Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Our Weim, Danielle, will be almost 4 weeks post op this coming Wednesday. Left rear leg was amputated 10/27/10. She went through the surgery with flying colors. Up until her leg was removed, she slept in bed with us under the covers. After the surgery we laid another mattress on the floor in our room and we took turns sleeping with her there. Then I read don't do that so we got rid of that immediately. It was funny...she watched me remove the mattress from the room. She looked at me, then looked at the big bed, then looked at me again, and then the big bed again. She must have been thinking.. Oh cool! I get to sleep with you again! Well it went fine a few sleepless nights of getting her up there by herself, and a few assitting helps. (which I know you shouldn't do) Since the surgery she has only slept in the bed a few times but recently now for about a week and a half she has decided that she can't and won't get up in the bed when it's time to go to bed. Our bed is at least 36 inches high. We have a cedar chest at the foot of the bed that she has used to jump on first and then the bed. Believe me, before surgery, she got up there with no problems. We decided, ok, let it be on her terms, and we attempt to go to sleep. No way. All night long she will paw at the side of the bed and won't get up no matter what we do or say. We are wondering is her good leg sore? I suppose it is. Is is playing us? What are we doing wrong? Currently we are taking turns sleeping in the other bedroom on a lower bed so one of us can get some sleep. We do have another dog. She sleeps on the cedar chest and sometimes in bed too. It's normal so I don't think she is upset about that. Help, sleepless in Magnolia.
Oh Danielle! I've heard about you nutty Weims! I know my friend Winston the Weim plays his pawrents all the time. Unfortunately, being a Shepherd pack (we don't even like to sleep on the bed, we protect everypawdy by sleeping at the foot!), I can't even pretend to know what you're thinking.
Ok, first you might want to try a stair or ramp going up to the bed. Maybe the chest is too high? Maybe you just want to get up on the bed on your terms? If sleeping on the bed is a normal activity for your family, then I"m not really sure what is upsetting you so much that you won't get on the bed.
Are you trying to tell your folks that they need to sleep on the floor, and you're supposed to get the bed? Are you trying to say that you just want attention? If your leg hurts, do you show that it hurts in other daily activities, or just at night?
Gee, I'm not much help here, I'm sorry! I would say based on what your Mom is describing that this more of a behaviorial challenge than a Tripawd one. Not that you can't ask the good folks here about that, we have lots of good advice available. Also, have you talked to other Weims about this?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Zack is also a left rear amp, who has dealt with bouts of arthritis in the past (prior to surgery & before losing weight.). At about 6 weeks after his amp, he would try to jump up on the couch by himself - sometimes making it, sometimes not - but only when my husband was around. I've only ever seen him attempt it about 4 times, each unsuccessfully, and we're there to help him every time. Now, he won't even try to do it himself. So, on one hand, I know he probably can do it with practice. But, on the other hand, the risk of him injuring his only good back leg is not worth the small price of helping him. We also still assist him up the stairs (just for balance around his butt more than anything) and up onto the bed.
Our bed was also very high, and I worried about Zack injuring one of his front legs jumping down. So, we removed the bed frame and have the boxspring/mattress on the floor. Now, the jump down is about the same height as the couch, and he has no problems with that. Maybe Danielle doesn't like the jump down from your bed?
I know that these things are not following the 'business as usual' suggestions, but Zack is nearly 14 with cancer. We know our time with him is relatively limited, and these are very small adjustments to our life in the grand scheme of things. Besides, I know he'd do twenty-fold for us if the roles were reversed.
On a side note, I have noticed that Zack is less cuddly than he was prior to the surgery. He used to lay with his head in my lap on the couch nearly all of the time, but now he just likes to be up against us most of time with his head away from us. I noticed he also likes to lay on his side where he can stretch out his legs, more than on his belly or curled up. Do you notice Danielle doing the same thing when she lays down? Maybe she doesn't have room to do that when everyone is in the bed? Just some thoughts.
Zack, King of Dogs, 1996 to 2010
Zack lived a full 14 years, even to the end.
The joy and memories he provided us will last a lifetime.
Surviving him is his sister, Izzy, a 12-year-old boxer mix quadpawd.
And the latest addition, Zula, an 11-month-old pit bull mix tripawd.
Hi Danielle and sleepless family! Holly is also a rear amp. She is a Wheaten Terrier whose favorite trick prior to her surgery was to jump up to get a treat. She can no longer do that trick - and she does try sometimes but it makes me wince because I just think of what she could do to her remaining rear leg. I think it is very difficult for rear amps to jump up - they have only half the power they used to have to jump! She cannot jump on our bed (which is high), but has no trouble jumping off of it. We always lift her onto the bed, but she is only 30 pounds so that's not a problem. If you're comfortable doing helping her, I really don't see any problems - it hasn't spoiled Holly to have us lift her up to the bed when she wants to join us. I also think Admin's suggestion of building a ramp or stairs is excellent - then Danielle can decide if she wants to join you. If it's causing loss of sleep - I'd go for assisting her! Do you have a ruffwear harness ? That could make assisting her easier on your backs.
Also keep in mind that 4 weeks is still early - she is probably still developing the muscles she needs to compensate for the missing leg. You may want to check out Maggie the Cowdog's blog for ideas on building core muscles. Maggie is also a rear amp who has resumed competing in agility trials!! You can probably search on "rehab", or "agility" to find Maggie's blog. Her mom has excellent suggestions.
Good luck! Keeping fingers and paws crossed that you get some sleep!
Holly, Zuzu and Susan
Holly joined the world of tripawds on 12/29/2009. She has a big little sister, Zuzu, who idolizes Holly and tries to make all of her toys into tripawds in Holly's honor. And she's enjoying life one hop at a time!
http://anyemery.....ipawds.com
Yep, your right Jerry. She is a nuttsy weim. Our vet says the same thing! They do play you bigtime. We did try the ramp when she first came home (outside), and she wanted nothing to do with it. Maybe we didn't allow her enough time...I don't know. It's funny though, my husband and I alway regretted that we started the sleeping in bed with us and now I miss her cuddley body. Since I posted my first note, things have been a little better. We put a high back chair next to the bed and added some additional height to the seat. She gets up in that no problem. She will sit in that and paw on the bed like she wants to get up into bed. She has hopped up 2 times by herself and also has failed a few times so we assisted her. But sometimes she won't accept our help and will just lay back down. That being said...she wants to do it on her terms. And yes, it's the attention getter! Just in the last 4 days she has been acting completely normal in the evenings. Begging for treats, outside, inside...outside, inside, begging for treats again, repeat! November 2nd will be her 2nd chemo treatment. It will be interesting to see if she flies through this one with flying colors as she did the 1st treatment. Gosh, I remember when I used to come home from work and she would just jump alll over us and fly up on the bed. Now she just spins around all excited and doesn't jump up on us. I don't mind that. In fact, since the leg was removed she has jumped up onto the cedar chest and then the bed a few times. I think the right leg has to be in the right "take off" position in order for her to complete the jump..makes sense. But she has failed the jump up too and that, I figure, was the cause of why she didn't want to make the jump anymore for fear of failure. Jumping down is no problem that we can tell. She has alway been and continues to be cuddley and loves to lay her head in my lap. That's weird about Zach not wanting to lay his head in your lap anymore. 14 is old for a dog and I would suspect he is on the down side and is just happy being next to you. Take care
Getting "some" sleep in Magnolia!
danielle1228 said:
We did try the ramp when she first came home (outside), and she wanted nothing to do with it. Maybe we didn't allow her enough time...
Check out these helpful ramp training tips in the Tripwds Gear blog
. And be careful with all that jumping around now! 
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Welcome Daneille and Fam!
Darnit! If dogs could only put their lips together and sound out words, we'd all have an easy time!
Lucky for us, Comet loves her own bed but it does have to be fluffed prior to her getting in it at night! And we totally relate to the 'treat- repeat, treat-repeat, treat repeat' routine! It goes on for hours here nightly!
Best of luck on the rest of the recovery!
Comet - 1999 to 2011
She departed us unexpectedly January 23, 2011 at the age of 12 1/2.
She was born with a deformed front leg and a tripawd all of her life.
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