Three Legged Dog Care, Tripod Dog Care
87A tripod dog is a dog with three legs. The loss of a leg can be due to many reasons including cancer, leg trauma (car accident), or congenital deformities (born with a deformity).
I am privileged to share my life with a three legged Siberian Husky called Shania. She had a congenital deformity called radial head luxation, i.e., the bones on her left front leg were misaligned and she was unable to put weight on that foot. This condition is rare, especially for a Siberian Husky, and we were never able to determine its cause.
We speculate that it may have been from birth trauma, since she was a c-section puppy. We had hoped to correct the problem with orthopedic surgery, but unfortunately, there was too much cartilage damage in the joint, and the surgeon recommended amputation.
It was a shock when she came home with three legs and a BIG bandage around her torso. She really looked like a sausage dog. Shania recovered quickly from the surgery and is now a happy, bouncy, and somewhat spoilt member of the family.
Here are some things to look out for when living with a three legged dog:
Three Legged Dog Tip 1 - Dealing with People
Nowadays, you do not see many three legged dogs around. We are a lot more careful about dog breeding and have made big advances in dog health-care.
Because they are uncommon, three legged dogs generally stand out. Be ready to get stopped a lot and answer many questions from the people you pass on the street. Many will want to console, or hug your tripod dog because they feel sorry for her. Also be ready to repeat your amputation story many many times.
Dealing with people may be one of the most challenging aspects of living with a three legged dog. People have a lot of difficulty dealing with disability, and sometimes, interacting with such people can be stressful and depressing. There are generally four groups of people that I meet:
1. The judge.
Judges automatically assume that the amputation is a horrible thing to do, and is somehow the fault of the current owner. These people will often give me dirty looks as I walk by, and whisper "irresponsible owner ... from a car accident". I used to be bothered by this but now I just ignore them. Judges are only interested in seeing their own view of the world, and assuming the worst of others so that they can feel better about themselves.
2. The over-sympathizers.
Over-sympathizers feel extreme pity for three legged dogs. They generally think that amputation is not the right thing to do because they feel three legged dogs have a sad, sad, life. "Oh you poor thing.", "Can she function properly?", "Should you exercise your dog?", "Is she happy?", are all common responses. I personally do not mind over-sympathizers because they are willing to strike up a conversation and give Shania some scratching and tummy rubs.
3. The supporter.
These are commonly people who have had first hand experience with three legged dogs, or who know people with three legged dogs. They know that tripod dogs have just as much fun as the next dog, and they usually offer support and useful advice on how to care for a three legged dog.
4. The interested.
Finally there are people who do not know much about three legged dogs, but are curious about them and interested in hearing more about my experiences with Shania.
No matter who you meet, always remember that you made the right choice. A three legged dog is just like any other dog - fun, loving, and full of surprises.
Three Legged Dog Tip 2 - Dealing with Other Dogs
Three legged dogs may feel vulnerable in the presence of new dogs. There are four possible responses: fight, flight, freeze, or appease. Conditions are often fluid, and a dog may decide to change from one strategy to another.
My Siberian Shania deals with new dogs mostly through appeasement. She will roll onto her side or back and offer them her tummy. Sometimes, when there are overly active dogs nearby, she will choose to run away.
It is important to step in and protect your three legged from unwanted attention. Sometimes, I bring Shania to a dog playgroup, and when there are overly exuberant dogs about, I step in and body block them so that Shania does not have to deal with them alone. In this way, she will gain confidence and feel more comfortable interacting with her dog friends.
Be vigilant and keep bad social experiences from occurring as that may cause your tripod dog to feel more vulnerable, and fearful, which can ultimately lead to dog aggression, depression, or other dog behavioral problems. In fact I would step in and protect any of my dogs from rude dogs, although I have to admit that I am more protective over Shania.
If you have multiple dogs, be aware of how the whole pack acts in the presence of new dogs. The rest of the pack may feel the need to protect your three legged dog, and become aggressive to unknown dogs.
My other dog, a Shiba Inu, is very protective of Shania. I always supervise very closely when introducing them to new dogs. Often times I keep my Shiba Inu on a lead first, and let Shania interact with the new dog. Once they are getting along fine, I let my Shiba Inu loose. If Shiba displays any aggressive behaviors, play stops, and he goes on a time-out. What the whole pack should understand is that the humans are the leader, and they do the protecting when it is needed.
Note that three legged dogs may feel more vulnerable in general, and may be more fearful of new things. It is important to socialize your tripod to as many new experiences (garbage truck, umbrella, all types of people) as you can, so that she gains confidence, and is less likely to show fear aggression.
Let your three legged dog approach new experiences at her own pace, and make sure to reward and praise her well for making small steps. [Thanks to Ronan's Joy for bringing up this important point about tripod dogs].
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Three Legged Dog Tip 3 - Dealing with the Walk.
Walking a three legged dog on-leash can sometimes be a challenge. Three legged dogs find it easier to walk at a faster pace, and may have difficulty turning quickly. They also have less balance, and are more prone to falling down.
1. Use a harness.
Using a harness is very helpful for giving your three legged dog more support when out on a walk, especially a long walk. You can also use the harness to quickly and safely turn, restrain, or move your tripod. This is useful to stop your three legged dog from running ahead, and to get your tripod safely away from dangerous objects (e.g. broken glass) or stressful situations (e.g. dog-to-dog aggression).
I am currently using the Ruffwear Web Master Harness on Shania and I really like it. It is well-built, provides good back support, and has fleece material over the leg straps so that the they do not overly chafe at the joints. I find that a regular collar is fine for short walks (make sure to get a thick flat collar), but a collar does not provide good enough support on longer walks.
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2. Control pulling with hand targeting.
Being a Siberian Husky, Shania does a fair amount of pulling on walks. To stop her from pulling, I have tried using the Gentle Leader head halti.
The halti works well in keeping her from pulling and redirecting her away from undesirable objects and situations. However, Shania really dislikes wearing the head halti, and she will occasionaly plop down on the ground in passive protest. It is difficult to get her up again with just the head halti. The same applies when she decides to hang back, dig in, and not move forward. For dealing with these situations, I usually have Shania's collar or harness on, in addition to the head halti.
The head halti, however, is not a long-term solution. It does not train your dog not to pull, but just prevents the pulling. Once you remove the halti, your dog will likely start to pull again.
To train Shania not to pull, I use a combination of hand-targeting and treating when she is voluntarily walking by my side. If she is pulling too much, I stop her, make her do a sit and wait, re-target her on my hand, and then move on. When I am using a collar instead of a harness, I use my hand to hold back her chest to give her more support during a forced stop.
Some trainers suggest doing a turn-around (180) to stop pulling. This does not work well with three legged dogs because forcing them to turn quickly may cause them to fall and may place undue stress on their feet. It is also possible to use leash-jerks but I do not use aversive dog training for a variety of reasons.
3. Make walks short, and carry water with you on a hot day.
Three legged dogs tire more easily so take them for short and more frequent walks. For longer walks, stop often (in a shady spot if possible), provide plenty of water, and keep your dog cool. Three legged dogs will take some time to build up their walking stamina, so start with very short walks and increase the distance slowly. Stairs, uneven ground, and raised surfaces may be difficult to navigate, so be patient, and provide help as necessary.
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Three Legged Dog Tip 4 - Dealing with Health.
1. Keep your three legged dog slim.
The most common health issue with three legged dogs is that they may develop arthritis earlier than other dogs. Because they are missing a leg, more stress is placed on their other legs, and there is more wear and tear on the joints. That is why it is especially important to keep them slim so that they do not have to deal with additional joint stresses from excess weight. Feed your three legged dog a healthy and balanced diet but do not overfeed her.
2. Keep your three legged dog's foot-pads clean and healthy.
Three legged dogs may develop cracked foot-pads because they must support more weight on each leg. I apply Tuf-Foot by Bonaseptic on Shania's pads twice a week to keep them protected. I started using this because I noticed that cracks were starting to develop on her pads, and this product improved her pads significantly. Also make sure to keep your tripod's nails short so that she may walk comfortably, and without slipping.
3. Watch out for Elbow Hygroma.
An Elbow Hygroma is a fluid-filled swelling around the dog's elbow. Elbow Hygroma occurs when the elbow bone causes trauma to the soft tissue around it. This usually occurs in younger dogs who are also constantly lying down or falling down on a hard surface. It may also happen when a dog leans or consistently places too much weight on one elbow. As a dog matures, a callus will form to protect the elbow and prevent this condition. Dog beds may help with this problem, but some dogs prefer to sleep on cooler, hard surfaces.
Three legged dogs, especially young dogs are especially susceptible to elbow hygroma because their elbow calluses have yet to form and their activity level is high. Shania developed this condition when she less than a year old. However, the swelling was small, and our vet advised us to let it heal on its own. In more serious cases, where there is an enormous amount of swelling and/or infection, surgery may be needed.
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Three Legged Dog Tip 5 - Dealing with the Environment
Make sure that there are not too many slippery surfaces in your house. Three legged dogs have less balance, and can easily slip on hard surfaces like wood, tile, linoleum, or marble. This is especially true when they are running or playing.
If there are many hard, slippery floors in your house, it may be time to go rug shopping! Rugs also provide a nice, soft surface for your dog to rest on. Get natural hand-knotted rugs, that can stand more wear and tear from the dogs. Consider getting a light, earth-tone colored rug, that can hide dirt and dog hair more easily.
Also check out all the uneven ground in your backyard and make sure that there are no deep holes. Three legged dogs can trip on uneven surfaces and hurt themselves. Make sure to clear away large piles of sticks and leaves. Larger sticks may sometimes catch on a dog's nails and cause damage.
Get some raised water bowls so that your three legged dog can drink without having to bend down too much.
Three Legged Dog Tip 6 - Let a Dog Be a Dog
When you own a three legged dog, you naturally want to protect her from as many things as possible. It is important, though, to let a dog be a dog.
If a three legged dog is kept from doing all the things that dogs love to do, she will have lived an unfulfilled life.
"A life lived in fear is a life half lived" ~ [Spanish proverb]
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Comments
Hello tripod dog. One thing that I should add to the article, is a section on "dealing with the environment". You should make sure that there are not too many slippery surfaces in your house. Time to go rug shopping :) Also check out all the uneven ground in your yard to make sure that it is not too deep. Tripods can easy slip and trip. Please feel free to ping me if you have additional questions when your dog gets home.
What is her name? Would love to see her so send me a photo when you have some time.
Yay for Shania! What a cute, happy puppy! I love seeing happy tripods.
It's funny how looking at pictures of Shania reminds me of Yodi - She's missing the same leg as Yodi and has the same shaped body and all that, even though she's a bigger dog. And she has that big smiley dog face!!! Love it!
What really hits me sometimes is looking at pictures of Yodi when he was a little puppy and he still had FOUR legs. THAT looks weird to me. :)
I just recently rescued a black shepherd 3 month old puppy from my work and she needed an amputation. This is all new to me and its gonna be a challenge because she is so young, but all the advise from the Doctors here that I work with(Im a veterinary technician) Will help greatly, and anytyhing else that you have to offer please let me know :)
Thanks for visiting Tana. It is really awesome that you rescued a dog in need. One of the things I would focus on is to socialize her well with people and other dogs. Tripods tend to feel more vulnerable, and can become fearful of other dogs and people. This can ultimately lead to fear aggression. I highly recommend going to a puppy class, where there is supervised play-time. My Sibe went to SIRIUS puppy class when she was young and she had a lot of fun meeting new people and new dogs. I also took her to puppy play sessions in a nearby daycare, where play is supervised.
Congratulations on your new puppy! Good luck and please keep us updated on how things go. Would also love to see some pictures, so post us a link :)
Just adopted 5 yr old pomeranian tripod Ronan. He is nothing but a joy, but we noticed his confidence level is down. I am sure with time and lot's of love he will come out of his shell. The biggest challange has been the introduction to our 8 month old pomerian. Supervison has been required at all times between the two. Our 8 month old can be an over excited puppy, this at times becomes a problem when the two start playing. Adopting a loving giving tripod was the best thing we have done.
Ronan sounds like a super dog. I also love the name. It is so unique. Shania, my tripod, is more tentative of new things compared to my other dog. She tends to hang back and approach slowly when she sees new things; so I let her explore in her own time and give her lots of praise and encouragement for being a brave girl.
You are absolutely right on about supervised play. My two dogs play well together most of the time, but sometimes my other dog gets overly excited and overwhelms my tripod so I make sure that I am around to stop play when that happens.
You bring up some important points about tripods that I will add to the article. Thanks so much for your input and for sharing your story with us!
I have akways thought 3-legged dogs were so cool. I love their attitude! Just because they have a "disability" why shouldn't they still be able to have fun and play? They are a great role model for us humans who can let little things get us down.
My family & I have just found our perfect dog - yes - a tripod!! We are already in love and are just waiting approval from the humane society. Our home visit is tomorrow.
Thank you for all the valuable info. I can't wait to get the harness and tuf-foot - great suggestions!
"They are a great role model for us humans who can let little things get us down."
You are so right on this. I think Shania not only inspired me, but she inspired many people at the hospital she was in. When she was going through surgeries to try and straighten her leg, she was extremely brave, upbeat, and still loved all the people around her. The hospital staff gave her this little squeaky toy that played James Brown's "I Feel Good". It was her favorite toy and she would sing with it too. They told me that she spent her days there going to visit everyone and singing the "I Feel Good" song. It made the people feel a lot better.
Congratulations on your new dog! And it is so great that you are adopting. Post us a picture. Would love to see your new family member.
I just adopted a three legged husky about two months ago and all of your infrmation has been really helpful. They are really a treasure to have and such lively dogs. I was expecting him to be limited to do many things but he quickly showed me he was able to do everything without a sweat. His name is Blaze and he's all white with a few brown spots on his back and ears. He doesn't enjoy the harness but I do apply the foot pad cream and it works great! Thanks again for all the info!
Congratulations Chels. Blaze sounds very like Shania. She is a go,go,go girl and even tires out my other dog. She also steals his toys and food :) The harness is also not her favorite piece of equipment, but she is willing to wear it as a prerequisite for going to the park. She is a bit spoilt, but she is such a sweetie that everyone finds it difficult not to give-in to her, including my other dog.
Huskies are awesome dogs and will always turn heads. You will be a mini-celebrity while walking your dog - many people will want to stop you and talk to you :) Give Blaze a hug and kiss from me.
My name is Mac. I have a three-legged dog, Reggie, that we got three months ago. He is three years old, and lost his leg from a car accident. I am in second grade. I want to learn about three legged dogs like Reggie, and am making my science fair report about him. Thank you for the good information!
Hi Mac. It is really awesome that you and your family adopted a dog, especially a tripod. And what a great idea to do a report about tripods. Many people always stop me on the road and ask me questions about Shania and how she gets along on three legs. I tell them she is a dynamo and she constantly tires out my other dog. They are usually surprised that she likes going for walks so much and how she requires a lot of exercise. Good luck on the report, and send me a link if you decide to put it online. Thanks!
Thank you for your wonderful article on our tripod friends. Your Shania is a beautiful girl too. My 2-year old Bella had her leg amputated iast Fall, following an accident. I really liked you suggestions, and there are things you brought up that I had not thought about yet for her. At the time of her accident, there was not to much information and amputation, and living with a 3 legged dog. My search uncovered alot more sites, including yours. I will definitely give your suggestions a try. By the way my Bella is a real dyamo too, even though she is a tripod, still loves to play and run with my other dog Sadie.
Thanks Linda. Sounds like Bella and Shania would have lots of fun together! Maybe they will be able to tire each other out :) I bring Shania to daycare sometimes so she gets to expend her super energy on the many dogs there. Still, she is tireless, especially during winter time when it is nice and cool for her. She is like a freight train when I take her out on walks (twice daily).
Hugs and kisses to Bella and Sadie.
I have a tripod puppy that is 4 weeks old (I have her mother and siblings too!) I have decided to keep the tripod as I feel I can give her the home and love that she deserves. She was born with very little of the fourth leg, but it is a nub and useless to her. The puppies have been to the vet and he recommended that I amputate her nub. I have very strong feelings about this. I don't want her to be exposed to any undo pain or stress. The vet has said she may do okay, but he says I need to decide before she gets too much older.
I would welcome any advice. She is the sweetest and most loving puppy I have ever seen and want her to be happy. Other than the nub issue, the vet says she is doing great! Please help me decide!
Thanks so much in advance!
Hi Amy, It is great that you are keeping your little sweetie. After we received Shania's diagnosis, we had three choices: 1) Don't do anything, and leave the leg. She will have limited use of it, but she would usually hurt herself while playing because it was only slightly weight bearing. She would only sometimes use it for balance. Eventually, the leg will start to give her pain and will have to be amputated. 2) Amputate; 3) Try to realign the bones through surgery. I picked option 3, but unfortunately it did not work, and the surgeon recommended amputation. While trying to make these difficult decisions, I decided that it was best to do realignment or amputation because 1) Young dogs heal much faster, and 2) Her crooked leg was frequently causing her pain during play, and other heavy activity.
Your case is different, but I would be most concerned over the nub getting caught on something. She may also fall on it during play, thereby causing her pain which may discourage her from playing. I haven't gone through this particular situation, so I do not know if this would actually occur. I would definitely quiz your vet on these issues, and all the possible upsides and downsides wrt. surgery and no surgery. Did your vet say why he recommends the amputation?
If you are really unsure, I would visit another vet and get a second opinion. I do believe though that if the procedure would improve her health and/or quality of life, the short-term pain is worth the long-term rewards. Hope this helps.
Your article about the care of tripods was very helpful. You mention a lot of things I would never have thought about. I have a 4 Y.O. Weimeraner named 'Dieter' aka 'Der Blau Hund'. Dieter's female companion , 'Gabi' likes to chase the garbage truck up the driveway. Dieter was injured by the garbage truck while he was herding Gabi out of the way. As a result, his right rear leg had to be amputated and he's now a 'tripod' in the recovery stage. He's adapting readily but is having some dietary problems (can't seem to tolerate dry/solid food) and is drinking much more water than usual. He's only 5 days post surgery and hopefully his problems will resolve. Thanks again for your sage advice.
I have a greyhound tripod after surgery our vet advised a light diet of chicken,he also seemed to drink a lot more water.Although he is a large dog he is as fast as ever.Dieter will start to feel better after a couple of weeks it is really surprising how well they adapt.Our dog has a good quailty of life and his only problem is scratching his nose.
[Dave] Dieter sounds like a very brave and loyal dog. Gotta love Weimeraners! My Shiba Inu, Sephy, is always uninterested in food whenever he gets home from the vet. He would also sometimes vomit from eating kibble. My vet tells me that it is probably because of the anesthesia. She also says that kibble tends to be richer/denser than other foods. As suggested by fast dogs mom, using a bland diet of just boiled chicken and white rice may help. The water drinking helps to flush the system of the meds. What you mention sounds normal but I would keep your vet updated on Dieter's progress. I always err on the side of caution, and call them up when I have concerns. Hugs and kisses to Dieter and Gabi.
[fast dogs mom] You bring up a really good point. Shania has problems scratching her nose too. There are also certain spots on her body that are more difficult for her to reach. I always try to help her with the scratching. My Shiba Inu also likes to help her with scratching and grooming :) I must add this to the article. Thanks!
Shibashake,
This is a really great article and was glad to find it. I have recently "inherited" a tripod named Grim. He is especially challenging because he is an 180lb mastif. Unfortunately, his last owners kept him in the house all day, and did not exercise him. He is 5 years old and such a sweet boy. I am very concerned for him though because it's one of his back legs that was amputated and he is very shaky on his feet. I have been trying to build up his strength by taking him on short walks, but he is really weak right now. He has many playmates to romp around with in the yard, so I am hoping this will help also. I have had him for about 2 weeks now. Do you think he is too big to get back to a normal, unshaky state of being, or am I just being a worry wort?
Thanks!
Lila
Hi Lila, I was a worry wort with Shania as well. Probably still am :) Shania was a bit shaky too at first but she nowadays she is a bouncy ball of energy. I am sure Grim will bounce back to his usual self soon. He is a bit older, so he may take a bit more time to recover, and relearn his balance. I think you are doing the right thing in terms of the short walks and letting him do things at his own pace. I also talked to my vet a lot in the early days, and they were able to give me good advice on how I could help Shania, what to expect, and what things to look out for. I am always very glad to hear from "worry wort" dog owners who obviously care very much for their canine companion :) Shania wanted me to send her love and lots of wet kisses to Grim. Send us a picture when you have some time - would love to see Grim.
Thank you so much for this wonderful information and for Shiba! My boyfriend and I have recently adopted a tripod Pitbull, he was hit by a car and had to have his right front leg amputated. He is 4 months old and this occured only about 4 weeks ago. We adopted a few days ago and were so concerned about how to raise him as a tripod, what was too much excercise for his new adjusted leg and what different problems we might run across. We walk him around outside and he so badly wants to run like a crazy maniac in the grass but tends to stumble forward and fall. Sometimes he seems to get just plain discouraged, he will not move all together and would rather just sit and wait to be carried! Anyhow, thanks again for all of this awesome information! It's nice to know our little Gunner isn't alone!
lol - Shania is a crazy maniac too. I often get a bit worried when she is running around at top speed while playing with my Shiba. However, doing a not too controlled slide and roll on the grass doesn't seem to faze her. She *does* get many grass stains and some bald spots from all that skidding. The one area where I have to be especially careful with her are hard, smooth surfaces. Falling on hard surfaces such as tiled floors or even wood floors can be quite painful so I invest in rugs or institute a no-playing rule in those areas.
As you described, walks can also be challenging. Shania seems to do best when she is walking at a faster pace. Slow is more difficult for her, because of balance issues. It is actually amazing watching her at a full run (while in the backyard) because she goes faster than my Shiba and has no problems with balance. During walks I go at a faster pace and sometimes run with her. When she is going a bit too fast for my old bones though I will stop her by using a combination of the leash, and also by holding her at the chest. This helps give her support so that she doesn't get unbalanced from the leash pull. Using a harness helps a lot with balance but gives you less control over the speed of the "walk". Powerful dogs like the Sibe and Pit can pull really hard on a harness. One thing you may try is the head halti - it is great for controlling pulling, and it does not disrupt Shania's balance. However, Shania really dislikes wearing it, so I only use it when I take her for long walks in the park. The park is so interesting that she tends to forget about the halti until it is time to go home.
Hugs and kisses to Gunner! Shania and Sephy sends lots of licks :)
Hi im sixteen years old and im getting a golden retriever puppy who was born with only three legs. Jeter is perfectly fine and healthy like any other 10 week old puppy but im nervous about stairs. i live in a two story house and im afraid when i bring him home he's not going to adjust. Do you have any helpful tips to teaching them to go down? thank you. im very nervous about his health since he is going to be completely my responsibility.
Hi Kayci, Is Jeter missing a front leg or a back leg? Shania is missing a front leg so she has more trouble coming down stairs. She is usually a lot more careful and slow coming down; whereas she zooms up the stairs. The opposite will be true for dogs missing a back leg. Make sure the stairs are carpeted. Wooden stairs are too slippery and not good for tripods.
In terms of teaching them about stairs, Shania just did it on her own. Being a puppy, I think Jeter will quickly learn how to do it. Don't hurry him and it is most important for you to stay calm and positive. Dogs can easily sense our inner energy, and if we are worried and fearful, they may become worried and fearful as well. Just go up a few steps, sit down, have a tuna sandwich. The smell of the tuna will soon make him follow you. Make sure to praise and treat him well when he comes to you but be patient and let him do it in his own time. If you are concerned, you can first find some practice stairs that have wider steps, which will be easier for a tripod. Hope this helps.
It is tough not to be overly protective of a tripod. I always have to keep reminding myself of this when Shania is tearing about the backyard chasing a squirrel or playing with my Shiba :) Good luck and remember to have lots of fun.
Excellent article! Please consider dropping by the Tripawd Discussion Forums sometime to share your experiences and advice with otherrs facing the difficult decision of amputation for their dogs.
HI WE JUST ADDOPTED A 10 WEEK OLD STAFFY PUP AND FOUND OUT SHE NEEDS HER LEG AMPUTATED (FRONT RIGHT LEG) OR TO BE PUT DOWN AS WE TRIED TO SAVE THE LEG BUT IT IS NOT A OPTION.KIRRA GOES IN TOMORROW FOR THE OPERATION AND ALTHOUGH I FEEL WE MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE IM STILL QUITE WORRIED ABOUT IT.ALTHOUGH THE THOUGHT OF PUTTING HER DOWN WAS JUST IMAGINABLE AS SHE HAS BECOME A PART OF THE FAMILY IN A MATTER OF WEEKS.THANKS FOR SOME GREAT ADVICE.
Thanks for dropping by Jerry. I visited your site many times while Shania was going through her surgery. It really helped to read the many tripod stories there. I will definitely drop in again.
[Belinda] I felt the same way when Shania had her amputation. I was sitting by the phone all day and pretending to work on my computer. Actually I was surfing through tripod sites (like Jerry's site) and reading tripod stories or just dog stories in general which helped me significantly.
It really is the right choice, and given that Kirra is so young, she will recover quickly, and bounce back so fast you won't believe it. That was how it was like with Shania. I remember that she kept wanting to go out on walks and she really wanted to play with my other dog. I was very happy when the stitches came out and she could play again because I felt like an ogre for keeping them apart :)
Shania sends many sweet licks and her super-charged positive Husky energy!
HI THANK YOU FOR RESPONDING YOUR KIND WORDS HAVE EASED MY MIND A LITTLE,ALTHOUGH SITTING AT MY COMPUTER I FIND MYSELF WANTING TO RING THE VET AND SAY STOP THE OPERATION BUT THER JUST ISNT ANOTHER WAY OUT OF THIS.I WILL LET YOU KNOW HOW KIRRA GOES AND WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT YOUR WEBSITE.
SHANIA THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPER CHARGED ENERGY AND SWEET KISSES IM SURE TO PASS THEM ON.
Good to hear from you Belinda. Is Kirra home now? How is she doing?
hI JUST RANG THE VETS AND SHE IS SLEEPING SURGERY LASTED 3 AND A HALF HOURS BUT APPARENTLY SHE IS O.K.MY POOR BABY.IM A BIT WORRIED ABOUT BRINGING HER HOME (SHE SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO COME HOME TOMORROW AT 10.30 SO I WILL LET YOU KNOW.) I HAVE 3 GIRLS WHO ARE GREAT WITH HER BUT MY 2 YEAR OLD JUST DOESNT UNDERSTAND.I FEEL REALLY BAD I DONT KNOW WHY AS I DIDNT HAVE ANY OTHER OPTION.THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND REPLYING BACK ITS NICE TO HAVE SOMEONE THAT UNDERSTANDS.
I felt really bad too - first when the surgeon told me the prognosis, and then again during the amputation. I think I had hoped that we could have saved the leg, somehow, right until the operation. The good news is that dogs have a much easier time adjusting to it than we do. When Shania got home, after the surgery, she was very sleepy from the drugs so she slept most of the day. The next day, she was her usual, happy self. :) Lots of love to Kirra.
HI KIRRA IS DOING SO WELL THE VETS WERE SO IMPRESSED WITH HER THE NEXT DAY AND SHES GETTING AROUND SO WELL.TRYS TO DO THINGS THAT SHE REAKKY SHOULDNT BE DOING AS YET.I STILL LOOK AT HER AND FEEL SORRY FOR HER, IT MUST BE VERY TIREING. THE GIRLS ARE SO GOOD WITH HER,I THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE SCARED AND THOUGHT SHE WAS UGLY(IN A NICE WAY) BUT THEY LOVE HER THEY SAY THEY ARE LUCKY AS THEY HAVE A REALLY SPECIAL PUPPY.LETS HOPE KIRRA JUST KEEPS DOING WELL.THANK YOU SO MUCH.XXOO
My dog who is 5 now has been a tripod since he was 1. He is missing his back right leg. This weekend while playing in the park he tore his back ACL. He will have surgery this week but in the meantime refuses to walk or go to the bathroom. I am very concerned about how he will get around while recovering from the surgery. Has anyone else with a tripod had surgery of this kind on the remaining back leg? If so, is your tripod back to normal or does he have more trouble walking. Any insights would be appreciated.
[Belinda] So very glad to hear that Kirra is doing so well! The doggie spirit is an awesome thing.
[Carrie] Try reposting on Jerry's tripod dog site. There are many helpful people there who may have experience with this. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.
I have never looked for others with tripods until today and find myself doing so because I believe we are coming to the end of a wonderful 11 year oddysey.
Alex lost her left foreleg for reasons unknown to us. She was reportedly a 3 yo American Rottweiler, with a fresh surgical wound when we adopted her from a shelter. She has touched many with her jaunty little walk. Often people would assume at first that she was limping, but woould then stop when they noted a missing limb. After hearing her story, many would then continue on with their day with a little more "can-doedness."
Arthritis has taken the grace from her step and cataracts have clouded her vision, but her nubby tail always greets us with a rapid wag and makes us feel loved. The shelter staff still keep in touch with us and often remark at how lucky Alex was to find a home with us. However, it is clear that it is us that should be giving thanks for the blessings that she has brought to us.
For those of you just beginning with a "tripod wonder" and wondering how it will impact your family. Both of our daughters were yong when Alex came and both learned about tolerance and acceptance in the procee. One is finishing her doctorate in physical therapy and the other is in her first year of premed, as tribute to what they have learned.
Sorry for the windedness, but just wanted to share what we have gotten in exchange for our little bit of effort. We will certainly miss our Alex when her years are done. God Bless to all of you just taking up this uncertain and sometimes painful path...it is worth it!
What a lovely story Nicole! Thanks for sharing it with us. I am going to post it on my blog next week. Hope that is ok with you. Now that I think about it, I will make a new article that contains all your stories. I have enjoyed all of them very much and I think others will as well.
Thank you all for sharing. Tripods are pretty dang awesome and so are their owners! :)
Thanks...sharing on a blogis a great idea
Hi! i'm Schweta. I love dogs very much bt i dont hav one coz we live in an apartment and me n my parents are hardly home. Bt our neighbour has one. Her name is Romi. she is 2 months old and she got into a car accident and her leg had to be amputated. Its her second day today after the operation n she is copin really well. Reading about Shania really helped me and now i'm going to show this to my neighbours too. Thank you so much!
Schweta, I am happy you enjoyed Shania's story. You made a very good point wrt. dog ownership - Dogs are a joy, but they also need a lot of attention. As you pointed out, there are many other ways to spend time with dogs in the interim.
Romi sounds like a big time sweetie. Tripods always seem to bounce back very quickly and they are so full of verve! Gotta love tripods :)
Shibashake,
I wrote you about a month ago regarding my Mastiff Grim. I am happy to report he is doing much better and romping around with his brothers like a normal happy guy. I want to thank you again for this article! It was a great help!
Lila, I am so happy to hear that Grim is back to his usual happy self. But ... he may need a different name now :) Thank goodness to doggie heroes like you who are willing to lend a helping hand to dogs in need!
My minature schnauzer, Lilly, was just diagnosed with Melanoma cancer and she has to have one of her hind legs removed in order to prevent the cancer from spreading. It really helps reading your story with some suggestions on how to deal with the situation. Thanks for letting your story be heard! My Lilly is just under five years old so I am praying that she will adjust quickly to the change.
Hi Jennifer. When is Lilly going in for the operation? She is young and also a smaller dog, so I'll bet that she will be back to her usual self in short order. Also, dogs support more of their weight on the front legs, so a hind leg operation is usually easier to adjust to. Let us know how things go.
Hi, I have a wonderful tripod named Max. he is 5 years old. He does not know how to play catch, fetch, tug o war or anything like that. I try to teach him but he just doesn't seem interested. Are there other dogs like this? Also he is part lab and border collie, he doesn't like bathes but looks like he would love to jump into a lake near our home. but it appears that he might be afraid because he is not sure how he would get out. One other thing - do you ever consider a dog shoe to protect their feet from stickers or foxtails? We live in the country and I cannot possibly clear all the land. He is nursing a paw now that loks like it is festering. He is going to the vet Monday. Things i am just cruious about. he is missing his left front leg and hurt his rear right paw. He is managing ok though. I just love him so much and he works as a therapy dog - everyone loves Max. Thank you.
Hi Susan, Max sounds wonderful. I am always so impressed with therapy dogs.
Re games: Different dogs have different preferences when it comes to games. Sometimes, they are just unsure what you want them to do. As a lab/b.collie it seems that he would really love catch and fetch. I would start doing it in small steps. First teach him the take-it and drop-it commands on the ball. Put peanut butter on it if he needs more motivation :). Then you can try throwing it a short distance away, go to it and say Take-it. Just go slowly and in small steps. Both my dogs are not really into ball games. They both really enjoy the flirt pole though.
Re lake: You could just start with a small dog wading pool, just to see if he enjoys that. Then you can consider letting him into a small pool so that you can go in there with him and help him. I am not sure what would be involved in this, as I have not done it before myself. The things I would be most concerned about are that the steps and area around the pool may be really slippery, especially for a tripod.
Re dog shoes: Yes I have actually looked into this option. In addition to burrs and stuff, tripods put a lot more weight on their pads, and this causes more wear and tear. Shoes would help for both of these situations. According to the reviews, the big issue with dog shoes is that they frequently come off during play and other rigorous activity. Since my dogs play a lot together, it would not have worked out in my case.
The tripawds forum is also a good place to get more information:
http://www.tripawds.com/forums/
Hope this helps. Extra hugs and kisses to Max. Let us know how it goes at the vet.
Hi,
My 6 year old springer spaniel, Abbey, was just diagnosed with cancer and needs to have her left hind leg removed. I've seen an ad for a no cone collar for wound protection,to prevent her from licking her stiches. has anyone tried this?
Hi Wendy,
I have never tried using a no-cone collar before, but based on what I have read, it seems that it only prevents biting on very particular parts of the body, whereas the regular e-collar is a lot more comprehensive.
After surgery, Shania had a fairly large sized area with stitches, so I am not sure if a no-cone collar would offer enough protection. Your vet would probably be able to give you the best advice.
During Shania's surgery I also considered the soft e-collar, but my vet was against it because he said that dogs can chew on and bite off parts of the soft material. I ended up just using the regular e-collar.
You can also repost your question on the tripawds forum. There are many members there who have gone through cancer and amputation with their dogs.
http://www.tripawds.com/forums/
Hope this helps. Hugs and kisses to Abbey. Let us know how it goes.
Thanks for the information and advice. I just adopted a 6 mth old beagle and I noticed he was favoring his front left left and lifts it up when he first starts to run. He had a bad landing today when he tried to be a puppy and jammed his bad leg.
After an emergency vet visit and some xrays the vet told me that his puppy plate in the elbow had been previously damaged and that the elbow is arthritic and eventually an amputation might be needed, pain dictating if/when this would happen.
The funny thing about this is that I have a fused left ankle so I understand the pain, fusion and thoughts of eventual removal of the limb.
I have an appointment with his vet tomorrow but I am researching leg removals to be prepared for the eventual.
Hi Debbie, Yeah Shania was the same way. When she was a puppy, she would frequently put too much pressure on her front leg while playing with my other dog and hurt herself. She was never able to put weight on her crooked leg, and was mainly using it for balance, as far as I could tell.
Strangely, things got a lot better after the amputation. She quickly got used to having three legs and didn't have to deal with accidentally hurting herself. She actually became a lot more confident and started playing a lot more actively with my other dog.
Hugs and kisses to your little guy and please us know how he is doing.
I have an 80lb Alaskan Malmute/Norwegian Elkhound who broke her front left leg between the shoulder and elbow. We think she slipped on the slippery garage floor. Surgery was performed on it but somehow the plate moved and the break is just as worse. Surgery again is not an option. She is suffering just leaving it as it is and our only other options are amputation or putting her down. She is a big dog and I worry that she can break her other leg just as easily. We also live on acreage and her safety and quality of life are a concern. She loves to run, dig holes, try to catch mice and hold her bones to chew on them. If we amputate she will not be able to do the things she loves. Your input would be great for we have yet to make a decision on the fate of our dog.
Hi Colleen, I am sorry to hear about your dog's accident.
Amputation or not is a very difficult and painful decision. With regards to quality of life, I can only share what I have observed from Shania.
Shania can still run very well. If she doesn't have to turn, she can actually run faster than my Shiba Inu!
Shania also loves to dig holes. There are many of them in our backyard :) Her holes are long and narrower because she can only use one leg, but some of them are quite large.
Shania is a great hunter. She does a great job at keeping out the voles in our backyard. My Shiba Inu is pretty useless when it comes to hunting. I think he doesn't want to dirty himself - lol
Shania doesn't get any real bones, but she gets the plastic Nylabones. She is quite adept at manipulating them and chewing them. True, it is not as simple as a 4-legged dog, but she manages quite well on her own.
Shania is also great at working on interactive toys and she plays very well with my Shiba. She probably gives him more than he gives her. I know that he is one always doing the squealing :)
However, there are changes that we had to make around the house, during outings, and during walks to accomodate Shania. Shania has a hard time negotiating on slippery surfaces, so we covered up all the tile floors with rugs and runner rugs so that she can always walk on a rug surface. We are also careful with our backyard. We covered up our drainage ditch and made sure there are no large holes around.
Hope that this is of some help to you. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.
Hi. Thank you for your helpful and encouraging site. Our 9 year old siberian was just diagnosed with osteosarcoma and had an amputation. She is 5 weeks from the surgery and adjusting well on most fronts. She is a spirited and sweet thing who loves to romp in the field next to our house with her cat friends, Oliver, Caroline and Minnie. For years now, every morning, her "mama" calls her into the bed for snuggles.The "snugglepuppy" ritual is very special to Nikki and to her family, but since the surgery she cannot get into the bed. We've purchased doggie stairs, 16inx18in, and with some coaxing and guiding she made it up them twice. But she refuses to do it now, and resists when we try to guide her. She uses a ramp to get in the car, and that works fine, but the bed would be too steep for a ramp. Can you give us any advice about beds and/or doggie stairs so that we can restore our joyful morning ritual?
Many thanks, Nikki and her family
Hi NikkiLove,
lol - I like the "snugglepuppy" ritual. My Siberian is also tentative about new objects, especially objects that have to do with footwork.
How high is your bed? The easiest thing would be to consider getting a new, lower bed frame.
How high are the stairs? Another thing you could do, is let her learn to navigate the stairs in her own time. Just place some yummy treats on the steps, and a really good one on the bed, and let her get to them in her own time.
**ONLY do this though if you are totally confident that she can't hurt herself on the stairs. If the stairs are too high, and she can fall off and hurt herself, then I would NOT attempt this. Just go with the lower bed.
Hi there shibashake,
thought i would let you know that i have been searching for a site with insite on 3 legged dogs and yours has been by far the most helpful!
My 1 1/2 yr old white female boxer chica had her left leg amputated.. she is such a beautiful puppy, so sad this happened. She was playing in our yard with her little brother 6 months old, and some how tumbled so badly she broke her left elbow in 4 spots. 3 different vets and a specialist told us to amputate, it was so severe they thought she had been hit by a car.
Finally we found a vet willing to do the surgery but during the surgery we got a call today that he found multiple hair line fractures and nerve damage and a chance the leg might die after he tries to put it back together because of blood flow.. she is my best friend and i dont know what its going to be like when we get her ina few days.. I am so worried, what if she breaks her other leg? our puppy chopper is so hyper and might knock her over.. I just pray everything will be alright, your page has gave me so much informationand hope.
Very grateful new tripod owner,
Trina
Hi Trina,
Thanks for visiting and sharing your story with us. I am sure Chica will recover well - she is young and will bounce back so quickly you won't be able to believe it :)
Just separate the dogs until the stitches come off - which is usually in 2 weeks. That was what I did with my two dogs. I set up a dog pen and had Shania stay inside so that Sephy couldn't bug her, and so that she wouldn't be tempted to play before she was fully recovered.
Let us know how things go with Chica in the next few weeks. Many hugs to the both of your dogs.
We have a rescued 10 month old 80# Great Dane mix (we think). Gretchen was born with a deformed left front leg that was smaller than the rest of her legs. My main concern is her size. The amputation was done when she was just a few months old. She gets around pretty well, but I have concerns about keeping her weight in check. We have a 3 year old AmStaff and they play like there's no tomorrow! The vet recommended we take her off the puppy food & go to adult formula, but did not want us to switch to reduced calorie. Any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated. Also I am considering purchase of the WebMaster halter that I saw on Tripawd.com. Have you used one? Is it helpful. Thanks! Paula
Hi Paula,
I share the same concerns as you do. Our surgeon did advise us to keep Shania on the slim side. I am careful about how much I feed her, but I feed her regular adult kibble.
I also bought a home scale so that I could check her weight regularly and make sure she is not putting on more than she should. I adjusted her food intake some initially to make sure that she stayed at a healthy weight.
I think the best thing is to check with your vet and get some second opinions online as to what is a healthy weight for Gretchen, given her breed, age, height, etc. Then adjust the amount you feed her to maintain that healthy weight. Personally I would go with the regular adult food as that is formulated for a normal, healthy, adult dog, which is what Gretchen is. The reduced calorie food, as I understand it is formulated for overweight dogs, which Gretchen is not.
And yes I also have a RuffWear WebMaster harness. I like the way it is built and it provides good support for Shania. There are two key issues with it though for me -
1. It does make Shania hot because it covers a large part of her body. This will be less of an issue with you given that Gretchen probably does not have the thick double coat that Shania has.
2. Shania can pull like a train when she has the harness on. Ultimately I just ended up using the head-halti when I take her on long walks in the park. In the neighborhood, I am training her - slowly - not to pull on a regular flat collar.
Since Gretchen is much larger, it may not be feasible to use the harness if she is a big puller.
Hope this helps. You are awesome to rescue a dog! Congratulations on your new puppy :)
Thank you for your answers, we appreciate the help and advice. Gretchen's coat is very similar to a Rott's coat, course & short. I feel so bad for her when she goes to lie down as she uses her chin as a "guide" and has rubbed most of the fur off of it. We try to get her to lie down on a soft blanket, but in the heat (St. Louis) she would much rather lie on the tile, or carpet. I will give the harness some thought. I have not tried a head harness, not sure that I've seen one. Will take a look at Petsmart next time I'm there. Thanks for everything, I learned alot on your website. Have a great 4th of July!
Thanks Paula, Shania is the same way in terms of wanting to lie on the tile. She will sometimes go on her elevated bed tho - which is pretty cool because there is air circulation underneath. She also has a cool water bed for at night.
More information on dog beds -
http://hubpages.com/_srec/hub/Dog-Bed-A-Good-Bed-M
The Gentle Leader head halti is useful for a large dog that pulls. So it all depends on how Gretchen is on a leash. If she does not pull much, then I would definitely go with the Ruffwear body harness because it really does provide good body support. Siberians are big pullers tho - so it is pretty much impossible to train/walk Shania on just the harness. More information on head-halti -
http://hubpages.com/_srec/hub/Dog-Walking-Leash-Tr
Happy July 4th weekend! Hugs to Gretchen :)
I have a border collie who was initially a farm dog from Ireland. He was hit by a farm vehicle and had his front leg amputated when he was about 4/5 months old. He came to me at 7 months old. He had lots of fears at first but we gradually worked through them. Unfortunately he is still terrified of children and will bark if they come near him which we haven't been able to change. He absolutely adores adults and will do anything for a fuss. We have however noticed that over the last four weeks he has suddenly stopped to rest far more than usual. After several runs chasing a ball he lies down and this continue until we arrive home. I take water but this doesn't make any difference. I do not take him for long walks but he is still having difficulty. He is just under 3 years old. He does tend to pant heavily even in cooler weather.
Hi Janet,
You may have already done this, but I would definitely take him to the vet.
Shania tires a lot more easily in hot weather, but when it cools down at night - she goes a bit nuts letting out all her energy that she accumulated during the hot day.
Do you notice your boy being more active at night? How is his appetite? How are his movements? Sometimes, it could be a joint issue.
Definitely see what the vet says. Hopefully, it is just the weather, but better to make sure it is not something else.
Thanks so much for the information you have here. We are adopting Okemo a tripod boxer (friday can't come soon enough) and I have been serching for information. It was nice to have many of my questions answered all in one place!
Congratulations Melynda! And extra Kudos licks for adopting a tripod dog!
I am very glad I have Shania - she brings happy licks and her bouncy sunshine energy wherever she goes. :)
Give Okemo an extra hug from me on Friday! Very exciting. Also drop us a picture link when you get the chance.
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ha mei, tripod dog says:
11 months ago
thanks for all the advise i also have a 3 legged husky, and wanted some extra tips before she comes home as i'm in asia and the vets here arn't great at advise, or pet care really!
i think that if we'd have been in the west she wouldn't have lost the leg, my vet in england is great! this one really doesn't compare and he's the best one around here
oh well can't sew it back on now,
do you have any extra advise? let me know any help is welcome