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
Congrats on your new normal! Shelby was also a rear amp so I had to 'scratch' for her but she got creative .. .she would roll on the floor too. And like the others have said - having Shelby want to play again was a HUGE joy for me! Glad he's still doing well.
Shelby Lynne; Jack Russell/Shiba Inu mix. Proud member of the April Angels of 2014.
October 15, 2000 to April 8, 2014
Our story: Broke rear leg in June 2013 - non-conclusive results for cancer so leg was plated and pinned. Enlarged spleen in September 2013 and had it removed and was diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma and started chemotherapy. Became a Tripawd January 8th, 2014 and definitive Hemangiosarcoma diagnosis. Three major surgeries in 7 months and Shelby took them all like a champ only to lose her battle to cancer in her brain. We had 8 amazing extra months together and no regrets. #shelbystrong #loveofmylife
krun15 said
I called it the 'air scratch', Maggie was also a left rear amp. She would scratch the right side ear and chin with her right rear leg, then move her head to the other side, stick out her chin, and you could see her little stump churning away! At first it was funny and sad at the same time...but after a few months she figured out nothing was happening. So I would scratch for her, or she would wipe her face and chin on the furniture, or her sister or whatever.
Lol, Murphy does the same thing? He'll kind of twist himself and I'll see his stump area moving and he'll look confused about why he nothing was happening. He just started to come over to me and make it known that I need to scratch his chin or his shoulder. 
Murphy, became a tripawd on August 17, 2015. Went to the rainbow bridge on July 5, 2016.
Max was depressed after surgery. When we went in 12 days post-amp to get his stitches out, I asked the surgeon about it, and she said he was probably missing his former activities. I asked when he can start taking the stairs; she said, "Now." I said I was going to buy a harness to help him; she said, "He doesn't need a harness." She absolutely was right. When I got home, I tossed a ball in the grass, just a little ways, and off he ran. It was hard to watch! But he was all for it. I let him follow me up the stairs. It was awkward at first, but he managed! From that point on, he started improving as he got more mobility and play back in. When we got the green light for swimming a few days later, it was upward from there.
So, moral of my story is: It was me and all my anxiety.
Max and I can totally relate to the rear-leg scratching thing! Now he just signals to me that he's itchy by twitching his hip and arching his neck, and I go to him and scratch his right side all over. Then he gives me a kiss.
Best of luck to you. Prepare to be amazed and inspired by Major--he's going to do great!
1 Guest(s)
