to pick her up, don't even bother to look at the. incision or draw attention to it. She just wants to see your smiling face telling her what a good girl she is and she's going home!
Just short leashed potty breaks for now and back to bed for more rest. Sometimes, not always, dogs feel a little bit too perky at first because of the strong hospital meds in them. Then there may be a vit of a crash a couple of days later and that's when the pain meds may, or may not, need to be tweaked. My Happy Hannah was very restless and whiny when she first came home, so didn't experience that "perky" part with her in the beginning.
Let us know how things are going. STAY CONNECTED!! We are all by your side to help support you, okay?
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!
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