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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Hi There,
I'm new to the forum, I have a 15 year old German Pinscher with a front leg amp. which happened about two and a half years ago after she was hit by a car. She adjusted really well and was able to get her hops on with no problem. Fast forward two+ years and she definitely has more arthritis in her hind legs, and is slowing down a bit which is to be expected for her age.
About 3 months ago my husband and I were in a serious accident, and have been make the slow recovery back to health, and in that time my pup hasn't been getting her normal exercise. She's basically half cat already, and is happy to sleep most of the day away, but since she hasn't been able to get her regular walks until recently, she has lost a lot of muscle tone, and it's hard for her to walk more than few minutes without getting very tired. Her range of motion with her hind leg also seems more limited.
Does anyone have any advice on how to rebuild her muscles without overdueing it on her hind legs? Any advice would be great.
Thanks!
Hello and welcome. I'm so glad to hear you guys survived that accident and you're on the mend. Also very cool that your pup has been doing so well on 3!
You ask some great questions. It's not unusual for her to slow down at that age, especially as a Tripawd, but there are many many things you can do to help her. First: by any chance has she been seen by a certified rehab vet? I highly recommend having her evaluated, just to make sure there's nothing out of the ordinary going on and to pinpiont where exactly here issues are originating.
Also, hop over to our best fitness tips for Tripawds, where you'll learn about things like: Why Longer Walks Won’t Strengthen a Tripawd’s Leg Muscles.
Incorporating balance work into everyday situations like mealtime will also help. Walking on couch cushions placed on the floor, challenging her a bit with obstacle courses (place a ladder on the ground and have her walk through it) are also fun ways to get fit without over-taxing her.
And of course check out SuperStar Maggie's workout, she was doing this long into her senior years: Stay Strong with Maggie’s FitPAWS Workout
But again, have her evaluated by a rehab vet. Most general practice vets aren't as familiar with the biomechanics of a tripawd, especially and older one, so it will really benefit you to see one.
I hope this helps! Keep us posted OK?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Geez, glad ro hear everyone is in the mend. I can only imagine how difficult it has been with both of you injured at the same time.
And congratulations on jave a 15 yr. young tripawd!!! Whole lotta good memories made...and srill being made! Continue to enjoy every sacred second! And please lost pictures when you can...we love pictures arou d here!
As always, you've gotten excellent advice and links from Jerry. To piggy back on her comments, it certainly is not unusual at all for a senior tripawd to slow down a bit! Slow, easy and gentle, whatever option you decide. It's not about endurance or length of walks, it's about what she can do comfortably and with joy. Even if her walks are short and enjoys resting more, that's still a happy girl. Just sniffing the breeze, checking out the sounds and smells, peeing on bushes...yeah, short walks, rest periods, couch potato time, loving and spoiling...a senior's delight!
Has your vet recommended a low dose of pain meds or a few injections of Adequan to see if that helps? Perhaps even acupuncture?
Keep us posted and take care of yourself while taking care of your sweet pup!
Love to all!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle 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 everyone,
Hopefully you can help me out. Cadence had her surgery a little over a month ago and she is starting to show some bad signs. I know she is overweight and want to do some exercises with her but she also has an old knee tendon injury. We tried to use a rehab vet, but we spent pretty much all of our money on the surgery so when they charged us for whole sessions while only working with her for 5-6 minutes it didn't sit right.
I know she needs the exercise and help with balancing and getting those muscles strong but I can't afford to take her to the rehab, which is $150 a week.
She was doing well right after surgery, but has since slowed down a lot. She is pushing sideways with her back leg (rear leg amputee) instead of keeping it straight. I think that's a problem. She's began groaning ALOT when she's lying down and not wanting to get up and walk around. I've tried some exercises with her, but she won't stay standing, she just sits. Even treats have lost their effect.
I'm not sure what to do. Her diet has been changed and she is still going outside (we built her a ramp) but she is very unhappy at this point.
Are there any exercises she can do while lying down or sitting and is there a good way to get her to stay standing? ANY help on this matter would be appreciated. I can't stand to see her this way.
She is an American Bulldog and weighs 86 pounds. The vet recommended getting her down to under 70. She lost a little at first (she was at 95) but with her not wanting to do anything, I'm at a loss.
Hi Cadence and Family!!
Cannot wait to see more pics of Cadence! I KNOW she is ADORABLE!!
And good mob on getting so e of her weight off to begin with and for being committed to staying the course.
Others with more knowledge will chime in on specific strength building exercises. Check out the links that Jerry gave in the previous post above. They are really helpful.
Just some general comments. Have you had her checked out as far as any knee or back issues..sprains...no dislocated hip... pulled muscles, etc.? Perhaps going up and down her spine and gently going over her leg to see if she shows any signs of soreness. Is it possible she overdid it the first two or three weeks? Vets say it takes about a month for tripawds to adjust mobility wise..joints.. muscles...gait, etc.
Also, for now, put her on some pain meds to help take the edge off. Only after talking with a vet of course.
I noticed on your other post you were looking for a harness. In the mean time you could try a towel as a sling to help her up. Also some gentle all over massage and gentle stretching before she gets up and after a low dose of pain med has had a chance to kick in.
Really bummed that you had such a rotten Rehab experience. That just stinks.
I would definitely try and have her evaluated by another Physical Therapist if at all.possible...after a thorough evaluation from your vet to eliminate some of the things I mentioned above.
Sorry I couldn't be more helpfuw, but others will chime in with more ways to help Cadence get back on the road to recovery.
You and Cadence wil l get this figured out. She is clearly very loved and you are a wonderful advocate for her! Hang in there!!
Sending hugs to all!!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle 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!
First, rear leg amp dogs seem to have more issues just standing still than front leg amps. It requires a really tight core to just stand still on that back leg. Getting the weight off is important. She should probably be eating between 1050 and 1100 calories a day to lose weight. Once she hits 70 lbs, you can increase her food to up to 1450 calories a day but back off is she starts to gain again. Your dog food should tell you how many calories are in a cup of food. 1100/# of calories in a cup = how many cups a day she should get.
Have you talked with your vet about the pain and her being unhappy? an NSAID might be needed but make sure you monitor liver values. Do not give NSAIDs without current blood work. Not the surgery's bloodwork but current, that day. I speak from experience here. The groaning is a big concern. Dogs do not typically vocalize until the pain is pretty bad. Bulldogs can be a little different but if she groans while laying down, something is wrong.
Does she swim? Swimming might be a good option or just floating in warm water. Depending on how big your tub is, you might be able to soak her in your tub for a few minutes a day in warm water (not hot) and let the water support her weight. Be prepared to be in there with her.
Most rehab work is done over the course of a day, not just one session. You work the dog, let them rest, work the dog, let them rest. Most sessions should only be about 5 to 10 minutes max and then a couple of hours to rest. You may want to do a phone consultation with Dr. Debbie Gross. http://wizofpaw.....ation.aspx She did an entire course on tripawds for us and she can give you an at home routine.
nballard said
Are there any exercises she can do while lying down or sitting and is there a good way to get her to stay standing?
Yes, Loving Life On Three Legs includes many PROM (Passive Range Of Motion) exercises, stretches and massage techniques that will help.
And yes, standing and balance exercises will help build strength and confidence.
Search the Downloads blog for helpful videos, podcasts and DIY rehab tutorials, or find many direct links to articles, how-to videos and more in the Tripawds e-books Library.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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