Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hi everyone,
Thanks for all your replies to my other post. Tabitha is home. The vet gave us a sling but it's not great - only a little better than using a towel. Her back good leg (the only one she has left) is pretty swollen. They said it's just edema, but it gets really shaky pretty fast - I don't know if that's normal. Getting her up the stairs was really hard - we kind of had to lift her, but with our narrow hallway it was not easy. She wants to roam, but we have hardwood - we put down mats and rugs to help, but she didn't stay on them and slid (she didn't fully fall but it was close). She got herself into a corner and couldn't back up or figure out how to turn around. It's been a really hard few hours. Is this normal? The surgery was Friday and they said she's been walking well at the hospital. They told us about the swollen leg, but we had no idea how shaky the leg was. Sorry for all the rambling. Any advice would be great.
Oh - and she is really my dog, so if I leave the room she tries to get up and follow me (this does not happen with my husband, of course).
JoAnn
Hi JoAnn, sorry we missed you in the Tripawds Chat . I'm there now for a bit if you want to talk and you can usually find us in there in the mornings and early afternoon, Pacific time. You can also call the Tripawds Helpline 844-TRIPAWD.
YAY that she is home, that's awesome! I know the first few days can be rough. What kinds of pain medication is she on? Usually, dogs are pretty groggy for a day or two but once you get the meds dialed in (they may need adjusting), she should start getting around better.
About the slippery floors...hopefully she will start gravitating toward the carpet runners. In the meantime, you may want to get her some Dr. Buzby's Toe Grips or try Paw Friction if she isn't going outside much.
As for the edema, that's good that the vet knows what's going on. Generally they are pretty harmless, much like a seroma , and you'll see many Tripawds experience edema after surgery. It's usually so benign that no treatment is needed but you can try gently massaging the leg to encourage circulation. Some people use heat and ice therapy too, so if massage doesn't help you may want to try that.
I hope this helps! Keep us posted.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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WELCOME HOME TABATHA!!!
Sounds like the past few hours have been exhausting for you and Tabitha. Sounds like she's a strong willed girl and wants to do things her way. Actually that determination is a helpful trait to have through recovery. Now Miss Ta othe, you do need to walk on that non slip path uour hoomans put down for you!
It may be too early to ask, but is she peeing, pooping , eating, drinking yet? Is she able to settle down and rest any yet?
Keep an eye on the swelling. Fluid often accumulates in various close proximity areas after surgery. You can maybe try gentle massaging. Of it continues, send a pic to the Vet.
Right now she's using different muscles as she tries to adapt the three. Imagine the swelling in her "remaining" leg is ,aking it ja4d for her to use effectively
I know you mentioned "complications " is why they kept her so long at the Vet. Just double check with them about the swelling and the weakness to see of it's something other than just "normal" recovery. Only say that as those "symptons" do happen, but just making sure it's not a different scenario because of her "complications"
What kind of pain meds is she on? Dose and frequency? She's probably a bit woozy from the meds and that can interfere with her mobility too.
Sloooow and easy. Recovery doesn't last furever!
Higs
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!
Thanks everyone. It's been tough so far. She had an accident because her "I need to go out signals are messed up. We're due to take her out in about a half hour - first time down the stairs. Is it normal for her good leg to be so shaky? Thank goodness my husband is home / I can't imagine doing this alone.
She's on tramadol up to 3 times a day and gabapentin every 12 hours. She only wanted treats - they were feeding her chicken at the vet so she turned her nose up at her regular kibble. Mixing chicken broth in didn't help.
She's sleeping well but gets anxious if I leave the room. The complication was that her BP spiked. They actually x-rayed the good leg before amputating to make sure it was ok.
Thanks for all the support - I honestly feel like I'm failing as a good pack leader right now...
Hi JoAnn! Shaky legs are common for a while after surgery. It takes a lot of work to move around on 3 legs and our pups have to relearn balance and figure out new ways to move - like how not to trap yourself into a corner. As for food, most of us spoil them in the weeks after surgery just to make sure they eat because the meds and recovery from surgery makes regular kibble a lot less appetizing. If Tabitha doesn't normally get wet dog food, that might work, but human food is pretty common around here (Griffin got cheeseburgers and fried chicken). I recently posted an Easy, Home Cooked Recipe that Griffin adores and is filled with nutritious ingredients. I mix it with his kibble, but you could try serving it alone just to get Tabitha's appetite going again. Good luck and keep us posted! It will take time, but things will get easier! Sending hugs from NYC! ~ Stacy
Griffin lived an amazing life for 11 years! Diagnosed with osteosarcoma on March 17, 2020, Griffin's right forelimb was amputated on April 2, 2020. Ten days later he was running and playing fetch! Lung metastasis discovered in July 2020 did not slow down Griffin and he lived joyfully for the next 7 months, passing peacefully at home on February 11, 2021. https://griffin.tripawds.com
Thanks, Stacy! Knowing shaky legs is common really helps - kind of wish the vet had told us. We're defrosting some turkey tenderloins to cook for her in the morning 🙂. She was able to go down the steps tonight but we need to carry her up right now, especially since after walking to go potty that back leg is really shaking. We'll keep trying to get her to try. I feel better that we have a navigating-the-steps method though.
I am so grateful for this group ❤️ - thank you all for your support. Tabitha is such a great dog - strong willed but still sweet and funny. She had all the vets in love with her.
That actually makes a lot of sense. It would be easier for her to go down steps with 2 front legs and harder to power back up them with only 1 back leg. It is the reverse for Griffin. The fact that she is going out and doing steps at all is a great win - celebrate and keep a positive mindset! You and Tabitha have this!!! 
Griffin lived an amazing life for 11 years! Diagnosed with osteosarcoma on March 17, 2020, Griffin's right forelimb was amputated on April 2, 2020. Ten days later he was running and playing fetch! Lung metastasis discovered in July 2020 did not slow down Griffin and he lived joyfully for the next 7 months, passing peacefully at home on February 11, 2021. https://griffin.tripawds.com
Yes, very common for that one back leg to be shaky.
My Pug Maggie lost a back leg to mast cell cancer and while she could hop on her own the day of surgery she could only do a couple hops then she sat down. As she got stronger she could stay up longer but standing still was really hard for her, I think moving was easier. She would stand for a few seconds then the back leg would start to wobble and she would sit down. Eventually she built up enough strength and balance to stand as long as she wanted.
Stacy is right, rear leg amps have a harder time going up. Since she is shaky on that back leg already then she is going to have trouble going up stairs. Keep helping her so she doesn't strain anything.
Once she is through the healing period and the stitches come out you can start working on her strength and balance. I'm guessing she will be able to do stairs just fine but for now don't worry about it.
Maggie for some reason could only turn sharply to the right after she lost her left back leg. She would get stuck soon after her amp and just sit down. My current rear amp Elly moves really well including going up and down stairs. In my experience backing up is hard for rear amps. Maggie never really got the hang of it but I never worked with her. I've worked with Elly and she can back up when she needs to but she will look for ways to turn around instead.
You are not failing as a pack leader you are learning! This was overwhelming and new to all of us when we first started the Tripawd journey. The only thing our vets said was that dogs do great on three, nothing about the recovery period!
Hang in there, you are in the worst of the recovery period. Keep track of each victory and know she will get better.
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
Hi JoAnn, you are doing great! It's not easy supporting a pet in recovery from major surgery. You mentioned the sling the vet gave isn't great. Here's another option that has worked well for some dogs: https://tripawd.....dog-sling/
Thanks again for all the support and tips. Tabitha did ok overnight - had to go out once and did ok with our stair method (she goes down with minor help and we essentially carry her up).
I made her chicken with rice and pumpkin for breakfast which she ate fully - we added some kibble too but she ate around it LOL. She also did a tiny poop this morning but it was tiny and hard (thus the pumpkin). I was ridiculously excited that she pooped.
Hi JoAnn! A small 
is still a and so you are entitled to get ridiculously excited - way to go Tabitha! And smart girls picking around the kibble - hold out for the good stuff! Sounds like today was off to a great start and I hope it continued! ~ Stacy
Griffin lived an amazing life for 11 years! Diagnosed with osteosarcoma on March 17, 2020, Griffin's right forelimb was amputated on April 2, 2020. Ten days later he was running and playing fetch! Lung metastasis discovered in July 2020 did not slow down Griffin and he lived joyfully for the next 7 months, passing peacefully at home on February 11, 2021. https://griffin.tripawds.com
Tabitha is doing ok - still not loving the stairs, but at least she has figured out that it's ok to pee on our deck. She never did that before and we were worried she wouldn't, but she didn't want to go down the stairs before and kept standing by the deck gate, so we tried it. Our friend let her dog do that when he was lame until he felt stronger and just washed the deck with water directly. This way we can just let her out that way a few times a day when she only has to pee since when she's in the yard she wants to walk a lot (really too much for right now).
She's REALLY constipated though. She pooped a tiny bit this morning. She just wanted to go out by the stairs (which means the yard), and she tried pooping right away, but nothing. The problem with that is, she thinks she needs to walk around a lot to make it happen, which does sometimes work. She's SO stubborn and wants to walk in all the really hard areas on the street (which is only nominally paved - that's why it would be hard - lots of potholes, gravel, rocks) because she has a few key spots where she regularly poops We kept her to the yard (which is big enough to make her pretty weary) and she tried a few times, but nothing. We're using pumpkin, which is what we usually use to get her moving, so hopefully we will have success soon. For right now, she's resting her leg again after our fairly long (for a new tripod) walk.
Any other suggestions about things to get her bowels moving a bit more freely? Also, any tips on supporting her while she tries to poop? We have a sling harness that the hospital gave us (which we are now used to so it isn't so bad).
Thanks again everyone! Fingers crossed for poop later and more sleep tonight!
I've had good luck with olive oil. My dogs are 15 and 16 pounds, I use about a teaspoon with their food. Our base food seems to keep things moving but when they have been on pain meds I've used the olive oil.
Maggie didn't need assistance with pooping after her rear amp although she didn't go for 6 or 7 days post op. She wouldn't eat pumpkin and I didn't know about olive oil back then.
Are you trying to hold her up when it looks like she has to poop? Could it be she won't go with you holding her or even too close to her? Maggie wouldn't try to walk with anything around her middle, and some pups won't potty with their people too close.
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
I've never tried olive oil and it's something we have. It's not always easy to get stuff at the grocery right now.
I didn't think about her not wanting to poop with the sling around her. Her leg is so wobbly that I'm nervous of her tipping, but I supposed we could grab hold her with our hands if she started to fall. I don't think it's the not-liking-to-poop-with-the-humans-close thing - I always am right next to her when she goes normally so I can pick it up (she loves walking a bit to go, so it's almost never in our yard which, in hindsight, was a terrible precedent to set).
She's been sleeping a lot today (although that's not THAT unusual for a 10 year old greyhound) - the meds knock her out, but that's better than pain.
She seems less wobbly than yesterday - just a little, but I'm chalking it up to progress.
Progress is a good thing! Thanks for the update.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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