Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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How long did it take for your dog to build up strength and resume normal activity after its amputation? Callie had a hind leg amputated on July 14th...we use to take her for daily walks before she started limping and the resulting amputation for osteosarcoma diagnosis. We've started taking her on walks around the block every 3 or 4 days in the past few weeks after getting the vets OK, but after each walk she is just exhausted and can barely stand up! The remaining back leg just drags along the floor for the rest of the night. We took her for a walk on Monday night and later on when she was trying to get up off the floor, the leg kept slipping out from underneath her until she finally fell flat on her belly. Broke my heart!! 
Are we pushing her too much too soon, or is this little bit of exercise good for her? She LOVES to go on walks and gives us the most pitiful look until we do!! Will she eventually build up strength and not get so worn out? Just wondering how long it typically takes....
barely a month, we think maybe you're trying a little too much too fast. it took gayle several months before she got her remaining front foot centered and the muscle in that leg and shoulder to 'bulk up'. maybe massage would help after a short walk. we also do accupuncture which really helps gayle. i'm sure others will 'chime in' with suggestions, just don't get too discouraged.
charon & gayle
Life is good, so very, very good!!! Gayle enjoyed each and every moment of each and every wonderful day (naps included). She left this world December 12, 2011 – off on a new adventure.
Love Never Ends
You might be doing too much too soon. Some dogs on this site bounce back very quickly and some never quite get back to their pre-amp routine. Take a cue from your dog; if the dog is exhausted you did too much.
Pam
It's too much for your pup...My dog had to slowly and ever so gradually regain her strength and it's taken a LONG time(months and months). What has helped Maggie is a regular strengthening program to build her core. You might go looking into Tripawds blogs for CARE video's or on my blog for some strengthening video's or even this blog that Tripawds posted last week with my dog on it doing her rehab work:
http://gear.tri.....s-workout/
Maggie's walks, even now almost 2 years later are no longer than a 1/2 hour and that's with alot of 'grazing' and meandering on her part 🙂
Tracy, Maggie's Mom
Maggie was amputated for soft tissue sarcoma 10-20-09
Maggie lost her battle with kidney disease on 8-24-13
Oh poor pup. We can relate. Getting to know your dog's "new normal" is a trial and error process but you'll get it right.
Yes, it does sound like a bit too much too soon. Whenever a dog sits down during a walk, that's the sign. Slow down, start with 1/4 of the distance you started walking then work your way up. Like Tazziedog says, some just don't get back to where they will before, but they really are just as hoppy as they ever were. Oftentimes it's humans who have a harder time dealing with the new normal.
Keeping her weight down is critical too. If she is at all overweight this will make a huge impact in her ability to regain strength. Remember that 1 pound of fat on a dog is like 5 on a human.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
If Callie loves walks, you might try taking her for several shorter walks instead of one long walk.
For my dog Percy, it's been a very slow and gradual strengthing and rebuilding of his endurance. We started out just walking two houses down and back and gradually lengthened his walks by a couple of houses length each week. I think it was about two months before we attempted to go all the way around the block (about 20 minutes). He is now almost four months post-amp and we still only do the full walk maybe 2 or 3 times a week, and only if it is cool. I've noticed that it takes him much longer to recover after exerting himself in that he pants for a longer time afterwards than he used to. When that happens, we shorten his walks again. Gradually he is getting his endurance back, but it takes time.
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