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.
Join The Tripawds Community
Learn how to help three legged dogs and cats in the forums below. Browse and search as a guest or register for free and get full member benefits:
Instant post approval.
Private messages to members.
Subscribe to favorite topics.
Live Chat and much more!
Register
Log In
Members
Add Topic
Offline
Awww he looks so mellow resting in the sun. It's good medicine. Keep up the snoozin and sun bathin' and he'll get back to his old self in no time!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Awww Boone, you are a masterful sunbather!! And yeah, the sun seems to be such a good healer.
You're doing EXACTLY what you need to be doing this early on. Good boy!
Hugs
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!
Boone continues to make progress - it was one week ago today that he became a TriPawd.
He's not drinking much/if any water right now and I'm a bit concerned about keeping him hydrated. He is eating full meals twice a day, and since he's a raw fed dog, I know he gets some hydration that way. Any suggestions on getting him to drink more water? Or other things to help keep him hydrated during recovery?
Thanks!
Jeanette & Boone
You could mix some extra liquid in with his meal- that's what I do for quad pug Obie who doesn't drink enough water.
You could also try spicing the water up with some low sodium chicken broth or tuna water. I know Sally used to swirl a little ice cream in the water for Happy Hannah. You could also make some flavored ice cubes if you think he would chew them up.
Sounds like he is doing well otherwise. Good job Boone!
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Â
        Maggie's Story          Amputation and Chemo
Thanks, Karen. I thought part of his problem is he hasn't been getting much exercise since November when the lameness started. And I know it's still early in his recovery, but I leashed him up and we did a short hop to the corner and back (he did great!). Even lifted his left rear leg to let the neighborhood dogs know he's back on the beat (and didn't fall over).
I thought that might increase his thirst a little but he still ignored the fresh water when we got home. So I mixed up some bone broth and water, put it in a small dish and he drank it. I'll definitely be adding more water to his dinner tonight, too.Â
Ice cream is a great idea - I may have to try that if the bone broth doesn't pay off. He likes ice cubes in the summer, maybe I need to fire up the woodstove and make him think it's summer ;-).
Jeanette & Boone
Sounds like Boone is doing incredibly well!
Yeah, for whatever reason, my Happy Hannah jist did not want to drink water!! She never missed a meal, but had no interest in water!
Yes, I did swirl ice cream into her water. She trained me to do it a specific yummy way though. I had to put some ince cream on the spoon, let her start licking the spoon as I dropped it I to her water bowl and swirl it arpund. If there wasn't enough ice cream, she would just look at me until I added another spoonful.:-) 🙂
And YAY for pee with lifting his leg!!!
Hugs!
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!
I bet Happy Hannah and Boone would have been best buds 😉 Boone cleans his breakfast and dinner dishes, but the water bowl must seem boring to him. I'll be sure to add more water to his meals and will keep the ice cream trick in mind.
Thanks, Sally.
Jeanette & Boone
jeanetteg said
I thought part of his problem is he hasn't been getting much exercise...we did a short hop to the corner and back...
just keep in mind that walking does not build strength only stamina. Check out Loving Life On Three Legs or consider consulting with a certified rehab vet/tech (CCRT or CCRP ) for a professional evaluation and conditioning exercises you can do to build strength. You may even get your first visit reimbursed from the Maggie Moo Fund for Tripawd Rehab.
And be careful with all that ice cream! Too much will defeat the purpose of exercise. 
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
admin said
jeanetteg said
I thought part of his problem is he hasn't been getting much exercise...we did a short hop to the corner and back...just keep in mind that walking does not build strength only stamina. Check out Loving Life On Three Legs or consider consulting with a certified rehab vet/tech (CCRT or CCRP ) for a professional evaluation and conditioning exercises you can do to build strength. You may even get your first visit reimbursed from the Maggie Moo Fund for Tripawd Rehab.
And be careful with all that ice cream! Too much will defeat the purpose of exercise.
Thanks for that reminder! I plan to talk with our vet about rehab options. I know there is a specialty clinic in Anchorage that has a rehab facility. Boone needs both the strength and stamina built back up and I appreciate the direction to the resources. I will definitely check them out.
Hehe..we'll be careful with the ice cream 😉 Don't want to ruin Boone's svelte physique.Â
I confess to syringing water down Nitro's throat when he wouldn't drink during the first several days....probably wouldn't have won any mom of the year awards, but i was desparate.
Paula and Nitro
Nitro 11 1/2 Â yr old Doberman; right front amp June 2014. Had 6 doses carboplatin, followed by metronomic therapy. Rocked it on 3 legs for over 3 years! My Warrior beat cancer, but couldn't beat old age. He crossed the Bridge peacefully on July 25, 2017, with dignity and on his terms. Â Follow his blog entitled "Doberman's journey"
"Be good, mama loves you".....run free my beautiful Warrior
Paula! I had forgotten about your Technique! And yes, you still are Mom of the year!
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!
Boone is now 9 days post-amp and is doing great. Eating well, wagging that dangerous tail more and more, and FINALLY took a drink of water last night. Silly boy. I've been making his breakfast and dinner soupy as well as mixing up some bone broth and water to help keep him hydrated.
I've taken him out for short hops the last two days and it really lifts his spirits. We aren't going far at all and he still has enough energy to jump from the sidewalk to the porch, bypassing the one short stair. And he discovered how to lift the correct rear leg without losing his balance when he marks all his "spots."
My question is, is this too early for short hops? I don't want to overdo anything at this stage. His staples don't come out 'til around Feb. 14th (3 weeks post-amp) which feels like an eternity to me - so is it safe/ok to do these daily short hops? My holistic vet says it's great he's getting out and moving. We haven't discussed rehab yet.
Thanks everyone.
Jeanette & Boone
jeanetteg said
My question is, is this too early for short hops?
"Short" is relative. 
At 9-14 days, any walks should be less than 10 minutes. Better yet, focus on core strengthening, balance work, weight bearing, and proprrioception exercises. TIP: Walks do not build strength, only stamina.
Download Loving Life On Three Legs for lots of tips and how-to videos for exercises, stretching, massage and other techniques to help build strength and confidence. Or, visit a certified rehab vet/tech for a professional evaluation and DIY exercises you can do at home. You may even get reimbursed from the Maggie Moo Fund for Tripawd Rehab!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
2 Guest(s)
