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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He is such a teddy bear! I just want to snuggle with that fluffball, he looks fantastic!
I'm happy for you guys, it's always great to know when a new Tripawd turns the corner.
Yay for seeing the rehab therapist. I know it's sooooo hard to hand off our pets to a new vet practitioner. We've had to do that with Wyatt Ray a couple of times now and it made me so worried at first. But he did great, and Arktik will too. Plus, your rehab therapist may already be using a client platform that has videos the the prescribed exercises (ours does). That will be super helpful for you to learn to do them with Arktik.
Good luck with the chemo this week! Let us know how the appointments go OK?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I am wondering sometimes if I'm begins overprotective with the pain meds hahaha
He is on day 12 post op. I know he definitely wants to do more, we will go for a very short walk today. I know technically he should not do the stairs at this point, but he hates being picked up so much (he actually yells when we do the whole time not out of pain but more out of panic...he has always been like this). And he seems very comfortable going up so the past 2 days I have just been helping him out. He is doing it easily.
I really want to make sure he does not hurt his other front leg and his hips. So I guess slowly is best.
Sounds like you have a very independent boy on your hands! Is he stubbrand as well? Brownie was.
How about brain games to keep his mind busy?
I can't speak for all, but Brownie's vet said do not do alot of physical activity for two weeks, or until stiches come out.
Tell Arktik just to hang on a few more days, then the fun will begin.
My Beautiful Beloved Brownie was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma on February 26, 2019. With all odds against him he lived an additional one year and eight days with amputation, love, and prayer. I was honored to be his mom, and I have never been so proud! He will live forever in my Heart!
04/01/2007 - 03/05/2020
"March Saint"
Slow is definitely best and at day 12 if he seems strong enough to do stairs and you're there to guide him, then take it little by little and see how he does. How many stairs do you have?
Yep, we agree that interactive brain games are terrific ways to entertain stir-crazy doggies.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Yeah, some dogs are able to do stairs faster than others. So, as Jerry said, let him try and just be in a pos of he has a stumble you can help him.
And talk tomuour Vet about reducing the pain meds if uoj feel he no longer needs them, or mo longer needs to full dose. If he's still kn 300 mg Gaba 3x day, maybe the Vet will suggest just twice a day, or maybe just at bedtime, or maybe not at all of yoi feelnje's pain free. Check with your Vet.. . Again, every dog is different .
Have a nice little walk about today. 😎 Let is know how that goes and how his "freedom stair climb" goes.
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!
Hi, just checking in to see how your boy is doing?
My Beautiful Beloved Brownie was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma on February 26, 2019. With all odds against him he lived an additional one year and eight days with amputation, love, and prayer. I was honored to be his mom, and I have never been so proud! He will live forever in my Heart!
04/01/2007 - 03/05/2020
"March Saint"
Hello all!
so here are few updates 🙂
We are finally off the pain meds and Arktik seems to be doing much better without. I feel like he has more of his personality back. It is true that the vet said to still take take it easy to make sure his wound heals well. It is the fourth day we are going for short walks, I believe he would love to go faster (we use to always go jogging together). Is it possible to jog with a tripawds, if so for what distance ? (I know this is a long term question)
We also tackle the stairs to the great relief of Arktik who was really frustrated with us carrying him up for the night (he sleeps in our room on the second floor). He goes up the stairs like a pro, it seems very easy for him. Going down is a different story I think he is not quite sure yet how to proceed. I am helping him out with the harness and the wall. However, outside we have 3 small steps and he goes down there easily. So I don't think I should take him to long to figure it out. I just want to make sure he is very solid.
His appetite is still not back as it should be. I think we did not have enough time between when we stop the pain med and the chemo to see how it would actually improve.
We had our first chemo yesterday, everything went smoothly. Arktik seemed a little bit nauseous during the evening but the vet gave us something for it to prevent any stomach issues. And today, he seems the same as he was before the chemo.
For the mind games, I would love to make this work right now but he is so not interested in his food or toys at the moment that it is very difficult. The only thing that really get him excited is to actually go outside and do something physical 
Here's a little video of our walk few days ago (we had another surprise snow 🙁 ...but today it's all gone with a nice sunny 10 C )
Hi Patricia! Arktik looks amazing in that video! I'm glad to hear he is doing well off all meds. I know his appetite doesn't appear to have rebounded yet, although that could be the effects of chemo, too. Griffin is the same way with stairs - easy going up but able to handle only about 4 going down (luckily we have an elevator in our building!). Have you checked with your vet about Arktik's physical limitations at this point? I am not suggesting that he should be jogging with you, but he might be ready for some longer walks provided that you have a way to get him back home if he becomes too tired. I know that Griffin's recovery is abnormal in terms of how quickly he bounced back, but I think part of that was because I really let him set the pace (within reason) of what he felt up to doing - and bringing along the wagon to make sure I didn't have to try to carry him home! 
Griffin and I are sending hugs from NYC and can't wait for more videos of Arktik! ~ Stacy
Griffin lived an amazing life for 11 years! Diagnosed with osteosarcoma on March 17, 2020, Griffin's right forelimb was amputated on April 2, 2020. Ten days later he was running and playing fetch! Lung metastasis discovered in July 2020 did not slow down Griffin and he lived joyfully for the next 7 months, passing peacefully at home on February 11, 2021. https://griffin.tripawds.com
Wow he looks good
Remember just because he is on three legs he is still a Dog. Of course you can go jogging after he is 100 percent healed. I would start out slow at first, and let him set the pace. Have you viewed Jerry's blog. That dog ran faster then Brownie did ever on four. Jumped into lakes and swimming, chasing frogs. And Jerry was also a front leg amputee.
With Brownie since the vet only gave him a couple of months, I just wanted Brownie to be a dog and to be happy. So I basically let him do whatever he wanted. Even let him jump on the couch. Who knew he would live over a year, but I think some of it is I just let him be a dog. Jerry lived two years and I know his folks jist let him be a dog.
You are doing a great job, and you will see Arkit will do everything he did before, just in a different way.
Send more videos!
My Beautiful Beloved Brownie was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma on February 26, 2019. With all odds against him he lived an additional one year and eight days with amputation, love, and prayer. I was honored to be his mom, and I have never been so proud! He will live forever in my Heart!
04/01/2007 - 03/05/2020
"March Saint"
Look what I found. The incredible Jerry!
My Beautiful Beloved Brownie was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma on February 26, 2019. With all odds against him he lived an additional one year and eight days with amputation, love, and prayer. I was honored to be his mom, and I have never been so proud! He will live forever in my Heart!
04/01/2007 - 03/05/2020
"March Saint"
Ohh WOW Jerry so cool to see that. Arktik is not gonna swim anytime soon he has always hates it, many huskies do. But we do have a pond at home in which he loves dipping his paws and looking for frogs which he has already done this week (since the took him off the meds).
And same with us for the couch, same thing with us. Actually it has always been pretty much his couch (we are his guests ;). So he has been allowed on it maybe 3-4 days post op because he looked so sad not to be allowed on it. At first I was helping him to get on and down but I quickly realized he was definitely able on his own. (I helped him out a bit more to go down to make sure it would not hurt himself)
Very happy to hear that I will be able to resume our jogs together. I have not been since he has been injured, I felt like I could not let him alone for one thing and that I was kind of betraying him going without him (I know it's silly 🙂
Brownie and Jerry are so inspiring! I can't wait to see what Arktik will be able to do.
And Stacy, all your posts about Griffin are so encouraging. What a good pup 🙂 For the physical limitation, the vet just suggested yesterday to take it slow again for another week for make sure his wound heal nicely inside.
I forgot to mention, unfortunately, at this point we won't be able to do rehab as it is very limited to essential services here in Quebec due to COVID. I thought that maybe rehab would be part of that but apparently not. So I spoke to the vet about what Stacy posted and he thought it was really great.
He did not want to look at me for the photo, but here's a shot from the couch 🙂
