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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HI All !! I am new to this site and have found it a wonderful wealth of information. My 13 year old husky, Skye had her right rear leg amputated after a four year struggle with a nerve sheath tumor. Skye started with physical therapy two weeks after her surgery in Houston. During the two weeks of therapy, she was walking for short distances and was able to urinate on her own. We returned home to El Paso two weeks ago and have seen a steady decline. Her hind leg seems weaker, she cannot urinate on her own and doesn't seem to be able to walk as far as she used to. I know my girl is older and she has arthritis but is this normal? I expect ups and downs but it seems like at week 6 we should be doing much better than we are doing now. Please, please can anyone tell me if we are on the right track ?????
Thank you sooooo much!
Jean Friend
Skye's mom
Welcome, your future forum posts will not require moderation.
We discovered with Wyatt that rear-leggers can take much longer to rebuild strength. Be sure to limit walks, as walking does not build strength, only endurance. Focus on core strengthening exercises and consider watching our three legged dog rehab videos for more exercise and massage tips..
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
jean, welcome to the site. sorry to hear skye is having some issues, but some pups do take longer to recover, and rear leg amps (as admin said) can take longer to build muscle mass. do you do massage on her remaining hip to help keep the muscles loose? perhaps a harness or sling would let you help her when she needs to go out to pee - squatting on one leg can be tiring.
sending best wishes and hopes for noticable improvement in the near future.
charon & spirit 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
Hi Jean,
Welcome to Tripawds. My little pug Maggie was also a rear amp. I don't remember any set backs like you are describing- but then Maggie was not really doing much for about 2 months (she was one stubborn pug!). But she could walk and pee on her own from day one.
I just posted to another member that it did take her about 6 months post amp to work back up to walking half the distance she could before. And at first she would only walk a short distance, then sit down. And when she stood still her back leg would start to shake. But she did build strength as we went on. Because of her short prognosis I did not spend much time on strengthening at first. But we started playing games and playing with toys as a way to work on muscle strength.
Could it be that she is not getting as much work as she did in the two weeks of PT? How much time did she spend in PT every day, and how much work is she getting now? From my own injury rehabs there is always a little backward slide when PT is done. It's just so much harder to keep up your exercises when you don't have a dedicated time, or a person keeping you on track.
Also- could she have hurt herself? Zeus hurt his back early in his recovery and it set him back a bit. Hopefully Lisa will see this and chime in.
And don't be afraid to call your vet with concerns.
Karen and the pugapalooza
Hi Jean. When you say that she's having trouble urinating, do you mean that he physically can't hold herself up or is it more of a "can't go" kidney issue?
Zeus (husky mix) was 11 at the time of amp and he took quite some time to recover (about two months before I saw the real Zeus start to return). He strained his back about a week after amputation and became very reluctant to walk or move at all. Recovery does seem to be a bit harder for the older pups. It really is a strain on their bodies to learn the new walk. It might be worthwhile to have an orthopedic vet look at her (it doesn't have to be one of the really expensive specialty hospitals, many of the regular vet practices will have certain vets that have a "special interest" in ortho or advanced training in that area. Zeus' vet is like that - a regular general practice vet but he focused more on the ortho side of training. When Zeus strained his back we thought he had injured one of his remaining legs because they seemed so weak. Dr. R did an exam and in about 10 seconds found the problem in his back.
Lisa
Zeus was a Husky mix diagnosed with Osteosarcoma at age 11. A visible lung met and suspicious spot on his liver meant a poor prognosis-six weeks was our vet's best guess. We decided to fight for our boy and his right front leg was amputated on 12/1/11. We did six rounds of chemo, changed his diet and spoiled him completely rotten. We were blessed with 10 great months after diagnosis. Against the odds, the lung met remained a single met and grew very little over those months. A wonderful furbaby with the most gentle spirit, he fought with a strength that we never imagined he possessed. We have no regrets...
http://zeuspod......pawds.com/
I'm so sorry you find yourself here with us. And I'm sorry Skye isn't doing as well.
Is she on any anti-imflammatories? (like Rimadyl, Metacam, Duramaxx) I know the older pups seem to do so much better just having something to help with general aches and pains as they age.
And maybe like Karen said, when the muscles aren't being used they get weak. And perhaps the PT she was doing kept them moving. Do you have a place she can swim? That's terrific cheap therapy.
I hope you figure it out. And I hope she gets better soon!
Here's hoping she has mobile days ahead.
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.
Hi Jean and Skye - I don't really have any thing to add to what others have alreayd said, but I wanted to welcome you and Skye to our little club here. I'm sorry you had to find us, but you've come to the right place.
Your girl is gorgeous! Hope she starts to be more like her old self soon! Sending pawsitive thoughts out to you and Skye.
Jackie, Angel 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!
Jean, welcome. We're sorry that Skye isn't her usual self right now, and hope that things pick up soon. When you say she can't urinate on her own, do you mean she needs help walking?
Have you talked to your vet? That is the first place to start, to make sure there isn't anything abnormal happening. But I want you to know that we've had lots of senior dogs here do fine after surgery, although some do need extra time. Try not to compare Skye's recovery with others though, remember that every dog is different.
P.S. You went all the way to Houston for her surgery? That is true love, what an awesome pawrent you are.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
admin said
Welcome, your future forum posts will not require moderation.We discovered with Wyatt that rear-leggers can take much longer to rebuild strength. Be sure to limit walks, as walking does not build strength, only endurance. Focus on core strengthening exercises and consider watching our three legged dog rehab videos for more exercise and massage tips..
Thank you so much! I started watching the videos and turned my living room into an area to work with Skye! I'm hoping to learn and help Skye build up strength. This is a wonderful community!!
Thank you all sooooo much!! What love!! All your tips and comments gave me peace of mind but also opened my eyes on things I could start doing now to help her build up strength on her hind leg! I'm sorry I left out so much information about our situation. I think I was so excited to find this site and was starving for some input that I hurried and left so much out.
Skye is a 13 year old (55lbs) feisty and stubborn husky who rules the house with two other huskies and an elkhound, it's a full furry house around here! Overall Skye is in good health but does suffer from arthritis and hypothyroidism. Before surgery she was on pain management meds (gabapentin & amitriptyline) for her arthritis and had a cortisone injection for pain in the lower lumbosacral area. She had her surgery at the teaching hospital at Texas A&M. She was assessed by five different departments before getting the green light for her surgery. After two weeks, she started physical therapy every day for two weeks in Houston. We wanted to give her the best start we could before coming back to El Paso where there is no PT available. After reading your comments, it's disappointing that all the PT dr said to do was to keep her active and take her on walks!! I so wish I would have known better and pressed him for better information. We have been back for three weeks and started seeing a decline in Skye. She doesn't seem to be able to keep her self up and can urinate but needs assistance where two-three weeks ago, she was holding her self up on her own.
I called the PT vet this morning and also sent him an e-mail. I am going to be a very squeekie wheel!! Yesterday I started viewing the videos on strength and massage. I hunted around the house for things that I can use to get started. I worked with her yesterday giving her some breaks and having her getting used to me massaging her. I'm going to have to start getting creative but also setting time aside to dedicate to Skye's in home therapy.
I think Skye's feisty attitude will be a great thing for her. When I'm taking the other pups for a walk, she so desperately wants to go. The desire is there but her body is just not responding....yet.
Thank you all so very much. My husband works out of town all week, every week, it's just the pups and me at home. Sometimes I feel so overwhelmed and alone, feeling like I am not doing things right or not doing enough. This wonderful and warm community has truly been a blessing. I welcome any tips or further information. I am truly taking in everything everyone is saying.
Sending much love to everyone and your fur babies.
Jean - Skye's mom
Jean,
Now don't be hard on yourself! You have your hands full and are doing the best you can.
I know what you mean about not doing things right. My little pug Maggie had her amp before Tripawds existed so we were on our own. The only council I got from the vet was 'most dogs do fine on 3 legs'. When Maggie wasn't happy, even several weeks after surgery I thought- right- most dogs EXCEPT mine! But she came around, she was just a stubborn pug who didn't like change.
Another though on mobility- are all the slippery surfaces covered for Skye? Tripawds really need good traction to feel confident walking. I had throw rugs everywhere!
Good luck with the at home PT. Be sure you share here what works for you- it might help the next tripawd that comes along.
Karen and the pugapalooza
Jean, you are most definitely not alone, we're all here to help however we can. While we aren't vets, we've been there with our pups and know the feeling of thinking you're not doing enough.
Well, one story I forgot to mention (did I?) is Calpurnia's. She lived to about 15 years old and sounds a LOT like Skye!
See You on the Trail, Calpurnia
There is a lot you can do at home. Have you seen Maggie's workouts and ideas in the Gear blog? She's another senior Tripawd who has come a very long way with diligent strength training and workouts, all from home.
Keep in mind that even a couple of minutes a day will make a difference. Try not to work her too hard at first, I know it's hard to contain your excitement. But in time, she'll get stronger, I just have a feeling.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Ooohhh!
Can the 2 other huskies and elkhound join our Monkeydog/Monkeybutt Federation? We could use them! They are furry and big! (I'm guessing an elkhound is part elk and they have horns! - WOOHHOO!)
We need names....unless it's top secret!
-MBBVP
Leader of the MB World!
Krun15, i had to laugh as i read your posting, I felt the same, everyone does great except my pup. It seems Pugs and huskies share that stubborn streak 
Yes, we have covered the floors with rugs. Actually, I used duck tape to keep the rugs from moving around...it's not pretty but works great and keeps the rugs from moving when the siblings run and wrestle on them! It's a hodgepodge of rugs around here.
Jerry, thanks for calpurina's link!! I am also happy to say that I worked with Skye a few minutes each day this week. I had a bowl with polverised liver treats (tiny amounts) at the end of firm long cushion. Since she is SO food motivated she balanced herself on the uneven surface while getting every particle of food.I also massaged her in a light circular motion. It seems like this independent pup is getting used to the idea that this may not feel too bad. Some days she did better than others but I agree I need to restrain my enthusiasm ....slowly but surely right???
The siblings are so loving Monkeydog Federation....so cute!!!!
Thak you all, I'll keep you posted.
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