Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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I'm looking for help with tips for transporting my dog, Sadie. Previously, there asn't much issue because she's just lay down on my back seat (I have a four door sedan). Now, depending on which way she is facing, she can't brace herself if I have to stop suddenly and is at risk to roll into the foot well, which is obviously not good. In the past, I've used a cat harness, but with only one front leg, those can now twist and I worry could injury her neck if they got too twisted around. With her size, a crate won' fit in my car for her.
This is not an uncommon challenge. I think you'll get a lot of different solutions.
One thing would be to stuff the "well" with lots of blocks of foam and blankets to make it even height with the car seats. Then using more foam blocks, make a small little "fort" area to keep Sadie a little more confined.
Probably not much help...just though I'd throw it out there until others co e along!
Hugs to sweet Sadie!
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!
Just noticed my major typo. I used a CAR harness previously, not a cat harness. At 60+ lbs, a cat harness might fit over a leg, but wouldn't restrain her in the car. 
Oh my! You are starting to catch Sally-itis. That's where regardless of what you type, things just come out differently.
I do second the idea of stuffing the well. In the back seat of our pickup, there is room for three small totes which carry emergency supplies, extra dog goodies and whatever else needs to be packed with us. We cover those with folded beach towels and our "car quilts" that always come with us. You never know when it might get cold or you might need a picnic ground cover.
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!
Anyone tried a "hammock" style seat protector like this? http://www.petc.....or-in-gray
Super smart of you to consider that! Yep, lots of folks have thought about this and come up with creative solutions. See:
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
terrie said
Just noticed my major typo. I used a CAR harness previously, not a cat harness. At 60+ lbs, a cat harness might fit over a leg, but wouldn't restrain her in the car.
Hah! I was just reading the thread and thinking I had to go back and look up your original posts, because I was sure Sadie was not "cat" sized!
Pofi's "dogmother" - the woman who found him when he was a puppy, comes over every few weeks and takes both my dogs on an outing. She has one of those hammocks and it works well to counter the leg well issue. We also have Roadie harnesses for both dogs that get clipped in for extra safety. We continue to use the Roadie and it does not twist on him.
Lisa, Minneapolis
On October 27, 2016, nearly 6 months after amputation, and 18 months since his cancer likely started, we lost Pofi to a recurrence of Soft Tissue Sarcoma in his spine quite suddenly. His canine sister also succumbed to cancer on March 1, 2019 - we lavished her with our love in the interim, but life was never quite the same without her only real canine friend. Cliff kitty had to leave us, too, suddenly, in August 2019. Lucia kitty grieved all these losses, but helped us welcome two new Lurchers into our home and our lives, Shae and Barley.
KATHI!!!! LMAO!!!!! EXACTLY!!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂
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!
murphsmom said
Oh my! You are starting to catch Sally-itis. That's where regardless of what you type, things just come out differently.
Why that's nothing but Scooby-Doo English. In fact, many times I find Scooby talking in my head when I read Sally's posts. I love it that way and wouldn't change a thing!
Harmony became a Tripawd on 10/21/14 (MCT). She left us way too soon on 11/1/14.
"We miss you so much; our love, our heart, our Harmony."
- Pam, Ron and Melody, Meesha, Doublestuff and Mariah Carey
I'm probably going to try out the "hammock" style thing. She already is prone to trying to crawl up in the front seat and I suspect filling the footwells will increase that kind of behavior.
Let us know how it works!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Well, I got the hammock, only to have to immiedtaely return it. It wouldn't work on my car! It's designed to hook around the headrests on the front and back seats. But my car doesn't have separate head rests for the back seat, just a raised area for where the head goes. looks like I'm stuck with filling the foot wells. *sigh*
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