Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Just a quick summary of my situation. My 9-year-old golden retriever Libby had her front left leg amputated August 21 (4 days ago) due to a high grade soft tissue sarcoma. At this point, I guess she's progressing as well as could be expected. She's eating and drinking normally. She's wet and pooped, though she still has some trouble balancing. She can get herself to a standing position and hop several steps (maybe 20 feet) without support, though we usually try to help her with the harness so she doesn't stumble and fall. She has to wear her bandages for another week, with the vet changing them every other day.
My concern is what to expect going forward and how we can best help her to adapt. We've put rugs down on the hardwood and tile floors to help keep her from sliding. We're going to fence in a smaller area in the back yard so she can still go outside without getting in trouble in woodsy areas. At some point, she needs to learn to use stairs, but how do we safely help her learn? Just 3 from the front porch to the ground, but there are stairs going upstairs inside and stairs from the back deck into the yard. My husband is going to build a ramp or something like that so she doesn't fall using those stairs outside.
Does she need to go to a rehab specialist to fully adapt safely? Right now she's getting lots of rest as she's still just a few days from surgery, but going forward, do we just follow her lead on what she wants to try to do? Does she need exercises to help strengthen her other legs? I've seen videos of tripawds running around, but we seem a LONG way off from that. What do we do from here, other than be patient? I know every animal is different, but some general suggestions would be helpful. Thank you.
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Hello and welcome.
It sounds like Libby is doing really well so far so good job!
You are wise to think long term, while life on three is different it can still be full. And good job putting traction down around the house, it's important for all Tripawds and critical for new Tripawds.
I would recommend a visit with a rehab vet. They can do a full evaluation of Libby, give you guidance on a safe activity level and give you an exercise program to help get her strong and keep her strong. We have a Program Here that can reimburse you for your first visit.
A word of caution on the ramp- some dogs will not use them. My Pug Maggie lost a back leg to cancer and I built three different ramps for her and she would not walk on them. She also wouldn't go up or down stairs with open backs or walk on a deck if she could see between the cracks. It's a visual thing some dogs have. Hopefully Libby is OK on them but just a heads up.
As for training on stairs- once Libby is healed up you can start slowly. As a front legger she will have more trouble going down than up. A harness is a good idea so you can hang on to her- the Ruffwear Flagline is often recommended here. Most dogs can do at least a few stairs on their own- my current little rear amp Tripawd goes up and down stairs without any problems. Be sure the stairs have traction too. I had to put outdoor carpet on my deck stairs for Maggie, she wouldn't try to go up or down anywhere but on the carpet.
Lastly- I would recommend you join here and become a member, that way your posts won't have to wait for approval.
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls and Boy
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Hi Libby and family, welcome to the club nopawdy wants to join!
I'll x2 what Karen suggested. A few extra thoughts; her recovery sounds very typical and on par with other dogs. Videos on YouTube are great but keep in mind that all recoveries are different. Libby is her own girl and will recover at her own pace. Based on what you described she is doing GREAT so far! Be patient. Put yourself in her paws, how would you do if you lost a leg? Would you be as far along at four days out? Most likely, not. Don't expect a lot right now, she is recovering even though it doesn't seem like she's progressing. She IS!
What kind of pain management is she on? Is she showing any pain signals ?
Yes rehab therapy is super helpful! We highly recommend it and again, Tripawds Foundation can pay for your first rehab visit . It's super educational for us humans to learn what kind of activity is helpful (and not helpful), and how to keep our dogs injury free.
Hi,
My dog Roger had his back leg amputated on 7/1/24 with grade two soft tissue sarcoma.
Roger is a 10 year old lab so close in age and probably close to size to your dog. Although Roger may be some sort of mix because he is a pretty small lab at around 55-60 lbs.
we had some complications with a wound on his front leg. However, I am here to say that he is pretty much back to how he was before the amputation. We don’t walk quite as far but we walk about 1-2 miles a day. I didn’t put down any rugs as there isn’t a lot of slippery floors for him. He gets up on the couch now and he has even successfully jumped up on the bed once. He has tried unsuccessfully three other times. I lift him up and have bought some stairs that I have not set up yet. We do a few stairs and he is fine but we no longer go down the four or six flights of stairs we did sometimes. Not sure if he could or not. He has started going back to sleeping in his usual spots. In the last week he even started wiggling on his back on the carpet again. He always ate and went to the bathroom easily after the amputation like Libby. I did get him a ruff wear harness and I put it on him when we get in the car to help him up with getting in the car and out. I also have a sling that I have not used in awhile now but did use it a couple of times and walked with it for emergency for several weeks
As I said we had some complications which required him to have a bandage and then stitches on his front leg after his amputation which totaled about an additional 5 weeks. Roger has now mostly been back to himself now for about 3-4 weeks. I would anticipate your dog might be a little quicker due to Roger’s complications.
Roger’s doctor said he didn’t think Roger needed rehab. I don’t think he thinks most dogs need it. However, I have contemplated going anyway because I think it would always be helpful.
I wish you the best of luck and hope you start seeing your dog get back to her usual self soon. Roger’s hair is growing back and I am a 100% sure now that I did the right thing and that he is having a great happy life. I wish the same for you and it really sounds like Libby is progressing well and you are well on your way to having her adjust well.
Amy that is so nice of you to share Roger's story to support Libby and family, thank you! 
You've gotten such great information and support from Karen Jerry and Amy.... I can only say ditto 100% to all of the above
What do we do from here, other than be patient?
Patience is such a hard lesson to learn on this journey... heck it's a hard lesson to learn just for everyday life! is different,
but general suggestions would be helpful.
Once you start seeing glimpses of his Sparkle come back, you will start to feel more reassured and less impatient. Generally, not always but generally it takes about a month for a dog to start really adapting to the proper flow Jacob and movement and Mobility on three
Let us know how things are going and update when you can..
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!
I want to reiterate the comment about patience. It is hard to be patient but it is really the best advice.
Also, I wanted to go back and try and remember where Roger and I were at about 5 days in our recovery. I think he was still walking slow and maybe a little wobbly but mostly pretty good. However, what I wanted to say was that right after his amputation and for a few weeks afterward I couldn’t think of him being anything but sad and that he would never be the same again….but now trying to let you know our experience I can barely remember him as anything but his happy active crazy self. He has so changed from how he was right after his amputation and is so much just his usual pre amputation self…with a couple of modifications. So with time and patience you will get there with Libby.
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