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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Gator and I received the most wonderful surprise from a wonderful member of our Tripawds community today. Don't want to embarrass anyone by naming names, but this came at a much needed time. I have been feeling really down. It seems like every loss we experience in our Tripawds family is reopens my own recent loss of Otis and Tess. And even when our members post good news, I am so happy for them, but it is so unfair that I lost both Otis and Tess. At times I feel like I shouldn't even be posting - how can I be otisandtess without either Otis or Tess? So, Gator joyfully accepts admission to the Big Yellow Rescue Dog Club, and I thank you for this amazingly loving gift, which came at just the right time.
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.
Wow a prestigous club indeed! And so well deserved! If anybody ever deserved to belong to that club it's you and Gator. Angels have been really busy around here lately. I think of you so often when we lose a beloved member or get bad news here. I know how hard it is to post after suffering our own recent losses. But I also know if you didn't post offering your wisdom and insight it would truly be a loss to this community. What a legacy you give to both Otis and Tess to stay on here and offer your support. Just know you, Otis and Tess make such a difference here! You will always be Otis & Tess. You are Otis and Tess. Hugs!
otisandtess said
- how can I be otisandtess without either Otis or Tess?
Because Otis and Tess helped shape who you are today. They are in your Soul. And you cannot be separated from you Soul EVER!! Yes indeedy, you ARE Otis and Tess! They installed you with their strength, their determination, their joyful and fun personalities, their capacity for love, their heart and their love of cheeseburgers!!
And DITTO LINDA!!
Lots of love
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!
A big huge ditto to Sally and Linda! They both said it so well.... I know the losses around here shake our core .. sometimes worse than others and not because we didn't love them all but some are just harder to take. The recent ones here have really stopped me in my tracks and taken me back to my journey 2 1/2 years ago!
I think it's wonderful that an angel sent you a package to welcome Gator! I love this community SO, so much!!!
I am so glad I am going "home" this weekend ... driving 6 hours to be with my "family" at the Northern CA gathering ... it is always like time stands still... we laugh, we smile, we grieve and we share memories ... it's magical!!!
Hugs and love!
Alison with Spirit Shelby in her heart (and little Jasper too)
PS - I also wondered how I could still be "mom2Shelby" - but it is who I am and who I was through my 20s, all of my 30s and early into my 40s... it's the only person I know to be! 
Shelby Lynne; Jack Russell/Shiba Inu mix. Proud member of the April Angels of 2014.
October 15, 2000 to April 8, 2014
Our story: Broke rear leg in June 2013 - non-conclusive results for cancer so leg was plated and pinned. Enlarged spleen in September 2013 and had it removed and was diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma and started chemotherapy. Became a Tripawd January 8th, 2014 and definitive Hemangiosarcoma diagnosis. Three major surgeries in 7 months and Shelby took them all like a champ only to lose her battle to cancer in her brain. We had 8 amazing extra months together and no regrets. #shelbystrong #loveofmylife
Christine ~ I said many times after you lost Otis, how hard it must have been to continue with the walk; and how you amazed me every day by being here offering so much support while you were hurting so much. And then to continue on after losing Tess, too. I know that it can't have been easy. The Big Yellow Rescue Dog Club is amazing! I just love it! You deserve the good days, just like Gator does.
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
Ditto everyone. You ARE Otis and Tess and always will be. They form an inseparable part of you.
I'm so pleased to hear about The Big Yellow Rescue Dog Club.
Big hug,
Meg and Clare (and Elsie Pie) xxx
Ruby, Staffy, born June 2022, became a Tripawd, November 2023, adopted January 2024.
Also Angel Tripawd Meg (aka The Megastar), who died in April 2023, aged 14, after seven glorious years on three, and Angel Staffies Elsie Pie and Bille. In the pawprints of giants...
Years ago we decided to break free of ISP emails and bought the URL goodmilo. Everyone in my family has an email of whomever at goodmilo dot com. That good boy is forever in our lives!
When my one son was ~5 years old, I asked him
"Whatever happened to my baby David? Where did that cute little guy go."
He answered,
"He is still here and here, Mommy" as he pointed to my head and heart.
It seems he picked that up from Winnie the Pooh, but it was new to me and an amazing thing to hear from my little guy. Now that little guy is 21. I love my 21-year-old young man, and hold him in my heart along with the baby version of him, the adolescent version of him, my father who I lost to cancer, Milo, and so many others. All of them make me who I am today, and my heart has grown over yhe years to make room for all of them.... and now for puppy Darcy (even if she is trying to eat the shoes off my feet as I post!)
Otis and Tess make you be you, and now Gator does, too.
Peace,
Jenifer & Milo
I love this, Jenifer!
I will always be Murphsmom, even though Murphy is watching from the Bridge instead of sitting on my feet.
Give that Darcy a hug!
Kathi and the Turbotail April Angel...and the Labradork
Murphy is a five year old Lab/Chessie cross. He was hit by a car on 10/29/12 and became a Tripawd on 11/24/12. On 2/5/13, he had a total hip replacement on his remaining back leg. He has absolutely no idea that he has only three legs!
UPDATE: Murphy lived his life to the fullest, right up until an aggressive bone lesion took him across the Rainbow Bridge on April 9, 2015 and he gained his membership in the April Angels. Run free, my love. You deserve it!
You absolutely belong Christine! But I understand how you feel. I thought about quietly slipping away when Bandit crossed over the bridge, but I truly believe we need each other; maybe even more than before. There is something about caring for a Tripawd that just binds you even deeper with your fur-baby and to each other. And we've been through the worst of it, so we can help others who are facing the journey. Letting them know there is hope and life after amputation. I pray Otis and Tess were waiting for Bandit to show him the ropes in his new world. I would take great comfort in knowing he was not alone. Gator is one of us too. He is a gift from Otis and Tess. They knew you would need him. We need him to give us hope for our future. Big hug. Deb
Jennifer, nicely said
And yeah, Deb, once a Tripawd family member, always a Tripawd family member Whether it's just too hard to stay here, or life takes them in other direction, it doesn't matter, everyone is ALWAYS in our hearts. Everyone's journey mattered. Every human and every dog and cat made a difference.
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!
Beautiful. Everyone in this community is so kind and compassionate, understanding and courageous. There's no way I could have said this better myself. What a beautiful story Jenifer.
I know it's hard for many folks to stay after their Tripawd passes on. When Jerry passed, I myself wondered why I was posting as Jerry. Changing from his voice to mine in the blogs was painful, but knowing that I could carry on his mission is what kept me going. Everyone with a Tripawd angel also has the same opportunity here, and when they choose stay a while, or just pop in occasionally, to directly help others with their wisdom and lessons learned about life on three legs, the world is a better place.
Thank you to everyone here today, you are all so amazing.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
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