Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Good Evening,
I tried to copy the link … does it work?
As you will see he just look lazy and weak in the back end. This video was taken after he had moved with the sling a fair ways with the assistance of the sling. We had to get to the grassy area.
I am praying we get stronger so we again move around more confidently. He just lays around which was not typical for him. Everyone calls him my shadow.
Hey the video worked. Sweet boy! I want to give him a giant smooch! 
I think he is trying very, very hard to move around. That's not a bad thing, it shows his determination. He's a strong boy! He really wants to move.
And I'm not a vet but I can bet that once that weight comes off, you will see a difference in his mobility. It will not happen overnight. Just like weight loss in people. But the good news is that you don't have to exercise him hard to the point of exhaustion to get the weight to fall off. Remember, walking only builds stamina. It doesn't burn as much calories as a structured exercise program and strict diet can. Working with the rehab team to develop a strategy for weight reduction will likely involve some safe exercises and a food reduction. And in a few weeks, you'll see a difference.
Stay strong and enjoy your sweet boy! He's gonna get there!
Awww...a sweet boy indeed♥️ And yes as Jerry said, he is trying and that is a good sign👍
If I read this correctly, ue has to use a a sling a fairly good ways to walk to the grassy spot. How far is that roughly? It does look like he's pretty exha and has maybe used a lot of energy just to fet to this part vefore you drop the sling....maybe?
Can he walk a little around the house without the sling and, if so, does his mobility look the same or is it a little better?? In other words, even though he is walking to his grassy spot with sling assistance, it can still tire him about before he gets there. Jist thro all this out knto the the FWIW column.
Would also give him lots of massages up and down his spine and neck and shoulder area. Not only to just relax his muscles, but to also look for any exra tense areas. Do you think he needs a low dose of a pain med (of course with Vet approval). Again, just throwing that out there as laying around not engaged could be a pain signal.
Ditto everything Jerry said about being more dit through Rehab and weight loss.
Thanks for video. Sic h a helpful tool..but we also got to see this handsome boy and that makes is happy😊
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!
Oh my gosh good point Sally, those massages will really help loosen his muscles and boost his mobility little by little. Thanks for being my other brain, totally forgot to suggest that.
Thank you all for your comments, We are really trying to get our weight down and not do much but short walks (sling assisted) around the yard to break up the day for him. Thankfully we have been on the road a lot lately so He gets to see the country side when we wants. It does suck that he can’t get out and follow around like he use too. Breaks my heart but we are trying to do everything we can to get back to a modified normal and happy that at least we are still together.
Tonight is acupuncture and tomorrow in meeting with the Oncologist. So nervous but just want to get there and get information. One question I have is nutrition. Gator was on Raw for the majority of his life and did really well on it. As he was having a Winter weight issue our Vet recommended a Hills Kibble to help get him down. He wouldn’t eat it so I found from the Raw food provider he was eating a Cooked Meat Loaf that is frozen whoever it has grains. He was always grain free . In the downloads I think I read that Grains are not good for Cancer cells. Although I will ask the question tomorrow I am wondering if his raw diet is not better for him. Any comments?
Quite frankly, "proper nutrition" these days has me totally confused. Grains, no grains, raw, no raw, etc, etc, Jerry can chime in on that. I so think the latest information is that the proper grains are okay.
There is a mobility AND weight loss support kibble from Hills. Not sure of that's the one your Vet suggested. If not. it's worth a try..
I k ow you jist be soooo frustrated and so anxious about the mobility challenge...and understandably so. Not that it helps, but others before you have been down this road. Eventuality everything smooths out.
Jist to double check again, the Bet has ruled out any spi e issues. any disc issues, arthritis, etc right? Just covering all the basis.
Yoi are all together....and that's what matters to Gator too!!! And you are doing everything possible to get more normalcy back and you'll get it!! In the meantime, Gator is loving all the spoiling and road trips with you and he doesn't feel like he's missing out on anything. Hoomans think so differently from dogs. They are such good role models for everything in life
Let us know how the upcoming appointments go, okay?
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!
Yeah I know how hard it is to limit our dog's world, even when it's for their own safety. It broke our hearts when we had to leave Jerry or Wyatt behind because we knew the walk was going to be too far.
We can see you are doing everything right to get him back to the full quality of life he enjoys. He's got a great team on his side to help him get there and you ask fantastic questions.
Speaking of questions, when it comes to cancer diets, there's so much debate and emotions about it. The "carbs feed cancer" mantra has been around for a long time. But what we learned a few years ago, was that it is based on one study with very few dogs, and only dogs of a specific breed. The thinking about carbs has evolved and while it's smart to stay away from as much unnecessary sugars and starches anyways, it's not as relevant as it used to be.
It's likely your oncologist won't approve of raw nutrition during therapy. There are many reasons for why vets don't like raw, as you probably already know. But when it comes to cancer, the thinking is that if a body is already compromised and trying to fight it off, the dog with cancer is more prone to potential raw diet risks like salmonella contamination.
Here are some tips to help cut through the confusion:
Does a Low Carb Pet Cancer Diet Make a Difference?
Five Dog Cancer Diet Ideas Anyone Can Do
Three Dog Cancer Diet Tips from Vets
Learn Pet Cancer Diet Basics from a Vet Nutrition Expert
Good Evening, Thanks for all the info. We did meet the oncologists on Wednesday and immediately started Chemo. Plan is Carboplatin every 4 weeks for 6 months. So are we have no side visible side effects. Appetite is good.
I did speak about nutrition and if Raw is all that he would eat then okay but they prefer the cook Meatloaf I have been giving him. We have dropped from 114 to 104 in weight but lost a leg in the meantime. Going to head to our summer place in the morning so we can hopefully enjoy some sunshine and a little more exercise. Still struggling to find a good hop but at times I see some positive changes.
What was interesting, on Tuesday night we went for acupuncture and they let me know there was a tripawd at daycare. So I was able to go in a watch him for awhile and ask some questions. They seen him recover from his surgery and they all know Gator so they reiterated what I see here all the time …. Patience.
Have a great long weekend everyone.
Wonderful that you got some reassurance watching the tripawd at daycare and to co ti ue to have patience👍 Definitely a "guided" encounter.
You're getting a handle on weight control for Gator and you will see results!! Happy to hear you are recognizing some "good hops" and celebrating that.
Have a great week end. We would looooove to see some pictures/video.
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!
Awww so happy you had a good visit with the docs! I'm glad they put your mind at ease a bit. And oh my dog he lost TEN POUNDS? That's spectacular! 
Seriously, remember that 1 lb of excess weight on a dog = 5 lbs on a human so he's lost 50 pounds in human terms! WAY TO GO!!!!
Hope you are having a really nice weekend together.
Good Evening, We haven’t updated for a long while as we were away at work. We are now 2 months post-op and 2 rounds of Chemo. Last Wednesday we had follow-up x-rays and there has been no spread to the lungs. We will have 4 more treatments of Chemo. Although the last few months have been overwhelming we are thankful we found this site and the support we found here.
We are still struggling to find our hop. He is strong enough and can do it….we go 1km in a sling but he turns his foot out too much and that makes him lose his balance so to recover he sinks his back end. We got the Hero brace and see the Physio tomorrow. I am also highly considering a wheel chair for both of us…..we need to get back to walking and the sling is tiring for both of us.
Thanks again and wanted to share a positive update….although we still face challenges and our live is a little harder to accomplish normal tasks our time together and his happiness and spirit are priceless…..Thankful we made that tough decision only two months ago.
YAY FOR GOOD CHECK UP AND CLEAR XRAYS!! Great news!
Refresh my memory is this his first Rehab/Physio tomorrow?
Is the 1km total distance? Are there any rest stops on that half mile walk? It does indeed have to be exhausting for both of you using a sling the whole time.
Cant remember if a stroller has been mentioned or not. But that could give him the benefit of walking without the sling for a little bit and then hop back into the stroller....repeat.
Would love to see another video update. That first one was helpful in assessing what his hop looked like. And besides, we love seeing that handsome boy!
Will be interested in hearing how your appointment goes tomorrow and the assessment and suggestions.
You do have an I incredibly pawsitive attitude and that is quite admirable! You have an extra layer of challenge in his recovery and Inknow that has to be frustrating at times and yet you are able to focus on what's really important....being together!💖
((((((((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!
Oooh yay! It's so good to hear from you and know that things are getting better! That's a pretty good distance, especially while undergoing chemo. I'd say that he's doing really, really well considering all of the obstacles he has encountered along the way. And you too! YAY for not giving up and seeing the big picture. I can't wait to hear what your rehab vet has to say. Please keep us posted.
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