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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And here is a link for adding photos: https://tripawd.....-photos-1/
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry 
mdega05 said
I really need to figure out how to add his picture to my profile or here!
Upload your Tripawds User avatar here or visit your Forums Profile and follow the link there, that is where you can also update your profile with a short bio, signature to appear beneath your forum posts and more.
And, here are detailed instructions for adding photos to forum posts . If you don't already share photos online somewhere, you can start a free Tripawds blog any time and upload them there. Need further help? Post in the Tech Support forum and we'll be happy to help!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
A late hello and welcome. I'm sorry amputation and OSA have brought you here but this is the best place to be on this journey.
When my little Pug Maggie lost a back leg to cancer I don't think I had even seen a three legged dog before, and it was before Tripawds was established. All the advice that I got from the vets was that dogs do fine on three and in fact Maggie was hopping on her own the day of surgery and never needed help getting around. When I first got her home I was thinking- 'this isn't too bad'. Well, that little honeymoon ended quickly as Mag took to her bed and pretty much was a grumpy slug for six weeks! I was sure I had the only dog who wasn't going to do fine on three and I was SURE I had made a terrible mistake choosing amputation. Maggie was a stubborn Pug who hated any change to her routine so in hindsight her behavior was normal for her, but while you are in the midst of it you sure doubt yourself. BTW- Mag outlived her 6 to 9 month prognosis (mast cell cancer) and lived almost 4 years as her happy, mischievous and even more stubborn self!
You are in the worst part of recovery so hang in there. We often see the more 'mature' pups take a little longer to get moving so be patient. Stay positive and note each little sparkle of normal you see. You will get to your new normal!
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
Maggie sounds amazing! I am so happy to hear how well she did. It is so encouraging.
We had some small victories this morning. Morgan got up a few times on his own, hopped to his food bowl and even over to lay under me in his usual spot. Hooray!
Maria and Morgan
Online
YAAAAAAAAAAY for Morgan!!! Such HUGE victories!!! Reallu, really wonderful progress!!! So happy to hear this!
Extra 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!
Good morning and what a beautiful Avatar!! Morgan sounds like he is doing well and making great progress, yay!
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry
For some reason I did not see this before. Thank you for sharing. That is so amazing. Morgan unexpectedly went up two stairs today. Wohoo. I couldn't believe it.
Maria and Morgan
Thank you all again for getting me through this week. Nights have been peaceful and progress is being made. Stitches out next Thursday and then on to decisions on next steps. I am leaning towards not doing chemo and managing holistically and with diet but way more to research. I am meeting with a vet next week to discuss options.
On another note, has anyone noticed swelling in the remaining front leg. I feel like his ankle may be a little swollen but hard to tell with nothing to compare it to (sigh).
Maria and Morgan
Hi Maria and Morgan!
I am not sure why his leg is swollen, that honestly would be a call to the vet. He may be doing too much, or he may have tweaked something but only a week out of surgery is very early and I honestly think your vet needs to know about it.
I don't know if you communicate with your vet via cell phone or just call the office, but if you could get a picture of it for your vet to see that might be helpful. If not, they may want to see it for themselves and that sounds totally reasonable.
Please let us know how you make out!
Hugs,
Jackie and Huck 
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry
I think I will see if I can pop in tomorrow. I am really not sure if it is or not and it doesn't seem to be bothering him, even when I touch it. Maybe I am imagining it. I guess I never really felt his legs that closely before. He is also licking his elbow and getting a callous. I believe from laying on it more. I put some wax I had for his paws on it and covered it so hopefully that will help. I guess I am just nervous some sort of infection (but probably not since he was on antibiotics). Maybe just paranoid. Hopefully. He needs that leg.
Thanks as always for your thoughts.
Maria and Morgan
Yes he does. Totally better safe than sorry. You're not crazy, you're being cautious.... with all the reason in the world to be.
Always better safe than sorry.
❤️❤️
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry
Just now catching up on your story, and am glad to hear things are going pretty good. I say why not pop in for a quick visit, it would put your mind at ease if anything unusual is happening. Hopefully not, but it's good to be a bit hyper vigilant just in case. Let us know how it goes OK?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Totally worth the visit and all okay. The vet didn't think his leg was swollen at all but her has been licking his elbow and a callous is forming that is all inflamed and red. His was concerned this might get infected so we agreed to put him back on an antibiotic for it. Not my favorite thing to do but seems necessary. I think he is just leaving on the elbow too much. He also recommended the custom dogleg sleeve that protects the elbow. Has anyone used this? It is pricey ($163) but may be worth it.
Maria and Morgan
Oh good, glad !organ Morgan checked out okay. Great news!
I do know that dogs do form that callous thing sometimes. Others will chime on on ways they have handled that with some DIY options. Wonder if it would be possible to wrap somehow with a feminine pad, maybe held o0n with self stick wrap? I have a feeling though, he would have it off in a New York minute!! Seems like some have used a homemade poultice of some sort too. And I do know some have used the DogLeggs too.
And I do love Morgan's avatar pocture. He oozes sweetness!
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!
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