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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Ginger the Husky was hit by a car on 12-6-16. It crushed both back legs, but nothing else. After trying to save both legs we ended up having to amputate her right rear leg last Thursday. Her left leg is still healing and we are praying she can have a skin and pad grafts ASAP but are told it won't be until the end of next week at the soonest. So she is unable to use the one rear leg she currently has. I was just looking for support if anyone else had a dog who was recovering one leg while the other is amputated. It seems like it is taking a very long time and she is at home currently to save money. We have to use a sling to move her and take her out and recovery is going to take awhile. Thank you
Hi Ginger & Family. I'll be back tomorrow with some thoughts, wanted to get your post approved. Sorry for the delay, omw to family gathering.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi, Ginger and family:
Sorry for the devastation that has brought you here, but happy you found us. Many of us have pets who are tripawds due to cancer, but there are many whose pets have suffered traumatic injury and they will chime in.
Want to sent lots of love and positive energy your way.
Since Ginger's recovery and healing of the remaining leg, with skin grafts, etc., will take a while, I am not sure what sort of a sling you are using, but the Get a Grip harness is pretty amazing - we used it for our Malamute x Greyhound tripawd when it was presumed his back leg issues were the result of injury rather than the return of his cancer. The Gear Blog has some great info on it and other aids. I actually have passed mine on to another dog in need or I would offer it to you.
I know the end of next week must seem like forever from now, but hopefully it will work out. Has there been discussion of how the grafts will be dressed and treated? Have medical grade manuka honey infused bandages or dressings been discussed? My understanding is they can really help.
Lisa, Minneapolis
On October 27, 2016, nearly 6 months after amputation, and 18 months since his cancer likely started, we lost Pofi to a recurrence of Soft Tissue Sarcoma in his spine quite suddenly. His canine sister also succumbed to cancer on March 1, 2019 - we lavished her with our love in the interim, but life was never quite the same without her only real canine friend. Cliff kitty had to leave us, too, suddenly, in August 2019. Lucia kitty grieved all these losses, but helped us welcome two new Lurchers into our home and our lives, Shae and Barley.
Geez Ginger! You sure have yiur hands full! Huskys are a tough breed though, so that's a plus.
I don 't have specific insight, but I know your situation is doable. O e tripawd comes to mi d who just had knee surgery on her remaining back leg. Basically it was complete rest and moving with a sling (or harness)
Yes, recovery is going to take awhile. I can only imagine how stressful this is! You are clearly doing everything possible for your sweet pup!
How is she soing otherwise? Eating, drinking, pooing, peeing? How is her attitude? Alert? Is her pain being managed fairly well?
Sorry I'm not much help. Stay connected, okay?
Sending lots of hugs your way!
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!
We came to Tripawds in a similar manner to you. Our Murphy was also hit by a car and ended up losing one rear leg and having to deal with a dislocated hip on the other side. His remaining hip joint was shallow and surgery to fix it was unsuccessful. He actually dislocated it three more times (with surgical repair) before he finally had a total hip replacement.
We did not find Tripawds until after the THR. Murphy's story is in the Beyond Cancer topic. I'll look for the link and post it. We also have a YouTube channel that shows his recovery. It's called Murphy the Three Legged Dog.
We found the Ruffwear harness to be invaluable both during recovery and afterward. While Murphy was on enforced inactivity during recovery, we had him in teo exercise pens hooked together. There was a gate on each side, which made it easier to get him in and out for potty time, etc.
The other thing that will be doubly important for Ginger is rehab therapy when she is ready for it. In Murphy's case that wasn't until eight weeks after the THR, so that his bone could grow into the implant.
If there are any other questions that I might be able to answer for you, please ask them!
Kathi and the Turbotail April Angel...and the Labradork
Murphy is a five year old Lab/Chessie cross. He was hit by a car on 10/29/12 and became a Tripawd on 11/24/12. On 2/5/13, he had a total hip replacement on his remaining back leg. He has absolutely no idea that he has only three legs!
UPDATE: Murphy lived his life to the fullest, right up until an aggressive bone lesion took him across the Rainbow Bridge on April 9, 2015 and he gained his membership in the April Angels. Run free, my love. You deserve it!
Murphy is a five year old Lab/Chessie cross. He was hit by a car on 10/29/12 and became a Tripawd on 11/24/12. On 2/5/13, he had a total hip replacement on his remaining back leg. He has absolutely no idea that he has only three legs!
UPDATE: Murphy lived his life to the fullest, right up until an aggressive bone lesion took him across the Rainbow Bridge on April 9, 2015 and he gained his membership in the April Angels. Run free, my love. You deserve it!
Oops! Double post...sorry!
Murphy is a five year old Lab/Chessie cross. He was hit by a car on 10/29/12 and became a Tripawd on 11/24/12. On 2/5/13, he had a total hip replacement on his remaining back leg. He has absolutely no idea that he has only three legs!
UPDATE: Murphy lived his life to the fullest, right up until an aggressive bone lesion took him across the Rainbow Bridge on April 9, 2015 and he gained his membership in the April Angels. Run free, my love. You deserve it!
Hello and welcome.
I'm sorry to hear about Ginger's accident, it must have been so scary.
Murphsmom Kathi was the one I immediately thought of, really the only one I can think of who had both legs injured at once. My current Tripawd Elly was also hit by a car when she was 7 months old, her right rear leg was broken and could not be repaired however it was her only major injury.
I know of several Tripawds who had surgery on one of their remaining legs- Here is a blog post with examples.
It's not exactly what you are facing with Ginger but there may be something there that could help.
While you are facing more than most of us went through at one time we are here to provide any help we can.
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
We are also fans of the Ruffwear Webmaster Plus harness. With a rear leg amp, many dogs can use it right away. Best wishes for her full recovery on her remaining leg!
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
I don't have experience with an injury to the remaining leg but my previous WonderPyr, Heffalump, had a rear amputation and damage/severe weakness to his remaining rear leg during the operation so that he essentially was a TwoPawd. He was a rare land speed walrus because he adapted so quickly, he would just disaPyr down the hall or around the yard or pasture. We made many accommodations such as containing him in one room or an x-pen or a part of the yard or pasture, putting down loads of interlocking mats and blankets and pee pads, purchasing a garden cart with removable sides so he could go on long " walks" with us, and, yes, we tried a sling with him and he HATED it so...the idea of a grocery bag sling would have been better at that time. (And Lisa and Angel Pofi have generously sent the harness my way which really helps CharlieBear, my newest WonderPyr, in and out of the truck!) We had to be extra careful watching that his remaining rear leg did not twist the wrong way and to watch for complications , which, honestly, was a nearly full time job. Now all of this does not apply to your situation because the remaining leg WILL heal and be functional!!! I just wanted to let you know that even with only two functioning legs, Heffalump did amazingly well ( with some adaptations on our part) and really was a happy dog. So while waiting for complete healing, know that there are TwoPawds that have done well!
Thank you all for your support. Ginger is doing well. Update from the vet today said her infection in her amputation incision is getting better. Her left legs granulation is getting better but they want to give it another week at least. We aren't sure what wraps will be used for her operation. Ginger is doing well at home, she's eating, peeing, and pooping. Her pain seems to be managed well and she has a good attitude, for a husky. The part that is the most difficult is how she scoots around and seems to be unable to eat comfortable, which 9 times out of 10 is between 1am-6am. We need to make sure she doesn't injure her left hind leg. I am unable to sleep because she scoots and whines. I keep thinking it's because she's uncomfortable laying on the same side all day/night. Sometimes she lays on the incision side and sometimes is okay and other times whines. I have the week off work but will soon have to go back and am wondering if putting her in a kennel is the best option for when no one will be able to watch her 24/7
We are just currently using the sling the vet gave us to take her out. We are getting her a temporary cart so it's easier for her to get around while healing.
What a champion!!! All good news!!! Eating, peeing, and pooing! Wowed zowie: congrats on the great progress. And the vet report sounds very promising. As for the cart, I bought a garden cart like the one in the link
http://www.houz.....lity-carts
And put nonslip mats in the bottom and that fake sheepskin so he was not on a " rubber" surface which would irritate his skin.
Heffalump scooted for the rest of his life. I had to make absolute certain that surfaces inside were level so he did not get his remaining leg under a mat or was unable to climb on a foam bed. The easiest thing to do was to get interlocking mats and place body pillows around the perimeters/ walls so he could push off when he needed to or rest against them instead of trying to stay flat and launch ( if that makes sense). I also used a very wide fake sheepskin lined sling to lift him as he " walked" into his cart. He LOVED his cart and we would go on hour long walks with it. It helped that it was heavy duty as I live on a farm with rough terrain. He spent days on a screened porch with everything removed so he could not get trapped or outside in a paneled area ( I had movable chain link panels so he could " explore" different parts of the yard/pasture.
I duct taped pee pads on one area of the porch to encourage him to pee and poo in that area. If he missed or could not get that far, it was super easy to just clean/ wash off the interlocking mats. Basically, he and I were just happy that he could scoot and pee and poo away from the area that he slept/ ate in. Asking him to wait when I went back to work would have been too much. Especially with all the meds he was taking. ( I personally wouldn't keep her in a crate-yet- but would definitely have a very contained area.)
Would it be possible to get a Nest so when you went back to work you could keep an eye out?
So happy to hear such a fantastic update!!! You and Ginger are CHAMPIONS!!!
Hey there Ginger and Family, I finally made it back after a crazy weekend. I'm so grateful our wonderful community has been able to chime in with some ideas. I would agree that if at all possible, finding a caretaker for her to help her out while you go back to work would be ideal. I know it's not cheap but is there possibly a student you know who's out of school right now that can help? Or can you day-board her at your vet's office?
Another thought: how much room does she have to move around? Have you confined her area at all? I'm thinking this is a lot like a TPLO surgery recovery, where the dog's movements need to be really limited in order for the healing to happen. Also, having a harness like the Custom Pet Support Suit (see: http://gear.tri.....pport+suit) is incredibly helpful for assisting her in maneuvering around. You can leave it on all day without any issues and it's always there for you to help her.
I know you have some huge challenges right now, I'm so sorry. Rest assured though, that others have been in similar predicaments and have made it through. Murphy's story is a great example. Car accidents with multiple injuries can make for a longer recovery but the good news is that Ginger is a HUSKY and she's got determination and strength bred into her DNA that will help her get through this as easily and quickly as she's able.
In the meanwhile we're here to lean on and try to answer any questions OK?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I kind of what at a loss as far as havr any good helpful input, but I knew others would!! As usual, they did not disappoint!!
Heffalump's mom certainly had some great advice from first hand experience, as did Kathi from her first ha d experience.
Not sure what would help with the eating situation. Any possibility of propping her up with pillows while using a raised food bowl? Her middle of the night and crack of dawn hunger pangs have got to be...er....slightly irritating! 🙂 I know you are I incredibly sleep deprived and heavily stressed!
You've really been given some rough challenges but they won't last furever! Hopefully in another few weeks recovery from EVERYTHING will be completed! You're doing a great job of hanging in there!!
A Husky in a kennel/crate?? Not unless she's used to that kind of confinement, otherwise I think she'll try to chew through the wire!!!
Would love to see pictures of your girl!!
Stay connected!!
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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