Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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We are planning our annual fall trip to the beach and we know that this year, our boy, Henry, will need help. Any suggestions for a way to transport him on the sand and boardwalk when he gets tired? He weighs about 80 lbs, so we can't carry him. We can keep our beach walks very short, but he will definitely still need help. We have never tried a doggy stroller and I don't know if you can even push one on the sand. Suggestions?
Do you have a harness? We are big fans of the Ruffwear Webmaster Plus harness - you can see pics in the gear blog.
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.
This is a tough one ...
Apart from the ruff wear harness above (which will help support him whilst hopping) I cannot think of anything that works on the sand ...
I would make sure he can rest as much as he needs during the walk (and bear in mind soft sand is particularly difficult to negotiate for tripawds) and would take a big umbrella to provide shade for him and lots and lots of water.
I hope others would have good suggestions, sorry I couldn't help much...
Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-)
Yes, he has a harness. He is doing great, but he tires pretty quickly and we definitely don't want to overdo it. Nor do we want to skip the beach, which he loves so much. Someone suggested a beach wagon. It has big wheels and holds 150 lbs. I am not sure he will be willing to ride in it, but if he is tired, maybe he would. We will bring a clip-on umbrella and water, as always. But we are going in November, so it won't be hot out (and that's when dogs are allowed on this particular beach). I want to figure it out now, so hopefully we can get him used to riding.
A beach wagon sounds like a good solution👍🏼 and I bet when he gets tired he will probably get in there happily!
Hope it will all work out for you and your baby 🐶🐾
Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-)
OH HENRY! You are goi gg to jave the best rime! 'Clearly you are a very @pved and well cared for pup!!
'Fraid I don't have any real good suggestions either. If you can use a "beach wagon",'you should be able to get him used to it before hand, especially if he associates it to treats!
I keep "visualizing something" like a raft that you could pull him in over the sane. Hsve zero idea how to make it work though!
This is gonna be the best vacation ever!! We want to see lots and lots of pictures!
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!
That's what I am hoping. If he likes it, it would also be helpful for neighborhood walks or traveling. Thanks!
Hi Henry! :o) The sand is tough! Our Houndabout stroller's wheels do pretty well in the sand, to a point on the groomed San Diego beaches, but if you're going over ungroomed sand at a dog beach, something with a flat bottom may work.
We take the Houndabout to walk on the boardwalk, but it gets stuck after a few feet if we turn into the sand.
Maybe something without wheels would glide with him, like a flat boogie board if he'll lay down on it, and you can slide it flat along the sand like a sled, or a kayak or stand up paddle board.
Enjoy your trip!!
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