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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Dakota-
We LOVE the samurai headband. DON'T take it off!!! Okay, that's not why we came on here….
Lucy's new avatar shows her in her Ruffwear harness. She's still not crazy about it and I continue to fuss with the straps but it works great helping her in and out of the car and for our daily strolls and weekend walks. We have used the Musher's secret a couple of times, it helped when we visited the vet. I don't trust her or it enough to get rid of the nasty carpet/rugs we put down. I ordered Bellas Hot/Cold pain relief pack before the surgery and we had it in time for when she arrived home. I was thinking we'd use it for the "cold" after her surgery but the hospital prescribed heat 3x/day and it was perfect!! She really liked it so we should be good to go if/when needed again.
Fortunately, Lucy had an orthopedic bed before the surgery, Dr Fosters and Smith. She loves the bed. She has a second bed too (can you tell she's a little spoiled…). It's a Bowsers double-donut bed, similar to Abby's but so LARGE. It's really very nice, however, we ordered one that we thought was for her size but it could comfortably fit 2 Lucy's! Yikes! It really isn't practical for our townhouse so it basically sat upstairs for when we hang out up there. It came down during recovery because she got really really tired of the F&S bed that she was laying on a most of the time. We know she loves the "snuggly" feel of the donut bed. Now both beds have remained downstairs because we haven't been hanging out upstairs as much these days…
We also ordered a ramp but haven't worked on training. Need to get that back out and going. Also, I'm worried about her jumping up on the bed. Haven't done that since the surgery but I know it's coming. Will a 70 lb dog use "doggie stairs"??!!
This was a great post idea!
Mary, Lucy's mom
Lucy's front right leg was amputated 12/19/11. Thankfully there was no tumor, but her nerves were found to be degenerative. Life as a tripawd is Lucy's new adventure!!
Lucy! You have a great life! Look at all the doggie luxuries you get and are getting!
Gosh! I flat out don't remember if anyone used the doggie stairs for the bed. Lucy will get the hang of the regular stairs eventually but I'm not sure about the bed stairs.
I hope you have better luck with the ramp than most have! No one that I remember ever seemed to use it. Hope you saved the receipt!!!!! 
Comet - 1999 to 2011
She departed us unexpectedly January 23, 2011 at the age of 12 1/2.
She was born with a deformed front leg and a tripawd all of her life.
Dear Samson,
You are a poopy head.
That is a samurai headband,
Only girlie dogs wear pink and white. Dakota Doodoohead that makes you a .........................Girlie Dog!
You probably think wearing a feather boa means you are a Indian Chief!!!!!!! Bwahahhahahhahahha!
Girlie Dog.
Mary G said:
Will a 70 lb dog use "doggie stairs"??!!
Well, there are plenty to choose from to find out!
Steps Help Prevent Tripawd Injuries
May 16th, 2011
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi Mary,
What about using a chest or box by the bed that is about half the height of the bed? My local friend Cemil is a front amp and gets in and out of the back of a small pick up using a box his mom made for him. He is really big- 150 lb Anatolian Shepard. I would think going up is OK- I would worry about down on one front leg.
The problem with stairs for a big dog is that by the time you build them with tread on each step wide enough your staircase is 5 feet long!!
I did build a little stair case up to my bed for tri-pug Maggie (rear amp). As fit her personality she steadfastly refused to even try them. Instead I helped her jump up on the chest at the end of the bed, then onto the bed. As a rear amp she would get down by herself- but never would use the stairs I built even for going down.
But the work was not in vain- last summer Tani's arthritis got to the point that she finally started using the stairs- up and down. So I only had to leave the thing in my bedroom for 3 or 4 years before it got used! Tani is a quad pug, and Maggie's little sister, now 11.5 years old.
Karen and the pugapalooza
Karen-
Good idea! Guess what?! The same night Lucy just hopped on the bed as if she'd been doing it all along. Yes, the going down part, that is the scary part. Of course she will not allow help but I had her jump down on her bed. But thats way too far to go down so I'll have to come up with something quick.
Yes, the ramp... we still haven't started the training... it was the first time we attempted to get her in the back of the Rav4 and she wouldn't use it. Instead we took the Prius and she hopped in the back seat. That was a much lower hop and jump.
Thanks for the suggestions!
Mary, Lucy's mom
Lucy's front right leg was amputated 12/19/11. Thankfully there was no tumor, but her nerves were found to be degenerative. Life as a tripawd is Lucy's new adventure!!
Oh yeah, Lucy said, stop picking on Dakota, he's cool!
Lucy's front right leg was amputated 12/19/11. Thankfully there was no tumor, but her nerves were found to be degenerative. Life as a tripawd is Lucy's new adventure!!
We were in love with our PetLoader stairs....we even had 2 sets in different heights. We have a big truck and there was no way Sammy could get in and out without stairs....he was great on them (and he was over 100 pounds). When some friends watched him for us one weekend, they used a set to let him on their bed too. Sam also hated dog beds....he was always way too hot....but he loved the Canine Cooler dog bed....especially after chemo treatments when he felt icky....also right after his surgery.
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