Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Ellie is just a few days post op and doing well. I've read about getting a harness for her. Recommended? How useful would it be? Ellie is 70 lbs (so we’d get the Medium) but has always been very agile and coordinated.
Even after having surgery this last Friday, she’s independentaly navigating steps, both up and down. If she needs it, great, we’ll get it, but if not, then we don’t want to spend money for something that won’t get used.
Thought?
Thanks again for all your support and help,
Reid
Offline
Not all dogs need the extra support, so we'll let others provide feedback about if and when a harness is necessary. But it was those times Jerry wasn't wearing his and he did need it that we wished he was wearing it.
For Jerry – and now Wyatt – it was/is extremely helpful getting them in and out of our large truck. When we had Jerry we lived upstairs and just left the harness on all the time. For Wyatt we only put it on when on the road.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
we really like the ruff wear harness . gayle doesn't wear it all the time, but it's great when she needs to get in and out of vehicles. and, when she's on leash, we hook it to the harness, not a collar, which relieves stress on her neck. we've also started putting it on to go out to the back yard, as sometimes the two steps coming back in off of the ramp are just too much of a challenge for her - the 'handle' helps us lift her as she manuevers the steps to get her up and in. she's a front right amp and about 65 lbs.
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
We didn't get a harness for Abby. She is tall & skinny and 45 lbs. She is very agile. When she needed help getting up/down the stairs and in/out of the car at first post-surgery, I just used a folded over bath towel that I sewed handles on to. She is VERY agile. If she starts to slow down I'll probably consider getting her one, but she is only 2 so still way too full of energy. Guess it all depends on how Ellie's doing once she is fully recovered and what kind of things you like to do with her.
Jackie, Abby's mom
Abby: Aug 1, 2009 – Jan 10, 2012. Our beautiful rescue pup lived LARGE with osteosarcoma for 15 months – half her way-too-short life. I think our "halflistic" approach (mixing traditional meds + supplements) helped her thrive. (PM me for details. I'm happy to help.) She had lung mets for over a year. They took her from us in the end, but they cannot take her spirit! She will live forever in our hearts. She loved the beach and giving kisses and going to In-N-Out for a Flying Dutchman. Tripawds blog, and a more detailed blog here. Please also check out my novel, What the Dog Ate. Now also in paperback! Purchase it at Amazon via Tripawds and help support Tripawds!
Even if you don't need a harness for lifting Ellie. I would ensure you use a harness and not a collar for walks. Now that she is a tripawd, they go at a faster speed and need to skip along to keep pace. You don't want to put any strain on her neck.
We liked using a tape Flexi leash since My Comet had to skip to keep up and and then she'd stop when she go to the end and wait for me to catch up. The tape Flexi leash gives so much more room for them to pace out without stopping.
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.
I haven't gotten one for Spencer. He is now a month and 3 days post op and so far doesn't need it. For the first few days after surgery I used a sling that a friend gave me; but by day 3 I talked to the doctor and quit using it except on stairs – at that point he didn't seem to need it and it was starting to rub on his skin too much.
Spencer is 4.5 years old and was 85 lbs pre surgery. he is about 75 lbs now. before surgery he was very active and he bounced back quickly. He can handle most stairs with no problem. On our front staircase I usually walk beside him and hold his collar just in case (it is a very steep staircase); but he hasn't had any problems with those in probably about 2 weeks now.
At this point I'm just evaluating things as we go. If we need it down the road I'll definitely get one!
edited to add: Spencer very rarely walks on a leash - basically just in and out of the vets office. Other than that he walks off leash as he is very good with verbal commands and we live in a rural area.
Jac and Angel Spencer. Spencer was 5.25 years old. He fought a grade 3 fibrosarcoma, started on his shoulder. Left front leg amputated in August 2011. 15 weeks of chemo finished 12/22/11 (mytox and adria). Lung mets found on x-rays 12/28/11. Started carboplatin 1/6/12. Went to Heaven on 2/27/12. I miss him like crazy every day. See his blog here: http://spencer.tripawds.com/
Oh, yes, that is a good point that 'cometdog' makes about a harness for walking. We use a car harness for Abby's leash walks (which we rarely do, cuz leash walks are much harder now since she goes so fast. we are lucky to live somewhere that I can take her on long off-leash walks). It's not the sort of harness we could use to help support her though - it doesn't have a handle and doesn't have enough support that we could 'heft' her up with it.
So, if you are going to be doing a lot of leash walking, it might be worth getting a harness for that - don't know if the 'ruff wear' harness has a clip for attaching a leash, but that is definitely something to consider.
Jackie, Abby's mom
Abby: Aug 1, 2009 – Jan 10, 2012. Our beautiful rescue pup lived LARGE with osteosarcoma for 15 months – half her way-too-short life. I think our "halflistic" approach (mixing traditional meds + supplements) helped her thrive. (PM me for details. I'm happy to help.) She had lung mets for over a year. They took her from us in the end, but they cannot take her spirit! She will live forever in our hearts. She loved the beach and giving kisses and going to In-N-Out for a Flying Dutchman. Tripawds blog, and a more detailed blog here. Please also check out my novel, What the Dog Ate. Now also in paperback! Purchase it at Amazon via Tripawds and help support Tripawds!
Thanks all for the insights. I ordered one this morning and then canceled it a few hours later. Ellie really doesn't use a leash, just voice control and even after surgery on Friday, she's gotten the hang to going up and down steps.
As with others, if we need it, then I'll get it.
Reid
Ellie said:
I ordered one this morning and then canceled it a few hours later.
Where did you purchase the harness? We haven't received any Ruff Wear orders (or cancellations) from the Tripawds Gear Shop this morning.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thanks for the link, we had never heard of that site. Just so you know, purchases made through Tripawds help keep this community online.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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