Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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My 12 year old Rottweiler Jaxsa had her left front leg amputated 2 years ago due to cancer. The vet left her shoulder bones. She has done amazing on three legs. I now find that her remaining front leg seems to be giving out quite often and she stumbles a lot. She doesn’t seem to be in pain or care that she falls though. She is on carprofen 75 mg. Twice daily. I have noticed that she has become a bit sway backed also which I assume is normal. She is still happy and active even playing puppy like with her ball at times. My questions are:
is there anything I can do to help with the stumbling? Will this leg eventually give out all together? That is my fear.
Is her medication appropriate? I should add that she is also taking fish oil and a joint supplement.
Thank you for any feedback!
Nancy and Jaxsa
First of all CONGRATULATIONS to Jaxsa for thriving on three as s survivor for two years.....and as a senior!!👏👏👏
My first suggestion would be to get a consult with a Certified Certified Rehabilitation Specialist. They are experts at assessing situations like this and developing a plan of action to help Jaxsa be more stable. You may have to monitor her activity ore so she doesn't do any hard pounding on that front leg. When taking g her on walks you can incorporate a stroller so she can still enjoy the walk, but ise the stroller ro keep her from overdoing.
BTW The Tripawds Foundation will even pay for the first consult!
Some other options you can check out in the meantime would be Flexadon Advanced UC-11 and Myos are two well reviewed supplements.
Also there are two injections that have been on the horizon. Librela and. Sprying.
Let is know if you can find a Rehab Specialist in your area. If not, our Jerry can help find one.....she works a lot of magic finding them!
Hugs
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
PS. Is Jaxsa overweight at all? Being on the lean side is crucial for a tripawd to keep joints healthy.
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 Nancy and Jaxsa, welcome! It's so nice to hear that overall she is doing pretty good. Especially for a senior Rottie! WOW!
Sally is 100% spot-on with her suggestion to get her checked out by a rehab therapist. The falling and her posture indicate she may have weakness and needs strengthening. Generally, a front leg amputee's wrist (carpus) will weaken over time because of all the stress put on that one remaining leg. A rehab therapist can show you how to help her strengthen it, and other exercises that can get her gait and posture where it needs to be. And yep, Tripawds Foundation pays for your first rehab visit so please find a therapist or let us help you find one. The link above has directories at the bottom of the page.
Please keep us posted, we look forward to following along with her strengthening journey!
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