Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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I had stopped using the sling to assist Capone, who is 1 month 3 days post amputation, since he seems annoyed with the help. I still occasionally use it after he has gone potty on the way back into the house, when he complies. My concern is that he is 10 years old and weighs 79 lbs. He weighed just under 90 pre-surgery. I just don't want his other legs to encounter any problems. I swear I need some OCD medicine 🙂 I'm thinking the harness will be more accessible since he will be wearing it. It seems that when I go to put the sling around his belly he normally plops back on the ground more annoyed that I'm trying to help him. Normally, after I'm back to doing something else he is on the move again.
He is really moving around the house during the days. Can't seem to control his excitement when I come back home after leaving the house, which is not that often. Also, his excitement is hard to keep at bay at feedings. I'm always talking calm to prevent him from bouncing around too much. I guess if he were in pain or uncomfortable, he would not be moving around as much during the day. Guess I just need to let him be and quit being so attentive to his every move. Either that or I need to leave the house and take my laptop to a coffee shop so I can try and get some stuff accomplished. I'm not being very productive during the day because I'm watching his every move. Seriously, I need to relax. : )
However, after around 9pm he is out for the count. I've been trying to let him out one more time before we go to bed around midnight, but this is proving difficult since he won't budge. I've tried treats to coax him up which normally works. Although, I get him outside he just sits back down in the grass or stares at me for more treats, refusing to go potty. I guess he just does not have to go. I work from home and my husband does not go into he office until around 9am, so our alarm goes off around 8:20 am. So on evenings where he refuses to potty again I've been setting my alarm for whatever time would be around 8 hours from his last successful outside potty. This is driving my husband nuts. I guess I need to quit altering my schedule to cater to him so much.
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Oh, Capone sounds like he is doing great! You will love the harness. It gives me a lot more confidence to take Bo out of the house with it because I feel like I can control him comfortably.
I am a natural worrier, so I know that it is hard not to analyze every little thing...I do it every day. I will tell you that I wish that Bo was moving around more like Capone. His body is slowing down and it is very difficult for him to get up and around. So my advice.....let him wiggle!! I can assure you that you would miss it if he wasn't. I know it's better for them to settle down to eat, so they don't get sick, but, hey, at least he is eating with gusto!
Sounds like Capone has healed well, and now is the time for you to just enjoy being around him. Go have fun!!
The harness will help!
Has your vet talked to you about a diet for Capone? My Bud went on a major one,he started out at 103 and is down to 78 where the doc wanted him. He has diet dog food and treats are now apples and green beans. My vet said it was the best thing we could do to protect his other leg and increase his mobility.
Hope his recovery continues and it sounds like things are getting better! Hang in there!
I had cut his food back when he was first diagnosed with OSA, since we were not going to be able to go for our daily walks. My oncologist does not think that Capone is overweight. She has expressed concerns that we might need to take him off the healthy weight management food if he starts loosing too much weight with the chemotherapy. I think having him a bit thin will be a good thing. He is def. getting around just fine but, I'm super paranoid about him injuring his other front leg. I should have my harness either Thursday or Friday and hope that I can assist him when around at least taking some stress off his other legs. Some has to be better than none. HE really will have nothing to do with the belly sling. He won't walk if I put it on him.
In regard to the harness. Do you put it on each morning and take it off before you go to bed? Just curious?
Some folks use their harness alot and we used ours in the beginning alot for going up and down stairs.I took it off at night when he was ready for bed. Bud is almost 6 months post amp now so we use it only for outings....to the vet office where there is linoleum and when we go to the lake or the park and the surfaces are uneven.
Good luck with the chemo probably dont want to diet then! We were a fractured unhealing femur case. Sounds like he is doing great though! It is hard to find a new normal while trying to let them be dogs but protect them from injury, I still struggle with that! But time helps that and living each day to the fullest will too!
sweetcapone said:
In regard to the harness. Do you put it on each morning and take it off before you go to bed? Just curious?
Yes, when traveling in our RV with Jerry, we only took it off at night. Now we only put Wyatt's on when we need to get him into the truck since we have no stairs at home. Once we hit the road again, he will wear his all the time.
If Capone is a chewer, don't leave him unattended wearing the harness until you are sure he won't try to bite it off. The Ruff Wear Return Policy does not cover damage from dogs chewing.
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I plan on keeping in on during the day and taking it off before bedtime. I had a vet friend suggest that we get this to assist him with getting up and taking a bit of weight off while walking around when we're home. I guess anything we do can't hurt. Anything to preserve the other legs. I had quit using the sling they gave us at the surgery center on normal outings mainly because he was refusing to walk when I was there to assist. Figure the harness will be a different situation and hopefully he will understand that I'm just trying to help!! 😉
He is not a chewer, but thanks for the heads-up about the return policy.
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